Lukas 6:37

Hence the call in our Gospel does not follow as in Matthew, "Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect," but "Be ye therefore merciful, even as your Father also is merciful." … The disciple, instructed of Jesus, had the Father's Name declared, and his perfection is to illustrate his Father's character in indiscriminate grace — not in the spirit of law. … Any believer could understand the force of such an exhortation as "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged." The tendency to censoriousness, the imputation of evil motives, and the danger of sure retribution, are here brought before us.

This is not certain things required in order to get life, but the result of certain conduct shown. "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged," etc. As though He had said, You will find the consequences of your conduct as Christ did. He took the lowest place, but He has got the highest now. … He came not to judge, and now "all judgment is committed to the Son." Thus we not only have the display of grace, but divine character meeting its consequences. It is a question of government — of walking with the Lord; it must cost a great deal in the path, but in the end it will be "full measure, pressed down," etc.

Simple honesty will understand these first five verses without difficulty. The word "judge" is used in various different ways in Scripture. Believers are told to "judge" what Paul says (1Cor.10:15) … The assembly is told to "judge them that are within" (1Cor.5:12) … In certain cases therefore we are responsible to judge. But here the Lord speaks of a censorious attitude of hard criticism of others. In this we would take the place of a judge, which is only God's right. If we treat others this way, we can expect the same treatment, for they can certainly find plenty to criticize in us too.

No fault was more prevalent then or now. Censoriousness is not only the habitual bane of religious professors, but the snare to which true disciples are too prone. Gracious men who set their face in general against detraction are often bitter against what they themselves dislike, and thus slip into judging motives wrongly like others. He who is Judge of quick and dead discerns every heart, and enjoins what is comely and just on His followers.

If we live before the Father in simplicity and sincerity, our dealings with others will be marked by kindness and consideration rather than fault-finding, which seems to be the sense in which judging is used in this first verse. It is not that we are not called to judge between good and evil … but that we should be free from a censorious spirit, which is a very great evil. … It is never right to judge motives unless it be our own, for love thinks no evil and will not condemn until it has proof.

It was new teaching. It was not righteousness in dealing with others, as the law allowed, but grace that was inculcated, and that under circumstances of the gravest provocation, even when hated, and cursed, and smitten. New, indeed, was the Lord's teaching, so different from that of the scribes; for He spoke of the Father as their Father, and told them how they could show they were His sons. He was there revealing the Father.