What does John 7:24 mean?

"Judge not" is one of the most over-used clichés in discussions of Christianity (Matthew 7:1). Unfortunately, it's almost always stated out of context. This gives the impression that Jesus simply said, "Do not judge." In fact, Jesus often made a point of telling others that they should judge, but only "with right judgment," as stated here (Deuteronomy 1:16; Matthew 7:2–12). Jesus' frequent teaching was that we should not be superficial in our assessment of other people. However, it is crucial that we separate what is good from what is evil (Ephesians 5:8–16).

This statement follows a direct challenge to the spiritual authority of Jerusalem's religious leaders. Despite having no formal education, Jesus is confounding his critics. He has accused them of hard-headedness (John 5:39–40), disobedience (John 7:17), and even attempted violence (John 7:19). As a result, as seen in the next few verses, the people of Jerusalem will begin to wonder: is Jesus being allowed to preach because the authorities are powerless, or because they have come to believe Him (John 7:25–26)? That crisis of confidence will spur the Jewish leaders towards drastic measures to silence Christ.<