📖 Biblical Definition
Partiality is the sin of weighing persons rather than weighing causes. Scripture forbids it in both directions: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour (Lev 19:15). The bias toward the strong is forbidden; the bias toward the weak is equally forbidden. Both substitute the wrong weight for the right one. Modern progressive theology treats partiality-toward-the-weak as a virtue (the preferential option); the biblical text refuses the move. The judge in righteousness weighs the case, not the cushion under the litigant's seat.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
Sin of weighing persons rather than weighing the case; forbidden in both directions by Lev 19:15.
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PARTIALITY, n. The biblical sin of respect of persons — granting weight in judgment to the visible person rather than the merits of the case. Lev 19:15 forbids it symmetrically: do not advantage the poor because they are poor, nor honor the mighty because they are mighty. Repeated throughout Scripture (Deut 1:17; 16:19; 2 Chron 19:7; Acts 10:34; James 2:1-9). The judge in righteousness has only one weight in his hand: the case.
📖 Key Scripture
Leviticus 19:15 — "Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour."
James 2:1 — "My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons."
Acts 10:34 — "Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Modern theology rebrands partiality-toward-the-weak as virtue (preferential option); Lev 19:15 forbids it symmetrically.
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Liberation theology and its evangelical descendants treat partiality toward the poor as virtue, even as the central principle of biblical justice. Leviticus 19:15 refuses the move in the same sentence it issues the command: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty. The bias in either direction is forbidden because both substitute the wrong weight for the right one.
Biblical justice has compassion as a separate, parallel virtue (relief of the widow, the orphan, the alien). What it does not have is courtroom-weighted-favor for any class. The poor man's case is weighed by the same standard as the rich man's. The woman's case is weighed by the same standard as the man's. The brother in Christ's case is weighed by the same standard as the stranger's. Christ's man learns to weigh, not to tilt.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Hebrew masso panim (lifting of face); Greek prosopolepsia (face-receiving); literally respect of persons.
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['Hebrew', 'H5375', 'nasa', 'to lift up (face) — idiom for favor']
['Greek', 'G4382', 'prosopolepsia', 'respect of persons, partiality']
['Greek', 'G2920', 'krisis', 'judgment, decision']
Usage
"Weigh the case, not the person."
"Bias toward the weak is as forbidden as bias toward the strong."
"Compassion is a separate virtue; it does not enter the scales."