Matt. 7:1-6 (Part 1)
7:1ff CLEMENT OF ROME: Let us therefore, brethren, be of humble mind, laying aside all haughtiness, and pride, and foolishness, and angry feelings; and let us act according to that which is written (for the Holy Spirit says, “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, neither let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him that glories glory in the Lord, in diligently seeking Him, and doing judgment and righteousness,”) being especially mindful of the words of the Lord Jesus which He spoke, teaching us meekness and longsuffering. For He spoke: “Be merciful, that you may obtain mercy; forgive, that it may be forgiven to you; as you do, so shall it be done unto you; as you judge, so shall you be judged; as you are kind, so shall kindness be shown to you; with what measure you mete, with the same it shall be measured to you.” By this precept and by these rules let us establish ourselves, that we walk with all humility in obedience to His holy words. For the holy word says, “On whom shall I look, but on him that is meek and peaceable, and that trembles at My words?”
Epistle to the Corinthians, 1.8.
THE DIDACHE: Judge righteously, do not respect persons in reproving for transgressions. 7.378.
POLYCARP: Be mindful of what the Lord said in His teaching: “Do not judge, that you will not be not judged; forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you;be merciful, that you may obtain mercy;with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again.” Epistle to the Philippians, 1.33.
POLYCARP: And let the presbyters be compassionate and merciful to all, bringing back those that wander, visiting all the sick, and not neglecting the widow, the orphan, or the poor, but always “providing for that which is becoming in the sight of God and man;” abstaining from all wrath, respect of persons, and unjust judgment; keeping far off from all covetousness, not quickly crediting an evil report against any one, not severe in judgment, as knowing that we are all under a debt of sin. Epistle to the Philippians, 1.34.
IRENAEUS: The Lord said: “Judge not, that you be not judged: for with what judgment you shall judge, you shall be judged.” The meaning is certainly not that we should not find fault with sinners, nor that we should consent to those who act wickedly; but that we should not pronounce an unfair judgment on the dispensations of God, inasmuch as He has Himself made provision that all things shall turn out for good, in a way consistent with justice. Against Heresies, 1.504.
TATIAN: As for those who wish to learn our philosophy, we do not test them by their looks, nor do we judge of those who come to us by their outward appearance; for we argue that there may be strength of mind in all, though they may be weak in body. Address to the Greeks, 2.78.
TATIAN: “Judge not, that you be not judged: condemn not, that you be not condemned: forgive, and it shall be forgiven you: release, and you shall be released: give, that you may be given to; with good measure, abundant, full, they shall thrust into your bosoms. With what measure you measure it shall be measured to you. See to it what you hear: with what measure you measure it shall be measured to you; and you shall be given more. I say unto those that hear, he that has shall be given unto; and he that does not have, that which he regards as his shall be taken from him.”
And he spoke to them a parable, “Can a blind man perhaps guide a blind man? Shall they not both fall into a hollow? A disciple is not better than his master; every perfect man shall be as his master. Why do you look at the speck which is in the eye of your brother, but do not consider the column that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, I will take out the speck from your eye;' and the column which is in your eye you do not see? You hypocrite, first take out the column from your eye; and then you shall see to take the speck out from the eye of your brother. Do not give that which is holy to the dogs, neither cast your pearls before the swine, lest they trample them with their feet, and return and wound you.” The Diatessaron, 9.59.
CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA: As you do, so shall it be done to you; as you give, so shall it be given to you; as you judge, so shall you be judged; as you show kindness, so shall kindness be shown to you: with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again. The Stromata, 2.367.
CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA: How then does man give these things? For I will give not only to friends, but to the friends of friends. And who is it that is the friend of God? Do not you judge who is worthy or who is unworthy. For it is possible you may be mistaken in your opinion. As in the uncertainty of ignorance it is better to do good to the undeserving for the sake of the deserving, than by guarding against those that are less good to fail to meet in with the good. For though sparing, and aiming at testing, who will receive meritoriously or not, it is possible for you to neglect some that are loved by God; the penalty for which is the punishment of eternal fire. But by offering to all in turn that need, you must of necessity by all means find some one of those who have power with God to save. “Judge not, then, that you be not judged. With what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again; good measure, pressed and shaken, and running over, shall be given to you.” Open your compassion to all who are enrolled the disciples of God; not looking contemptuously to personal appearance, nor carelessly disposed to any period of life. Who is the Rich Man that Shall be Saved?, 2.600-601.
TERTULLIAN: “Judge not, and you shall not be judged; condemn not, and you shall not be condemned; forgive, and you shall be forgiven; give, and it shall be given to you: good measure, pressed down, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you measure, it shall be measured to you again.” As it seems to me, this passage announces a retribution proportioned to the merits. Against Marcion, 3.373.
TERTULLIAN: Why, then, do we believe Him a Judge, if not an Avenger too? This He promises that He will be to us in return, saying, “Vengeance belongs to me, and I will avenge;” that is, “Leave patience to me, and I will reward patience.” For when He says, “Judge not, lest you be judged,” does He not require patience? For who will refrain from judging another, but he who shall be patient in not revenging himself? Of Patience, 3.713.
ANONYMOUS: You, O Novatian, judge and declare that the lapsed have no hope of peace and mercy, nor do you incline your ear to the rebuke of the apostle, when he says, “Who are you, who judges another man’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Yes, he shall stand. God is mighty to establish him.” . . . The Holy Spirit, in the person of those same lapsed people, rebukes you when He says, “Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy: because if I have fallen, I shall also rise again; and if I shall walk in darkness, the Lord is my light. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against Him, until He justify my cause, and execute judgment and justice, and bring me forth to the light. I shall behold His righteousness; and she that is my enemy shall see me, and shall cover herself with confusion.”
I beseech you, have you not read, “Do not boast, and do not speak loftily, and do not let arrogance proceed out of your mouth: for the Lord lifts the poor from the earth; He raises up the beggar from the dunghill, and makes him to sit with the mighty ones of the people?” Have you not read, that “the Lord resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble?” Have you not read, “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled?” Have you not read, that “God destroys the remembrance of the proud, and does not forsake the memory of the lowly?” Have you not read, that “with what judgment a man shall judge he must be judged?” A Treatise Against the Heretic Novatian by an Anonymous Bishop. 5.660-661.
CYPRIAN: Moreover, we do not prejudge when the Lord is to be the judge; except that if He shall find the repentance of the sinners full and sound, He will then ratify what shall have been here determined by us. If, however, any one should delude us with the pretense of repentance, God, who is not mocked, and who looks into man’s heart, will judge of those things which we have imperfectly looked into, and the Lord will amend the sentence of His servants; while yet, dearest brother, we ought to remember that it is written, “A brother that helps a brother shall be exalted;” and that the apostle also has said, “Let all of you individually have regard to yourselves, lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ;” also that, rebuking the haughty, and breaking down their arrogance, he says in his epistle, “Let him that thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall;” and in another place he says, “Who are you that judges another man’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls; yes, he shall stand, for God is able to make him stand.” To Antonianus About Cornelius and Novatian. 5.331-332.
CYPRIAN: We must not rashly judge one another. In the Gospel according to Luke: “Judge not, that you shall not be judged: condemn not, that you shall not be condemned.”
Of this same subject to the Romans: “Who are you that judges another man’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. But he shall stand; for God is able to make him stand.” And again: “Therefore you are without excuse, O every man that judges: for in that in which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you do the same things which you judge. But do you hope, who judges those who do evil, and you do the same, that you shall escape the judgment of God?” Also in the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians: “And let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” And again: “If any man thinks that he knows anything, he knows not yet in what manner he ought to know.”
The Treatises of Cyprian, 5.541.