Lesson for January 17, 2024

Judging Others

 Romans 2:1-3

Verse 1

“Therefore, you have no excuse, you foolish person, everyone of you who passes judgment; for in the matter in which you judge someone else, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.”

Therefore, you have no excuse is a reference to a self-righteous person who compares themselves to others. Because they say they don’t do things others do, they compare themselves to immoral people instead of comparing themselves to Christ. Self-righteousness makes a person blind to their own faults. Have no excuse is the Greek word “anapologetos.” meaning to have no defense. 

Everyone refers to anyone guilty of passing judgment on another. It is addressed to any self-righteous person who assumes, in arrogance, to have arrived at the point of human righteousness where they have the right to make pronouncements about the character or behavior of others. 

Who passes judgment is the Greek word “krino,” referring to a self-righteous person who assumes the prerogative of judging others. The word to judge in this context means to malign, to slander, or to use verbal sins directed toward someone else.

For in the matter in which you judge someone else is the Greek word “krino,” for judging. “Krino” isprimarily a legal word, used for both official and personal judgment. When used for a self-righteous person, as in this context, it is personal judgment by maligning, slandering, or gossiping. 

You condemn yourself is the Greek verb “katakrino” (kata = down or against; krino = to judge]. It means to judge down, to judge against, or to judge in such a way that you condemn. The self-righteous person produces the action of the verb by judging others while condemning themselves in the process. Why? For you who judge practice the same things showing the reason why a self-righteous person condemns themselves when they judge others. 

The Greek word for practice is “prasso,” meaning the habit of doing something. The same things is a reference to the sins mentioned previously in Romans 1:29-31. The self-righteous judge is as guilty of the same sins as the object of his/her condemnation. Only the justice of God has the right to correctly judge (evaluate) the life of anyone. Jesus Christ, the perfect judge can produce only perfect judgment. The self-righteous person assumes that they are perfect, but their judgment of others merely demonstrates their own imperfection, sinfulness, and hypocrisy. By judging others, a self-righteous person is attempting to play God in the life of another person.

Verse 2

“And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.”

The Greek word for know is “oida,” meaning to perceive or to have seen. That the judgment of God uses the Greek word “krima” judging, meaning condemnation or judicial verdict. 

Rightly falls upon those who practice such things means the judicial judgment of God does rightly, fairly, or properly fall on those who practice such immoral acts listed in Romans 1. This includes those who judge others. God’s judicial judgment is always according to truth (Bible doctrine). Therefore, the judgment of God is always fairly placed on those who practice the previously mentioned sins in chapter one, according to the standard of Bible doctrine. Such things refers to those immoral things Paul wrote about in chapter one.

A self-righteous person has the tendency to overlook their own brand of sin, while condemning the sins and the weaknesses of others. Self-righteous people rationalize their sins by comparing less obvious sins (mental attitude sins) with the obvious sins (overt sins) of others. While the self-righteous person sees themselves favourably, compared with others, the justice of God condemns them for the same sins.

At the expense of others, the self-righteous person attempts to build a system of human righteousness in an attempt to gain the approval of God. God’s standard of Bible doctrine condemns self-righteousness, along with the immoral, and all other sins, regardless of who commits them. Sin is sin, and God condemns sin. All sin is condemned by God (including judging others). The justice of God never compromises with sin!!!

Verse 3

“But do you suppose this, you foolish person who passes judgment on those who practice such things, and yet does them as well, that you will escape the judgment of God?”

Suppose is the Greek verb “logizomai,” which means to think, to consider, to ponder, to calculate, to evaluate, or to estimate. It is a self-righteous person who is supposing something to be true. 

You foolish person refers to the self-righteous person of verse one who presumes he has the prerogative in judging others. Who passes judgment is the Greek verb “krino” for judgment. The self-righteous person, in order to maintain his/her self-righteousness, must find those he/she considers inferior and judge them.

On those who practice such things uses the Greek verb “prasso” for practice, which means to do something habitually. The Greek word for such things is “toioutos,” meaning “similar things like that.”

And yet does them as well means to do, to make, to manufacture, to produce, or to perform also. This denotes what habitually occurs in the human race by a self-righteous person if he/she is involved in judging, maligning, and slandering others. And this person is guilty of the same sins from chapter one. The self-righteous person commits the sin and is just as guilty before the justice of God.

That you will escape is the Greek verb “ekphfeugo” and means to avoid or to escape. The self-righteous person assumes that because they are “righteous,” they are free to judge others, which is the prerogative of God only.