Judge not, and you shall not be judged: condemn not, and you shall not be condemned: forgive, and you shall be forgiven:
All Commentaries on Luke 6:37 Go To Luke 6
Tertullian of Carthage
AD 220
Wever, it be now some other being which teaches mercy, on the ground of his own mercifulness, how happens it that he has been wanting in mercy to me for so vast an age? "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged; condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned; forgive, and ye shall be forgiven; give, and it shall be given unto you: good measure, pressed down, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye measure withal, it shall be measured to you again.".
For the fact withal, that the same servant, after liberated by his lord, does not equally spare his own debtor; and, being on that account impeached before his lord, is made over to the tormentor to pay the uttermost farthing-that is, every guilt, however small: corresponds with our profession that "we also remit to our debtors; "indeed elsewhere, too, in conformity with this Form of Prayer, He saith, "Remit, and it shall be remitted you.".
Patience to me, and I will reward patience. For when He says, "Judge not, lest ye be judged".
unless he first begin by lopping off chagrin, hardheartedness, and bitterness, which are in fact the poisonous outgrowths of impatience? How will you "remit, and remission shall be granted "you.
`not judging, that we be not judged.'.
`Remit, and remission shall be made to thee.'".
Besides, the Lord Himself demonstrates the manner in which He threatens such as judge: "For with what judgment ye judge, judgment shall be given on you."
