The Twofold Nature of Justice

He says: 'One thing I have asked from the Lord, this I will seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord' (Psalm 27:4)—not to reside temporarily—'all the days of my life.' This applies to the one entering life, the one progressing, and the one being perfected. Therefore, many know life when saying: 'Better is your mercy than life' (Psalm 104:15); for in whatever way I become life, I am held and helped by your mercy.

2–3 He nourished me by waters of rest, he restored my soul (Psalm 23:3). He led me upon paths of righteousness (Psalm 23:3). Water is appropriate for the sheep. Those who are being led to pasture and are being fed are watered, not with wine; for where there is bread, there also the wine is named. 'Bread sustains the heart of man'—and a perfect food is indicated through the bread—'and wine gladdens the heart of man' (Psalm 104:15). Therefore, where there is pasture, there is also water, and where there is bread, wine is also found. And the perfect Eucharist is fulfilled from bread and wine; for the sheep-like state is aided by pasture and water.

The 'water of rest' can be said because the one drinking it does not grow weary; for 'the one drinking' (John 4:14) 'from the water which I will give' (John 4:14) will have 'a spring leaping into eternal life' (John 4:14). The water is not moving downward, but it comes toward the drinker by leaping itself. Hence it is 'water of rest.' This water serves for nourishing and for cleansing. And since the soul being cleansed casts out sin—for this was compared to a 'talent of lead'—the water provides rest. It casts out both thirst and filth.

Furthermore, since he remembers about shepherding and pasture and water, he immediately moves to the inner man, the Word, and says: 'He restored my soul' (Psalm 23:3). In the restoration, the change is indicated. I no longer remain a sheep, I am no longer under a shepherd, I do not have a craving for water. 'He restored my soul' (Psalm 23:3). And what has happened by my soul having been restored? God 'led' it (Psalm 23:3) 'upon paths of righteousness' (Psalm 23:3). The paths of righteousness are, in appearance, virtues or the acts of virtues. Often in the divine teachings, the name of righteousness signifies virtue in general; for there is also a specific virtue called so, justice. If we say that there are four general virtues: courage, justice, temperance, and prudence, one of the virtues...

It is signified through 'justice'. And when it says: 'and you, masters, equality and justice', here justice according to merit is signified. And when it says: 'just weights and a just scale', it mentions the distributive aspect of justice. And from it, it distinguishes the justice that is distributive according to merit and that which is, as they say, restorative; for justice is said in two ways, either restorative or distributive according to merit.

This, therefore, is called just which is restorative, and in order that I may demonstrate it from the Scriptures: the law protects, 'tooth for tooth and eye for eye' (Exod 21:24). One who has come by violence and cut out his eye, is defending himself against an enemy with pleasure. The one whose eye was taken is grieved, or the tooth. God gives law that the one who has acted wickedly should suffer the same. And from his pleasure, a removal occurs, and there is added to the one suffering because of the things happening to him, and equality is made. This, therefore, is called just which is restorative.

The distributive is not seen in the equality of the nature of the thing, but in the proportion of the distribution. Thus, the paths of justice that are well-trodden, walked upon by many, are the paths of justice. And the practical activities of justice can also be paths of justice; for justice is most especially suffered and worn down when it is practiced. Since practical virtue is signified by this name of justice, this is confirmed by this: 'walking blamelessly and working justice, speaking truth in his heart, who did not deceive with his tongue and did not do evil to his neighbor' (Ps 15:2-3). And with a little more: 'he who does these things shall never be shaken for ever' (Ps 112:3).

You see that having gathered all the kinds of virtue together, he spoke of it generally as justice. 'Lead me therefore' (Ps 23:3) 'upon the paths of justice'. And those before the written law observed this justice. Concerning Abraham, it is said that 'he kept all the judgments and commands' of the Lord. Even though they had not yet been given, but he kept them, and lived according to them. And Abel, therefore, is testified to be upon justice. The return, therefore, of the soul is the journey that leads onto the paths of justice, so that it may no longer be a sheep.