NCJ Number
101390
Date Published
1984
Length
11 pages
Annotation
Although proponents of the Western criminal law system maintain the system reflects biblical concepts of justice and law, an analysis of critical Hebrew biblical words indicates Western concepts of justice and a justice system are based on flawed interpretations of the Bible.
Abstract
The criminal justice system assesses a person's guilt and innocence according to an elaborate system of laws and then punishes the offender in accord with the nature of the offense. When the punishment is completed, the offender is returned to society in the belief that justice has been done. Some view this approach as based in the English translations of the Hebrew word 'shelem' as 'retaliation' or 'retribution.' 'Shelem,' however, is more correctly translated as the making of peace. Instead of referring to punishment, 'shelem' is conflict resolution or the correction of a wrong. The Hebrew word 'torah,' which is usually translated as 'law,' would be more accurately translated as a 'wise indication,' which means that the Torah indicates how a wise person will live. 'T'sedeka' is usually translated by the English word 'justice,' but it should be translated as 'truth.' Truth occurs when persons live and speak wisely. Another critical biblical Hebrew word is 't'shuvah,' which can be translated as 'halt' or 'repentance.' This occurs when a person who has been living outside the truth stops or changes and begins to live wisely. By being law-centered and punitive, the Western criminal justice system has failed to produce repentance and truth among offenders. The biblical concept of justice requires that offenders be guided into the truth of wise living.