Do not judge so that you yourself might not be judged; Let him who is without sin cast the first stone

11. Do not judge  so that you yourself might not be judged, for you will be judged according to your having judged others, and the same measure will be used on you that you have used on them. (Mt. 7:1-2)

12. Then, the scribes and Pharisees brought him a woman who had been caught in adultery and stood her in the midst of the people, saying to Jesus, “Master,  this woman has just been caught in adultery. Now,  the law of Moses orders us to stone adulterers. What, then, is your opinion  on the matter?” They said this to test him in order to have a reason to accuse him. However, Jesus kneeled  down  and began writing on the ground with his finger. When they continued to question him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him among you who is without sin cast the first stone at her.” Then, he kneeled again and continued writing on the ground. But hearing him speak in such a way, they began to leave one by one, the older ones first. Thus, Jesus remained  alone with the woman, who was in the middle of the square.

Then, Jesus stood  up and said to her, “Woman, where  are your  accusers? Have not any of them condemned you?” She said to him, “No, Lord.” Jesus responded to her, “Neither will I condemn you. Go, and in the future, sin no more.” (Jn. 8:3-11)

13. “Let him among you who is without sin cast the first stone at her,” said Jesus. This maxim makes indulgence a duty, for there is no one who does not  need indulgence in return. Indulgence teaches us that we must not judge others more severely than we would judge ourselves, or condemn others for what we absolve in ourselves. Before blaming someone else’s wrong, let us see if the same reproof might not fall upon us.

Blame cast at another’s conduct can have two motives: to reprimand evil or to discredit the person whose acts are being criticized. The  latter motive is never excusable, because it  is defamatory and malicious. The former may be praiseworthy, and even become a duty in certain cases since some good might result from it, and since without it, evil would never be restricted in society. Moreover, is it not one’s duty to help with the progress of one’s fellow humans? Thus, it would not be right to take the principle, “Do not judge if you do not want to be judged” in the absolute sense, because the letter kills but the spirit enlivens. Jesus could not have prohibited the condemnation of what is evil, since he himself did so and in no uncertain terms. What he meant was that the authority to condemn is a result of the moral authority of the one who does the condemning. To be guilty of what one condemns in someone else is to belie such authority; moreover, it removes the right to restrain. Furthermore, one’s inner awareness denies any respect for and any voluntary submission to those who, vested with any kind of power, violate the laws and principles they are in charge of enforcing. There  is no legitimate authority in God’s eyes except  that which is founded on the example of the good it does. This too is what the words of Jesus emphasize.