Self-condemnation
The Mirror of Self-Judgment
The chapter calls the reader to turn from condemning others' sins to discovering the same betrayals—preferring the world to Christ—within their own heart, letting conscience cast its accusing and convicting light.
You who condemn the Jews for their hateful choice of Barabbas, a murderer, over the Lord of glory—look back at your own condition. Call your eye home, that busy wanderer, so that choice may be your story.1 Whoever loves—and loves wrongly—this world's delights more than true Christian joy has made a Jewish choice: the world is an ancient murderer; it has destroyed thousands of souls, and still destroys them, with her enchanting voice.✦ Anyone who has made a sorry wedding between his soul and gold, and has preferred false gain over the true, has done what he condemns when he reads: for he has sold his dear Lord for money, and is a Judas-Jew.✦2 So we get ahead of the last great day, and judge ourselves.3 That light which sin and passion once dimmed and choked, once those snuffs are taken away, shines bright and clear—even to condemnation—without excuse or cloak.45
Read the original English
Thou who condemnest Jewish hate, For choosing Barabbas a murderer Before the Lord of glorie; Look back upon thine own estate, Call home thine eye (that busie wanderer) That choice may be thy storie.
He that doth love, and love amisse This worlds delights before true Christian joy, Hath made a Jewish choice: The world an ancient murderer is; Thousands of souls it hath and doth destroy With her enchanting voice.
He that hath made a sorrie wedding Between his soul and gold, and hath preferr'd False gain before the true, Hath done what he condemnes in reading: For he hath sold for money his deare Lord, And is a Judas-Jew.
Thus we prevent the last great day, And judge our selves. That light, which sin & passion Did before dimme and choke, When once those snuffes are ta'ne away, Shines bright and cleare, ev'n unto condemnation, Without excuse or cloke.
Scripture echoes
- ↩John.18.39-John.18.40 — Now it is your custom that I release one man for you at the Passover. Do you want me to release the King of the Jews? John.18.40 — So they cried out again, 'Not this man, but Barabbas!' Now Barabbas was a robber.
- ↩Matt.26.14-Matt.26.16;Mark.14.10-Mark.14.11;Luke.22.3-Luke.22.6 — Then one of the twelve, the one called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests. Matt.26.15 — and he said, 'What are you willing to give me, and I will hand him over to you?' And they weighed out for him thirty pieces of silver. Matt.26.16 — And from that time he sought an opportunity to betray him. Mark.14.10 — And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to hand him over to them. Mark.14.11 — And when they heard this, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he began seeking how he might hand him over at an opportune time. Luke.22.3 — Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve. Luke.22.4 — And he went and discussed with the chief priests and captains how he might deliver him over to them. Luke.22.5 — And they were glad, and they agreed to give him money. Luke.22.6 — And he consented, and sought an opportunity to betray him to them apart from the crowd.
Notes
- 1 ↩Herbert's "Jewish hate" names the Passion crowd's rejection of Christ (choosing Barabbas); the poem turns the charge inward as self-examination, not a general ethnic judgment. "Estate" means spiritual condition; "call home thine eye" means bring restless attention back to yourself.
- 2 ↩Herbert's compound "Judas-Jew" continues the poem's typological self-accusation (cf. the prior stanza's "Jewish choice"): the avaricious reader is identified with Judas, who sold Christ for silver—not with ethnic description in a modern sense.
- 3 ↩Early modern 'prevent' means anticipate or go before, not stop: by judging ourselves now, we come before Judgment Day.
- 4 ↩'Snuffs' are the charred ends of a candle wick that dim the flame; Herbert uses them for the residue of sin and passion that blots conscience until cleared away.
- 5 ↩'Cloak' here means a covering or disguise, not an outer garment only.
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