“To love all men is the greatest virtue; to be impartial in love is the greatest wisdom.” —Mencius
God’s stand against partiality is clear and uncompromising. “God shows no partiality” (Rom 2:11, RSV). Partiality is prejudice or favoritism. In Israel, where judgment was in the hands of the town elders—often related to the parties involved in a dispute—the Lord made it clear that they were to “judge with righteous judgment” (Jn 7:24). They were not to pervert justice by preferring one person over another. “You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor” (Lev 19:15). They were especially not to take bribes. “And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the discerning and perverts the words of the righteous” (Ex 23:8). This was certainly true of the Lord, in obvious contrast to the pagan gods whose whole system was based on manipulating them with payoffs. “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe” (Deut 10:17). So in this section (Job 34:16-20) Elihu gives a ringing affirmation to God’s fairness. “Should one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn Him who is most just?” (v 17). On the one hand, it’s wrong to “despise authority” (2 Pet 2:10), “to say to a king, ‘You are worthless’” (Job 34:18). But neither should we be biased towards them. God “is not partial to princes, nor does He regard the rich more than the poor; for they are all the work of His hands” (v 19). Surely Job isn’t suggesting that he should receive special treatment! Not everyone receives the same treatment, but everyone gets fair treatment from God. When people respond to life’s tragedies by asking, “Why me?” perhaps they should consider asking, “Why not me?”