Interpreting Luke 6:37-38 on Judging and Forgiveness
Luke 6:37-38 presents a series of ethical imperatives from Jesus, emphasizing a reciprocal relationship between how individuals treat others and how they will be treated in turn. The passage, as rendered in the Berean Standard Bible, states: "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you" [1].
This teaching is part of Jesus' broader discourse often paralleled with the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew's Gospel (Matthew 7:1-2) [3, 6]. Matthew Henry notes that these were likely sayings Jesus frequently used, easily applicable to various situations [6]. The immediate context in Luke's Gospel follows Jesus' teachings on loving enemies and doing good to those who hate (Luke 6:27-36), culminating in the command to "be merciful, just as your Father is merciful" (Luke 6:36) [7].
The command "Do not judge" (μὴ κρίνετε) does not prohibit all discernment, but rather condemns hypocritical judgment that denigrates another person [8]. Adam Clarke interprets this as God's willingness to put judgment into human hands, promising not to judge us if we do not usurp His right to judge others [5]. Similarly, "Condemn not" (μὴ καταδικάζετε) urges mercy, encouraging believers to lessen, conceal, and excuse faults where possible, without compromising truth or justice [5]. John Gill connects this to not censuring others' persons or spiritual states, especially regarding differences in practice or principle, to avoid God's righteous judgment [7].
The positive commands "Forgive" (ἀπολύετε) and "Give" (δίδωτε) are likewise tied to receiving forgiveness and generosity from God [1, 7]. The promise that "a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap" illustrates the abundant return for generosity [1]. This imagery suggests a full and overflowing recompense for acts of giving, echoing themes found in Proverbs regarding generosity (Proverbs 22:9, 19:17) [2, 4]. The principle of reciprocity, "For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you," underscores the entire passage, emphasizing that the standard applied to others will be applied to oneself [1]. This concept is foundational to Christian ethics, urging believers to extend grace and mercy as they desire to receive it from God [5, 7].
Sources
- Luke “Luke 6:37 (BSB) — Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
- OpenBible.info “Cross-reference: Luke.6.38 → Prov.22.9 (confidence: 37 votes)”
- OpenBible.info “Cross-reference: Matt.7.2 → Luke.6.38 (confidence: 17 votes)”
- OpenBible.info “Cross-reference: Prov.19.17 → Luke.6.38 (confidence: 31 votes)”
- Luke (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Luke 6:37: Judge not - See on Mat 7:1 (note). "How great is the goodness of God, in being so willing to put our judgment into our own hands as to engage himself not to enter into judgment with us, provided we do not usurp the right which belongs solely to him in reference to others!" Condemn not - "Mercy will ever incline us not to condemn those unmercifully whose faults are certain and visible; to lessen, conceal, and excuse them as much as we can without prejudice to truth and justice; and to be far from aggravating, divulging, or even desiring them to be punished." Forgive - ”
- Luke (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Luke 6:37: All these sayings of Christ we had before in Matthew; some of them in ch. 7, others in other places. They were sayings that Christ often used; they needed only to be mentioned, it was easy to apply them. Grotius thinks that we need not be critical here in seeking for the coherence: they are golden sentences, like Solomon's proverbs or parables. Let us observe here, I. We ought to be very candid in our censures of others, because we need grains of allowance ourselves: "Therefore judge not others, because then you yourselves shall not be judged; therefore condemn not ”
- Luke (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Luke 6:36: Judge not, and ye shall not be judged,.... See Gill on Mat 7:1. Condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned; censure not men's persons, and judge not their state, or adjudge them to condemnation, for every offence in practice, or because they differ in principle, lest you should be treated in like manner by others; and especially, lest you should fall under the righteous censure, judgment, and condemnation of God: forgive; offences and trespasses committed against you, bear with, and pass by injuries and affronts: and ye shall be forgiven; of God; See Gill on Mat 6”
- Luke (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Luke 6:37: 6:37-42 Do not judge others: Jesus condemned hypocritical judgment that denigrated another person. Those who condemn others will be judged by that same standard. God requires his people to love others by warning them of the dangers of sin (Gal 6:1; Heb 3:13). Exhortation is an act of love; judgment is an act of pride.”