Just
Just
JUST and righteous in Authorized Version represent the same word, , 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. (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 and, , which latter means reverencing God, devout (, justus, in officiis; , Vulgate timoratus, in habitu animae erga DeumBengel).
For full discussion of see art. Righteous.
W. H. Dundas.