Leap of Faith: governance and policing
Who kept law and order in biblical times?
Faith in our police and indeed our government has been shattered on many occasions over the past year. The Bible teaches that God created humanity in the divine image, and with humanity came the ideas of morality and choice. All humans are equal, all are responsible for themselves, all are accountable to God – the ultimate arbiter of justice. There is no plan for priests or for monarchy – just a creation that God sees as good.
Very quickly humans make choices – Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, the generation of Noah, and the generation in the desert whose many rebellions against both Moses and God are recorded. A structure and a system are put in place: laws and commandments, priesthood, leadership. Once in the land the structure grows – a powerful monarchy and prophets to challenge both it and the priesthood. And there are judges – often the word used is elohim – to whom the people can go with their grievances and their arguments. As the prophet Amos demanded: “Hate evil and love good and establish justice in the gate”.
The gates of the city are frequently referenced in the bible as places where the people could come for justice. These were public spaces where much of the administration was done – and most importantly where it was seen to be done. When Abraham bought Machpelah, the transaction was negotiated and witnessed at the city gate. When Boaz redeemed Ruth – it was at the city gate. When David wanted to reassure the people after the Absalom revolt, he sat at the city gate.
Zechariah teaches: “These you shall do; everyone speak truth to their neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates.”
The city gates were the location for a transparent and accountable leadership; law and order maintained through the shared understanding that God had created every person equally. That worked reasonably well, but as Proverbs reminds us, “where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint”. For society to work there must be shared values and accountable leadership. If the leadership does not respect the people they serve, rebellion and splintering of society will not be far behind.
From the time of Jeremiah we are exhorted to pray for a healthy government – good governance ensures our safety. Pirkei Avot too reminds us to pray for the welfare of government “for without it people will eat each other alive”. And since the 14th century, such a prayer has been in our siddurim.
Our texts remind us repeatedly that good governance is necessary for a fair and safe world – and this includes the ability to challenge transparency and justice. Then law and order enforces itself.
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