What does the Bible say about human rights?

Western thought began in ancient Greece where men like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle saw that the universe had a plan and purpose. To these early Greek ideas, Judaism and Christianity added the teachings of the Bible, which explained that this plan and purpose reflected the nature of a rational and energetic God who had created the universe. The Bible taught that the infinite God is personal, that He loves people and, because He is their creator, He has the power to make moral demands upon them. In addition, the Bible taught the dignity and worth of each person, created "in the image of God," with the power of reason, the ability to make choices and the capacity to relate to God (see Gen. 1:26,27).

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.

In the first place, on God's part, we find Him enacting laws which exhibit strict, even-handed, perfect justice. "Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe." Such was the character of the laws, the statutes, and the judgements by which God governed His earthly kingdom of Israel. Everything was provided for, every interest was maintained, and every claim was met. There was no partiality — no distinction made between the rich and the poor. The balance in which each man's claim was weighed was adjusted with divine accuracy, so that no one could justly complain of a decision. The pure robe of justice was not to be tarnished with the foul stains of bribery, corruption and partiality. The eye and the hand of a divine Legislator provided for everything; and a divine Executive inflexibly dealt with every defaulter. The stroke of justice fell only on the head of the guilty, while every obedient soul was protected in the enjoyment of all his rights and privileges.

The word is, "Give unto your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven." That is, servants have a claim upon their masters for this; and that which is just and equal will include both treatment and wages. They are shut up to and are especially dependent upon their masters, having no appeal from their treatment, excepting, of course-owing to the altered circumstances of modern times — in the unwelcome method of leaving their service. Their very position thus constitutes a claim upon their masters for that which is just and equal; so that they may safely and with confidence leave themselves in their masters' hands, in the full assurance that their interests will be considered and guarded. And the masters are exhorted to this, as knowing that they have a Master in heaven — One who marks all their conduct, and holds them responsible for their faithful dealing with their servants. There is no respect of persons with Him; and every one of us, as His servants, will receive at the judgement-seat of Christ for the things done in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Cor. 5:10.)

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.

The principle of accountability is found all the world over, however men may seek to shirk it. If I trespass upon my neighbour, he will very quickly let me know that I cannot do this with impunity. I may have a desire to trespass upon his property, to appropriate for my own use that which he claims as his. He does not excuse in me the covetous spirit which possesses me. He will tell me that I have no right to that which he has inherited, or purchased with the sweat of his brow, or bought with his money; and though the selfish spirit in others might not much object to see him defrauded, they must, in order to safeguard themselves, acknowledge the righteousness of his claim.

Even in the old creation the law did not enter till about two thousand years after creation, but this by no means implies that men were not in duty bound to fulfil all the moral obligations which the law, when given, codified and prescribed to the Jews. Cain, Abel, Seth, and their contemporaries, were as much under moral obligation to have no other gods beside Jehovah; to make no images to worship; not to fail in reverence to His name, as Moses and Aaron or any other Jew after hearing the voice from Sinai; because these duties are the natural consequence of God's being what He is, and they His creatures. In the same manner they were under as much moral obligation to honour their parents, and to respect the various rights of their neighbours, both openly and as to the desires of the heart, from the simple fact, that these duties were the legitimate and natural consequence, of the relationships in which God had set them towards their neighbours, placing them on a footing of equal rights.

Still the contract, which bound the slave to his master and deprived the former of freedom, was quite legal and could not set aside the rights of the master secured thereby. Did not he hold possession? How about the rights of the slave? He had none; he had signed them away. Yet here grace found an opportunity; it meets us at the very lowest point — the very principle of the gospel "when we were yet without strength." When the decayed, broken-down Israelite had sold himself to a brother, the application by the latter of this precious principle of grace would not indeed annul the contract, but would nevertheless bring light and joy and liberty into the soul. It is not in this chapter (as it is in Deut. 26) a question of worship, but of guarding against oppression, and of acting in the fear of God. "Thou shalt fear thy God: for I [am] Jehovah your God" (vers. 17, 36, 38, 43, 55). So with the Christian now. We may be in circumstances the most depressing in themselves, but the knowledge and enjoyment of the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, will enable us to "glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly" (Rom. 5:3-6).

The law given by Moses had done much to mitigate slavery in Israel, and this not merely as to a Hebrew sold for debt or selling himself through poverty. A year of release came round speedily, after which his abiding servitude was quite voluntary, with a blessed Antitype in view familiar to the instructed Christian. The old and still prevailing British boast is but an echo of the command that a slave who escaped among them should not be delivered to his master but was free to live unoppressed and free, where he pleased in their midst (Deut. 23:15-16). This was not however in regard to his social position merely, but still more to his religious status. In this the law of Moses stands in contrast with other codes, yea, with selfish and haughty Christendom. For Jewish slaves were entitled among other privileges to circumcision, enjoyed expressly the Sabbatical rest — indisputably a boon to none more than to them, and had their place at the solemn assemblies of the year, joining in the feasts like others, and in the fruits of the sabbath of the land every seventh year, as well as in the universal joy and liberty of the jubilee. Still it is fully allowed that the law made nothing perfect, as everywhere else so here also; and that in view of Jewish or human hardheartedness not a little under the law was tolerated which was far from God's mind, till He came Who is the truth in grace. Christ changed all, and the bondman became His freedman, as the freeman rejoices and is honoured in being His bondman. There can now be neither Jew nor Greek, neither bond nor free, no male and female, for we are all one in Christ Jesus. Circumcision or uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian: what matters one or other now? Christ is all things and in all. All is grounded on His death and resurrection Who, ascended into heaven, has formed an entirely new and heavenly relationship, of which the Holy Spirit actually come is the power.