Carson Bashford

December 15, 2015

Kiesel
Heritage I: Final Draft
According to The Republic by Plato, ancient Greek ideas and morals are very similar to
those presented in the Hebrew Bible. One concept in particular, is the definition of justice in both
pieces of literature. This idea is shown within the first two books of the Old Testament: Genesis
and Exodus. Although very similar, justice in the Hebrew Bible is not identical to the eventual
definition of justice in The Republic. The definition in The Hebrew Bible not only shares
commonalities with the overall definition of justice, but also with the opposing definition of
justice declared by Cephalus. Justice in The Republic is closely related to the definition presented
in the Hebrew Bible, but they do not hold the same definition, as there are major themes that
distinguish the two.
The Republic presents a general definition of justice based upon multiple opposing
definitions given by leaders of the community. It is described as everyone performing their
functions or assigned tasks within a society. Justice is an important value within a society
because it is believed to be the glue that holds the structural system in place. Without justice,
Socrates believed a society would be unsuccessful and chaotic, which is the opposite type of city
they hoped to build.
If a duty was not performed in the perfect city in The Republic, there would be
consequences for that person because they are not fulfilling an order. In Genesis, this same idea
applies to Onan and Er in the story of Judah and Tamar. Er was seen as wicked in the sight of the

Lord and in result, was killed. Leaving a widow with no offspring, Ers brother Onan was
ordered to produce offspring with Ers wife Tamar, and raise the children for Er. This was a
direct order from God, so it was assumed that Onan would perform this task under the direct
command of God. Instead, he did the exact opposite and failed in the eyes of God, What he did
was displeasing in the sight of the Lord, and put him to death also (Genesis 38. 10). Both Er and
Onan felt the repercussions for not obeying an order from God. They did not complete their
assigned task or perform their function so God felt it was only just for them to be killed.
The Ten Commandments are rules that God gave to test the peoples devotion to God. It
was meant to restore the relationship amongst humans and God, but it actually did the opposite.
The idea of the Ten Commandments was that if everyone follows them, God will give something
to the people in return. If the people had followed His rules, this would parallel The Republic in
the sense of performing ones duty, but just because rules are made it doesnt always mean that
they will be followed, as seen in Exodus 32 with the Golden Calf. The Israelites are told
specifically not to create any idols that worship another god because He wants the respect he
deserves for leading them out of Egypt, he relays this in the beginning of The Ten
Commandments, I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the
house of slavery, you shall have no other gods before me (Exodus 20:2). In spite of his
commands, the people make a Golden Calf to worship in place of God because Moses, Gods
messenger, was nowhere in sight and the people grew impatient. The definition of justice in The
Republic is flawed because not everyone follows rules, thus supporting the idea that the two
definitions are not the same.
Cephalus, a comrade of Socrates in The Republic, described his version of justice as
truthfulness and returning anything you may have received from anyone else (331c). His

definition of justice is based upon the values of truthfulness and doing what is right rather than
everyone performing their jobs or duties. This definition was eventually overruled by Socrates,
as he believed a society based on truth could never hold up. The reason why he believed it could
never work, was because there is a gray area one must consider. Socrates gave the example of
returning a weapon to the owner who was a madman. Questions arose as to whether the weapons
should be given back to the madman, in light of justice according to Cephalus. This definition of
justice is seen in the Hebrew Bible, but strongly differs from the overall definition of justice
presented in The Republic.
Cephalus definition of justice is prevalent in Exodus 23, as there are a set of rules on
how to be just. It lists off numerous ways on how to be just, such as: not to lie, not to do bad
things even in a crowd mentality, not to steal, not to take any bribes and most importantly not to
prevent anybody of their justice in a lawsuit. His definition of justice is based off of truthfulness
and honesty, which is seen in Exodus 23:4, When you come upon your enemys ox or donkey
going astray, you shall bring it back. The Hebrew Bible gives a perfect example of justice in the
eyes of Cephalus. It states that one should give someone else back what is theirs even if that
person may be your enemy. Doing what is right is more important than seeking revenge
according to this definition. If one is not truthful, they will face the consequences God gives to
people who sin or stray from his commands.
It is clear that the overall meaning of justice along with Cephalus meaning in The
Republic, holds a similar definition in The Hebrew Bible. Onan and Er didnt follow through
with Gods orders, so they were killed in hopes of stabilizing the trust between God and humans.
The 23 Laws of Justice and Mercy mirror Cephalus meaning of justice as to what humans have
to do in order to stay truthful and fair, while the Ten Commandments exemplify the duties

humans have in order to stay on track and to do ones job. Although justice is not as clearly
defined in the Hebrew Bible as it is in The Republic, there are many examples that prove their
similarities as well as their differences. The Hebrew Bible is a building block of not only
religions, but of Western literature as well.