Biblical Justice and Social Justice Part 2

Let us begin with defining Biblical Justice. “The Hebrew word for “justice,” mishpat, occurs in various forms more than 200 times in the Hebrew Old Testament. Its most basic meaning is to treat people equitably. It means acquitting or convicting every person on the merits of the case, regardless of citizenship, race, or social status. Anyone who does the same wrong should be given the same penalty. Mishpat includes giving people what God desires, if its punishment or protection or care. In the Bible Mishpat constantly describes taking up the cause of widows, orphans, immigrants and the poor.

God expects His people to reflect His character and attribute of justice to the world around us. We are commanded to “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Fortunately, our Heavenly Father does not leave us guessing about His desires and commands. In Exodus 23:1-9, God speaks plainly about how He expects His people to act and function as a society.

Exodus 23:1-9 Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness. 2 Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, 3 and do not show favoritism to a poor person in a lawsuit. 4 If you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it. 5 If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it. 6 Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits. 7 Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty. 8 Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent. 9 “Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt.

The wrongs and abuses God warns His people to be alert for in everyday life:

• Do not spread false reports.

• Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.

• Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong.

• When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd.

• Do not show favoritism to a poor person in a lawsuit.

• Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits.

• Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death

• Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent.

• “Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt."

In Luke 19:1-10; Jesus is involved in an interaction with a man who has probably gained his wealth the expense of others. How does Jesus interact with the man? How can we bring the “presence of Christ” into situations we encounter?

Luke 19:1-10 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” 8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

When encountering an injustice, Jesus spoke the truth in love and with grace as well as righting a wrong. When we advocate for changes that are biblical within our society, we must do as Jesus did and approach injustices with truth in love and grace.