Contrast #12: forgiveness vs condemnation … (10/03/18)
In line with many of the aforementioned contrasts (see Contrast #04, Contrast #10, and Contrast #11) there is a clearly defined dichotomy between Paul and Jesus in the way they judge the actions of others – with Paul tending to staunchly condemn those believing differently than he does or acting in ways he deems to be unacceptable, and Jesus repeatedly and unconditionally forgiving the same1 …
*Paul calls a spiritual opponent a “son of the devil” and then blinds him in Acts 13:8-11, whereas Jesus calmly informs his religious opponents “now that you say ‘We see,’ your sin remains” in John 9:41 – and this, after having cured a man who had been blind from birth (see John 9:1-7; also Matthew 9:27-31, Mark 8:22-25, Mark 10:46-52, & Luke 18:35-43) …
*Paul coldly proclaims that “those who practice such things deserve to die” in Romans 1:32, whereas Jesus tells a critical crowd “Do not condemn others by appearances, but rather judge [their deeds] with proper discernment” (in John 7:21-24) and later tells his Pharisee opponents “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I come that you might have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10) …
*Paul claims that the sinful cannot “escape the judgment of God” and that they “are storing up wrath on the day of wrath” (Romans 2:3-5), whereas Jesus speaks frequently and consistently of a celestial Father whose Love is “perfect” (see Matthew 5:44-48) and thus completely without punishment (see 1 John 4:18), as well as of a God whose mercy is unconditionally given to all who forgive others (see Matthew 6:14 – see also Matthew 18:21-22 & Luke 6:36) …
*Paul is seen demanding that a congregation member guilty of “sexual immorality” should be “[handed] over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh” (1 Corinthians 5:1-5), whereas Jesus extends open kindness towards a woman who has committed a similar offense (see his “neither do I condemn you” in John 8:1-11) …
*Paul aggressively states “You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?” (Galatians 3:1), whereas Jesus calmly reminds us that “anyone who says ‘You fool’ is liable to the fires of Gehenna” (Matthew 5:22) …
*Paul repeatedly makes brazen statements of condemnatory judgment (see “Let anyone be accursed who has no love for the Lord” via 1 Corinthians 16:22, “We are ready to punish every disobedience” via 2 Corinthians 10:6, “I wish those who unsettle you would castrate themselves” via Galatians 5:12, and “Their end is destruction” via Philippians 3.18), whereas Jesus over and over & over again expresses gentleness and understanding towards those steeped in sin, all while telling his followers to avoid judging others at all costs. (see “Do not judge, so that you might not be judged. For with the judgment you levy upon others will you yourselves be judged, and the measure you give out will be the measure you receive in return.” ~ Matthew 7:1-2, see “Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own? … You hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye, for only then can you see clearly enough to take the speck out of your neighbor’s.” ~ Luke 6:41-42, see “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you … for your Father in Heaven makes the sun rise upon both the evil and the good, and sends rain to both the righteous and the unrighteous.” ~ Matthew 5:44-45, and see “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” ~ Luke 23:34)
“God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but rather that the world might be saved through him … I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, for I came not to judge the world, but to offer it salvation … As you enter a house, greet it. If the house is receptive, let your peace flow upon it; and yet if it is not so, allow your peace to return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, gently shake off the dust from your feet as you calmly leave that house or town.” ~ via Jesus Christ (John 3:17, John 12:47, & Matthew 10:12-14)
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1Yes, it is true that Jesus somewhat testily – if not seemingly rudely – calls his listeners “broods of vipers” twice in the New Testament (in Matthew 12:34 & Matthew 23:33), and yet readers would do well to note that on both occasions Jesus is speaking to groups of Pharisees (like Paul) who had chosen to be cunning in their denouncement of The Way of Christ – cunning like the serpent whose guile had deceived Adam in the book of Genesis; with the Hebrew word for cunning being extremely similar to the Hebrew word for naked in that tome. As such, Jesus is not so much insulting the Pharisees here as he is noting that the is aware of their trickery, and that he will neither honor nor tolerate the same.
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