Day 1 - Lord's Day - Sunday| Daily Devotions | The KJV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2025-2026 |

 May 17

Lesson 11 (KJV)

Christian Manner of Justice

Devotional Reading: Luke 3:7–14

Background Scripture: Exodus 1:8–14; Amos 5:6–15; Zechariah 8:16–17; 1 Timothy 6:17–19

Deuteronomy 24:14–21

14 Thou shalt not oppress a hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates:

15 At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the Lord, and it be sin unto thee.

16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

17 Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow’s raiment to pledge:

18 But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing.

19 When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgotten a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.

20 When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.

21 When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.

Ephesians 6:5–9

5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:

8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.

1 Timothy 6:17–19

17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Key Text

When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgotten a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.—Deuteronomy 24:19

Social Teachings of the Church

Unit 3: Fulfilling Our Obligations to God and Society

Lessons 9–13

Lesson Aims

After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:

1. Identify themes of justice in each text.

2. Contrast God’s justice and impartiality with societal tendencies toward “-isms” (e.g., classism, racism, ableism, etc.).

3. List ways to care for others in and through our work.

Lesson Outline

Introduction

A. Actions Speak Louder than Words

B. Lesson Context

I. Generosity in Work (Deuteronomy 24:14–21)

A. Fair Payment (vv. 14–15)

B. Individual Responsibility (v. 16)

C. Remember Past Justice (vv. 17–18)

D. Leave Some for the Poor (vv. 19–21)

Licking the Bowl

II. Mutual Respect in Work (Ephesians 6:5–9)

A. Obey as unto the Lord (vv. 5–7)

Busy Work

B. Reward for Obedience (v. 8)

C. Reciprocal Treatment (v. 9)

III. Future Rewards of Work (1 Timothy 6:17–19)

A. Rightly Placed Hope (v. 17)

B. Richness in Deeds (v. 18)

C. Treasure to Come (v. 19)

Conclusion

A. The Work of Faith

B. Prayer

C. Thought to Remember

How to Say It

Ephesus	Ef-uh-sus.
Hammurabi	Ham-muh-rah-bee.
Laodicea	Lay-odd-uh-see-uh.

Introduction

A. Actions Speak Louder than Words

 At age 15, I started working at a fast-food restaurant. The job came with an unexpected perk: Bible discussions with my Christian manager. Nearly four decades later, I have forgotten most of our conversations, but an act of kindness he displayed has stayed with me. One morning, I found a man rummaging through the dumpster, looking for food and told my manager. I expected my manager to chase the man away. Instead, I was surprised. He brought the man inside, gave him a meal, and packed him fresh food to take. That day, I saw a unique aspect of God’s character displayed through my manager. His single act of generosity, hospitality, and respect had a more significant impact on me than any of our discussions.

B. Lesson Context

The first Scripture text from today’s lesson comes from Moses’ second speech in Deuteronomy to the people of Israel. The speech begins by setting forth general rules for God’s covenant people (Deuteronomy 4:44–11:32). The second part focuses on specific rules within God’s order for a new society (12:1–26:19).

Israel’s identity as God’s covenant people was supposed to shape their treatment of poor and marginalized people. Moses had already reminded the Israelites that poor people would always be part of the population (Deuteronomy 15:11). As a result, he commanded an openhanded policy toward these people, requiring generous giving without resentment (15:10; see lesson 2).

The second Scripture text comes from the apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus. In Ephesians 5:21–6:9, Paul includes a “household code,” a common form of social teaching in that day. These codes consisted of lists of obligations and duties in household relationships (compare Colossians 3:8–14; 1 Peter 2:18–3:7). He discusses the common roles in a household of his time, including family members and servants. Far from simply affirming the culturally accepted social order, Paul infuses every household role with the revolutionary story of Jesus.

The final Scripture text comes from the first letter that Paul wrote to Timothy. Timothy was likely dealing with false teachers who arose in the church in Ephesus (1 Timothy 1:3–4). These false teachers glorified wealth (6:5–10). Paul outlines steps the community members can take to ensure they are not overcome by “love of money” (6:10).

I. Generosity in Work

(Deuteronomy 24:14–21)

A. Fair Payment (vv. 14–15)

                                                                               B. Individual Responsibility (v. 16)

                               

                                                                                        C. Remember Past Justice (vv. 17–18)

What Do You Think? What steps can your class take to help address the needs of immigrants, orphans, and widows in your community? Digging Deeper What specialized training will your class need to be effective in this ministry?

What Do You Think? How has your recollection of God’s redemptive acts encouraged you to keep His commands? Digging Deeper In what ways do you strengthen your memory of God’s redemptive acts?

D. Leave Some for the Poor (vv. 19–21)

II. Mutual Respect in Work

(Ephesians 6:5–9)

A. Obey as unto the Lord (vv. 5–7)

What Do You Think? In what ways do you consider your work to be a service to Christ? Digging Deeper How will you adjust your approach to work so that others see Christ through your attitudes and actions?

Busy Work

                                                                            B. Reward for Obedience (v. 8)

                                                                            C. Reciprocal Treatment (v. 9)

III. Future Rewards of Work

(1 Timothy 6:17–19)

A. Rightly Placed Hope (v. 17)

17. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.

Paul gives specific advice to Timothy for teaching those in his faith community who are rich in this world. These people seem to have many reasons to trust their own judgment, abilities, and riches, but these things are not guaranteed to last (Proverbs 23:5; 27:24; Luke 12:20–21; James 4:13–14). Everyone needs to trust in the Lord.

The wealthy must also remember that God is the source of their wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18; Ecclesiastes 5:19). He is the creator and sustainer of the world, and all wealth comes from His provision and generosity (see Deuteronomy 8:17–18; 1 Samuel 2:7; etc.). This is true of both material and spiritual wealth. The church in first-century Laodicea is an example of a community that did not recognize its poor spiritual state despite having material wealth (Revelation 3:14–18).

What Do You Think? What preventative measures can Christians employ to avoid placing trust wholly in material wealth? Digging Deeper How can Christians oppose cultural narratives that encourage the accumulation of material wealth?

B. Richness in Deeds (v. 18)

What Do You Think? What barriers prevent believers from showing generosity with their material wealth? Digging Deeper In what ways will you be “rich” in good deeds in the upcoming week?

C. Treasure to Come (v. 19)

Conclusion

A. The Work of Faith

These three texts teach that God’s people must display generosity, mutual respect, and rightly ordered hope. Deuteronomy 24 identifies the generosity and justice God commanded of the ancient Israelites. We ought to show generosity and act justly in our homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces. When we do so, we reflect God’s character to everyone around us, including the most vulnerable.

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians reminds us of the “level playing field” on which we stand before Christ. His authority governs all earthly relationships. Our faith demands that we treat others with respect, recognizing that we are all equal in Christ.

Finally, Paul’s letter to Timothy encourages us to order our hopes rightly. The truth that our security comes from God, not our material possessions, remains especially relevant in the twenty-first century. As we place our hope in God, we should be open-handed and generous with our resources.

Lives that do not prioritize the world’s measures of money, status, and power are living testimonies to God’s life-transforming grace. Because our lives have been transformed by God, we seek to practice justice, respect all people, and share generously.

B. Prayer

Heavenly Father, help us never to neglect the most vulnerable members of our communities. Give us eyes to see how we can act justly and generously meet needs. May we do this to reflect Your love to the world. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

C. Thought to Remember

Serve God by serving others with justice, respect, and generosity.

Involvement Learning

Enhance your lesson with KJV Bible Student (from your curriculum supplier) and the reproducible activity page (at www.standardlesson.com or in the back of the KJV Standard Lesson Commentary Deluxe Edition).

 Jonathan Miller, Becki Rogers, and Connie Chandler, “Christian Manner of Justice,” in The KJV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2025–2026, ed. Taylor Z. Stamps et al., vol. 73, The KJV Standard Lesson Commentary (Colorado Springs, CO: Standard Publishing, 2026), 319–320.