“You shall do not injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly” (Lev 19:15).
“You shall not distort justice; you shall not be partial, and you shall not take a bribe . . .. Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, that you may live and possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you” (Deut 16:19-20).
The judge’s responsibility includes:
- rendering a verdict or decision;
- then, assigning the consequence — sentencing the guilty party;
- but also, ensuring that the sentence is executed justly: neither less nor more than required.
“If there is a dispute between men and they go to court, and the judges decide their case, and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked, then it shall be if the wicked man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall make him lie down and be beaten in his presence with the number of stripes according to his guilt. He may beat him forty times but no more, so that he does not beat him with many more stripes than these and your brother is not degraded in your eyes” (Deut 25:1-3).
When Solomon inherited the responsibility of ruling Israel, he prayed: “Give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” (1 Kgs 3:9)
His instruction in Proverbs reflects the personal care officials must exercise to avoid injustice:
“It is not for kings to drink wine,
Or for rulers to desire strong drink,
For they wlll drink and forget what is decreed,
And pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Open your mouth for the mute,
For the rights of all the unfortunate.
Open your mouth, judge righteously,
And defend the rights of the afflicted and needy” (Prov 31:4-5, 8-9).
(Spotlight 5, Lesson 10 in Doctrine 101: Learning about God)