When Judging Others, the Court Must Be Impartial
December 11
(A Sermon From the Life of Epiphanios, that one should rightly judge in court and not be partial in court to either the rich or the poor.)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
December 11
(A Sermon From the Life of Epiphanios, that one should rightly judge in court and not be partial in court to either the rich or the poor.)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
Some people who are appointed judges over others make mistakes in the following case. For example, a rich and a poor person come to court. The former is right, and the latter is wrong, which clearly means that the former should be considered right, and not the second. Meanwhile, another simple-minded judge thinks: “How then shall I judge the poor? For it is written: ‘You shall justify the widow, judge for the fatherless, give to the poor’” (3 Esdras 2:20). And, based on this reasoning, he justifies the poor man who is wrong, but condemns the rich man who is right, and thinks that he has done a good deed. No, brethren, this is not so. If you are a judge, do not judge as man judges, but as the Lord judges; and with the Lord there is no injustice, nor respect of person (2 Chronicles 19:7). Judge impartially, otherwise no good will come from your judgment.
The Life of Saint Epiphanios relates the following. In his episcopal domain, there was a man named Sabinus, a deacon who occupied himself with writing books and was distinguished for his piety and wisdom. His learning surpassed that of all the monks living with him, and Epiphanios consequently entrusted him with the management of the ecclesiastical court. One day, two men came to him for trial: a rich man and a poor man. Sabinus sided with the poor man and decided to rule in his favor, although in fact, the rich man was in the right, not he. Epiphanios, who was in a secret place, overheard the words of the litigants and Sabinus, who showed mercy to the poor man in court. Soon, when he saw a deacon performing an unjust judgment during the service, he called him to him and quietly said to him: "Go, child, and write books and study what is written in them, so that through this you will become wise in resolving litigious cases. But in court, do not spare the poor if he is in the wrong, and do not offend the rich if he is innocent in his case." From that time on, Saint Epiphanios removed Sabinus from judging cases and himself judged all who came to him from morning until evening, maintaining complete impartiality and not violating the truth.
Therefore, brethren, as Saint Epiphanios did, so should all others who administer justice. Mercy is praised in judgment, but only reasonable mercy. Judge righteous judgment, says the word of God. Otherwise, what justice will there be in judgment when the innocent weeps and the guilty rejoices? You say, "But the latter is poor, we must spare him?" - "Well, yes, spare him, but in any case not to the sorrow of the innocent, even if he were rich. What business is it of yours?" Wealth is wealth, and righteousness is righteousness, and if the rich man is right, then judge him according to his righteousness, and do not prefer the unrighteous, whoever he may be, to him. "Be therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves." And "let all things be done among you decently and in order." Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
