What does the Bible say about discrimination?
Answered from the commentary of C. H. Mackintosh, A. J. Pollock, F. B. Hole and 7 others
Discrimination by favouritism is sin: no person is to be preferred or judged unjustly because of wealth, poverty or social position, and the same impartial justice is due to the small and the great. God shows no partiality, and His judgment is according to truth; neither privilege nor lack of it gives anyone an escape, though greater light brings greater responsibility.
The command to love our neighbour is not to be narrowed by nationality or enmity: whoever is in need is to be treated with mercy, and strangers are to be loved. Among believers, giving the rich a place of honour while despising the poor contradicts the faith of Christ and works sin. In Christ, distinctions of race and social standing are done away among believers, who are one in Him. Yet differences between people and cases may be weighed conscientiously without partiality; the wrong is favouritism, not careful judgment.
Verses: James 2:1, James 2:2, James 2:3, James 2:4, James 2:5, James 2:6, James 2:7, James 2:8, James 2:9, Acts 10:34, Acts 10:35, Deuteronomy 10:17, Deuteronomy 10:18, Deuteronomy 10:19, Romans 2:11, Galatians 3:28, Leviticus 19:15, Proverbs 24:23, 1 Timothy 5:21, Ephesians 6:9, Colossians 3:25
The above is AI generated summary based on the writers below.
What the commentators say
The passages the answer is drawn from, the most direct first, with the words that bear on the question marked.
"And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. Ye shall not respect persons in judgement; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgement is God's; and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it to me, and I will hear it."
What heavenly wisdom is here! What even handed justice! What holy impartiality! In every case of difference, all the facts, on both sides, were to be fully heard and patiently weighed. The mind was not to be warped by prejudice, predilection or personal feeling of any kind. The judgement was to be formed not by impressions, but by facts — clearly established, undeniable facts. Personal influence was to have no weight whatever. The position and circumstances of either party in the cause were not to be considered. The case must be decided entirely on its own merits. "Ye shall hear the small as well as the great." The poor man was to have the same evenhanded justice meted out to him as the rich; the stranger as one born in the land. No difference was to be allowed.
But how morally lovely, how pure, how refined and elevated were the divine enactments for Israel! They were not to wrest judgement, but allow it to flow in its own straight and even channel, irrespective altogether of persons. The poor man in vile raiment was to have the same impartial justice, as the man with a gold ring and gay clothing. The decision of the judgement-seat was not to be warped by partiality or prejudice, or the robe of justice to be defiled by the stain of bribery.
It is noticeable how human feelings are eliminated in these matters of judgment. Not only is all unrighteous witness prohibited but one's feelings of dislike for an enemy must not be allowed to withhold assistance in a time of need, as we see in verses 4 and 5. And further, one's feelings in regard to the poor must not sway the judgment, either for him (verse 3) nor against him (verse 6).
Not only does Moses say, “Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of the poor in his cause” (Ex. 23:6), meaning that men must not set aside justice because it is in favour of a man who happens to be poor, but also “Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause” (Ex. 23:3), meaning that a man must not escape justice because he is poor.
"For the Lord your God is a God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe" (v.17). How important that we, as well as Israel, should meditate well on these arresting statements. Whatever people may call "gods," all of these are totally subservient to the one living God, or whoever may be "lords," having authority in some small realm, they are themselves under the supreme authority in some small realm, they are themselves under the supreme authority of the one Lord of the universe. A similar expression to this is used of the Lord Jesus in Revelation 19:16, "King of kings and Lord of lords."
This great God of Israel who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe, is shown rather to administer justice for the fatherless and widow and shows love toward strangers (v.18). How totally in contrast to this are the great majority of rulers in the world today! Law courts too frequently show sad disregard for justice. The poor will commonly suffer gross injustice while the wealthy use their money to pervert judicial action in their own favor. Believers may well be deeply thankful for a God who is perfectly just and faithful.
Because God loves strangers as well as Israel, then Israel is told to love the stranger, for they were at one time strangers in the land of Egypt (v.19). They should therefore understand the feelings of a stranger. Showing kindness to strangers would be consistent with their fearing the Lord and serving Him, as well as taking oaths in His name (v.20). Taking oaths was consistent with their being under law, but the Lord Jesus changed this in saying, "But I say to you, do not swear at all, neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. No shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black" (Mt.5:34-36).
In the land Israel was to appoint judges and officers who would judge the people righteously (v.18). They are warned solemnly against any perversion of justice, including partiality for one against another, and against taking any bribe (v.19). Such things are so common in the world that Israel must be sternly warned against this. In the New Testament Timothy is given a serious charge by Paul, "I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality" (1 Tim.5:21). Among believers such an admonition should hardly be necessary, but it is.
"To hare respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress."
The man who shows favoritism to any person is not to be trusted: he will transgress for any trifling thing. How important to do nothing by partiality, but to be thoroughly fair and honorable in every matter of judgment.
But there are dangers too even for the wise. It is not good to favour the person of the wicked, and just as bad to subvert the righteous in judgment. Strict integrity is a jewel. Prejudice must not be allowed, any more than partiality. Our sufficiency is of God.
And how important the admonition in verse 17! "Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man." How these words discover the poor human heart! How prone we are to respect persons; to be swayed by personal influence; to attach importance to position and wealth; to be afraid of the face of man!
"Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God gives thee, throughout thy tribes; and they shall judge the people with just judgement. Thou shalt not wrest judgement; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift; for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous. That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live and inherit the land which the Lord thy God gives thee."
Verses
- James 2:1–91My brethren, do not have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, [Lord] of glory, with respect of persons 2for if there come unto your synagogue a man with a gold ring in splendid apparel, and a poor man also come in in vile apparel, 3and ye look upon him who wears the splendid apparel, and say, Do thou sit here well, and say to the poor, Do thou stand there, or sit here under my footstool 4have ye not made a difference among yourselves, and become judges having evil thoughts? 5Hear, my beloved brethren Has not God chosen the poor as to the world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to them that love him? 6But ye have despised the poor [man]. Do not the rich oppress you, and [do not] they drag you before [the] tribunals? 7And [do not] they blaspheme the excellent name which has been called upon you? 8If indeed ye keep [the] royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well. 9But if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.