I want to share an interesting quote from a WaPo editorial by M. J. Gerson caught my eye: “But the centerpiece commitment of Christian social ethics is not order; it is justice.”
Tzedakah Box
This is totally spot-on, but could use some additional elaboration. “Justice” as it’s generally defined in the Bible comes from a Hebrew word, tzedakah, which is often translated “righteousness” but is better rendered as “justice.” However, if you dig into how the word is actually used, it’s different from the way we typically think of justice, i.e., retribution.
Instead, it’s restorative justice. Making things right. So, for example, giving food to a hungry person is an act of justice. In the OT particularly, “charity” and “justice” have considerable overlap. In fact, both use the same word (which makes for some interesting translation possibilities). We could benefit from thinking about justice in this way.
But think, when you think about “justice” or “charity” and realize that in the Old Testament they are both the same word — what does that do for your perspective on justice? How does it affect your thoughts about justice when you think of it as restoration rather than retribution.
Is that the first thing you think of when you think “justice”?
Gives a new perspective to Alma 11: 44:
Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be arestored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body
Questions:
Did this change your perspective on the word “justice?”
How about on the word “charity?”
What other words have you encountered that had their meanings change for you as you have studied the scriptures and the gospel?
Can you have justice without charity?
When Christ talks about love as the great commandment upon which are hung or built all the law and the prophets, does it make sense that the love and justice he is talking about are forms of restoration and charity (and why Paul would talk of charity as the greatest of all spiritual gifts)?
Does this affect the way you look at the Old Testament?
I do find it interesting how words change over time. Stephen’s findings here on justice and charity is quite thought provoking. Stephen – Thanks for highlighting this!
I really enjoyed writing this post, even if it did not draw much attention.
Actually, this post has given me much food for thought. I was actually writing about it in my journal this morning, when I decided to reread it. Thank you.
Greaves’ comments may have been too simplistic and too narrow. In English language scriptures “justice” is not merely from “tzedakah.” It seems it is often a translation of “mishpat.” See https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/nas/mishpat.html Retribution is not the way some of us typically think of “justice”. That is too limited. Instead, we typically think of rightness/deservedness of either or both punishment and reward.
Neither of those concerns, however, takes away from the insights (maybe merely attitudes) growing out of a recognition that “tzedakah” is somehow both “justice” and “righteousness,” but see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Righteousness, and also came to be used for a concept of “charity” much more religiously obligatory than implied by common American use of the word “charity.” I have entertained myself with speculation that God’s “lovingkindness” or “mercy”, both translations of “chesed” is included in his “righteousness” or “justice” so that the reason mercy cannot “rob” justice is because it is a part of God’s justice, properly understood. That notion may not have any reasonable foundation in Hebrew, a language I don’t know, but then there is no convincing reason to suppose that the words “justice” “righteousness” “charity” “mercy” etc. are always used the same way any more than to suppose that in the OT they are always translations of the same Hebrew words. Perhaps my speculation is too far afield to be acceptable to those who assume some identity between God’s law “irrevocably decreed in heaven” and natural law, or who think that God’s blessings are always tied to obedience to laws, rather than raining upon the just and the unjust. Tim Keller includes both mishpat and tzedakah in his brief writing on biblical justice. https://relevantmagazine.com/god/practical-faith/what-biblical-justice His analysis is appealing, but is he assuming that the Bible is a unitary thing with only one concept of justice?
But think, when you think about “justice” or “charity” and realize that in the Old Testament they are both the same word — what does that do for your perspective on justice? How does it affect your thoughts about justice when you think of it as restoration rather than retribution.
I do find it interesting how words change over time. Stephen’s findings here on justice and charity is quite thought provoking. Stephen – Thanks for highlighting this!
I really enjoyed writing this post, even if it did not draw much attention.
Actually, this post has given me much food for thought. I was actually writing about it in my journal this morning, when I decided to reread it. Thank you.
Greaves’ comments may have been too simplistic and too narrow. In English language scriptures “justice” is not merely from “tzedakah.” It seems it is often a translation of “mishpat.” See https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/nas/mishpat.html Retribution is not the way some of us typically think of “justice”. That is too limited. Instead, we typically think of rightness/deservedness of either or both punishment and reward.
Neither of those concerns, however, takes away from the insights (maybe merely attitudes) growing out of a recognition that “tzedakah” is somehow both “justice” and “righteousness,” but see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Righteousness, and also came to be used for a concept of “charity” much more religiously obligatory than implied by common American use of the word “charity.” I have entertained myself with speculation that God’s “lovingkindness” or “mercy”, both translations of “chesed” is included in his “righteousness” or “justice” so that the reason mercy cannot “rob” justice is because it is a part of God’s justice, properly understood. That notion may not have any reasonable foundation in Hebrew, a language I don’t know, but then there is no convincing reason to suppose that the words “justice” “righteousness” “charity” “mercy” etc. are always used the same way any more than to suppose that in the OT they are always translations of the same Hebrew words. Perhaps my speculation is too far afield to be acceptable to those who assume some identity between God’s law “irrevocably decreed in heaven” and natural law, or who think that God’s blessings are always tied to obedience to laws, rather than raining upon the just and the unjust. Tim Keller includes both mishpat and tzedakah in his brief writing on biblical justice. https://relevantmagazine.com/god/practical-faith/what-biblical-justice His analysis is appealing, but is he assuming that the Bible is a unitary thing with only one concept of justice?