John 5:22. Judgement

Moreover the Father judges no-one, but has entrusted all judgement to the Son.

In the Psalms, judgement is something prayed for and desired; Christians, on the other hand, look forward to judgement with fear and trembling, trusting that the blood of Christ will exonerate them.

The difference is that the Old Testament judgement is a civil judgement as between plaintiff and defendant. " Oh let the nations rejoice and be glad, for thou shalt judge the folk righteously" says Psalm 67. For the Christian, we anticipate our time before the Bar; the criminal court and we know that we are guilty as charged.

Jesus rejected the chance to be a referee. In Luke 12:14 when asked by a man to divide the inheritance between a man and his brother, Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?”

Through misfortune, slavery, exile and captivity and now Roman oppression the Jews had had the sticky end of the lollipop and were yearning to be treated fairly by a judge who could not be bribed. Our problem is different. Were we to be treated according to our desserts there would be no hope for us. Grace is what we need. We need a judge who has already paid the price of our transgressions - the Son, not the Father.