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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadJames Hastings Dictionary of the NT: Just
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JUST and ‘righteous’ in Authorized Version represent the same word, äßêáéïò , which, however, has usually the wider meaning of ‘righteous, observing Divine and human laws, one who is such as he ought to be, prop. the Heb. öִãִּé÷ ’ (Grimm-Thayer), and comprehends duty both to God and to man. The Vulgate had no word available except justus, which strictly, means ‘what is according to jus, the rights of man,’ hence ‘just’ in many places in Authorized Version . In the Gospels it is used of Joseph (Mat_1:19), Simeon (Luk_2:25), John the Baptist (Mar_6:20), Joseph of Arimathaea (Luk_23:50), and Christ (Mat_27:19; Mat_27:24). In Act_3:14; Act_7:52; Act_22:14 (cf. 1Pe_3:18, and possibly Jam_5:6) ‘the Just One’ is a Messianic name corresponding to the prophecies of the Righteous Servant of Jehovah (Isa_53:11; cf. Isa_11:3 f., Jer_23:5); its use ‘affords in itself a marvellous proof of the impression made by the human life of Jesus upon those who knew Him best, or who, at all events, like St. Stephen, had ample opportunities of learning’ (Expos. Gr. Test.). In nearly every case Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 uniformly gives ‘righteous,’ exceptions being Mat_5:45 (‘rain on the just and the unjust’), Luk_1:17 (‘wisdom of the just’) Luk_14:14 (‘resurrection of the just’). In Luk_2:25 ‘just’ might perhaps have been retained with advantage to bring out the difference in the same verse between äßêáéïò and, åὐëáâÞò , which latter means ‘reverencing God, devout’ (‘ äßêáéïò , justus, in officiis; åὐëáâὴò , Vulgate timoratus, in habitu animae erga Deum’—Bengel).
For full discussion of äßêáéïò see art. Righteous.
W. H. Dundas.