For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.
All Commentaries on Matthew 12:37 Go To Matthew 12
John Chrysostom
AD 407
The Lord follows up what He had said before by moving their fears, shewing that they that have thus sinned shall receive the most extreme punishment, “I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment.”.
He said not ‘which ye have spoken,’ but makes His teaching of universal application to the whole race of mankind, and at the same time His words less grievous to them that heard them. By an “idle word” is meant one that is false, that accuses any falsely. Some indeed say that it includes all light talk, all such as stirs immoderate laughter, or shameful and immodest words.
See that this sentence is not a burdensome one. The Judge will pass sentence not according to what any other has said concerning you, but according to what you have yourself spoken. They that are accused then have no need to fear, but they that accuse; for those are not charged of those evil things that have been spoken of them, but these of those evil things that they have spoken.
