BibleProject | One Story That Leads to JesusSample

God’s intent through all creation is justice—a way of right relating with one another and the land. Justice brings about shalom and the blessing of life for all.

Today’s reading features several proverbs focused on justice and righteousness. From these sayings, we learn that living wisely in Yahweh’s world requires living justly. Living justly means treating Yahweh’s entire world, especially his image-bearers, with dignity and lovingkindness.

As you learned from the prophetic books, those who do wrong suffer as a result. They also cause others to suffer. We see that principle at work in sayings like Proverbs 13:21 or 15:27. Because Yahweh has woven justice into the fabric of life in the universe, those who sow evil experience a loss of life. To the contrary, those who practice righteousness—that is, right relationships with God and others—are more likely to enjoy security and success.

These are general statements about reality at large. Skip ahead to Jesus, the most righteous human ever, who also suffers immensely. Jesus’ experience doesn’t mean Proverbs 13:21—”Calamity chases sinners, but prosperity rewards the righteous”—is incorrect. It reminds us that proverbs are generalizations, not promises.

More than anything, justice in Scripture is restorative. It seeks out vulnerable people who are being taken advantage of and helps them. We see this restorative dimension in passages like Proverbs 14:21 and 14:31.

Yahweh looks out for the destitute, the disadvantaged, and the downtrodden. Those who want to live by the fear of Yahweh should do the same.

Reflection Questions

• Meditate on Proverbs 14:25. What have you learned from this proverb about the ninth commandment, “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor” (Exod. 20:16)?
• Read Deuteronomy 25:1 and Zechariah 7:9-10. How does each passage contribute to your understanding of biblical justice?