Re: Judge Not That Ye Be Not Judged. My study bible states : “Matt 7:3-5 -Jesus does not forbid all evaluation or even judgment of others. What Jesus does rule out is pride that views one’s self as better than others.”
Study notes reflect the opinions of the editors and are not the inspired word of God. I submit that all judgment stems from an attitude of superiority. This is why Paul also cautioned us against judging others. In 1 Cor. 4:5 he said, “Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts.”
In saying this, Paul used the same word for judge as the Lord used in Matt. 7:1-2 . We cannot discern the motives of the heart, and are therefore not qualified to render opinions about others. In Matt. 7:3-5 Jesus said we have enough to do trying to deal with our own sins without spending our time passing judgment on the sins of others.
In cases where judgment is allowed, it always requires the combined opinions of the group (Matt. 18:15-17, 1 Cor. 5:4). No individual has the right to pass judgment on any other individual.