Exodus 23: “Justice, Guidance, and God Who Goes Before His People”
1. Truth Must Be Protected
“You shall not spread a false report.” (Ex 23:1)
God begins with truth.
Falsehood damages:
justice
reputation
community
Catholic teaching insists:
Truth is a form of charity.
St Augustine of Hippo writes:
“To love your neighbour is to refuse to lie about him.”
(On Lying)
2. The Crowd Is Not the Measure of Good
“You shall not follow a multitude to do evil.” (v. 2)
This is timeless.
Majority opinion does not define morality.
The Church has always held:
Truth is not decided by numbers.
This prepares for Christian courage in an unbelieving world.
3. Justice Must Be Impartial
“Nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit.” (v. 3)
This surprises many.
God condemns:
favouring the rich
and distorting justice out of sentiment
True justice is fair, not biased.
St John Chrysostom comments:
“Compassion must not become falsehood.”
(Homilies)
4. Mercy Toward One’s Enemy
“If you meet your enemy’s ox or donkey going astray…” (v. 4)
God commands kindness even to enemies.
This prepares directly for Christ’s teaching:
“Love your enemies.”
Mercy breaks cycles of hatred.
5. Refusing to Help Is Injustice
“You shall not withhold help.” (v. 5)
Doing nothing can be sinful.
Catholic moral teaching insists:
Neglect can be as serious as harm.
6. The Poor Must Be Protected from Injustice
“You shall not pervert the justice due to your poor.” (v. 6)
This balances verse 3.
Justice must:
neither favour
nor neglect
The poor are especially vulnerable to abuse.
7. Innocent Life Is Sacred
“Keep far from a false charge… I will not acquit the wicked.” (v. 7)
God condemns:
false accusation
judicial murder
This verse stands behind the Church’s defence of:
life
due process
truth
8. Bribery Blinds the Heart
“You shall take no bribe.” (v. 8)
Bribery corrupts:
judgment
conscience
society
The Church continues to condemn corruption as a grave moral evil.
9. The Stranger Is Remembered Again
“You know the heart of a stranger.” (v. 9)
God appeals to memory:
Remember what it was like to suffer.
Compassion grows from remembrance.
10. Rest Is for Everyone
“The seventh day you shall rest.” (v. 12)
Rest is not a privilege of the powerful.
It belongs to:
workers
servants
animals
Catholic teaching insists that labour must respect human limits.
11. Faithfulness in Worship
“Pay attention to all that I have said to you.” (v. 13)
God warns against mixing worship.
Half-hearted faith leads to confusion.
The Church has always guarded:
Purity of worship protects purity of life.
12. God Sends His Angel
“Behold, I send an angel before you.” (v. 20)
This is one of the most beautiful promises in Exodus.
God does not merely give instructions —
He gives presence.
The Fathers consistently saw this angel as:
God’s personal guidance
a figure pointing forward to Christ
St Gregory of Nyssa explains:
“God does not show the way from afar; He walks it with His people.”
(Life of Moses)
13. Obedience Is Protection
“Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice.” (v. 21)
God’s guidance requires listening.
Disobedience is dangerous not because God is cruel, but because we step outside protection.
14. Victory Comes from God, Not Violence
“I will be an enemy to your enemies.” (v. 22)
God fights for His people.
Salvation is not self-made.
15. Gradual Victory
“I will not drive them out in one year.” (v. 29)
This echoes Exodus 13.
God knows:
sudden success can destroy
growth must be gradual
Catholic spiritual life follows the same pattern.
St Gregory the Great writes:
“God heals us little by little, lest we collapse under sudden freedom.”
(Moralia on Job)
16. God Uses Fear, Not Chaos
“I will send my terror before you.” (v. 27)
This does not mean cruelty.
It means God removes resistance before His people arrive.
Victory is prepared in advance.
17. God Establishes Boundaries
“I will set your bounds…” (v. 31)
God defines:
limits
territory
responsibility
Freedom requires boundaries.
18. No Compromise with False Worship
“They shall not dwell in your land.” (v. 33)
This is about spiritual danger, not hatred.
The Fathers are clear:
False worship corrupts slowly but surely.
The Church applies this spiritually:
sin tolerated grows
compromise weakens faith
Key Catholic Themes in Exodus 23
| Theme | Catholic Meaning |
| Truth | Charity in speech |
| Justice | Impartial and merciful |
| Mercy | Even toward enemies |
| Rest | Human dignity |
| Guidance | God goes before us |
| Gradual growth | Patience in holiness |
Christ at the Centre of Exodus 23
The Fathers read this chapter through Christ:
Angel who goes before → Christ the Way
Justice fulfilled → Christ the Truth
Protection → Christ the Shepherd
Gradual victory → sanctification
St Augustine summarises:
“The Law commands the way; Christ becomes the way.”
(Sermons)
Spiritual Application
Choose truth over popularity.
Practise justice without bias.
Show mercy even to enemies.
Trust God’s pace in your life.
Follow where God leads, not where fear points.
Closing Prayer
Lord God, faithful guide of Your people,
You teach us justice, command us mercy,
and go before us on the way.
Guard our hearts from falsehood,
strengthen us in obedience,
and lead us patiently toward the fulfilment
of Your promises,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
St. Mary's, St. John Bosco and St. Edward's 