To those who seem to know only one verse from the Bible—”Judge not, that ye be not judged” (Matthew 7:1)—we often respond with another command from the lips of Jesus: “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment” (John 7:24). It is clear that Jesus was forbidding hypocritical judgment in Matthew 7, the type of judging where a man with a beam in his eye tries to take a speck out of his brother’s eye (Matthew 7:3-5). Jesus is not saying one cannot exercise moral discernment, or even identify that certain people are like dogs and hogs (Matthew 7:6). Furthermore, one must inspect the fruit of false teachers in order to beware of them and avoid following them to destruction (Matthew 7:12-20).

However, what is the context of John 7:24? If Matthew 7:1 can be quoted out of context, we must make sure we understand the context of John 7:24. Hearing the teaching of Jesus, the Jews were astonished at His mastery of the Scriptures since He had not been trained in the rabbinical schools (v. 15). In order to show that He was not drawing His teaching from man-made tradition, nor originating it Himself, Jesus replied, “My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me” (v. 16). Jesus then showed that citing the pedantic debates of past rabbis—whose egos were wrapped up in their teaching—was not the key to knowing God’s will, but rather having a sincere desire to do His will. He said, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him” (vv. 17-18). Jesus selflessly came to speak the words the Father gave Him to save people, yet the religious leaders at the feast in John 7—who had the law, but did not keep the law—sought to kill Him because He threatened their self-importance: their control of the people who looked to them for guidance (v. 19; cf. 11:48).

To make His point, Jesus presented one miraculous work He had done that caused people to marvel that He would do such on the Sabbath (v. 21). Jesus flouted rabbinical tradition and accepted norms of Sabbath observance in John 5 by healing a man who had been lame for thirty-eight years and telling him to take up his pallet and walk on the Sabbath. God’s law had required a holy rest from one’s normal work during the week in order to focus on the Lord on the seventh day (Ex. 20:8-11), yet many policies had been developed by rabbis over the years concerning what was and was not breaking the Sabbath. In their zealous reaction to Jewish assimilation of Greek culture, the Jewish leaders had attempted to make a fence around the law by forbidding what God had not banned. What they ended up doing was making a fence through the law because their traditions — which had become to many people more binding and important than God’s law—set up false criteria for who was and who was not following God. By their criteria, Jesus was a sinner and they were virtuous, yet in reality they were seeking to kill Jesus and He never sinned but always pleased the Father (Jn. 8:29, 46). Jesus showed that even these religious leaders recognized that the law requiring circumcision of a male baby on the eighth day (Lev. 12:3) meant that it should be carried out even if that eighth day fell on the Sabbath; this is why even though circumcision had been around before Moses (Gen. 17), God had Moses command it to give a precedent for certain vital activities, (such as the healing Jesus had engaged in), on the Sabbath (Jn. 7:22; cf. Lk . 13:14-15). If they could perform surgery on one member of the body on the Sabbath to fulfill a positive law, then certainly Jesus could heal an entire body to fulfill God’s will in showing mercy (John 7:23).

Thus, John 7:24, while commanding righteous judgment, reprimands judgment “according to appearance,” which, according to the context, is superficial judgment of religious people who set up false criteria for who is pleasing to God. This is still common today among religious people who want to maintain their self-righteous status, instead of humbling themselves to truly do the will of God and give Him glory. So remember John 7:17-18 before you quote John 7:24 to someone.

–Mark Day

For a number of reasons, questions about marriage are among the most interesting and important to human beings. And, among the most important of those questions is this: who can marry without committing sin in so doing? The Bible answer is plain. The Bible makes clear that, ideally speaking, God intends that marriage is to be a lifetime contract (Romans 7:1-4). Jesus gave one exception. He sets out one ground upon which one may put away his companion and marry another: that of marital unfaithfulness (fornication, Matthew 19:9). God joins together two people in marriage only when both parties to that marriage are eligible (according to Bible standards of eligibility) to be married. Even if a person is eligible to be married, if he/she marries someone who is not eligible, then he/she commits adultery. With the above introductory matters in mind, may each reader prayerfully consider those who, according the Bible, are eligible to be married (and who, therefore, can marry without committing sin in so doing).

1. Those who have never been married previously may, without sin, marry – so long as they themselves marry an eligible (in the sight of God) partner. “But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned” (1 Corinthians 7:28; cf. 1 Corinthians 7:9).
2. Those who have been previously married but whose former companion is dead. Paul stated the matter in this fashion: “For the woman which hath a husband is bound by law to the husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of the husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if the husband be dead, she is free from the law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man” (Romans 7:2, 3).
3. Those who have been previously married but whose former companion was guilty of fornication (unfaithfulness to the marriage vow). Here, our text (Matthew 19:9), shows plainly that Jesus gave to the innocent party the right to seek another marriage partner. If Jesus had given no exception, his language would have taught that every person who puts away his companion and marries another is guilty of adultery. But Jesus did not do that – he did give an exception, making it clear that those whose companions have been guilty of sexual unfaithfulness may put them away and marry another, not being guilty of adultery in so doing. This means physical unfaithfulness – the actual act of sexual intercourse – not merely lusting in one’s heart (Matthew 5:28).

The negation, put in simple terms, is a setting forth of those who cannot marry without sinning in so doing. Or, it might be stated as follows: those who do sin when they marry. Just who are these? 1. Those who have a living former companion who was not put away because of fornication. According to Matthew 19:9, Jesus forbade divorce and remarriage except on the ground of marital unfaithfulness (fornication). 2. Those who marry anyone who has a former companion (still living) who was not put away because of fornication. In Matthew 19:9, Jesus said, “Whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away committeth adultery” (compare Matthew 5:32). 3. Those who were put away because of their marital unfaithfulness (fornication) (Matt. 5:32; cf.19:9). The guilty party (that is, one who has been put away because of fornication) is not free to marry. The teaching of Jesus on this matter is too plain for denial. It was with infinite wisdom that God has set forth the privileges and the bounds of marriage, divorce and remarriage. It is by God’s wisdom that fornication has been designated the one and only ground for divorce and remarriage. It was God who instituted marriage. It was God who has protected it by setting the limitations.

While our hearts ache for those who are involved in marriages which the Bible makes clear are not pleasing to God, it would not be the loving thing to counsel those so involved to stay in sinful relationships. The wise and loving counsel is always, “Obey the Lord. If you do, He will never leave you or forsake you.” Let each of us remember: “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).

– Thomas B. Warren, The Spiritual Sword, April, 1984 (adapted)
—submitted by Jerry D. Sturgill