According to the New Testament Jesus is presented as the promised Messiah fore told by Prophet Isaiah. (Isaiah 11: 1-9). Isaiah points out that through the messiah, man would live in harmony and at peace with each other, God and with all creation. During his ministry, Jesus taught and demonstrated what justice meant in the following ways.

 

1. Jesus called for the love for neighbours as well as enemies in the way one loves himself or herself. He points out that this is the key to perfect harmonious relationships. He demonstrated this by forgiving his enemies and dying on the cross for his people's sins.

2. Jesus called for reconciliation and re-integration between the neigbours. He emphasizes that this is the only way to restore the sour relationship between neighbours and looks at revenge and hatred as products of unfair treatment (Mathew 5:23 - 24).

3. Jesus condemned the attitudes of the religious leaders who thought that the mere observation of the laws would promote justice among the people. He points out that the law was not perfect and that his coming was to bring perfection to it. (Luke 18:9-14).

4. Through his miracles, Jesus showed the need for man to have a life without suffering. He made the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the lame to walk and fed the hungry among others. His miracles were' therefore signs of his power to heal man's relationship. (Mark 2: 1-12).

5. Jesus condemned adultery. He points out that it is a poison in marriage relationship and that it breaks the understanding between the people involved and the whole community. (Mathew 5: 27-28).

6. Jesus also condemned divorce. He emphasizes that what God has joined together no one has the right to separate. He was particularly more concerned with the sour relationship that might arise after divorce. (Mark 10: 1 ff).

7. Jesus taught that justice means being non-discriminative. He associated with people because of his knowledge of all being created in God's image. For example, he did not discriminate the Jews from the Gentiles; sinners from the righteous, and men and women.

8. Galatians 5:22-23 calls for the spirit of love, Joy, Peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, humility and self-control to exist among the people. These moral virtues are seen as the key to perfect and harmonious living among people.

9. In Ephesians 6:5-6, servants or slaves are to be treated fairly. They are all human beings created in God's image and therefore deserve fair treatment.

10. Jesus uplifted the status of children in the Jewish society. Children were not allowed to mix freely with the elderly. Jesus points out that this was being unfair and made it clear that the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. (Luke 18: 16)

11. Jesus also uplifted the status of women who were marginalized in the Jewish society. For example, he recognized the widow's offer of a coin as being important. (Mark 12:41-44). He also had women as his friends like Mary and Martha (Luke 10: 38)

12. Man is called upon to work for peace. Revelation 21:5 points out that all efforts put in promoting good relationship would bear fruit through the power of God who makes all things new.

13. Revelation 21:7 points out that man shall live together as sons of God. It brings about the end of suffering and high lights true human Jiving in the kingdom as having harmony with God and all his creatures.

How did Jesus promote justice?

• He preached the good news of salvation so that all could be saved.

• He helped the needy like the feeding of the 4000 and 5000 people

• He healed the sick the blind man and the leper.

• He allowed children to play with him freely.

• He associated with the sinners or the outcast like the woman caught in adultery and the prostitute woman.

• He bent so low to do humble jobs/work when he washed the feet of his disciples.

• He associated with both women and men for example he had Martha and Mary as his friends as well as Lazarus.

• He raised the dead like Jairus' daughter.

• He interpreted the laws to his followers so that they could know how to treat each other i.e. the Sabbath was made for man and not man for Sabbath.

• He interpreted parables like the sower so that his disciples could understand his teaching. He died for the sins of all so that all could be saved from destruction