You asked

what current aspects of our legal systems might be 'blinding' or 'perverting' justice?

Adds the setting and its conversation across both testaments.

Deuteronomy 16:19

“You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, neither shall you take a bribe; for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise, and perverts the words of the righteous.”

This passage is part of Moses' address to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the promised land. It's a foundational set of laws and instructions, establishing a community governed by divine principles, including the fair administration of justice through appointed judges and officers.

Considering that justice is often administered by systems rather than individuals today, how might contemporary structures inadvertently create situations where fairness is compromised or 'blinded'?

Then — the setting

Deuteronomy, likely compiled over centuries before its final form around the 7th-6th century BCE, presents Moses' farewell speeches. These laws were given to a people transitioning from nomadic life to settled agricultural society, establishing a unified legal and social system. The prohibition against perverting justice, showing partiality, and taking bribes was crucial for maintaining social cohesion and ethical governance within a community that saw divine justice as foundational. Such warnings suggest that these were real and persistent challenges in ancient Israelite society, where judges often sat at the city gates, making their decisions visible and impactful on local life.

Across the Testaments

This Old Testament law establishes a core principle of divine expectation for justice. In the New Testament, while direct legal codes are not the primary focus, the theme of justice and righteousness is deepened and often applied to spiritual and communal living. Jesus challenges external legalism that neglects the 'weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness' (Matthew 23:23). Paul, though not discussing legal systems directly, emphasizes impartiality and justice within the Christian community (e.g., Romans 2:11; Galatians 2:6), echoing the Deuteronomic call for fair treatment for all, regardless of status.

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

Exodus 23:8
Another direct prohibition against bribery and its corrupting effect on judgment.
Amos 5:12
A prophetic lament condemning those who oppress the righteous and take bribes, turning aside the needy in the gate.
Proverbs 17:23
Highlights the hidden nature and destructive power of a bribe in perverting justice.

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