This quote from Exodus 23 impressed me because the keen sense of justice that Yahweh and his ancient writer possessed, which should course through the finest jurisprudence theory practiced today.
Here is this quote from The New American Bible: “You shall not deny one of your needy fellow men his rights in his lawsuit. You shall keep away from anything dishonest. The innocent and the just you shall not put to death, nor shall you acquit the guilty. Never take a bribe, for a bribe blinds even the most clear-sighted and twists the words of even the just.”
My response: By accepting bribes or undue influence, even the most clear-sighted magistrate begins to misread things. A bribe induces the recipient to twist his words to prove any shaky or corrupt point that he is eager to win.
Here is this quote from the Holy Bible (KJV): “Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of the poor in his cause. Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked. And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.”
My response: Yahweh will not justify the wicked. It does not seem like a stretch for me to conclude from this that we are not to justify our sins and wicked behavior: if we do we are living the lie, and working for God no more.
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