Retributive Justice – The Law of God and Public Policy

Retributive Justice
The Law of God and Public Policy

Retribution is the final facet of the jewel of justice.

“For every breach of trust, whether it is for an ox, for a donkey, for a sheep, for a cloak, or for any kind of lost thing, of which one says, ‘This is it,’ the case of both parties shall come before God. The one whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbor.” Exodus 22:9

We have seen that justice is a jewel of many facets. In its obligatory facet, justice requires that we love our neighbors simply because they are made in the image of God. We must regard them, and do with them, as we wish to be regarded and done with ourselves. In its preventive facet, justice demands that we use forethought in all our actions to make sure, as far as possible, that our neighbor or his property is not injured by what we do. Distributive justice encourages us to share generously with our neighbors and others in need. Restorative justice comes into play when the balance of neighbor love has become disturbed and the one guilty of disturbing it is required to set things right again.

Each of these forms of justice, grounded in the Law of God, is very much a part of life in our society today. It is simply mindless or prejudicial to insist that we should have no input from Scripture or the Law of God, either in the public square or in the making of public policy. Our nation was founded on Biblical principles of justice, and to deny this is to rewrite history past and to put in jeopardy history to come.

When the peace of justice is intentionally or maliciously violated, the final facet of justice—retributive justice—is invoked. Under the practice of retributive justice those who have deliberately disturbed the peace and brought injury or damage to their neighbors, in addition to being required to restore the balance of justice, are punished in ways appropriate to the offense. The pain of punishment is directed toward the heart of the offender, to discourage any future such acts, and to the community as a whole, to instill fear of transgressing against their neighbors’ peace.

Jesus affirmed the legitimacy of retribution when He pronounced approvingly on Zacchaeus’ resolve to repay what he had stolen from his neighbors and more (Luke 19:1-10). In ancient Israel retribution could take the form of payment in kind (two oxen for one stolen), in money or other goods, or even by bodily harm—beating, as well as the well-known practice of lex talionis (“an eye for an eye”). In extreme cases, banishment from the altar and community of God and even capital punishment could be inflicted.

Thus it is clear that one purpose of the use of retribution, besides setting the balance of justice to right again, was to convict the hearts of the entire community, to remind everyone of the high value God places on the practice of neighbor-love.

Visit our website, www.ailbe.org, and sign up to receive our thrice-weekly devotional, Crosfigell, featuring writers from the period of the Celtic Revival and T. M.’s reflections on Scripture and the Celtic Christian tradition. Does the Law of God still apply today? Order a copy of T. M.’s book, The Ground for Christian Ethics, and study the question for yourself.

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In the Gates is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T. M. Moore, editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001, 2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.