What does the Bible say about justice?

Thus we have disclosed to us the four great principles of God's ways in judgment. God judges morally of men's evil by the standard of truth; God gives space for repentance before executing judgment: in the execution of judgment, God will render to every man according to his deeds; finally, in judgment God will be no respecter of persons.

By the combination of these three facts their escape from the judgment of God is rendered impossible. If His judgment were sometimes according to mere outward appearances, or if it occasionally lapsed from strict righteousness, or deviated because of favouritism or other personal considerations, then there might be some chance of escape. It is however "according to truth," and hence the exact reality of things will be dragged into the light of day. It is "righteous," and hence absolute and inflexible justice will prevail. There is "no respect of persons," hence nothing will turn God from a judgment of absolute righteousness in the light of absolute truth. This must shut the mouth of the most civilized and the most cultured, and convict them too as "guilty before God."

But (verse 2) there is a judgment which is according to righteousness — and God is the judge. We are sure that His judgment is according to truth against evil-doers. This is an eternal principle of the Divine government. God is holy; and as such He is against sin. His face is, therefore, against the workers of iniquity. But this last definition comprises man as a species, Jew and Gentile being alike included in the review of man, morally considered, as standing in relation to the everlasting principles of God's holiness.

"The judgment of God is according to truth." (v. 2). Truth means reality. No unreality will stand in the presence of God, but everything be manifested as it is. A poor prospect for the Greek, whose virtues were only skin deep.

There is too the "revelation of the righteous judgment of God." (v. 5). A wretched criminal may have the truth of his crime dragged into the light, yet if the presiding judge be incompetent or unrighteous he may escape. The Divine judgments are righteous as well as according to truth.

(Vv. 2, 3) The first great principle of God's judgment of evil is, "that the judgment of God is according to truth". The standard by which God measures evil is not the standard of philosophy, but the "truth" as to God made known in Christianity. All that God is has been made known in Christ. "Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ". Now that the full truth of all that God is, in His holy nature, has been revealed, it becomes the standard by which God judges all evil. Men measure evil by standards that they set up. Philosophers measure evil by their own systems of philosophy; the Mohammedans by the Koran and other false systems by their sacred books. God's judgment of evil is according to the truth of all that He is in His own holy nature as revealed in Christ.

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.

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.

Rather than favor the wicked, the judges ought to judge on behalf of the poor and needy, defending them from the persecution of the wicked (v. 3), delivering them from the hands of cruel oppression. This same exhortation is needed today in many of our courts of justice, and even in the professing church of God, where those in outward honor are too often guilty of oppressing the common people.

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).

Verse 8 prohibits all forms of bribery, which is an appeal to the feelings of the one who is bribed. Where bribery is rampant, justice is practically unknown. "The bribe blinds those whose eyes are open" (New Trans.). Let us read this verse in the spirit of it as well as in the letter, for it is possible for self-interest to blind the eyes of a sincere Christian, who would not for one moment entertain the idea of accepting a bribe.

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.