Deu 16:18-19 | KingComments | STEP | Here begins a new section, which is related to the previous chapters because it still concerns the place where the LORD dwells. He is the center. From these verses up to and including Deuteronomy 19 it is about the civil, political life, while in the previous chapters it is more about the religious life. The previous section is about worship, this section is about maintaining worship according to the law of God. In the literal sense we have nothing to do with these precepts, but we have to do with them in a spiritual sense. Not only is the aspect of priestly service connected to our meetings, but the judiciary is also involved. It is about the life of the church in its legal aspects, about matters that give rise to disagreement and how these should be resolved. These verses are about justice. In the wilderness the judges are appointed over a number of persons ( ). Here it is related to the cities (cf. ) in which they will live, scattered over the land. In the land, justice is spoken in the gates of the city. The number of judges will also depend on the number of inhabitants per city. Moses prescribes how the lower courts should be established. Not every issue between members of the people should be dealt with in the highest court. In our life as a church there is also a difference in disputes that require a ruling from the whole church and individual issues. Not every issue should be brought before the whole church, just as not every dispute between the Israelites should be settled in Jerusalem. God expects believers to be able to rule matters among themselves. Every believer can be a “judge” if he is spiritually minded ( ), just as every believer can be a priest if he is spiritually minded. contain the standards that judges should apply. These norms are determined by God. The emphasis is on righteousness, a word in mentioned twice in succession. The main thing is that righteous justice is pursued, that is, as God is and sees things. A conscious deviation from the norm God has given is distorting justice. The judge should look at the accused as someone he has never seen and does not know. This prevents the judiciary from being influenced by personal prejudices ( ). The judge must not succumb to bribery ( ). The life in and possession of the land depends for them, and for their descendants, on fair justice. Judges are people who have the right mind to make a statement between brothers. That is a difficult matter. One is not easily a judge; it is no easy task to go to a brother or sister to point out something repulsive to him or her. The ‘judging’ in the church is something every believer must be able to do: “Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent [to constitute] the smallest law courts? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? So if you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church? I say [this] to your shame. [Is it so, that] there is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethren” ( ). Dealing with such matters in the church is a preparation for the service in the realm of peace, where we will judge angels, meaning we will say what they should do ( ). We can only exercise government after we have come to know ourselves as He has always known us. We gain this knowledge to the full when we are “revealed before the judgment seat of Christ” ( ). It concerns the log and the speck ( ). The speck is not good, it needs to be removed. To help in removing the speck from the eye of the brother is only possible when the log has been removed from one’s own eye. When someone says something about the speck, it should not be possible to refer to a log in his own eye. The ‘judge’ should be beyond such reproach.

‏ Deuteronomy 16:18-19

Righteous Justice

Here begins a new section, which is related to the previous chapters because it still concerns the place where the LORD dwells. He is the center. From these verses up to and including Deuteronomy 19 it is about the civil, political life, while in the previous chapters it is more about the religious life. The previous section is about worship, this section is about maintaining worship according to the law of God.

In the literal sense we have nothing to do with these precepts, but we have to do with them in a spiritual sense. Not only is the aspect of priestly service connected to our meetings, but the judiciary is also involved. It is about the life of the church in its legal aspects, about matters that give rise to disagreement and how these should be resolved.

These verses are about justice. In the wilderness the judges are appointed over a number of persons (Exo 18:25). Here it is related to the cities (cf. 2Chr 19:5 ; 8) in which they will live, scattered over the land. In the land, justice is spoken in the gates of the city. The number of judges will also depend on the number of inhabitants per city.

Moses prescribes how the lower courts should be established. Not every issue between members of the people should be dealt with in the highest court. In our life as a church there is also a difference in disputes that require a ruling from the whole church and individual issues. Not every issue should be brought before the whole church, just as not every dispute between the Israelites should be settled in Jerusalem. God expects believers to be able to rule matters among themselves. Every believer can be a “judge” if he is spiritually minded (Gal 6:1), just as every believer can be a priest if he is spiritually minded.

Deu 16:18-20 contain the standards that judges should apply. These norms are determined by God. The emphasis is on righteousness, a word in Deu 16:20 mentioned twice in succession. The main thing is that righteous justice is pursued, that is, as God is and sees things. A conscious deviation from the norm God has given is distorting justice.

The judge should look at the accused as someone he has never seen and does not know. This prevents the judiciary from being influenced by personal prejudices (Pro 18:5 ; Pro 24:23). The judge must not succumb to bribery (Exo 23:8). The life in and possession of the land depends for them, and for their descendants, on fair justice.

Judges are people who have the right mind to make a statement between brothers. That is a difficult matter. One is not easily a judge; it is no easy task to go to a brother or sister to point out something repulsive to him or her. The ‘judging’ in the church is something every believer must be able to do: “Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent [to constitute] the smallest law courts? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? So if you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church? I say [this] to your shame. [Is it so, that] there is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethren” (1Cor 6:2-5).

Dealing with such matters in the church is a preparation for the service in the realm of peace, where we will judge angels, meaning we will say what they should do (1Cor 6:3). We can only exercise government after we have come to know ourselves as He has always known us. We gain this knowledge to the full when we are “revealed before the judgment seat of Christ” (2Cor 5:10).

It concerns the log and the speck (Mt 7:3-5). The speck is not good, it needs to be removed. To help in removing the speck from the eye of the brother is only possible when the log has been removed from one’s own eye. When someone says something about the speck, it should not be possible to refer to a log in his own eye. The ‘judge’ should be beyond such reproach.