the quality of being upright δικαιοσύνη

δικαιοσύνη, ης, ἡ (s. δίκαιος; Theognis, Hdt.+) gener. the quality of being upright. Theognis 1, 147 defines δ. as the sum of all ἀρετή; acc. to Demosth. (20, 165) it is the opp. of κακία. A strict classification of δ. in the NT is complicated by freq. interplay of abstract and concrete aspects drawn from OT and Gr-Rom. cultures, in which a sense of equitableness combines with awareness of responsibility within a social context.

① the quality, state, or practice of judicial responsibility w. focus on fairness, justice, equitableness, fairness

ⓐ of human beings (a common theme in honorary ins, e.g. IPriene 71, 14f; 22f of a judge named Alexis; Danker, Benefactor 346–48; cp. Aristot., EN 5, 1, 8, 1129a τὸ μὲν δίκαιον ἄρα τὸ νόμιμον καὶ τὸ ἴσον ‘uprightness consists of that which is lawful and fair’; Ath. 34:2 ἔστι δὲ δ. ἴσα ἴσοις ἀμείβειν ‘uprightness means to answer like with like’; for association of δ. with judgment s. also Diog. L. 3, 79; in contexts of praise δ. suggests authority involving juridical responsibility FX 7, ’81, 255 n. 229) δ. κρίσεως ἀρχὴ καὶ τέλος uprightness is the beginning and end of judgment B 1:6. Melchizedek as βασιλεὺς δικαιοσύνης Hb 7:2. ἐργάζεσθαι δικαιοσύνην administer justice Hb 11:33; κρίνειν ἐν δ. (Ps 71:2f; 95:13; Sir 45:26; PsSol 8:24) judge justly Ac 17:31, cp. Mk 16:14 v.l. (Freer ms. line 5 in N. app.); Ro 9:28 v.l. (Is 10:22). ποιεῖν κρίμα καὶ δ. practice justice and uprightness 1 Cl 13:1 (Jer 9:23). καθιστάναι τοὺς ἐπισκοπούς ἐν δ. appoint overseers in uprightness=who will serve justly 1 Cl 42:5 (Is 60:17). David rejoices in God’s δ. 1 Cl 18:15 (Ps 50:16; s. ἀγαλλιάω, end).

ⓑ of transcendent figures (Pla. τὴν δ. θεοῦ νόμον ὑπελάμβανεν ‘considered divine justice [i.e. apportionment of reward or retribution in accordance with behavior] a principle’ or ‘system’ that served as a deterrent of crime Diog. L. 3, 79). Of an apocalyptic horseman ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ κρινεῖ Rv 19:11.

② quality or state of juridical correctness with focus on redemptive action, righteousness. Equitableness is esp. associated w. God (cp. Paradoxogr. Vat. 43 Keller αἰτεῖται παρὰ τ. θεῶν οὐδὲν ἄλλο πλὴν δικαιοσύνης), and in our lit. freq. in connection w. exercise of executive privilege in conferring a benefit. Hence God’s δ. can be the opposite of condemnation 2 Cor 3:9 (s. below); in it God is revealed as judge Rom 3:5—in contrast to human wrath, which beclouds judgment—displaying judicial integrity 3:25 (on this pass. s. also below). Cp. ἐκάλεσά σε ἐν δ. B 14:7 (Is 42:6). Also of equitable privilege allotted by God 2 Pt 1:1.—In Pauline thought the intimate association of God’s interest in retaining a reputation for justice that rewards goodness and requites evil, while at the same time working out a plan of salvation for all humanity, complicates classification of his use of δικαιοσύνη. On the one hand, God’s δ. is pardoning action, and on the other a way of sharing God’s character with believers, who then exhibit righteousness in the moral sense. God achieves this objective through exercise of executive privilege in dispensing justice equitably without reference to νόμος by making salvation available to all humanity (which shares a common problem of liability to wrath by being unanimously in revolt against God Ro 3:9–18, 23) through faith in God’s action in Jesus Christ. The genitival constr. δ. θεοῦ accents the uniqueness of this δ.: Ro 1:17; 3:21f, 25, 26 (s. these pass. also below; Reumann, 3c end); 10:3, and δ. alone 5:21; 9:30 (3 times); 2 Cor 3:9 (opp. κατάκρισις; cp. Dg 9:3; 5). 2 Cor 5:21 may belong here if δ. is viewed as abstract for concrete=δικαιωθέντες (but s. below). All these refer to righteousness bestowed by God cp. ἡ δωρεὰ τῆς δ. Ro 5:17, also 1 Cor 1:30 (sim. 1QS 11, 9–15; 1QH 4, 30–37). In this area it closely approximates salvation (cp. Is 46:13; 51:5 and s. NSnaith, Distinctive Ideas of the OT ’46, 207–22, esp. 218–22; EKäsemann, ZTK 58, ’61, 367–78 [against him RBultmann, JBL 83, ’64, 12–16]). According to some interpreters hunger and thirst for uprightness Mt 5:6 perh. offers (but s. 3a below) a related eschatological sense

Theognis Theognis , VI B.C.—List 5

Hdt. Hdt. = Herodotus, V B.C.—List 5

gener. gener. = generally

Theognis Theognis , VI B.C.—List 5

acc. to acc. to = according to

Demosth Demosth , IV B.C.—List 5

opp. opp. = opposed to, opposite

NT NT = New Testament

freq. freq. = frequent(ly)

OT OT = Old Testament

Gr-Rom. Gr-Rom. = Greco-Roman (gener. in contrast to Israelite/Christian tradition)

w. w. = with

ins Ins, ins = Inscription, Inschrift, inscription(s). Without a period, esp. in lists, as at the beginning of entries; the capitalized form is used in titles. In conjunction with literary works this abbr. refers to the title or description of contents.

e.g. e.g. = exempli gratia (for example)

IPriene IPriene = Die Inschriften von Priene—List 3

Danker, Benefactor Danker, Benefactor = FD., Benefactor: Epigraphic Study—List 6

cp. cp. = compare, freq. in ref. to citation fr. ancient texts

Aristot Aristot , various works, IV B.C.—List 5

Ath. Ath. = Athenagoras, II A.D.—List 5

Diog. L. Diog. L. = Diogenes Laertius, III A.D.—List 5

FX FX , s. IXanthos—List 3

B B = Barnabas (the Letter of), II A.D., except in series of uncial witnesses, in which case B refers to Codex Vaticanus (s. also Vat.). When the abbrv. B would ambiguous, Vat. is used for the codex.—List 1

PsSol PsSol = Psalms of Solomon—List 2

cp. cp. = compare, freq. in ref. to citation fr. ancient texts

v.l. v.l. = varia lectio (variant reading)

ms. ms. = manuscript(s)

N. N. = Nestle/Aland, Novum Testamentum Graece, 27th ed. Other editions are indicated by a superscript—List 1, beg.

app. app. = appendix, apparatus (when ref. to marginal text-critical information, esp. in N.)

v.l. v.l. = varia lectio (variant reading)

1 Cl 1 Cl = 1 Clement—List 1

1 Cl 1 Cl = 1 Clement—List 1

1 Cl 1 Cl = 1 Clement—List 1

Pla Pla , V–IV B.C.; s. also Ps.-Plato—List 5

i.e. i.e. = id est (that is)

I.-E. Indo-European

Diog. L. Diog. L. = Diogenes Laertius, III A.D.—List 5

esp. esp. = especially

w. w. = with

cp. cp. = compare, freq. in ref. to citation fr. ancient texts

lit. lit. = literal(ly); literature (refererences to [scholarly] literature)

freq. freq. = frequent(ly)

w. w. = with

pass. pass. = passive (either of grammatical form or of passive experience); also used in reference to literary portion=passage

B B = Barnabas (the Letter of), II A.D., except in series of uncial witnesses, in which case B refers to Codex Vaticanus (s. also Vat.). When the abbrv. B would ambiguous, Vat. is used for the codex.—List 1

constr. constr. = construction

pass. pass. = passive (either of grammatical form or of passive experience); also used in reference to literary portion=passage

opp. opp. = opposed to, opposite

cp. cp. = compare, freq. in ref. to citation fr. ancient texts

Dg Dg = Letter of Diognetus, attributed to an unidentifiable apologist; II A.D.—List 1

cp. cp. = compare, freq. in ref. to citation fr. ancient texts

sim. sim. = similarly

1QS 1QS = The Manual of Discipline—List 2, end

1QH 1QH = Psalms of Thanksgiving (Hôdāyôt)—List 2, end

cp. cp. = compare, freq. in ref. to citation fr. ancient texts

OT OT = Old Testament

esp. esp. = especially

ZTK ZTK = Zeitschrift für Theologie und Kirche—List 6

JBL JBL = Journal of Biblical Literature—List 6

perh. perh. = perhaps

William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 247.

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