RETRIBUTION. The act of paying back to someone according to his just deserts. Retribution is usually, although not exclusively, considered in terms of punishment for wrongdoing. In systematic theology, the distinction is sometimes made between God’s remunerative justice in which He distributes rewards and His retributive justice in which He expresses His wrath against sin by inflicting penalties.
I. Biblical words used. The word retribution is not used in the RSV or the KJV. However, both use the synonymous words requite and recompense. For example, Psalm 62:12b, “Thou dost requite (KJV ‘renderest,’ Heb. shãlam) a man according to his work,” which statement significantly is given as evidence that power and steadfast love are attributes of God. 2 Timothy 4:14: “Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will requite (KJV ‘reward,’ Gr. apodídōmi) him for his deeds.” Note that in both cases God deals with the person in response to the person’s actions. Jeremiah 51:56: “for a destroyer has come upon her, upon Babylon; her warriors are taken, their bows are broken in pieces; for the Lord is a God of recompense (KJV ‘recompences,’ Heb. gemūlãh), he will surely requite” (KJV “requite,” Heb. shãlam). Again, Babylon is suffering because of what she has done, and this suffering occurs because of the nature of God. Revelation 22:12: “Behold, I am coming soon bringing my recompense (KJV ‘reward,’ Gr. misthós) to repay every one for what he has done.”
However, the NEB does use the word retribution. For example, Romans 1:18: “For we see divine retribution (KJV and RSV ‘wrath,’ Gr. orgə) revealed from heaven and falling upon all the godless wickedness of men.” Revelation 11:18: “The nations raged, but thy day of retribution (KJV and RSV ‘wrath,’ Gr. orgə) has come. Now is the time for the dead to be judged, now is the time for recompense to thy servants the prophets....” Note the parallel between retribution, judgment, and recompense. (See also Rev 19:15.)
The idea of retribution certainly has a prominent place in the Bible, as is indicated by the frequent use of words like “wrath” (Heb. ’aph, cḥēmãh, ’ebrãh, qetṩeph, Gr. thumos, orgə; Exod 22:24; Job 19:11; Ps 2:12, etc.), “vengeance” (Heb. nãqam, neqãmāh, Gr. ekdikēsis; Ps 94:1; Isa 34:8; Jer 50:15; etc.), “punish” and “punishment” (Heb. pāqad, ’ãwon, Gr. epitimía, kólasis: Ps 89:32; Isa 10:3; Jer 51:6; etc.), “judgment” (Heb. mishpāt, Gr. kríma, krísis; Deut 1:17; Job 19:29; Ps 76:8; etc.), “reward” (Heb. gãmal, shālam, Gr. misthos, apodídōmi; 1 Sam 24:19; Ps 58:11; Prov 11:18), etc. In Eden one sees the retribution of God against Adam, Eve, and the serpent (Gen 3:14-19). The punishment of Cain (4:11, 12), the Flood (6:5-8), and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (18:20, 21; 19:15, 24-29) are examples of retribution. When Israel entered the Promised Land by divine instruction, she was clearly confronted with promises of blessings which would result from obedience and threats of retributive punishment which would result from disobedience (Deut 27:14-26; Josh 8:34). The many promises and warnings of the prophets and of Christ are also indicative of the fact of retribution.
II. Biblical principles
1. The nature of God. As can be seen from the above discussion, the doctrine of retribution flows from the very nature of God. The God of Scripture is a God clearly characterized by righteousness, justice, and omnipotence. Therefore, He desires to, and is able to, punish evil and reward righteousness. Because He is such a God, people receive exactly what they deserve, except when His justice is tempered by His mercy, in which case He treats people better than they deserve. The retributive nature of God is revealed in Scripture. Mercy is not simply a matter of ignoring evil, but God in Christ crucified takes the just deserts of sin upon Himself rather than letting sin go unpunished. (See 2 Cor 5:21.)
2. The inevitability of retribution. Because retribution is founded on the very nature of God, the Bible pictures it as inescapable. Galatians 6:7, 8: “Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption; but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” This is only a reflection of the teaching already found in the OT: “You have plowed iniquity, you have reaped injustice” (Hos 10:13). The use of this parallel to sowing seed indicates that punishment is an inner necessity and a natural consequence and yet is also a result of the action of God. It is significant that the Heb. word ’ãwon means both sin and punishment. Not only Special Revelation but also the conscience of man is deeply imbued with the conviction that a man will be punished according to his deeds. The whole order of the natural world is one in which the violation of physical laws produces inescapable disaster. Every action produces exact and inescapable reaction.
3. The suitability of punishment. The Bible stresses the idea that there is a “poetic justice,” a punishment which exactly fits the crime. As Jesus taught, “For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get” (Matt 7:2). The writer of Proverbs states: “He who digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back upon him who starts it rolling” (Prov 26:27). Revelation 16:6 says, “For men have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink. It is their due!” (See also Rom 1:27, Rev 18:6, 7.)
4. Apparent contradictions. The OT deals with the problem of the apparent contradictions to the principle of retribution. The Book of Job esp. considers the fact that the superficial application of this idea is false. Job seems to be suffering out of all proportion to his sin and in spite of his outstanding godliness while many ungodly men prosper. Other sections of the OT also deal with this problem. “Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches. All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. For all the day long I have been stricken, and chastened every morning” (Ps 73:12-14). “Their houses are full of treachery; therefore they have become great and rich, they have grown fat and sleek. They know no bounds in deeds of wickedness” (Jer 5:27, 28).
The Book of Job indicates that the problem is more complex than it had been thought to be, and that God has other purposes for suffering besides punishment. The Psalms sometimes express the conviction that although there seems to be a contradiction, this condition is only temporary and the ungodly who are prospering will surely yet be punished. See esp. Psalm 37:1, “Fret not yourself because of the wicked, be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb.” The final answer to this apparent contradiction to the doctrine of retribution, however, comes in the NT, which places its stress on retribution in the world to come.
III. Retribution in this life
1. Old Testament emphasis. The OT emphasizes the fact of retribution in this life. For example, this is the basic theme of Psalm 1 and is also mentioned in many other passages such as Proverbs 11:31: “If the righteous is requited on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!”
2. The individual and the group. There is considerable emphasis in Scripture on retribution being administered to the collective group. Paul shows that the sin of Adam had its effects on all men (Rom 5:12-19). The obedience of Abraham had an obvious effect on his seed as well as upon himself. The entire family of Achan was punished for his sin (Josh 7:10-26). When, however, the people of Judah used the sins of their forefathers as the excuse for their troubles, the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel stressed the fact that the individual will be punished for his own sins. Jeremiah 31:30: “But every one shall die for his own sin; each man who eats sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge.” (See also Ezek 18:4-20.)
3. Use of human instruments. Sometimes God uses human instruments to carry out His retribution. For example Babylon was the instrument of God to punish wicked Judah. When Habakkuk complained of the fact that the sins of Judah went unpunished, God said, “For lo, I am rousing the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize habitations not their own” (Hab 1:6). But, in turn, God used other nations to punish wicked Babylon, for when Habakkuk complained that Babylon was even more ungodly than Judah, God’s answer concerning Babylon’s fate was: “Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder you” (2:8).
The individual Christian, however, is not to take the administration of retribution into his own hands. He is not to operate on the OT principle of “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” (Matt 5:38, 39). In fact, the Christian can dare to live on a higher plane because he is assured of the just administration of retribution on the part of God. “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’” (Rom 12:19).
IV. Retribution in the world to come. God used the tribulations of His people to cause them to realize that retribution only begins to operate in this life and that its perfect fulfillment is to be looked for in the world to come. Seeing great injustice in the world, but convinced of the justice of God, the Holy Spirit convinced them that God would vindicate His cause in the eternal future. The many passages of Scripture about the judgment day (2 Cor 5:10; 2 Pet 2:9; 3:7), about a resurrection to condemnation or to blessing (Dan 12:2, 3; John 5:29), and about the anguish of hell (Matt 8:12; 10:28; 13:42); (see Hell) all demonstrate this fact. While some writers unwisely use the term retribution as almost exclusively dealing with the world to come, it is true that this is the main focus of the NT. In accordance with Scripture, orthodox theology teaches that retribution in the world to come is not confined to a limited time but is unending (see [http://biblegateway/wiki/Punishment, Everlasting ETERNAL PUNISHMENT]).
God’s people are not to be surprised when in spite of their righteousness they suffer a great deal in this life, for the promise is not that godliness will result in ease in this life: “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which comes upon you to prove you, as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Pet 4:12). All of this will be taken into account by God in distributing the eternal reward. “For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Cor 4:17). Conversely, although the wicked seem to prosper, the Bible teaches that they will be fittingly punished by God for all eternity. It is then that the ungodly will suffer the full effects of God’s retributive justice.
Bibliography W. Jackson, The Doctrine of Retribution (1875); E. Beecher, History of Opinions on the Scriptural Doctrine of Retribution (1878); G. W. King, Future Retribution (1891); S. H. Kellog, “Eternal Retribution,” Presbyterian and Reformed Review (1891), 561-578; C. Anthony, “The Doctrine of Divine Retribution,” Methodist Review (1901), 105-113; H. Buis, The Doctrine of Eternal Punishment (1957).