Justice Part 1: What's the Biblical Vision of Justice?

This is our first episode in our new series on the theme of Justice in the Bible. When most of us hear the term "justice" we think of courtrooms, judges and cops. Some of us might think of biblical justice as “God’s Judgement”.
What did the Hebrews believe justice looked like? And what was the biblical vision for a “just society?”

In the first part of the conversation (0-22:50) Tim outlines where the words “Justice” and “Righteousness” come from in the Bible and what they meant in their original context. The guys speculate about why every person seems to have an ingrained idea of “fairness”.

Tim shares three common perspectives of Justice from a Harvard professor (Brian Sandel) book Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do?
Justice is Maximizing Welfare
Justice is Respect of Individual Freedom
Justice is Promoting Virtue

In the second part of the show (22:51-44:45)
Tim outlines the famous verse in Micah “do justice, love mercy” and what that verse originally meant to Hebrews. The guys talk about the differences between retributive justice and restorative justice.
Tim shares the prophets ideas of the quartet of the vulnerable: widows, orphans, immigrants, the poor.

Finally, (44:50-end) the guys discuss the story of the Hebrew Exodus, and how that story framed many images in the Bible about justice.

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You can learn more about the bible project on our website: https://thebibleproject.com/

Resources:
Books:
Annie Dillard: Pilgrim At Tinker Creek
Michael Sandel: Justice: What’s The Right Thing To Do?

Show Music:

Defender Instrumental: Rosasharn Music
Flooded Meadows: Unwritten Stories
You Can Save Me: Beautiful Eulogy
Exile Dial Tone: Beautiful Eulogy