Yuri Maksimov
You must not condemn your neighbor, because with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with what measure you measure, it will be measured to you (Matthew 7:2). Judge not, and ye shall not be judged, condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned. In all things, whatsoever you would that men should do unto you, do ye also unto them (Matthew 7:12).
At the same time, He performed many miracles: He walked on the waters of the lake, calmed the storm with a word, multiplied food to feed the hungry, healed the paralyzed, lepers, the blind, cast out demons, and also, showing His power over life and death, He raised the dead, as, for example, the only son of a poor widow in the city of Nain, the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue in the city of Capernaum, and His friend Lazarus in Bethany. And also on Mount Tabor, He was transfigured, appearing in light before His disciples. Here, for example, is how one of His miracles is described in the Gospel:
When Jesus went out, he saw a multitude of people, and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; And he began to teach them much. And when a long time had passed, His disciples came to Him, saying, "This is a desolate place..." — let them go, so that they may go to the surrounding villages and villages, and buy bread for themselves, for they have nothing to eat. He answered and said to them, "Give them something to eat." And they said to him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?" But he asked them, How many loaves do you have?.. When they found out, they said, "Five loaves and two fishes." Then he commanded them to seat everyone in compartments on the green grass. And they sat down in rows, a hundred and fifty. He took five loaves and two fishes, and looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples, that they might distribute to them; And he divided the two fishes among all. And they all ate, and were satisfied. And they gathered up pieces of bread and the remains of the fish, twelve full baskets. And there were about five thousand men who ate bread (Mark 6:34-44).
Once the Pharisees, envious of Him, brought a woman who had been taken in adultery, and said:
-Teacher! this woman was taken in adultery; and Moses commanded us in the law to stone such people: What say thou?
And they said these things, tempting Him, that they might find something to accuse Him. But Jesus, bending low, wrote with his finger on the ground, paying no attention to them. And when they continued to question him, he lifted himself up, and said to them, "Whosoever is without sin among you, let him be the first to cast a stone upon her." And again, bending low, he wrote on the ground. And they, hearing this, and being rebuked by their conscience, began to depart one by one, from the eldest to the last; and only Jesus remained, and the woman standing in the middle. Jesus, having risen up and seeing no one but the woman, said to her, "Woman! Where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you? She answered, "No one, Lord." Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more (John 8:4-11).
Sinners often came to Christ to hear Him. And the Pharisees murmured that He received sinners and ate with them. But He said to them,
"If any of you, having a hundred sheep, loses one in the mountains, will he not go to find it?" And having found it, he takes it on his shoulders and brings it home, and rejoices with his neighbors that the lost sheep has been found. Likewise, there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous men who have no need of repentance (cf. Luke 15:4-7).
Jesus Christ preached for three years. Five days before the beginning of the Jewish Passover, He solemnly entered Jerusalem to the exclamations of the people:
- Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna (salvation) in the highest! (Matthew 21:9)
Clothes were spread under Christ's feet and young palm branches were waved as a sign of the triumphal procession of the lawful King from the house of David. And even before that, people wanted to come, accidentally take Him and make Him king over Judah (John 6:15), but He turned away from this, for He said, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36). In Jerusalem, knowing that the Jewish elders and religious leaders wanted to kill Jesus, one of the twelve (apostles), called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What will you give me, and I will deliver Him up to you?" They offered him thirty pieces of silver; and from that time he sought an opportunity to betray Him (Matthew 26:14-16).
During the last meal of Jesus with the apostles, Judas, who had eaten with them, came out and reported where the Jews could seize his Teacher. At night, the betrayer brought many servants and seized Jesus and led him to be interrogated by the Jewish elders. And the apostles, having left him, all fled (Mark 14:50). At the Sanhedrin (the religious court of the Jews), the chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin sought testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death; And they did not find it. For many bore false witness against Him, but these testimonies were not sufficient... Then the high priest stood in the midst and asked Jesus, "Why do you not answer?" why do they bear witness against Thee? But He was silent and did not answer anything. Again the high priest asked Him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" Jesus said, "I... Then the high priest tore his garments, and said, "What more witnesses have we to do? You have heard blasphemy; What do you think? And they all found Him guilty of death (Mark 14:55-54).
And the people who held Jesus mocked Him and smote Him; And having covered Him, they smote Him in the face, and asked Him, Prophesy, who smote Thee? (Luke 22:63-64) and spat in His face and choked Him; others smote Him on the cheeks (Matthew 26:67).
Then they dragged Him to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, since Judea was then under the dominion of Rome and the local authorities were not allowed to pronounce death sentences themselves.