The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus Christ is given authority to judge all people. This role is closely tied to His identity as the Son of God who became a man, lived a perfect life, died for sins, and rose from the dead. Here is an overview of key biblical passages that reveal Jesus as judge:
Old Testament prophecies of the coming Judge
Several Old Testament passages anticipate a coming Righteous Judge from God who will judge the world. For example:
- Isaiah 11:1-5 prophesies that the Messianic shoot from the stem of Jesse will come with righteousness to “judge the poor” and slay the wicked.
- Psalm 96:13 declares “He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with his truth.”
- Daniel 7:13-14 presents “one like a son of man” given dominion and authority to rule over all peoples and nations.
These and other prophecies point ahead to Jesus as the fulfillment of the coming Judge who will reign over all the earth with perfect justice and equity.
Jesus’ claims about His judging authority
Jesus Himself made several authoritative claims that He has been granted judgment authority from the Father:
- John 5:22-23 – “The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father.”
- John 5:27 – “[The Father] has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.”
- John 9:39 – “For judgment I came into this world.”
- Matthew 25:31-32 – “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”
Jesus taught that judgment of all mankind has been entrusted to Him by God the Father because He is the Son of God and Messiah.
Judgment at Christ’s return
The New Testament teaches Christ will exercise His authority to judge the world finally and fully when He returns again to earth. For example:
- Matthew 16:27 – “For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.”
- 2 Timothy 4:1 – “Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom.”
- 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8 – “When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.”
- Revelation 19:11-16 – Depicts Christ returning for battle as “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” and striking down the nations.
These passages point to a climactic Day of Judgment coming when Christ will return to punish evil, vindicate believers, and establish His perfect reign.
Judgment of believers vs. unbelievers
The New Testament indicates Jesus will judge all people, but with a difference in outcome between believers and unbelievers:
- Romans 14:10 – “For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.”
- Revelation 20:11-15 – Depicts the final judgment before the great white throne, with “the dead, great and small” judged by their works.
- 2 Corinthians 5:10 – “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”
For those who reject Christ, judgment means condemnation and eternal death. But believers will be spared and rewarded for their faith and service to God:
- Romans 8:1 – “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
- Matthew 12:36-37 – Believers’ “careless” words will be judged, indicating degrees of reward.
- 1 Corinthians 3:13-15 – “Each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.”
- Revelation 11:18 – “The time for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your people who revere your name, both great and small.”
Jesus’ judgment will bring punishment for the lost but vindication and reward for believers who have trusted in Him.
Judgment applied to Jesus’ earthly ministry
The gospel of John highlights ways Jesus’ earthly ministry demonstrated His divine authority to judge:
- John 3:17-18 – “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
- John 8:15-16 – “You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.”
- John 9:39 – “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”
Jesus judged unbelievers already “condemned” but offered salvation, foreshadowing the ultimate judgment outcomes.
Judgment and Jesus’ cross
Central to Jesus’ work as Judge is His atoning death on the cross. Several connections appear between judgment and the cross:
- John 12:31 – “Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.”
- Colossians 2:13-14 – God “made alive together with [Christ] having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”
- Romans 3:25-26 – “God put [Christ] forward as a propitiation by his blood…It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
Jesus’ sacrifice enabled God to forgive sins justly through faith rather than solely punishing sin with judgment.
Judgment and gospel proclamation
The Bible also connects Christ’s judgment authority to gospel preaching and the call to repentance:
- Acts 10:42 – “[Jesus] commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.”
- Acts 17:30-31 – “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed.”
- 2 Corinthians 5:10-11 – “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others.”
The reality of Christ’s coming judgment motivates urgent gospel proclamation calling all people to repent and believe.
Judgment and Christ’s reign
The Bible ties Jesus’ judgment authority directly to His reign as King over God’s kingdom:
- Revelation 11:15 – Voices in heaven exclaim: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”
- Revelation 19:2 – “His judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”
- Revelation 20:4 – “Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God.”
Executing judgment over the earth will establish Christ’s authority to reign over all with perfect justice, wisdom, and equity.
Judgment as hope for the oppressed
Finally, the theme of judgment in Scripture brings hope for the oppressed. The Psalms especially connect the coming judgment of God with justice for the oppressed:
- Psalm 9:7-8 – “But the Lord sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice, and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness.”
- Psalm 96:10 – “Say among the nations, ‘The Lord reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.'”
- Psalm 98:9 – “Before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.”
The coming judgment motivates hope that injustice will be punished and the downtrodden will see relief when Christ reigns over the earth as King.
Conclusion
In summary, the consistent testimony of Scripture reveals Jesus Christ as the divinely appointed Judge who will evaluate and judge all people – with punishments for the lost but rewards for His faithful followers. His judgment authority has been established through His incarnation, righteous life, atoning death and resurrection. He already exercises judgment authority in part during His earthly ministry, but will carry it out fully when He returns to establish His Kingdom. This truth provides both a warning of judgment for the lost, and hope for justice and relief for believers who are oppressed. The reality of Jesus’ future judgment ought to motivate all people to repent and believe the gospel today.