But I say unto you, that every idle word which men shall say, they shall render an account of it in judgment-day
The Pharisees have just accused Jesus of casting out demons by Satan's power. He answers by tracing words back to the heart behind them, and then warns of the day of judgment — which raises two questions: what makes a word "careless," and who must answer for it?
The Greek word behind "careless" (older translations read "idle") is not a neutral term for small talk. It carries blame with it.
The Greek word argos (perhaps from a word meaning "not working") applies to things as well as to people, and it involves blame. In Matthew 12:36, men will have to give account for "every 'idle' word" they speak. It is translated "idle" in Matthew 20:3, 6 and 1 Timothy 5:13.
In this setting the word cuts deeper. These men had just insulted the Holy Spirit's witness to Jesus.
By "every idle word" I understand everything that betrays contempt for God… What God insists on is testimony to Jesus. These idle words betray the heart's rejection of Jesus, and slight the Holy Spirit's testimony to Him.
God does not judge speech as an isolated act. He treats it as evidence of what a person really is.
Words that leave Jesus out prove that the heart prefers its sin to Him. The words of the mouth show the state of the heart. They are the outward expression of the feelings, and they show a man in one way as much as his conduct does in another. If the heart is evil, the words are evil, the conduct is evil: all therefore comes into judgment.
Human courts treat speech very differently from God.
Men will be called to account in the day of judgment even for idle words — that is, worthless or unfruitful ones. How much more when the words are openly wicked!… The world's government does not work on this principle. Freedom of speech allows a shameful flood of evil words. People are sometimes sued for libel against others, but the vilest language against God is treated as nothing.
Careless words are not lost. Even what we say behind someone's back counts.
Let us never forget one thing. Everything we say and do about people we dislike, and hope they will never hear, is seen and recorded by the all-seeing God.
This completeness is what makes the judgment seat trustworthy.
If a man has to meet judgment at all, he must give account for every idle word. What a solemn thought! There is no escaping it. If a single idle word could be let pass, it would dishonour the judgment seat. It would be a sign of weakness and incompetence which is utterly impossible.
Commentators differ on how far this verse reaches. One writer answered a troubled woman by pointing to the gap between two kinds of people.
The Lord enabled this lady to see the huge contrast. Men who have rejected mercy must give account in the day of judgment. Those who have heard the word of Christ now, and believe on God who sent Him, have everlasting life and will not come into judgment.
Another writer aims the verse at self-righteous religion, and sets the believer's review apart from it.
These words have been misunderstood and much misapplied, by wrenching them out of their connection… These Pharisees were proud of their works and self-righteous. If they rely on their works to justify and save them, they must expect a judgment to match. Every idle word is to be judged, and that means utter, absolute condemnation… Salvation is by grace, and by that salvation a man receives a good treasure and brings out good things… Believers should keep in mind that we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. That is not to decide eternal salvation — that was settled when the believer trusted in Christ — but for rewards.
Keeping this truth in view changes how we speak today.
Every word that leaves our lips is fully known by Him who said, "By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned"… If we keep this in mind, it will keep us from much evil.
- Idle — the word means worthless and unfruitful, and it carries blame. Here it covers whatever betrays contempt for God.
- Index — words are weighed because they reveal the heart. Evil words and evil conduct grow from the same root.
- Recorded — what we say about others, even privately, is observed by God and will be brought up.
- Complete — a judgment that let one idle word pass would dishonour the judgment seat. So anyone standing there on his own record is condemned.
- Contrast — commentators differ in emphasis. Both agree that the believer's salvation is settled by grace, and not by a verdict still hanging on his speech.
for by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
The Pharisees had just accused the Lord of casting out demons by Satan's power. He turns from the deed to the speaker, and makes a man's words the evidence in God's courtroom.
Words come out of what a person already is. One writer shows what the mouth reveals:
What God insists on is testimony to Jesus. These idle words betray the heart's rejection of Jesus and slight the Holy Spirit's testimony to Him... The words of the mouth show the state of the heart. They are the outward expression of the feelings, and they show a man in one way as much as his conduct does in another. If the heart is evil, the words are evil, the conduct is evil: all therefore comes into judgment.
The verse just before this one warns about every careless word — older translations call it an "idle" word. The Greek term behind it means more than "unimportant":
The Greek word argos (perhaps from a, meaning "not," and ergon, meaning "work")... is used of things as well as of people, and it carries blame. In Matthew 12:36, every "idle" word that people speak will have to be accounted for.
Another writer gives the word a second sense. It is empty as well as blameworthy:
the word "idle" means useless, barren. All that a man speaks out of himself is barren and useless. The believer, however, living after the Spirit, will not utter useless words, but that which is in honour of the Son of God.
The sentence lands first on the men in front of Him, and leaves them one way out:
That generation had proved its condition; the tree was known by its fruit. It was a viper's brood, from which no good thing could be expected any longer... So an idle word might prove a man's condition. In the day of judgment God would take all such words into account — by his words a man is justified or condemned. How impossible, then, for any to escape who has not found his shelter in Him whom Israel here refuses!
The verse has two halves, and the first is not a threat. One writer ties it to the confession of Christ:
This verse also points to the familiar passage in Romans 10: "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." And wherever there is no such confession springing from the belief of the heart, there is condemnation.
People often pull these words out of their setting. They make them teach that God decides salvation by weighing everyone's speech at the last day. One writer replies that the Lord is answering self-righteous men on their own terms, and points the believer to a different meeting:
These Pharisees were proud of their works and were self-righteous. If they relied on their works to justify and save them, they have to expect a judgment on that basis. God will judge every idle word, and that means utter, absolute condemnation... Salvation is by grace, and by that salvation a man receives a good treasure and brings forth good things... As believers, we should keep in mind that we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. That is not for a decision about eternal salvation — that was settled when the believer trusted in Christ — but for rewards. Then our deeds, our works and our words will be either approved or disapproved.
Does the verse still press on a believer who will not face that sentence? One writer asks the same question:
the believer is taken completely off the ground of judgment, since Christ was judged in his place... Is all this precious grace intended to make us lax and careless? May we speak idle words because we are not to be judged? Far be the horrible thought! No, dear friend. We believe that Jesus was judged in our place, and that we shall never come into judgment. That is exactly why we judge ourselves day by day and refuse to justify in ourselves a single sinful thought.
That self-judgment is meant to go deeper than the spoken word:
as far as words are concerned, if we say anything wrong we should judge it. But the intention comes before the word, and it is better to judge intentions than words. The thought comes before the intention, and it is better still to judge the thought in the light of the word of God.
- Root — the heart is the treasure. Words spill over from it, so speech shows the man as clearly as his conduct does.
- Fruit — an "idle" word is blameworthy and barren. Everything a man says out of himself is useless.
- Verdict — the Pharisees' own words condemned them. Anyone who stands on his own record must expect the same.
- Refuge — the other half of the verse is confession. Faith in the heart, spoken out with the mouth, saves; where that confession is missing, there is condemnation.
- Response — Christ was judged in the believer's place, so the believer never comes into judgment. He answers that grace by judging his own thoughts, not just his words.