Bible Lexicons

Girdlestone's Synonyms of the Old TestamentGirdlestone's OT Synonyms

Righteousness

The renderings righteous and just usually stand for some form of the word tsadak (צדק ), which originally signified to be stiff or straight, and whence the names compounded with Zedek are derived. It is rendered lawful in Isaiah 49:24; moderately in Joel 2:23; and right in several passages. It is unfortunate that the English language should have grafted the Latin word justice, which is used in somewhat of a forensic sense, into a vocabulary which was already possessed of the good word righteousness, as it tends to create a distinction which has no existence in Scripture. this quality indeed may be viewed, according to Scripture, in two lights in its relative aspect it implies conformity with the line or rule of God's law; in its absolute aspect it is the exhibition of love to God and to one's neighbour, because love is the fulfilling of the law; but in neither of these senses does the word convey what we usually mean by justice. No distinction between the claims of justice and the claims of love is recognised in Scripture; to act in opposition to the principles of love to God and one's neighbour is to commit an injustice, because it is a departure from the course marked out by God in his law.

for a further discussion of the word and of its Greek representative δικαιοσύνη, viewed in relation to the doctrine of justification, see chap. xiv. § 1.