In-Depth Biblical Study on the Subject of Justice

Biblical Concept of Justice

The biblical concept of justice is deeply rooted in the character of God, who is described as just and righteous in his nature and actions ^[2]. According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, God's justice is "that perfection of his nature whereby he is infinitely righteous in himself and in all he does" ^[1]. This understanding is echoed in Torrey's Topical Textbook, which highlights various aspects of God's justice, including its impartiality, incorruptibility, and unfailing nature ^[2].

In the biblical context, justice is not merely a human virtue but a divine attribute that is reflected in God's legislative and rectoral (or distributive) justice. Legislative justice refers to God's requirement for his rational creatures to conform to the moral law, while rectoral justice involves God's dealing with his accountable creatures according to their actions ^[1].

The Psalms frequently emphasize God's justice, portraying it as a fundamental aspect of his character and rule. For instance, Psalm 99:4 states, "The King’s strength also loves justice. You do establish equity. You execute justice and righteousness in Jacob" ^[6]. Similarly, Psalm 7:9 appeals to God's justice, saying, "Dominus judicat populos. Judica me, Domine, secundum justitiam meam, et secundum innocentiam meam super me" ("The Lord judges the peoples; judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to my integrity that is in me") ^[4].

The biblical concept of justice is also closely tied to the idea of righteousness. Torrey's Topical Textbook notes that God's righteousness is "part of his character" and is described as "very high," "abundant," and "everlasting" ^[3]. This righteousness is not limited to God's character but is also expected of humans, particularly in their dealings with one another. The biblical text commands justice in various contexts, including the execution of judgment, buying and selling, and treatment of the poor, widows, and servants ^[5].

Theological traditions have interpreted the biblical concept of justice in various ways. According to Aquinas, justice is a virtue that resides in the will, aiming to rectify human actions in accordance with God's will ^[7]. Reformed theologians like Charles Hodge have emphasized the importance of God's justice in the context of salvation, arguing that Christ's sufferings were necessary to satisfy God's justice and that justification involves the satisfaction of God's justice through Christ's work ^{[8, 10]}.

The patristic tradition also underscores the significance of justice, with Lactantius emphasizing the role of divine law in uniting human affairs with heavenly ones ^[9]. The biblical concept of justice, therefore, encompasses both God's character and his expectations for human behavior, highlighting the importance of righteousness and equity in human relationships.

The biblical understanding of justice has far-reaching implications for Christian theology and practice. It underscores the need for humans to reflect God's justice in their actions and decisions, striving for righteousness and equity in all aspects of life. As the biblical text and theological traditions attest, justice is a fundamental aspect of God's character and a cornerstone of Christian ethics.

Sources

Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Justice of God — That perfection of his nature whereby he is infinitely righteous in himself and in all he does, the righteousness of the divine nature exercised in his moral government. At first God imposes righteous laws on his creatures and executes them righteously. Justice is not an optional product of his will, but an unchangeable principle of his very nature. His legislative justice is his requiring of his rational creatures conformity in all respects to the moral law. His rectoral or distributive justice is his dealing with his accountable creatures according”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Justice of God, The — Is a part of his character -- De 32:4; Isa 45:21. Declared to be Plenteous. -- Job 37:23. Incomparable. -- Job 4:1. Incorruptible. -- De 10:17; 2Ch 19:7. Impartial. -- 2Ch 19:7; Jer 32:19. Unfailing. -- Zep 3:5. Undeviating. -- Job 8:3; 34:12. Without respect of persons. -- Ro 2:11; Col 3:25; 1Pe 1:17. The habitation of his throne. -- Ps 89:14. Not to be sinned against -- Jer 50:7. Denied by the ungodly -- Eze 33:17,20. Exhibited in Forgiving sins. -- 1Jo 1:9. Redemption. -- Ro 3:26. His government. -- Ps 9:4; Jer 9:24. His judgments. -- Ge 18:2”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Righteousness of God, The — Is part of his character -- Ps 7:9; 116:5; 119:137. Described as Very high. -- Ps 71:19. Abundant. -- Ps 48:10. Beyond computation. -- Ps 71:15. Everlasting. -- Ps 119:142. Enduring for ever. -- Ps 111:3. The habitation of his throne. -- Ps 97:2. Christ acknowledged -- Joh 17:25. Christ committed his cause to -- 1Pe 2:23. Angels acknowledge -- Re 16:5. Exhibited in His testimonies. -- Ps 119:138,144. His commandments. -- De 4:8; Ps 119:172. His judgments. -- Ps 19:9; 119:7,62. His word. -- Ps 119:123. His ways. -- Ps 145:17. His acts. -- J”
Psalms “Dominus judicat populos. Judica me, Domine, secundum justitiam meam, et secundum innocentiam meam super me. -- Psalms 7:9”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Justice — Commanded -- De 16:20; Isa 56:1. Christ, an example of -- Ps 98:9; Isa 11:4; Jer 23:5. Specially required in rulers -- 2Sa 23:3; Eze 45:9. To be done In executing judgment. -- De 16:18; Jer 21:12. In buying and selling. -- Le 19:36; De 25:15. To the poor. -- Pr 29:14; 31:9. To the fatherless and widows. -- Isa 1:17. To servants. -- Col 4:1. Gifts impede -- Ex 23:8. God Requires. -- Mic 6:8. Sets the highest value on. -- Pr 2:13. Delights in. -- Pr 11:1. Gives wisdom to execute. -- 1Ki 3:11,12; Pr 2:6,9. Displeased with the want of. -- Ec 5:8. Brings its own”
Psalms “The King’s strength also loves justice. You do establish equity. You execute justice and righteousness in Jacob. -- Psalms 99:4”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Second Part of the Second Part (Secunda Secundae), Of Justice, Art. 4: Article: Whether justice is in the will as its subject? I answer that, The subject of a virtue is the power whose act that virtue aims at rectifying. Now justice does not aim at directing an act of the cognitive power, for we are not said to be just through knowing something aright. Hence the subject of justice is not the intellect or reason which is a cognitive power. But since we are said to be just through doing something aright, and because the proximate principle of action is the appetitive p”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 100: of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” There was a necessity for the sufferings of Christ, and that necessity was not merely governmental, nor for the accumulating moral power over the sinner’s heart, but it arose out of the nature of God. It became Him. It was consonant with his perfections and character, which is the highest conceivable kind of necessity. 5. What the Scriptures teach of the justice of God leads to the same conclusion. Justice is a form of moral excellence. It belongs to the nature of God. It demands the punish”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 7: Lactantius, Venantius, Asterius, Victorinus, Dionysius — CHAP. LX.--OF THE DUTIES OF JUSTICE.: When the affairs of men were in this condition, God pitied us, revealed and displayed Himself to us, that in Himself we might learn religion, faith, purity, and mercy; that having laid aside the error of our former life, together with God Himself we might know ourselves, whom impiety had disunited from Him, and we might choose (4) the divine law, which unites human affairs with heavenly, the Lord Himself delivering it to us; by which law all the errors with which we have been ensnared, tog”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 99: § 2. The Intrinsic Worth of Christ’s Satisfaction. The first point is that Christ’s work was of the nature of a satisfaction, because it met and answered all the demands of God’s law and justice against the sinner. The law no longer condemns the sinner who believes in Christ. Those, however, whom the infinitely holy and strict law of God does not condemn are entitled to the divine fellowship and favour. To them there can be no condemnation. The work of Christ was not, therefore, a mere substitute for the execution of the law, which God in”

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