50 Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, 51 “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?” (John 7:50–51, NKJV)
Appearances can be deceiving. One part of judging righteous judgment is getting all the facts before rendering said judgment (John 7:24). This includes hearing testimony from the one being judged. The Jewish leaders in John 7 had already made up their minds about Jesus. When Nicodemus challenged them to hear from Jesus and verify His actions before condemning him, they reacted with calloused mockery: “Are you also from Galilee?” (John 7:52). Righteous judgment is anchored in truth, no appearances. It rests upon verifiable evidence, not assumptions. When we are called upon to render judgment, may we do so with justice, not self-justification; and with love, not malice.
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