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 reward Jer 22:15 - SAINTS SHOULD . Study the principles of Php 4:8 . Receive instruction in Pr 1:3 . Pray for wisdom to execute 1Ki 3:9 . Always do Ps 119:121; Eze 18:8,9 . Take pleasure in doing Pr 21:15 . Teach others to do Ge 18:19 - Promises to Isa 33:15,16; Jer 7:5,7 - THE WICKED . Scorn Pr 19:28 . Abhor Mic 3:9 . Call not for Isa 59:4 . Banish Isa 59:14 . Pass over Lu 11:42 . Afflict those who act with Job 12:4; Am 5:12 - Exemplified . Moses Nu 16:15 . Samuel 1Sa 12:4 . David 2Sa 8:15 . Solomon 1Ki 3:16-27 . Josiah Jer 22:15 . Joseph Lu 23:50,51 . Apostles 1Th 2:10

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A principle of righteousness and equity, controlling our conduct, and securing a due regard to all the rights of others-their persons, property, character, and interests. It has to do, not with pecuniary transactions alone, but with all our intercourse with society. It forms a chief element of the character approved in God’s word; and a truly just man has but to "love mercy, and walk humbly with God," to fulfil all righteousness. Justice in magistrates, rulers, and judges, must be fearless and impartial, and all its decisions such as will bear revision before the court of heaven, De 1:16,17 2Sa 23:3 2Ch 19:6-10. Judgement is peculiarly the prerogative of God, and every earthly tribunal lies under the shadow of the "great white throne." A just judgment is the voice of God; and hence an unjust one is doubly hateful in his sight. THE JUSTICE OF GOD is that essential and infinite attribute which makes his nature and his ways the perfect embodiment of equity, and constitutes him the model and the guardian of equity throughout the universe, De 32:4 Ps 89:14. The justice of God could not leave the world without laws, and cannot fail to vindicate them by executing their penalties; and as all mankind perpetually break them, every human soul is under condemnation, and must perish, unless spared through the accepted ransom, the blood of Christ. THE ADMINSITRATION OF JUSTICE among the Hebrews, was characterized by simplicity and promptitude. In early times the patriarch of each family was its judge, Ge 38:24. Afterwards, in the absence of more formal courts, the elders of a household, tribe, or city, were its judges by natural right. In the wilderness, Moses organized for the Jews a regular system of judges, some having jurisdiction over ten families, others over fifty, one hundred, or one thousand. The difficult cases were referred to Moses, and he often sought divine direction concerning them, Ex 18:21-26 Le 24:12. These judges were perhaps the "princes of the congregation," and the chiefs of the families and tribes of whom we afterwards read, Nu 27:3. In the land of Canaan, local magistrates were appointed for every city and village; and these were instructed to cooperate with the priests, as being all together under the theocracy, the actual government of Jehovah, the supreme Judge of Israel, De 16:18 17:8-10 19:17 21:16. Their informal courts were held in the gate of the city, as the most public and convenient place, De 21:9 22:15 25:7; and in the same place contracts were ratified, Ru 4:1,9 Jer 32:7-15. Deborah the prophetess judged Israel beneath a palm-tree, Jud 4:5. Samuel established virtually a circuit court, 1Sa 7:16 8:1; and among the kings, Jehoshaphat made special provision for the faithful administration of justice, 2Ch 19:1-11. The kings themselves were supreme judges, with almost unlimited powers, 1Sa 22:16 2Sa 4:9,10 1Ki 22:26. They were expected, however, to see that justice was everywhere done, and seem to have been accessible to all who were wronged. Frequent complaints are on record in the sacred books of the maladministration of judges, of bribery and perjury, 1Sa 8:3 1Ki 21:8-14 Isa 1:23 10:1 Mic 3:11 7:3. There was no class among the Jews exactly corresponding to our lawyers. The accuser and the accused stood side by side before the judge, with their witnesses, and pleaded their own cause. The accuser is named in several places, Satan, that is, the adversary, Ps 109:6 Zec 3:1-3. No one could be condemned without the concurring testimony of at least two witnesses, Nu 35:30; and these failing, he was obliged to make oath of his innocence, Ex 22:11 Heb 6:16. The sentence of the judge was instantly executed; and in certain cases the witnesses cast the first stone, De 17:5,7 25:2 Jos 7:24 1Sa 22:18 1Ki 2:24 Pr 16:14. The same frightful celerity still marks the administration of justice in the East. The application of torture to extract evidence is only once mentioned, and that under the authority of Rome, Ac 22:24. See SANHEDRIM and SYNAGOGUE.

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Justice. Justice
Is rendering to every one that which is his due. It has been distinguished from equity in this respect, that while justice means merely the doing what positive law demands, equity means the doing of what is fair and right in every separate case.

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JUSTICE. → General scriptures concerning Ex 23:1-3,6-8; Le 19:13-15; De 16:18-20; 25:1-4; Ezr 7:26; Ps 72:1,2; 82:2-4; Pr 17:15,26; 18:5,17; 20:8; 22:27; 24:23; 28:21; 29:26; Ec 3:16,17; 5:8; 7:7; Isa 1:17; 56:1; 59:14,15; Jer 22:1-4; La 3:35,36; Am 5:7,11,12; Mic 7:3; Hab 1:4; Zec 8:16; Mt 5:23; 12:7; Joh 7:24,51; 1Co 13:6 → See COURTS → See JUDGES → See WITNESS → See LAWYERS

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justice. Justice, n. right, equity, punishment, an officer

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Jus″tice (?), n. [[F., fr. L. justitia, fr. justus just. See Just, a.]] 1. 1. The quality of being just; conformity to the principles of righteousness and rectitude in all things; strict performance of moral obligations; practical conformity to human or divine law; integrity in the dealings of men with each other; rectitude; equity; uprightness.
Justice and judgment are the haditation of thy throne. Ps. ixxxix. 11. The king-becoming graces, As justice, verity, temperance, stableness, . . . I have no relish of them. Shak. 2. 2. Conformity to truth and reality in expressing opinions and in conduct; fair representation of facts respecting merit or demerit; honesty; fidelity; impartiality; as, the justice of a description or of a judgment; historical justice.
3. 3. The rendering to every one his due or right; just treatment; requital of desert; merited reward or punishment; that which is due to one's conduct or motives.
This even-handed justice Commends the ingredients of our poisoned chalice To our own lips. Shak. 4. 4. Agreeableness to right; equity; justness; as, the justice of a claim.
5. 5. A person duly commissioned to hold courts, or to try and decide controversies and administer justice.
☞ This title is given to the judges of the common law courts in England and in the United States, and extends to judicial officers and magistrates of every grade. Bed of justice. See under Bed. — Chief justice. See in the Vocabulary. — Justice of the peace (Law), a judicial officer or subordinate magistrate appointed for the conservation of the peace in a specified district, with other incidental powers specified in his commission. In the United States a justice of the peace has jurisdiction to adjudicate certain minor cases, commit offenders, etc. Syn. — Equity; law; right; rectitude; honesty; integrity; uprightness; fairness; impartiality. — Justice, Equity, Law. Justice and equity are the same; but human laws, though designed to secure justice, are of necessity imperfect, and hence what is strictly legal is at times far from being equitable or just. Here a court of equity comes in to redress the grievances. It does so, as distinguished from courts of law; and as the latter are often styled courts of justice, some have fancied that there is in this case a conflict between justice and equity. The real conflict is against the working of the law; this a court of equity brings into accordance with the claims of justice. It would be an unfortunate use of language which should lead any one to imagine he might have justice on his side while practicing iniquity (inequity).Justice, Rectitude. Rectitude, in its widest sense, is one of the most comprehensive words in our language, denoting absolute conformity to the rule of right in principle and practice. Justice refers more especially to the carrying out of law, and has been considered by moralists as of three kinds: (1) Commutative justice, which gives every man his own property, including things pledged by promise. (2) Distributive justice, which gives every man his exact deserts. (3) General justice, which carries out all the ends of law, though not in every case through the precise channels of commutative or distributive justice; as we see often done by a parent or a ruler in his dealings with those who are subject to his control.