Respect Of Persons

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

The abstract noun προσωπολημψία occurs in the NT four times. In three of these instances ( Romans 2:11,  Ephesians 6:9,  Colossians 3:25) it is used with reference to God, in the fourth ( James 2:1) with reference to man. The cognate verb προσωπολημπτἑω occurs once only in the NT in  James 2:9. The masculine form προσωπολήμπτης occurs only once in  Acts 10:34 and the negative adverb ἀπροσωπολήμπτως only once in  1 Peter 1:17. The compound is a late Hellenistic formation, appearing only in the NT and in ecclesiastical literature.

Before the formation of the compound, and along with it, the constituent elements were used together as separate words. The expression λαμβάνειν πρόσωπον is used in the Septuagintto translate נָשָׂא פָנִים, ‘to accept the face,’ i.e. to receive kindly or look favourably upon any one (cf.  Leviticus 19:15). Originally the expression was a neutral one, involving no idea of improper partiality. When, however, it becomes a distinctive expression, as, e.g., in  Galatians 2:6 (πρόσωπον θεὸς ἀνθρώπου οὐ λαμβάνει), it takes a worse sense. Lightfoot (in loc.) suggests that this is owing to the secondary meaning of πρόσωπον, ‘mask,’ so that πρόσωπον λαμβάνειν signifies ‘to regard the external circumstances of a man’-his rank, wealth, etc.-as opposed to his real intrinsic character. The phrase λαμβάνειν πρόσωπον occurs again in the NT in  Luke 20:21. It also occurs in the Didache iv. 3: κρινεῖς δικαίως, οὐ λήψῃ πρόσωπον ἐλέγξαι ἐπὶ παραπτώμασιν. Alternative expressions with a similar meaning are βλέπειν εἰς πρόσωπον ( Matthew 22:16,  Mark 12:14) and θαυμάζειν πρόσωπον ( Judges 1:16).

The NT instances of the compound word fall into three main groups.  Acts 10:34,  1 Peter 1:17, and  Romans 2:11 constitute the first of these. In  Acts 10:34 St. Peter, addressing the assembled household of Cornelius, says, καταλαμβάνομαι ὅτι οὐκ ἐστιν προσωπολήμπτης ὁ θεός. On this assertion of God’s character, as free from partiality to one nation above other nations, the Apostle bases his repudiation of the exclusive covenant of Israel. In  Romans 2:11 St. Paul asserts the same view with the similar phrase οὐ γὰρ ἐστιν προσωπολημψία παρὰ τῷ θεῷ. The expression in  1 Peter 1:17 describing God as τὸν ἀπροσωπολημπτως κρίνοντα κατὰ τὸ ἑκάστου ἔργον involves the same assertion, but it also involves a warning (with a possible reference to  Deuteronomy 10:17) that, under the New Covenant as under the Old, God would show no favour to those whose deeds made them unworthy of it.

The two passages  Ephesians 6:9 and  Colossians 3:25 form the second group. Both are concerned with the mutual relations of masters and slaves. In  Ephesians 6:9 masters are counselled as to the right treatment of their slaves, ‘knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no respect of persons (προσωπολημψία) with him.’ In  Colossians 3:25 the word occurs in the counsels addressed to the slaves. The passage is interesting as showing that προσωπολημψία, though usually exercised in favour of rank and power, might occasionally be employed on the opposite side (cf.  Leviticus 19:15). The slave might assume that because man’s προσωπολημψία would usually be on the master’s side, there would be a corresponding προσωπολημψία of God on the slave’s side. St. Paul’s warning in this passage corrects any such mistaken impression.

The third group of passages consists of the two in St. James, the noun in  James 2:1 and the corresponding verb in  James 2:9. In the general context it is partiality in favour of the wealthy, well-dressed member of the Christian assembly that is condemned. In  James 2:1 the noun is used in the plural, ἐν προσωπολημψίαις, with probable reference to the many ways in which partiality may display itself.

In the sub-apostolic writings προσωπολημψία occurs only in Polycarp, ad Phil. vi. 1. Elders are warned that they should be compassionate and merciful, ἀπεχόμενοι πάσης ὀργῆς, προσωπολημψίας, κρἰσεως ἀδίκου. The negative adverb occurs in 1 Clem. i. 3 (ἀπροσωπολήμπτως γὰρ πάντα ἑτοιεῖτε) and in Ep. Barn. iv. 12 (ὁ κἰριος ἀπροσωπολήμπγως κρινεῖ τὸν κόσμον).

Literature.-Sanday-Headlam, International Critical Commentary, ‘Romans’5, Edinburgh, 1902, p. 58; J. B. Lightfoot, Galatians 5, London, 1876, p. 108, Colossians and Philemon, new ed., do., 1879, p. 230; J. B. Major, James 3, do., 1910, p. 78.

Dawson Walker.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The judges of the Hebrews were directed to give sentence strictly according to truth and justice, without regard to the comparative wealth, influence or other advantage of one party over the other,  Leviticus 19:15   Deuteronomy 16:17   Proverbs 24:23 . Thus God judges, not according to outward appearance or station, but according to the heart,  Acts 10:34   Romans 2:6-11 . Thus ought men to estimate and treat their fellow men; and to court the favor of the rich and influential is sharply censured in Scripture,  Proverbs 28:21   James 2:1-9   Jude 1:16 .

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Leviticus 19:32 Lamentations 5:12 Romans 13:7 1 Timothy 3:4 1 Peter 2:18 1 Thessalonians 5:12 1 Thessalonians 4:12Partiality

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

rḗ - spekt ´: The phrase פנים נשׂא , nāsā' phānı̄m , means literally, "lift up the face," and, among other translations, is rendered indifferently "accept" or "respect the person" in the King James Version (contrast   Proverbs 18:5 and   Proverbs 24:23 ). As applied to a (prostrate) suppliant, the phrase means "receive him with favor," and is so used in  1 Samuel 25:35;  Malachi 1:8 ,  Malachi 1:9 (compare   Genesis 19:21 , etc.). By a shift in force the phrase came to mean "accept the person instead of the cause " or "show partiality" ( Job 13:8 ,  Job 13:10 the American Standard Revised Version), and is so used commonly. A literal translation into Greek gave λαμβάνω πρόσωπον , lambánō prósōpon (Sirach 35:13 (32:16);  Luke 20:21;  Galatians 2:6 ), with the noun προσωπολημψία , prosōpolēmpsı́a , "face-taking" ( Romans 2:11;  Ephesians 6:9;  Colossians 3:25;  James 2:1 ), rendered uniformly "respect of persons" in English Versions of the Bible. A noun προσωπολήμπτης , prosōpolḗmptēs , "respecter of persons," and a verb προσωπολημπτέω , prosōpolēmptéō , are found  Acts 10:34;  James 2:9 . God's judgment rests solely on the character of the man and will be influenced by no worldly ( Ephesians 6:9 ) or national ( Romans 2:11 ) considerations. See also Accept .

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

( Προσωποληψία ,  Romans 2:11;  Ephesians 6:9;  Colossians 3:25;  James 2:1; a later Greek word, found only in the New Test., and modelled after the use of שָׁעָה with פָּנַים ), Partiality for individuals. God appointed that the judges should pronounce sentence without respect of persons ( Leviticus 19:15;  Deuteronomy 16:17;  Deuteronomy 16:19). That they should consider neither the poor nor the rich, the weak nor the powerful, but should attend only to truth and justice. God has no respect of persons. The Jews complimented our Saviour that he told the truth, without respect of persons, without fear ( Matthew 22:16;  Isaiah 32:1-16). Jude ( Isaiah 32:16), instead of the phrase "to have respect of persons," has "to admire persons."

Our English term respect seems to imply some kind of deference or submission to a party; but this is not always the proper meaning to be annexed to it in Scripture. When we read ( Exodus 2:25) "God had respect to the children of Israel," it can only express his compas. sion and sympathy for them; when God had respect to the offering of Abel ( Genesis 4:4), it imports To Accept Favorably, to notice with satisfaction. (Comp.  1 Kings 8:28;  Numbers 16:15.)