Justice

Meaning of Biblical and Social Justice and Why We Should Care About it?

Mishpat (OT)

Divinely righteous action, whether taken by humanity or God, that promotes equality among humanity. Used in relation to uplifting the righteous and oppressed and debasing the unrighteous and oppressors.

Ancient Near East

Equated with righteousness.

In the ancient Near East, the concept of divine justice was directly related to the word of the king. Whenever the king spoke an official word, the proclamation was considered good and righteous.

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Justice in the Ancient Near East

According to the prologue to the Code of Hammurabi, the king’s primary role was “to cause justice to prevail in the land (and) to destroy the wicked and the evil (so) that the strong might not oppress the weak” (Pritchard, ANET, 164).

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Justice in the Old Testament

In the Old Testament, the concept of justice refers to divinely ordained actions that promote the well-being and equality of all humanity. Whether justice is served by punishing oppressors or by vindicating the oppressed, there is always the concept of returning humanity to שָׁלוֹם (shalom), an equilibrium in which wrongs have been made right and the impoverished have been restored to prosperity.

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Justice in the Old Testament

The Torah maintains its status as the divine word of God intended to promote justice,

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Justice in the Old Testament

Although some of the laws within the Torah may seem unjust to modern readers, for the ancient audience, they likely were progressive.

NT

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Justice in the New Testament

In the New Testament, Jesus extends the Torah even further in terms of justice. He states, “Do not think I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets [i.e. the commands of God]; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill” (Matt 5:17 NASB). The fulfillment of the law and the prophets may be interpreted as Jesus’ authority to administer divine justice (Carson, “Matthew,” 176–77).

The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Justice in the New Testament)

Jesus equates justice with generosity to the poor through the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37; Ambrose, “Desiring,” 17–28). Jesus also says that it is difficult for wealthy people to enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matt 19:16–26; Mark 10:17–27; Luke 18:18–27).

Justice is social.

Concerns Around it in Christian Circles

Western social and political thought and ideology.

Syncretism with political ideology

If a liberal is for it, God is against it.

Sacred vs secular dichotomy

Individualism vs collectivism

My goals interests vs yours, I want mine to prevail.

We’re more aligned with a secular government view of Christianity than a biblical one.

I want it to do what I is in my interest. Anything else is overreach.

Created a line of thinking that convinced us that the gospel is what matters and God will sort everything else out in the end.

Disagreements on what actually are justice issues. Tend to highlight the extreme as reason to be skeptical or reject the reality of injustice overall.

What have/am I doing?

Help the church gain a biblical understanding and practice of Justice.

Teaching/challenging

Reshaping of programs and ministry

Not an activist

Where I see injustice in the day to day, address it in the moment.

Help start, support faith based justice initiatives

Nashville homeless

Shower up