Topical Bible: Gates of Cities: Public Censure Passed At

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In ancient biblical times, the gates of cities held significant importance as centers of public life and governance. These gates were not merely entry and exit points but served as vital locations for social, economic, and judicial activities. One of the key functions of city gates was the administration of justice and the passing of public censure.

Judicial Proceedings and Public Censure

The gates of cities were often the venue for judicial proceedings, where elders and judges would gather to hear cases and render decisions. This setting provided a public forum where matters of law and justice were addressed openly, ensuring transparency and community involvement. The Book of Deuteronomy highlights this practice: "If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and does not listen to them when disciplined, his father and mother are to take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his city" (Deuteronomy 21:18-19). This passage illustrates how the gates served as a place for public censure and correction of behavior deemed unacceptable by the community.

Role of Elders and Leaders

The elders and leaders of the city played a crucial role in the administration of justice at the gates. They were responsible for maintaining order and upholding the laws of the community. In the Book of Ruth, Boaz goes to the city gate to settle the matter of redeeming Naomi's land and marrying Ruth: "Boaz went to the gate and sat down there. Soon the kinsman-redeemer of whom Boaz had spoken came along, and Boaz said, 'Come over here, my friend, and sit down.' So he went over and sat down" (Ruth 4:1). This account demonstrates the gate as a place where legal transactions and public declarations were made, with the presence of witnesses ensuring the legitimacy of the proceedings.

Public Accountability and Witness

The public nature of the city gates meant that decisions made there were witnessed by the community, providing a level of accountability for both the judges and the individuals involved. This public aspect is evident in the account of Absalom, who positioned himself at the city gate to win the favor of the Israelites by offering judgments: "Absalom would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the gate. Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for judgment, Absalom would call out to him, 'What city are you from?' And he would answer, 'Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel'" (2 Samuel 15:2). Absalom's actions at the gate underscore the gate's role as a place of influence and public discourse.

Symbol of Authority and Governance

The gates of cities symbolized authority and governance, serving as the location where leaders exercised their power and where the community gathered to address civic matters. Proverbs 31:23 describes the virtuous woman's husband as "respected at the city gate, where he sits among the elders of the land" . This verse highlights the esteem and authority associated with those who sat at the gates, reinforcing the idea that the gates were central to the life and governance of the city.

In summary, the gates of cities in biblical times were more than just physical structures; they were integral to the social and judicial fabric of the community. They served as places where public censure was passed, justice was administered, and community leaders exercised their authority, all within the view and participation of the people.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Job 5:4
His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 29:21
That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproves in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nothing.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Empress Eudoxia from the Story of Christian Womanhood in Old ...
... and officers issued, in hymeneal pomp, from the gates of the ... idolaters of their
dignities and other public offices, and ... and men were sent to the cities of the ...
/.../brittain/women of early christianity/ix the empress eudoxia from.htm

After the Whole People had Been Freed from all Distress...
... the cloud, and snatched us from the very gates of death ... upon all the Jews the capture
of their cities, as well ... oaths); and both at home, and in public, and with ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/homily xiv after the whole.htm

Caesar Fell Down.
... instance, by which He promised that the gates of hell ... Certainly if the rank of cities
is considered, that ... anyone made any attempt against the public laws, you ...
/.../allies/the formation of christendom volume vi/chapter ii caesar fell down.htm

Period I: the Imperial State Church of the Undivided Empire, or ...
... burden of the decurionate of both cities, of one ... the exemption of the clergy from
public burdens was ... curiales, a law was soon afterward passed limiting access ...
/.../ayer/a source book for ancient church history/period i the imperial state.htm

The Eighteenth Theban Dynasty --(Continued)
... on the backs of asses before the gates of the ... the close of the XIIth dynasty these
cities had depended ... on their own resources, and their public buildings were ...
/.../chapter ithe eighteenth theban dynastycontinued.htm

St. Gregory the Great.
... must charge myself with the care of public affairs, to ... who day by day guarded the
gates of defenceless ... Our cities are destroyed, our fortresses overthrown, our ...
/.../allies/the formation of christendom volume vi/chapter v st gregory the.htm

Another Royal Procession
... places of concourse, at the going in of the gates. ... it up with strength, and saith
unto the cities of Judah ... beneath the gospel oak, or in the public squares, to ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 18 1872/another royal procession.htm

Justinian.
... The state in which several gates remain to this day ... in the courts of justice of their
own cities, as well ... seems to have destroyed the great public libraries of ...
/.../allies/the formation of christendom volume vi/chapter iv justinian.htm

Letter cxxx. To Demetrias.
... glory was heard of in the remote cities of the ... of a single light expression to try
the gates of chastity. ... a strong escort, or altogether avoid all public places ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cxxx to demetrias.htm

Life and Works of Rufinus with Jerome's Apology Against Rufinus.
... if he wished them to be inserted in brazen letters on the gates of cities, and recited ...
Why do you bring out in public what Peter and Paul were unwilling to ...
/.../various/life and works of rufinus with jeromes apology against rufinus /