What does the Bible really say about justice? How should that understanding shape our lives and communities? In this video, Converge Biblical Diversity Co-Directors Jim Eaton and Roderick Hairston provide a thought-provoking exploration of biblical justice.
They unpack key Hebrew terms for justice and righteousness, emphasizing that justice originates with God. Eaton and Hairston challenge viewers to actively engage with the scriptures on the topic of justice, listen to diverse perspectives, and work towards justice in their spheres of influence. This video offers practical insights for anyone seeking to live out God’s call to justice.
Transcript
Rod Hairston: All right, Jim, well, we’re here talking about justice.
Jim Eaton: Amen.
Rod: Today and the big question that we wanna work on and serve our Converge community with, and the nation, I hope, is with a very, very important subject. And the question is, what is biblical justice? What is biblical justice?
Jim: Yes. And this is, this is such a profound theme in God’s word, particularly in the prophets. I remember back when I was in seminary years ago, and I was an Old Testament major, and I fell in love with the prophets because I discovered, as you’re reading the prophets, it’s like God just unpacks his heart. He just speaks out of his soul. And when you come into some of these passages, like I think of Isaiah 59, where the text is saying, you’re looking for justice in the public square and it’s not there. And you’re looking, it’s like everything’s just falling apart and there is no justice in the streets. And then it says, and God looked at that, that there was no justice and he was offended. So it isn’t just that justice is like an an arm’s length thing with God. It’s like, this is part of his heart and his soul. And when he sees a community lacking in justice, his soul is offended. And then it says that he looked for someone to stand up like an Ezekiel, the man standing in the gap.
Rod: Yes, yes.
Jim: To stand up and he couldn’t find anyone. So he had to stretch his own hand out for justice. God is looking for people who will want to combat injustice and step in and speak for justice. I’m sorry, I’m getting, we’re supposed to be just talking about.
Rod: No, this is good.
Jim: This is close to me.
Rod: I’m wide open. You know, it occurred to me that this question, what is biblical justice, is so foundational. It’s so foundational to our, not only our walks with God, but to our understanding of God. I’ve been wrestling with this notion recently that if a theme, or a construct, like a sociological construct, and I don’t want to get too weird and sociological, right? But if it doesn’t exist in the Bible, we don’t have any ground to stand on.
Jim: That’s right, that’s right.
Rod: Right? And so I think it’s important to remember that justice didn’t begin with man.
Jim: That’s right.
Rod: But that it began with God, because we see the word, the theme, the theology, the idea, this construct, long before, you know, any of us got here.
Jim: That’s right.
Rod: Right. And so long before it became a question in American society. So I think it’s important to say, what is biblical justice? Because God has a lot to say about it.
Jim: Yeah, absolutely. And I think so often you find in the scripture, in the New Testament, particularly in Romans, Romans is superb at sort of parsing out what does justice and righteousness look like, right? Because the gospel at its core is God creating a way to enact justice through compassion.
Rod: Yes.
Jim: Through love. But it not only visibly displays the love of God, but it’s also the justice of God and the righteousness of God. But in the Old Testament, I find justice is more often displayed through story and narrative. Like I think of the time when the angels came to Abraham in Genesis and Abraham, and it’s the angel of the Lord. So he actually begins to argue, I think, with God himself, the manifestation of God. And he’s arguing for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. You know, if you find 50 righteous people, could you stay your hand? And finally, Abraham’s ultimate argument is, shall not the judge of all the Earth do what is righteous?
Rod: You hit on a theme that is closely related to justice, which is righteousness.
Jim: Yes.
Rod: The two go together. So let me share a couple of Hebrew words.
Jim: Yes.
Rod: That I think would be helpful. The word for justice, is mishpat, right? Which is, it’s a legal term, right? It’s a term that has deep legal underpinnings and moral underpinnings. And it simply means to judge right. To judge according to God’s standard. So when we make a judgment in society and relationships, right? We should be thinking of God’s standard. How does God see this?
Jim: Yes.
Rod: So that we don’t judge against his standard. And so God stands as the judge, the ultimate judge of what’s right and what’s wrong. And so we come to the other word, Saddiq or Tzadik, which is righteousness, right? Rightness. And so one of the things that God got upset about in scripture is when people were calling right wrong and wrong right.
Jim: Yeah, that’s right. Like it says in Isaiah.
Rod: Yeah, yeah. So this whole idea of justice and righteousness, meaning that when the judgments go out, and there should be judgments, that there should be a right judgment concerning that which is wrong.
Jim: Yes.
Rod: And a right judgment concerning that which is right.
Jim: That’s right.
Rod: And God is not confused about those.
Jim: Yeah.
Rod: Yeah. What what does that have to do with us in Christendom?
Jim: It’s a great question. And I think that this is where, as Natalie and I have walked in, in multicultural or intercultural ministry for over 30 years now, what we have discovered is this is one of these crucial areas where we need each other. And by that I mean, the different cultural church groups and communities, we need each other, because there are certain areas where one cultural group, because of the environments in which we live, may see things a certain way, but may not see other things quite as clearly. And I think it’s all, I would sometimes explain it like one group is driving down one lane of the highway and the other group is driving down the other lane, and one lane is clear of potholes. The other lane has potholes all over. And both can say we’re driving down the same highway, but our experiences are vastly different because one can just put it on cruise and roll, and the other one say, I’ve gotta dodge that pothole. I’ve gotta dodge that one. And so I think that when we come to the issue of justice, it’s really essential that we start not out there in the culture with all the social media posts and the news programs don’t start there, because that’s certainly going to inflame us or it’s going to lead us to extremes. Start where God’s heart is, and understand that God really wants to have not only a racially reconciled community, and by that I mean the church, racially reconciled church, but a church that is passionate for the justice of God enacted and influenced and permeating through all of his people.
Rod: Well, I think that’s a huge point, Jim, right? That highway illustration, right? People who the farther we get away from the experience of injustice toward us, the less we think it exists. So in American history, right? There are those who migrated to America because of injustices in Europe, right? Looking for religious freedom and all those things.
Jim: That’s right.
Rod: Because of religious suppression.
Jim: Yes.
Rod: But much like Israel, right? This is why God was so, you know, he was so peeved with the nation of Israel.
Jim: Yes.
Rod: They knew injustice and slavery in Egypt. And the farther they got away from it, once they got into the promised land, they became the ones to enact injustices.
Jim: That’s right.
Rod: And so, but the farther you get away from the experience of injustice, the more likely it is for you to say, well, injustice doesn’t exist.
Jim: That’s right.
Rod: And right? And I think that’s a dynamic in our American culture, right? It is some driving on one side, some driving on the other, in the opposite direction. And so, and the American church experience that I have had, right? And the evangelical church in particular, there have been a lot of people who would say, what is this? Well, you know, stop all this talk about injustice, but we can’t because injustice is a part of the human dynamic.
Jim: That’s right.
Rod: And when people are crying injustice, then with an empathic listening spirit.
Jim: That’s right.
Rod: We have to pay attention to it because it’s on God’s heart as well.
Jim: That’s right.
Rod: Anytime people are suffering injustice.
Jim: That’s right. And again, I think this is why it’s so crucial, and we talked about this in some of our other conversations how important it is to have real time relationships. It’s one thing to watch a program or read an article, see a video on YouTube, it’s one thing to say, well, they are saying that, but when it’s someone who’s close to you and you get on the phone with them and they talk about how they were pulled over and they were held up by the police for a period of time, inconvenience, maybe even frightened and all because they looked like someone. And then I’ll have interactions with others of my brothers and sisters who look like me. And we’ve never had those experiences. Or have someone say, I was walking through a store and I was followed all the way through. Or as I came out of the store, I was, we don’t like to use the word profiled, but I was sort of pulled apart, pulled aside to say, may I check your receipt? And so when you have close relationships with people and you love them, and you walk with them, and then they tell their stories, not something that happened 90 years ago, but something that happened last week, it really makes a difference. And I think that’s why I think it’s incumbent upon all of us as the church of Jesus Christ, to say, I’m on this journey for justice. I want God to teach me, and I want him to move upon my life to help others experience a greater justice filled life.
Rod: Yeah, you know, I wanna push a little bit in the opposite direction because I think justice should be on our hearts, even if they’re people we don’t know, right? Because the parable of the good Samaritan.
Jim: Yeah.
Rod: The question was, well, who is my neighbor?
Jim: Yeah, that’s good.
Rod: Who is my neighbor, right? So the heart of God when we see injustice is that it’s not just for people who are close to me.
Jim: That’s a good point.
Rod: Who experienced that? But it’s for people who I don’t even know.
Jim: That’s right.
Rod: And so, so I think we should look at some scriptures, right? And we can just read them.
Jim: Sure.
Rod: We’ll get the heart of God. The one that comes to mind for me, first of all, is Micah 6:8.
Jim: Love that.
Rod: Right? He has told you, one translation, I think he has shown you, oh, man, what is good and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, there’s our word. And to love mercy. To do justly and to love mercy, right? He’s implying very clearly that justice is an act of mercy.
Jim: Yes.
Rod: And mercy is at the heart of God. And to walk humbly your God. Because I think there’s a lack of humility if I say, that has nothing to do with me.
Jim: That’s right.
Rod: Right?
Those people are just belly aching, right?
And they just need to, if they would just, you know, do what’s right, they wouldn’t go through that. That’s a lack of humility.
Jim: Or as I heard someone once say, well, they’re just playing the victim. If they would simply follow our laws, all would be well. And we would like to think that our laws are all just, and everyone who implements the laws are always just, but that is not always the case.
Rod: That is not even close to the case.
Jim: That’s right.
And so I think what we need to understand is just like we freely acknowledge this in other nations, that there are nations who are not doing as well in certain areas of justice and other areas they’re doing better, that we just acknowledge our nation is no different. And so when you have true experiences being narrated, the first response is not, well, let me kind of pick that apart or perhaps someone didn’t do this. The first thing is to say, let me hear your story and let me validate your experience and let me walk with you so that together we can work for a greater amount of justice in our society and in our churches.
Rod:Yeah, I think that’s true. The truth is, when the law works for everyone as it should work, because the law can be just, but its implication can be unjust, it’s application can be inconsistent and unjust. So yeah. I think it’s, when the law is working as it should for everyone, no matter your creed, color, status, whatever, the law should work for everyone. That’s what justice is.
Jim: So what would you think might be a practical thing you’d suggest to somebody if they’re just starting out in this journey? Maybe they’ve never really thought through an exposition of the scriptures about justice.
Rod: I would say start reading your Bible on justice. That’s the first place for believers to begin, because we’re talking about biblical justice. And if it’s at the core of God’s heart, the first thing would be read your Bible and read it through the lens of God’s heart for society, for humanity, right? Not simply through the lens of our individual experience.
Jim: That’s a good point, that’s a very good point. I think I would add to that, let other Bible expositors and people who walk in the scriptures who are living in different cultural traditions than your own, let them teach you the Bible. I remember just two years ago I read the biography of Frederick Douglass and it just had a profound impact on me as he walked through his own exposition of the prophets. ‘Cause he was a strong believer. And as he was walking through his exposition of the prophets, it transformed my own life in my understanding of the prophets. Even though I was an Old Testament major, and I’ve preached the prophets, I love them. But just hearing that man speak to me over, you know, a hundred years.
Rod: Yes.
Jim: 150 years ago, had a great impact. And I think we need to do more of that. I think of Esau McCaulley’s book “Reading While Black.” You know, that’s a profound work to just say, let others speak into your life as they speak the scriptures, so that we’re not simply hearing echo chambers of the people that we’re used to hearing.
Rod:Oh, that’s such a good, a good reminder and a good challenge. I’ve been paying more attention to Jewish leaders.
Jim: That’s good.
Rod: Rabbis in particular, especially those who believe in Jesus to get a more Jewish understanding of the scriptures.
Jim: Yes.
Rod: So that I understand the roots and the foundation, right?
Because God gave them the word first. He gave them his word. And so that’s been helpful to me.
Jim: Oh, that’s so good.
Rod:That’s been helpful.
Jim: That’s good.
Rod: I want to, why don’t we just read a couple of scriptures.
Jim: Sounds good.
Rod: To our listeners and viewers so that you can hear some of what God is saying concerning justice. I have Amos 5:21-24.
Jim: Okay.
Rod: Let me read that. I’m reading from the NIV. It says, these are strong words by the way. He says, “I hate, I despise your religious festivals. Your assemblies are a stench to me,” ouch. “Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs. I will not listen to the music of your harps, but let justice roll on like a river.”
Jim: That’s so beautiful.
Rod: Righteousness, like a never failing stream. But let justice roll on. He says, “I don’t wanna hear about all of your services and you know, your beautiful music and your gatherings.” He says, “What I want to know is that you are, you’re on the train called justice,” right? So often we hear this verse in the context of Dr. Martin Luther King’s speeches.
Jim: Yes, yes.
Rod: And his writings. But this began in the Bible.
Jim: That’s right.
Rod: Yeah. Amos and Dr. King were many years apart.
Jim: That’s right.
I’m gonna read from Isaiah 59. I referred to it earlier, but I love this passage. So, “Justice is turned back and righteousness stands far off, for truth has stumbled in the public square and honesty cannot enter. Truth is missing. And whoever turns from evil is plundered.” You’re getting your wealth taken away from you if you turn away from evil.
Rod: Wow.
Jim: “The Lord saw that there was no justice and he was offended. He saw that there was no man. He was amazed that there was no one interceding. So his own arm brought salvation and his own righteousness supported him.” Isaiah 59.
Rod: Wow, that’s such rich theology. So his own arm, that’s where Jesus comes in.
Jim: That’s right.
Rod: He came to bring justice to the Earth, to the human experience. And so when we are champions for justice.
Jim: That’s right.
Rod: We stand on the scriptures.
Jim: Exactly.
Rod: And we stand, we stand with Jesus.
Jim: Amen, amen, amen.
Rod: Yeah.
Jim: That’s good.
Rod: So hey, we want to encourage you, read the scriptures on justice and we will include some as a note so that you can read your Bible. Begin to see that justice is for all believers,
Jim: All believers.
Rod: And God calls us to be people of justice and righteousness.
Jim: Amen, amen.