To Judge or Not to Judge. Saint Jerome’s Dilemma
What Can We Judge? How Should We Judge?
In recent years, when I spoke to some of my acquaintances about the terrible crisis in both the modern world and the Church, one of the “arguments” used by my interlocutors to silence me was taken directly from the Gospel of Matthew:
Judge not, that you may not be judged (Matthew 7:1).1
All these situations became a good opportunity for me to reflect on the biblical passage on behalf of which I was asked to suspend my capacity to judge. Thus, I began to read the interpretations of the Holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church, which are absolutely unitary and convergent.
The two extremely important aspects regarding the interpretation of our Lord’s statement “Judge not, that you may not be judged” refer, firstly, to the content—what we should and should not judge, and secondly, to the manner in which we judge—how we judge. I will consider them one by one, but not before mentioning the dilemma of Saint Jerome—a dilemma expressed through a question that will directly lead us into the heart of the matter:
But if He forbids us to judge, how then does Paul judge the Corinthian who had committed uncleanness? Or how does Peter convict Ananias and Sapphira of falsehood?2
Both situations invoked by the illustrious translator of the Vulgata seem to imply the opposite of what is stated in Matthew 7: 1 and Luke 6: 37. The first episode is found, as you recall, in chapter 5 of the first epistle of Saint Paul to the Corinthians. There, the apostle rebukes the members of that community for not having judged and punished through excommunication the incestuous adulterer. The manner in which the apostle expresses himself seems to be contrary, therefore, to the teaching of the Savior:
For I indeed, absent in body, but present in spirit, have already judged, as though I were present, him that hath so done (1 Corinthians 5: 3).
As for Peter’s judgment regarding Ananias and Sapphira in the Acts of the Apostles (5: 1-10), things are even more dramatic: not only did the apostle judge them, but both were instantly punished—by the power of the Holy Spirit—for the sin of concealing a portion of their own wealth which they had lied about having given entirely to the Church. These are the two episodes invoked by Saint Jerome. At first glance, both seem to contradict the Gospel teaching in Matthew 7: 1. Since God, the author of the Holy Scripture, cannot contradict Himself, the Fathers of the Church have explained to us what the interpretation of these passages is.
As can easily be understood from the third verse of the text from the Gospel according to Matthew, above all else, we must be concerned with removing “the beam out of our own eye:”
And why seest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye; and seest not the beam that is in thy own eye? (Matthew 7: 3).
The fact that such a behavior is wrong becomes glaring when someone judges the smaller sins of others more than his own sins. Saint John Chrysostom shows that God did not propose His teaching to completely suspend our judgment, but to discipline and temper our tendencies to consider ourselves superior to our neighbor:
He does not forbid us to judge all sin absolutely, but lays this prohibition on such as are themselves full of great evils, and judge others for very small evils.
Saint Cyril of Alexandria follows the same interpretation, showing that it is a mistake to forget or ignore our own passions and sins while dealing with those of others:
He here expresses that worst inclination of our thoughts or hearts, which is the first beginning and origin of a proud disdain. For although it becomes men to look into themselves and walk after God, this they do not, but look into the things of others, and while they forget their own passions, behold the infirmities of some, and make them a subject of reproach.
To be true disciples of the our Lord Jesus Christ, we must renounce ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him (Matthew 16: 24). However, to renounce ourselves, we must seriously examine our souls to discover all the passions, vices, and weaknesses that dominate us. Obviously, such an attitude should not allow anyone to be more concerned with others and their sins than with the state of his own soul. Saint Francis de Sales clearly states that “each one has enough to do in judging himself, without undertaking to judge his neighbor.”3
What Can We Judge
A second very important point that needs to be clarified concerns the content of judgment. What can we judge? First, we are made aware of what we cannot judge. For example, we cannot judge unclear and confusing matters, or those whose intentions are not clear. Saint Augustine says that “we should be particularly on our guard against hasty judgments, when it does not appear with what mind the action was done.” Likewise, judgments of those more advanced on the path of virtue toward those who are beginners should be avoided. Someone who prays all the daily hours and a complete Rosary should not judge someone who only says morning and evening prayers. The one who fasts with bread and water should not judge the one who fasts with fish, eggs, and milk. While the progress on the path of virtue is strongly encouraged, judgment that may breed contempt for one’s neighbor must be avoided.
Saint Francis de Sales also warns us against any rash judgment. For example, he shows us how to speak delicately, without rushing to condemn, about those who drink or eat too much. The fact that someone drinks, perhaps, one extra glass on occasion, should not lead us to say that person is a drunkard. Noah and Lot got drunk, but that does not mean they were drunkards. But “when we cannot find any excuse for sin, let us at least claim what compassion we may for it, and impute it to the least damaging motives we can find, as ignorance or infirmity.”
There are, however, some specific sins that always demand the judgment of those who are true Christians—as we have already seen in the case of the holy apostles Peter and Paul in the two examples referred to by Saint Jerome. What are these sins? Here is Saint Augustine’s explanation:
I suppose the command here to be no other than that we should always put the best interpretation on such actions as seem doubtful with what mind they were done. But concerning such as cannot be done with good purpose, as adulteries, blasphemies, and the like, He permits us to judge; but of indifferent actions which admit of being done with either good or bad purpose, it is rash to judge, but especially so to condemn.
Therefore, those sins that can never be excused, such as adultery, contraception, abortion, blasphemies, violations of the principles of modesty, and all those deeds and actions by which others are encouraged to sin, we can and indeed must denounce them. There are two special categories of sinners—heretics and schismatics—whom we must publicly denounce or even condemn with all firmness, says Saint Francis de Sales. By doing this we are performing a true act of charity:
You must speak freely in condemnation of the professed enemies of God and His Church, heretics and schismatics,—it is true charity to point out the wolf wheresoever he creeps in among the flock.
How Do We Judge
Finally, the last point of the teaching of the Saints and Doctors of the Church refers to how we should speak about the sins of others. So, how do we speak about the sins of others? Saint John Chrysostom, in an instructive phrase, emphasizes the essence of the Christian attitude, showing that, in fact, the statement from the Gospel according to Matthew “Judge not, that you may not be judged” represents an exhortation not to be “a bitter judge” but to
correct him (i.e., the sinner) indeed, but not as an enemy seeking revenge, but as a physician applying a remedy.
In the same vein, he shows
that Christians should not despise Christians by making a show of their own righteousness, hating others often on suspicion alone, condemning them, and pursuing private grudges under the show of piety.
Saint Gregory of Nyssa, acknowledging the same right to judge, adds that the word of the Gospel “does not forbid judgment with pardon.” From all this, we understand that the essence of biblical teaching always concerns the charity that we must exercise in relation to those who err, according to the word of the Pater noster prayer:
Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors (Matthew 6: 12).
In conclusion, I will summarize what the Holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church teach us.
The verse from the Gospel according to Matthew, “Judge not, that you may not be judged,” does not imply at all a complete suspension of judgment. On the contrary, in the case of certain sins, judgment is necessary, as we have seen in the cases of the apostles Peter and Paul mentioned by Saint Jerome. However, the judgment we apply to our neighbor must be applied with charity and not with the desire to annihilate the one who has erred, with mercy and hope in the possibility of his correction. The virtue of prudence, especially in those situations where things are not clear, is absolutely necessary. If possible and we are listened to, we can try to help the one who has erred through advice and teachings capable of indicating to him what he can do to remedy his mistakes and repair the sins committed. The cases in which we are duty-bound to denounce and even condemn sins out of charity are heresy and schism. However, repentance and penance must always be kept in mind.
Finally, what I would add to all of this is the necessity of prayers for the conversion of sinners. Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori—along with other saints—underlines that two perpetual intentions in our prayers should be:
1) the shortening of the time of purification of souls in purgatory and
2) the conversion of obstinate sinners.
Sancta Maria, Ora Pro Nobis!
In a slightly different form, the same teaching also appears in Luke 6: 37:
Judge not, and you shall not be judged.
The quotations from the Church Fathers are from the Catena Aurea of St. Thomas Aquinas. The texts containing the commentaries on the Gospels of Matthew and Luke can be found online here: https://www.ecatholic2000.com/catena/untitled-14.shtml and here: https://www.ecatholic2000.com/catena/untitled-67.shtml [Accessed: 20 June 2025].
Saint Francis of Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life: https://ccel.org/ccel/desales/devout_life/devout_life.v.xxviii.html [Accessed: 20 June 2025].
Robert, I think it may be helpful to read Seeking Heaven's take on the same subject. Here is an excerpt:
In biblical Greek, two different words are often translated as "judge":
κρίνω (krinō) – to discern, separate, or evaluate.
κατακρίνω (katakrinō) – to condemn or declare damned.
Jesus warns against katakrinō: the arrogant presumption that someone is beyond saving, that we can play God and declare a soul lost. That kind of judgment is indeed forbidden.
But krinō? That's the kind of judgment the Bible commands us to partake in:
"Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment." (John 7:24)
"The spiritual man judges all things." (1 Corinthians 2:15)
I don't know how to make the kind of minute theological determinations necessary for crafting the moral law for all Christians for all time. And I don't have the authority to make a call like that anyway. But as a general rule, it's probably better to turn your mind elsewhere when you find yourself thinking about what other people are doing. To mind our own business, in other words.