5882 impartiality

The ability to be unbiased towards any one race, class or person. This attitude is demonstrated by God and is to be emulated by the human race.

God is impartial

Dt 10:17 See also 2Ch 19:7

God treats people impartially Mt 5:45 See also Job 25:3; Job 34:19; Pr 22:2; Ro 2:11; Eph 6:9

God judges impartially Col 3:25 See also Job 34:11-12; Ps 62:12; Jer 17:10; Ro 2:9-11; 2Co 5:10; 1Pe 1:17; Rev 22:12

God does not distinguish between people on the basis of external appearance 1Sa 16:7 See also Ps 147:10-11; Jer 9:25; Lk 16:15; Gal 2:6; Rev 2:23

God does not discriminate against different races or classes Ac 10:34-35; Gal 3:28 See also Dt 10:18; Job 34:19; Ac 10:28; Ac 15:7-9

The impartiality of Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ’s teaching was impartial Lk 20:21 pp Mt 22:16 pp Mk 12:14 See also Mt 20:1-16 a parable of Jesus Christ about divine impartiality

Jesus Christ showed impartiality in his dealings with people Jn 4:9 Jesus Christ contravened accepted boundaries of partiality in this encounter. See also Mt 9:10-12 pp Mk 2:15-17 pp Lk 5:29-31; Mt 15:22-28 pp Mk 7:26-29; Mt 20:20-23 pp Mk 10:35-40

Impartiality commended

Jas 2:1 See also Pr 28:21; 1Co 3:3-4; 1Co 4:6-7; 1Ti 5:21; Jas 2:9

Humanity should judge impartially Pr 24:23-25 See also Ex 18:16; Dt 1:17; Dt 16:19; Dt 24:17; Pr 17:15; Pr 18:5; Mal 2:9

Showing impartiality to all people is commanded

Impartiality to foreigners Ex 22:21 See also Ex 23:9; Lev 19:33-34; Nu 15:15-16; Ro 10:12

Impartiality to children Dt 21:15-17

Impartiality to the poor Ex 23:6 See also Ex 23:3; Lev 19:15; Pr 29:7; Jas 2:2-7

Ways to avoid partiality

By not accepting bribes Ex 23:8 See also Job 36:18; Pr 15:27; Isa 1:23

By not following the crowd Ex 23:2; Mk 15:15

Christians should be partial towards spiritual principles

Mt 6:24 pp Lk 16:13 See also Mt 12:30 pp Lk 11:23; Mt 7:13-14; Mk 9:39-40 pp Lk 9:49-50

Examples where impartiality is absent

Ge 25:27-28 Isaac and Rebekah to Jacob and Esau; Ge 29:30-32 Jacob to Leah and Rachel; Ge 37:3-4 Jacob to Joseph and his brothers; 1Sa 1:4-6 Elkanah to Hannah and Peninnah

See also