False Judgment: Is the Father of all Sins.

On the Sabbath Jesus entered into the synagogue, and all the people ran there together to hear him speak. The scribe that day read the psalm of David, where says David: When I shall find a time, I will judge uprightly. Then, after the reading of the prophets, arose Jesus, and made sign of silence with his hands, and opening his mouth he spoke thus: "Brethren, you have heard the words spoken by David the prophet, our father, that when he should have found a time he would judge uprightly.

I tell you in truth that many judge, in which judgment they fall for no other reason than because they judge that which is not meet for them, and that which is meet for them they judge before the time. Wherefore the God of our fathers cries to us by his prophet David, saying: Justly judge, O sons of men.

Miserable therefore are those who set themselves at street corners, and do nothing but judge all those who pass by, saying: "That one is fair, this one is ugly, that one is good, this one is bad."

Woe to them, because they lift the sceptre of his judgment from the hand of God, who says: "I am witness and judge, and my honour I will give to none.'"

Truly I tell you that these testify of that which they have not seen nor really heard, and judge without having been constituted judges.Therefore are they abominable on the earth before the eyes of God, who will pass tremendous judgment upon them in the last day.

Woe to you, woe to you who speak good of the evil, and call the evil good, for you condemn as a malefactor God, who is the author of good, and justify as good Satan, who is the origin of all evil. Consider what punishment you shall have, and that it is horrible to fall into the judgment of God, which shall be then upon those who justify the wicked for money, and judge not the cause of the orphans and widows.

Truly I say to you, that the devils shall tremble at the judgment of such, so terrible shall it be. You man who are set as a judge, regard no other thing; neither kinsfolk nor friends, neither honour nor gain, but look solely with fear of God to the truth, which you shall seek with greatest diligence, because it will secure you in the judgment of God. But I warn you that without mercy shall he be judged who judges without mercy"..-(Gospel of Barnabas, CH-49)

Tell me, O man, you that judge another man, do you not know that all men had their origin in the same clay? Do you not know that none is good save God alone? wherefore every man is a liar and a sinner. Believe me man, that if you judge others of a fault your own heart has whereof to be judged. Oh, how dangerous it is to judge! oh, how many have perished by their false judgment! Satan judged man to be more vile than himself; therefore he rebelled against God, his creator: whereof he is impenitent, as I have knowledge by speaking with him. Our first parents judged the speech of Satan to be good, therefore they were cast out of paradise, and condemned all their progeny.

Truly I say to you, as God lives in whose presence I stand, false judgment is the father of all sins. For as much as none sins without will, and none wills that which he does not know. Woe, therefore, to the sinner who with the judgment judges sin worthy and goodness unworthy, who on that account rejects goodness and chooses sin. Assuredly he shall bear an intolerable punishment when God shall come to judge the world.

Oh, how many have perished through false judgment, and how many have been near to perishing! Pharaoh judged Moses and the people of Israel to be impious, Saul judged David to be worthy of death, Ahab judged Elijah, Nebuchadnezzar the three children who would not worship their lying gods. The two elders judged Susanna, and all the idolatrous princes judged the prophets. Oh, tremendous judgment of God! the judge perishes, the judged is saved. And wherefore this, O man, if not because [in] rashness they falsely judge the innocent?

How nearly then the good approached to ruin by judging falsely, is shown by the brethren of Joseph, who sold him to the Egyptians, by Aaron and Miriam, sister of Moses, who judged their brother. Three friends of Job ;judged the innocent friend of God, Job. David judged Mephibosheth and Uriah. Cyrus judged Daniel to be meat for the lions; and many others, the which were near to their ruin for this. Therefore I say to you, Judge not and you shall not be judged."

And then, Jesus having finished his speech, many forthwith were converted to repentance, bewailing their sins; and they would fain have forsaken all to go with him. But Jesus said: "Remain in your homes, and forsake sin and serve God with fear, and thus shall you be saved; because I am not come to receive service, but rather to serve."

And having said thus, he went out of the synagogue and the city, and retired into the desert to pray, because he loved solitude greatly.-(Gospel of Barnabas, CH-50)

End.