Feb. 20 – “Just” / “Righteous” … Is There a Difference?
Romans 1:17
The issue of translation came up among our elders regarding the translation of Habakkuk 2:4 and Romans 1:17. “The ______ shall live by faith.” Which is the preferred word, “just” or “righteous”?
And does it matter?
Some quick statistics:
- In the Lutheran Confessions, 101 entries, in the form of sentences, paragraphs, or entire pages, deal with “just/justification.”
- Similarly, 69 entries of the same varied length are on “righteousness.”
- A quick examination of 12 translations of Romans 1:17 which has 2 words in the verse that could be translated either “righteousness” or “just” shows this: 6 use “righteousness” for the first word, and “just” for the second; 5 use “righteousness” and then “righteous”; and our pew Bible “God’s Word” includes neither, but uses “God’s approval” twice in the verse.
Obviously, Lutherans think this is an important subject. But the translators are pretty evenly divided. In the original, both of the words used in Romans 1:17 have the same root. The translators are trying to help us see that God’s “righteousness” (God’s holy nature), and our justification (the holiness and righteousness God applies to our heart through Christ and His accomplished work) are somewhat distinct. To repeat: God’s righteousness and our justification are distinct.
God is righteous because that is His nature. And we are justified because He applies Christ and His work to our hearts. The Lutheran Confessions say this about our justification and Jesus’ righteousness: “…our righteousness rests solely and alone on the Lord Christ… upon the entire person of Christ” [both His divine and human natures] “who as God and man in His sole, total, and perfect obedience is our righteousness.” (Tappert p.549)
It sounds a bit technical, yet we have the omnipotent divine Lord Christ. We have the “holy precious” {human} “blood” as both our righteousness (think divine essence) and our just identity (think human life.) Living fully, joyfully, we stand “justified” before God – “just as if we’d never sinned.” Now that’s important!
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, You are righteous! And You are our righteousness! You are just, and in that alien justice,
You declared us justified! This has made our soul and daily life joyful and loving and living abundantly
and forgiving freely! We praise You for this indescribable gift! Amen.
