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Misattribution and Judgment in Biblical Teachings

Biblical teachings frequently address the concepts of misattribution and judgment, often highlighting the divine perspective on human actions and their consequences. Judgment, in particular, is a foundational principle in the gospel, predicted in the Old Testament and appointed for a specific day known only to God [1].

Misattribution, or the incorrect assignment of cause or meaning, appears in various biblical contexts. For instance, Jesus' prediction of his death and resurrection was either misunderstood or deliberately distorted by his accusers, leading to a false charge against him [9]. Similarly, the prophet Ezekiel describes God giving the Israelites "statutes... not good" because they refused to follow His good statutes. This is interpreted as a righteous retribution, where God allowed them to follow their own corrupt ways, which ultimately led to their destruction [6]. This illustrates a form of divine judgment where the consequences of misdirected worship or disobedience are allowed to unfold, rather than God actively giving them evil laws [6].

Judgment itself is consistently presented as originating from God [2]. It is a response to disobedience, which provokes God's anger, forfeits His favor and promised blessings, and brings a curse [3]. The Bible describes various forms of divine judgment, including pestilence, famine, war, captivity, and destruction [2]. These judgments are inflicted upon individuals and nations alike [2]. For example, the prophet Jeremiah describes the unburied bodies of idolaters spread before the sun, moon, and stars—the very objects they worshipped—as a form of retribution for their mad fervor [7].

The concept of judgment extends to the spiritual realm. The Holy Spirit is said to give reproof, and Christ gives reproof in love, often on account of impenitence, lack of understanding, hardness of heart, fearfulness, unbelief, vain boasting, and hypocrisy [5]. Unjust measures and practices are an abomination to God, and the Jews were specifically commanded not to be unjust in their dealings [4]. Despite these commands, they often used unjust measures, leading to divine rebuke [4].

The administration of judgment is ultimately attributed to Christ [1]. The New Testament indicates that saints will participate with Christ in this judgment [1]. The "Day of Judgment" is also referred to as the "Day of wrath" and the "Revelation of the righteous judgment of God" [1]. While God's judgment can be severe, it also serves a purpose of correction and instruction. God gives reproof to His own children, and even to the wicked, to bring about repentance [5].

The consequences of disobedience are often depicted as bitter, and individuals are expected to acknowledge the justice of their punishment [3]. However, God also preserves a remnant, as seen in Ezekiel, so that they might declare God's righteousness among the Gentiles, demonstrating how His justice was vindicated in their punishment for sins [8]. This highlights that even in judgment, there can be a redemptive or declarative purpose.

The Bible also presents judgment as a process where individuals are called to exercise their own discernment. For instance, believers are encouraged to use their powers of judgment to understand theological arguments, such as the implications of partaking in the Lord's Supper versus idol feasts [10]. This suggests that while ultimate judgment belongs to God, humans have a responsibility to judge right from wrong in their own lives and beliefs [10].

Sources

  1. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Judgment, The — Predicted in the Old Testament -- 1Ch 16:33; Ps 9:7; 96:13; Ec 3:17. A first principle of the gospel -- Heb 6:2. A day appointed for -- Ac 17:31; Ro 2:16. Time of, unknown to us -- Mr 13:32. Called the Day of wrath. -- Ro 2:5; Re 6:17. Revelation of the righteous judgment of God. -- Ro 2:5. Day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. -- 2Pe 3:7. Day of destruction. -- Job 21:30. Judgment of the great day. -- Jude 1:6. Shall be administered by Christ -- Joh 5:22,27; Ac 10:42; Ro 14:10; 2Co 5:10. Saints shall sit with Christ in -- 1Co 6:2; Re 20:4. Sh”
  2. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Judgments — Are from God -- De 32:39; Job 12:23; Am 3:6; Mic 6:9. Different kinds of Blotting out the name. -- De 29:20. Abandonment by God. -- Ho 4:17. Cursing men's blessings. -- Mal 2:2. Pestilence. -- De 28:21,22; Am 4:10. Enemies. -- 2Sa 24:13. Famine. -- De 28:38-40; Am 4:7-9. Famine of hearing the word. -- Am 8:11. The sword. -- Ex 22:24; Jer 19:7. Captivity. -- De 28:41; Eze 39:23. Continued sorrows. -- Ps 32:10; 78:32,33; Eze 24:23. Desolation. -- Eze 33:29; Joe 3:19. Destruction. -- Job 31:3; Ps 34:16; Pr 2:22; Isa 11:4. Inflicted upon Nations. -- Ge 15:14;”
  3. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Disobedience to God — Provokes his anger -- Ps 78:10,40; Isa 3:8. Forfeits his favour -- 1Sa 13:14. Forfeits his promised blessings -- Jos 5:6; 1Sa 2:30; Jer 18:10. Brings a curse -- De 11:28; 28:15. A characteristic of the wicked -- Eph 2:2; Tit 1:16; 3:3. The wicked persevere in -- Jer 2:21. Heinousness of, illustrated -- Jer 35:14. Men prone to excuse -- Ge 3:12,13. Shall be punished -- Isa 42:24,25; Heb 2:2. Acknowledge the punishment of, to be just -- Ne 9:32,33; Da 9:10,11,14. Warnings against -- 1Sa 12:15; Jer 12:17. Bitter results of, illustrated -- Jer 9:13,”
  4. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Measures — Unjust, an abomination to God -- Pr 20:10. The Jews not to be unjust in -- Le 19:35; De 25:14,15. The Jews often used unjust -- Mic 6:10. Of liquids and solids Log. -- Le 14:10,15. Cab. -- 2Ki 6:25. Omer or tenth-deal (the tenth of an ephah). -- Ex 16:36; Le 5:11; 14:10. Hin. -- Ex 29:40. Bath or ephah. -- Isa 5:10; Eze 45:11. Homer or Cor. -- Isa 5:10; Eze 45:14. Firkin. -- Joh 2:6. Of length Handbreadth. -- Ex 25:25; Ps 39:5. Span. -- Ex 28:16; 1Sa 17:4. Cubit. -- Ge 6:15,16; De 3:11. Fathom. -- Ac 27:28. Furlong. -- Lu 24:13; Joh 11:13. Mile. -- Mt 5:41”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Reproof — God gives reproof to his own children -- 2Sa 7:14; Job 5:17; Ps 94:12; 119:67,71,75; Heb 12:6,7. God gives, to the wicked -- Ps 50:21; Isa 51:20. Christ sent to give -- Isa 2:4; 11:3. The Holy Spirit gives -- Joh 16:7,8. Christ gives, in love -- Re 3:19. On account of Impenitence. -- Mt 11:20-24. Not understanding. -- Mt 16:9,11; Mr 7:18; Lu 24:25; Joh 8:43; 13:7,8. Hardness of heart. -- Mr 8:17; 16:14. Fearfulness. -- Mr 4:40; Lu 24:37,38. Unbelief. -- Mt 17:17,20; Mr 16:14. Vain boasting. -- Lu 22:34. Hypocrisy. -- Mt 15:7; 23:13. Reviling Christ. -- Lu 2”
  6. Ezekiel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ezekiel 20:25: I gave them . . . statutes . . . not good--Since they would not follow My statutes that were good, "I gave them" their own (Eze 20:18) and their fathers' "which were not good"; statutes spiritually corrupting, and, finally, as the consequence, destroying them. Righteous retribution (Psa 81:12; Hos 8:11; Rom 1:24; Th2 2:11). Eze 20:39 proves this view to be correct (compare Isa 63:17). Thus on the plains of Moab (Num. 25:1-18), in chastisement for the secret unfaithfulness to God in their hearts, He permitted Baal's worshippers to tempt them to idolat”
  7. Jeremiah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Jeremiah 8:2: spread . . . before the sun, &c.--retribution in kind. The very objects which received their idolatries shall unconcernedly witness their dishonor. lover . . . served . . . after . . . walked . . . sought . . . worshipped--Words are accumulated, as if enough could not be said fully to express the mad fervor of their idolatry to the heavenly host (Kg2 23:5). nor . . . buried-- (Jer 22:19). dung-- (Jer 9:22; Psa 83:10).”
  8. Ezekiel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ezekiel 12:16: I will leave a few . . . that they may declare . . . abominations--God's purpose in scattering a remnant of Jews among the Gentiles; namely, not only that they themselves should be weaned from idolatry (see Eze 12:15), but that by their own word, as also by their whole state as exiles, they should make God's righteousness manifest among the Gentiles, as vindicated in their punishment for their sins (compare Isa 43:10; Zac 8:13).”
  9. Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 26:61: 26:61 The charge is either a misunderstanding or a deliberate distortion of Jesus’ prediction of his death and resurrection (see John 2:19-21).”
  10. 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 10:15: Appeal to their own powers of judgment to weigh the force of the argument that follows: namely, that as the partaking of the Lord's Supper involves a partaking of the Lord Himself, and the partaking of the Jewish sacrificial meats involved a partaking of the altar of God, and, as the heathens sacrifice to devils, to partake of an idol feast is to have fellowship with devils. We cannot divest ourselves of the responsibility of "judging" for ourselves. The weakness of private judgment is not an argument against its use, but its abuse. We should t”
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