A Bridge to Justice

Where do we see Injustice?

37 As Jesus was speaking, one of the Pharisees invited him home for a meal. So he went in and took his place at the table. 38 His host was amazed to see that he sat down to eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony required by Jewish custom. 39 Then the Lord said to him, “You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and wickedness! 40 Fools! Didn’t God make the inside as well as the outside? 41 So clean the inside by giving gifts to the poor, and you will be clean all over. 42 “What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.” (Luke 11:37–42, NLT)

This past semester I studied Amos & Isaiah, so I feel I should bring that into the conversation: Amos was a farmer from the southern kingdom of Judah sent to the northern kingdom to warn of the judgement to come. In the beginning he talks about God’s condemnation of the surrounding nations - they have been killing, selling people into slavery, extending boundary lines which is stealing. Amos even has a word against their relatives to the south, Judah, who have not been following God’s ways.

At this point Israel in the north may have been cheering Amos’ message along. They felt pretty safe and secure. They were economically doing well and many saw this as God’s favor on them. But then came the twist - Amos lays out the charges against Israel and lists twice as many faults! The main charge? They have been practicing injustice against the poor. They were anticipating The Day of The Lord as a time of triumph and joy but Amos tells them it will be a day of judgement and sorrow.

We see a similar scene in the New Testament. Jesus is eating a meal with some pharisees and they are shocked that he hasn’t been following their laws of ceremonial hand-washing. They were so meticulous about this that they had minimal measurements of water that were to be used, how the washing was to happen, and special water set aside for this.

Jesus criticizes them for being so focused on cleaning the outside, they have overlooked what is even more important - their hearts.

He also criticizes them for

pharisees were so detail-oriented and focused on ceremonial hand-washing and tithing - even going above and beyond what was required by the law and yet the made a gross error in completely overlooking what God asks of them - justice & love

Loving God includes acting Justly

8 No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8, NLT)

24 Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living. (Amos 5:24, NLT)