WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
MAY 06, 2026
TOPIC: LISTEN BEFORE YOU JUDGE A MATTER
BY T. O. BANSO
“Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, ‘Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?’” (John 7:50-51 New King James Version).
In John 7:45-46, the Temple guards who had been sent to arrest Jesus returned to the chief priests and Pharisees, unable to arrest Him. They said no man ever spoke like the man (Jesus). The Pharisees replied, “Are you also deceived? Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed” (John 7:47-49 New King James Version). These Pharisees were intolerant of the truth. They were already biased against someone who had not been arraigned before them, nobody had testified against, and they had not heard His defence.
Nicodemus, one of the Pharisees who had earlier had an encounter with Jesus in the night and must have become one of His secret disciples by then, asked his colleagues, “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?” (John 7:51 New King James Version).
The chief priests and Pharisees answered and said to him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee” (John 7:52 New King James Version). Although they reacted wrongly, Nicodemus had made a point. The chief priests and Pharisees could not pass judgment on Jesus without first listening to Him. It is contrary to the principles of natural justice and a fair hearing.
Nicodemus said they must follow the law. Justice must be done. He said they must listen to Jesus before they judged Him. When Jesus was eventually arrested and tried by the Council, they didn’t give Him a fair hearing, because they were not only biased but also procured false witnesses to testify against Him.
Learn from what Nicodemus said. Listen before you judge a matter. This is why judges in the courts give equal opportunities to parties to present their cases and defend themselves. By this, they are trying to ensure a fair trial and hearing so that any impartial observer would see that justice has been done. Everyone is presumed innocent until he or she is proven guilty.
Whether at home, at school, at work, at church, or anywhere, ensure you listen before you judge. Don’t jump to conclusions. That will be an injustice. If you listen carefully and consider the facts, you may be surprised that you would have been wrong if you had not listened.
Proverbs 18:13 says he who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him. Don’t be a fool. The Living Bible renders the verse thus: “What a shame—yes, how stupid!—to decide before knowing the facts!” Similarly, the Contemporary English Version says, “It’s stupid and embarrassing to give an answer before you listen.” The apostle James says that everyone should be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath (James 1:19). Many people do the opposite and later regret it. But the damage would have been done already.
Listen before you judge a matter. After listening to the accusation of the chief priests and Pharisees against Jesus, Pilate found Him innocent (Luke 23:4, 14; John 18:38; 19:4, 6). Although he was not courageous enough to set Him free, he would have wrongly agreed that He was guilty if he had not listened to the two parties. But he knew that the Jewish leaders had arrested Jesus out of envy (Matthew 27:18; Mark 15:10). If you listen before you judge a matter, you’ll be able to make sound, fair decisions.
Don’t let hearsay influence your action or decision. Listen before you judge a matter. Prophesying the birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the prophet Isaiah says about Jesus before His birth, “He will delight in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay” (Isaiah 11:3 New Living Translation). Note the phrase “make a decision based on hearsay.” You should learn not to judge based on hearsay. Hear directly from the affected persons. Don’t shave their heads in their absence! In other words, don’t judge people in their absence. There can’t be justice without a fair hearing.
1 Samuel 24:9 says, “And David said to Saul: ‘Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Indeed David seeks your harm’?’” (New King James Version). These were the words of David the first time he had the opportunity to kill Saul, but he didn’t. Saul judged the matter without hearing from David. He based his judgment on hearsay. But David had no intention of killing him. Otherwise, he would have killed him on this occasion. Neither did he kill him when he had another opportunity.
Unfortunately, David also made that mistake by judging Mephibosheth, who was lame, without giving him a fair hearing. He listened to only what Ziba, Mephibosheth’s servant, told him and gave all of Mephibosheth’s land to Ziba (2 Samuel 16:1-4). But if what Mephibosheth later told David was true, then Ziba had lied to David. Given the conflict, David said Mephibosheth and Ziba should divide the land equally between them (2 Samuel 19:24-30). Some Bible scholars interpret this decision as a revocation of his hasty decision and confirmation of the original arrangement in 2 Samuel 9:7-10. However, that scripture does not state equal sharing of the land but implies one hundred per cent ownership by Ziba. Other scholars consider David’s decision a new compromise in which both Mephibosheth and Ziba would benefit equally, since David did not know which of the two was speaking the truth. This interpretation appears to be correct.
In the Old Testament, the justice administration system that God gave the Israelites ensured fair trials and hearings. It ensured that judgment could not be passed without first conducting a thorough investigation and hearing the testimony of two or three witnesses. Deuteronomy 1:17a says there must be no partiality in judgment; both the small and the great must be heard.
Concerning witnesses, two or three witnesses were required to establish a matter. Deuteronomy 19:15 says, “One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established” (New King James Version).
More importantly, nobody could be put to death based on the testimony of one person. Deuteronomy 17:6 says, “Whoever is deserving of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three witnesses; he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness” (New King James Version). This is also stated in Numbers 35:30: “Whoever kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses; but one witness is not sufficient testimony against a person for the death penalty” (New King James Version).
The delivery of judgment was impossible without listening to those brought for trial and witnesses. It was against the law. Moses said, “Then I commanded your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your brethren, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the stranger who is with him’” (Deuteronomy 1:16 New King James Version). The New Testament also refers to the requirement for two or three witnesses to establish a matter (Matthew 18:16; 1 Timothy 5:19; Hebrews 10:28; John 8:17).
Paul made a point in Acts 23 about the illegality of slapping him when he was defending himself before the Sanhedrin. Acts 23:1-3 says, “Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, ‘Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.’ And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, ‘God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?‘” (New King James Version).
Although Paul apologised when he was scolded for talking to the High Priest the way he did, he had made a point. It was against the law for the high priest to have ordered that he should be slapped. That violated his right to a fair hearing.
A similar thing happened to Jesus after He was arrested and brought to Annas, the former high priest and the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Jesus was slapped after He answered a question by Annas. “And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, ‘Do You answer the high priest like that?’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?‘” (John 18:22-23 New King James Version). This was a mockery of justice.
Listen before you judge a matter. Respect people’s right to a fair hearing. Don’t listen to hearsay. Allow the parties to present their case. Give them equal opportunities. Listen to witnesses. Don’t listen to parties as a mere formality, such that the decisions reached are not supported by what you have heard. Consider the facts.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you must give your heart to Jesus now. Please take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself, and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your heart. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church. There, they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me, and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I invite Jesus into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You must join a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: In my relationships, I shall not judge any matter without first listening to those involved. I shall not jump to conclusions. Holy Spirit, help me to respect people’s right to a fair hearing and judge matters uprightly. Father, let our courts be the temple of justice, not a market where justice is for sale.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
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