Is Democracy Biblical?
As the United States goes through a tumultuous election season, it is worth exploring the question of the Biblical basis for democracy. I am certain that everyone reading this is fully aware that the Bible mandates that Israel be governed by a king. At the same time, people of Biblical faith everywhere in the world are also the greatest proponents of democratic freedom. So the question we must answer is the title of this column. Is Democracy Biblical?
At first, glance, as I just stated, it would seem the answer is “no”. But a closer reading of the passage that calls for a king reveals that it’s not that simple.
“When you come to the land which the Lord your God is giving you, and possess it and dwell in it, and say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me,’ you shall surely set a king over you whom the Lord your God chooses; one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you.” But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again.’ Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself. “Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, that he not become haughty over his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel.(Deut. 17:14-20)
In the opening verse of this passage, we see a unique feature of the commandment to appoint a king. Rather than directly commanding the appointment of a king – “Thou shalt appoint a king – here the Torah, states that a king is to be appointed only when the people express a desire for one. In other words, consent of the governed, the choice of the people, is the only way a king can come to power.
Of course, democracy is not merely the choosing of a government. If the citizenry chooses a king who has autocratic monarchical powers, this would certainly not be considered a democracy. This brings us to the end of that first verse:
“When you come to the land which the Lord your God is giving you, and possess it and dwell in it, and say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me,’
Massive line to vote at Avondale library in Birmingham, AL. Over an hour wait.
People who’ve voted here for years say they have never experienced this! Line stretches across Avondale Park. Everyone smiling! #Vote2024 #Election2024 pic.twitter.com/EnjyVOlF47
— Beth Shelburne (@bshelburne) November 5, 2024
What does that mean? What exactly does this phrase add? Back when the Bible was written, the only type of government was kings. “King” was another way of saying “government”. According to Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin, one of the leading rabbis and Bible commentators of the 19th century, this phrase teaches us that when we decide to choose a king – or government – we are free to look at the options for government that we see around us and choose the one we think is best.
Thus far we have seen that consent of the governed is necessary both for the appointment of a king as well as for determining what kind of government we will have. But, as we stated above, democracy is not defined by how a government is chosen. One of the definitional qualities of a democracy is that all people are treated equally under the law, including those who hold power. Where do we see this in the Bible?
Looking back at the passage we quoted above, after the opening verse describing the choosing of a king the Bible continues with a series of limitations on the king’s power and the requirement that he study the Bible every day “and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart will not haughty over his brethren,”
In other words, the king is bound by the same laws as everyone else. The king leads by following the law, not by being above it.
To sum up: a king is chosen only by the people, and only when they want one.
What type of king – or government – is also up to the people to decide.
And finally, the Biblical king is bound by the same laws as everyone else.
Democracy – defined by consent of the governed and equal treatment of everyone under the law is one of the greatest innovations of the Bible.
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