The word “righteous” has taken on a bit of negative shading in modern language. That may be because we hear it most often as part of the word “self-righteous,” a rather scathing term for someone who thinks he is quite a good person – almost certainly better than anyone around him – and in a position to judge others without being judged himself.
The original word, however, is not negative at all: A righteous person is simply someone who does what is right. The spiritual meaning of “righteous” reflects that: being “righteous,” according to Swedenborg, means acting from a love of serving others, and that love is “righteousness.” This is commonly described in Swedenborg as “the good of charity,” “charity” meaning a state of caring for others.
Passages from Swedenborg
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 612
612. ‘Noah was a righteous and blameless man among members of his own generation’ means that he was such as could be endowed with charity. This is clear from the meaning of ‘righteous’ and ‘blameless’, ‘righteous’ having regard to the good of charity, and ‘blameless’ to the truth of charity; also from the fact that the essential element of that Church was charity, in the Lord’s Divine mercy to be dealt with later on. That ‘righteous’ has regard to the good of charity and ‘blameless’ to the truth of charity is clear from the Word, as in Isaiah,
They will seek Me daily, and will desire the knowledge of My ways, as a nation that does righteousness and does not forsake the judgement of their God. They will ask of Me the judgments of righteousness, they will desire the approach of God. Isa. 58:2.
Here ‘judgement’ stands for things that have to do with truth, and ‘righteousness’ for those that have to do with good. ‘Doing judgement and righteousness’ became so to speak a stock phrase for truth and good, as in Isa. 56:1; Jer. 22:3, 13, 15; 23:5; 33:15; Ezek. 33:14, 16, 19. And the Lord said,
The righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Matt. 13:43.
This stands for people who are endowed with charity. Also in reference to the close of the age the Lord said,
The angels will come out and separate the evil from the midst of the righteous. Matt. 13:49.
Here also it stands for people who receive the good that stems from charity.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 2235
2235. That ‘righteousness’ means in regard to good, and ‘judgement’ to truth, becomes clear from the meaning of ‘righteousness’ and from the meaning of ‘judgement’. Righteousness and judgement are mentioned together many times in the Word, but what they mean in the internal sense has not yet been known. In the proximate sense ‘righteousness’ has reference to that which is righteous, and ‘judgement’ to that which is upright. That which is righteous occurs when something is judged from good, and according to conscience, but that which is upright when it is judged from law, and so from the righteous demands of the law, thus also according to conscience since the law gives conscience its standards. In the internal sense however, ‘righteousness’ is that which stems from good, and ‘judgement’ that which stems from truth. Good is everything that belongs to love and charity, truth everything that belongs to faith derived from love and charity. Truth derives its essence from good, and is called truth derived from good, just as faith is derived from love, and so also judgement from righteousness.
[2] That such is the meaning of ‘righteousness and judgement’ is clear from the following places in the Word: In Jeremiah,
Thus said Jehovah, Do judgement and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Woe to him who builds his house in unrighteousness, and his upper rooms not in judgement! Did not your father eat and drink, and do judgement and righteousness? Then it was well with him. Jer 22:3, 13, 15.
‘Judgement’ stands for the things connected with truth, ‘righteousness’ for those connected with good. In Ezekiel,
If the wicked man turns away from his sin and does judgement and righteousness, all his sins which he has committed will not be remembered; he has done judgement and righteousness; he will surely live. When the wicked turns away from his wickedness and does judgement and righteousness he will live because of these. Ezek. 33:14, 16, 19.
Here similarly ‘judgement’ stands for the truth of faith, and ‘righteousness’ for the good of charity.
[3] In Amos,
Let judgement flow like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream. Amos 5:24.
Here the meaning is similar. In Isaiah,
Thus said Jehovah, Keep judgement and do righteousness, for My salvation is near to come, and My righteousness to reveal itself. Isa. 56:1.
In the same prophet,
To peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it in judgement and righteousness, from now and even for evermore. Isa. 9:7.
Here ‘judgement and righteousness’ stands for the existence with them of the truths of faith, and of the goods of charity. In the same prophet,
Jehovah is exalted, for He dwells on high. He has filled Zion with judgement and righteousness. Isa. 33:5.
‘Judgement’ stands for faith, ‘righteousness’ for love, ‘Zion’ for the Church. ‘Judgement’ is mentioned first because love comes through faith; but when ‘righteousness’ is mentioned first it is for the reason that faith is derived from love, as in Hosea,
I will betroth you to Me for ever, and I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and judgement, and in mercy and in compassion,* and I will betroth you to Me in faith, and you will know Jehovah. Hosea 2:19, 20.
Here ‘righteousness’ is mentioned first, as also is ‘mercy’, which are the attributes of love, while ‘judgement’ is mentioned second, as also is ‘compassion’, which are the attributes of faith that is derived from love. And both are called ‘faith’ or faithfulness.
[4] In David,
O Jehovah, Your mercy is in the heavens; Your truth reaches up to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God, Your judgements like the great deep. Ps. 36:5, 6.
Here both ‘mercy’ and ‘righteousness’ are in a similar way the attributes of love, while ‘truth’ and ‘judgements’ are those of faith. In the same author,
Let truth spring out of the ground, and let righteousness look down from heaven. Jehovah will indeed give what is good, and our land will give its increase. Ps. 85:11, 12.
Here ‘truth’, which constitutes faith, stands for judgement, and ‘righteousness’ for love or mercy. In Zechariah,
I will lead them and they will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and they will be My people, and I will be their God in truth and in righteousness. Zech. 8:8.
From this place also it is evident that ‘judgement’ is truth and ‘righteousness’ good, since ‘truth’ is mentioned here in place of judgement. Similarly in David,
He who walks blameless and performs righteousness and speaks the truth. Ps. 15:2.
[5] Because faith is grounded in charity, that is, because truth is grounded in good, truths rooted in good are in various places called ‘the judgements of righteousness’, so that ‘judgements’ has virtually the same meaning as commandments, as in Isaiah,
Let them seek Me day by day and desire the knowledge of My ways, as though a nation that does righteousness and does not forsake the judgement of their God. Let them ask of Me the judgements of righteousness, let them desire the approach of God. Isa. 58:2.
That ‘commandments’ means virtually the same may be seen in David,
Seven times in the day I have praised You for Your judgements of righteousness. All Your commandments are righteousness. Ps. 119:164, 172.
It is said in particular of the Lord that He performs ‘judgement and righteousness’ when He creates man anew, as in Jeremiah,
Let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am Jehovah who performs mercy, judgement and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I am well pleased. Jer. 9:24.
Here mercy, which is an attribute of love, is described as ‘judgement and righteousness’. In the same prophet,
I will raise up for David a righteous branch, and he will rule as king, and act intelligently, and execute judgement and righteousness in the land. Jer 23:5; 33:15.
[6] Hence the following in John,
If I go away I will send the Paraclete to you. And when He comes He will convince the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgement: in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me; in regard to righteousness, because I go away to the Father, and you will see Me no more; in regard to judgement, because the prince of this world is judged. John 16:7-11.
‘Sin’ here stands for all faithlessness. ‘He will convince in regard to righteousness’ means in regard to everything that is contrary to good, when yet the Lord united the Human to the Divine to save the world, meant by ‘I go away to the Father and you will see Me no more’. ‘In regard to judgement’ means in regard to everything that is contrary to the truth, when yet evils were cast down into their own hells so that they could not do harm any more, meant by ‘the prince of this world is judged’. In general ‘He will convince in regard to sin, righteousness, and judgement’ means in regard to all faithlessness contrary to good and truth, and so means that no charity and faith exist. For in ancient times righteousness and judgement were used, in reference to the Lord, to mean all mercy and grace, but in reference to man all charity and faith.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 5069
5069. The expression ‘the righteous’, used of those on the right in the following statements – ‘The righteous will answer Him, saying, etc.’ and ‘the righteous will go into eternal life’ – means that the Lord’s righteousness dwells with them. All in whom the good of charity is present are called ‘the righteous’; not that of themselves they are righteous but that they are made such by the Lord, whose righteousness they take to themselves. Those who believe that of themselves they are righteous, or that they have been made righteous to such an extent that no evil at all is present in them any longer, are not among the righteous but among the unrighteous. For they attribute good to themselves and also make that good meritorious; and people like them cannot possibly possess true humility with which to worship the Lord. Therefore in the Word those people are called ‘righteous and holy’ who know and acknowledge that all good comes from the Lord and all evil from themselves, that is, they possess it from hell.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 9263
9263. The expressions the righteous, righteousness, and justifying* occur many times in the Word; but what they mean specifically is not yet known. Their specific meaning is not yet known because up to now no one has known that all the different expressions in the Word are used to mean such things as belong to the internal Church and such as belong to heaven, thus such things as belong to the internal man since the internal aspect of the Church, also heaven, has a place in the internal man. Nor has anyone known that these interior things in the Word are different from its exterior ones, that is, from those in the letter. They are as different as spiritual things are from natural ones or heavenly things from earthly ones, the difference between which is so great that to the natural man there seems to be scarcely any similarity at all, when yet they are in perfect accord with one another. Since none of this has been known no one has been able to know what ‘the righteous’, ‘righteousness’, and ‘justifying’ denote in the Word on its spiritual and heavenly level of meaning. Leaders of the Church suppose that the righteous and the justified are those who have learned the truths of faith from the teachings of the Church and from the Word, and from this knowledge are given the trust or assurance that they are saved through the Lord’s righteousness, and that the Lord acquired righteousness by fulfilling all things of the Law, also merit because He endured the Cross, thereby making atonement for and redeeming mankind. By this faith alone, they suppose, is a person justified; and they also suppose that people such as this are the ones whom the Word calls ‘the righteous’.
[2] These however are not the ones whom the Word calls ‘the righteous’ but those who are governed by the good of charity towards the neighbour, received from the Lord. For the Lord alone is righteous, since He alone is Righteousness; and therefore in the measure that a person receives good from the Lord, that is, in the measure that what composes the Lord’s essential nature resides with him, he is righteous and has been justified. The Lord became Righteousness through making His Human, by His own power, Divine. This Divine virtue residing with a person who receives it is the Lord’s Righteousness with him. And it is the true good of charity towards the neighbour; for the Lord is within the good of love and through this within the truth of faith, the Lord being Divine Love itself.
[3] The good of charity towards the neighbour is exterior good, which is meant by ‘the righteous’, whereas the good of love to the Lord is interior good, which is meant by ‘the innocent’, dealt with immediately above in 9262. The fact that the good of love towards the neighbour, received from the Lord, is meant by ‘righteous’ in the proper sense may be recognized from places in the Word in which the expressions ‘the righteous’, ‘righteousness’, and ‘being justified’ occur, such as in Matthew,
Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, When did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You? But the King answering will say to them, Truly I say to you, Insofar as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers you did it to Me. And the righteous will go into eternal life. Matt. 25:37-40, 46.
[4] Here those people are called ‘the righteous’ who have performed the good deeds of charity towards the neighbour that are recounted in this passage. The fact that those good deeds of charity constitute the Lord’s presence with them is explicitly stated in the words, ‘Insofar as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers you did it to Me’, see 4807-4810, 4954-4959, 5063-5071. Those people are also called ‘the sheep’, for those governed by the good of charity from the Lord are meant by ‘sheep’, 4169, whereas ‘the goats’, who are on the left and are damned, means those who adhere to faith separated from charity, 4169 (end), 4769. The same people are meant by ‘the righteous’ elsewhere in Matthew,
The angels will come out and separate the evil from the midst of the righteous. Matt. 13:49.
And in Luke,
You will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. Luke 14:14.
[5] This shows what the meaning is of the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their father,** Matt. 13:43, namely people governed by the good of love, received from the Lord. For the Lord is the Sun in the next life; and the good of love flows from the Lord as the Sun there, see 1053, 1521, 1529-1531, 2441, 2495, 3636, 3643, 4060, 4321 (end), 4696, 5097, 7078, 7083, 7171, 7173, 7270, 8487, 8812. This is why the Lord is called the Sun of Righteousness in Mal. 4:2. In Daniel,
Those who have intelligence will shine like the brightness of the expanse, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars for ever and ever. Dan. 12:3.
‘Those who have intelligence’ are people with whom the truth and good of faith are present, ‘those who turn [many] to righteousness’ are people who lead others by means of the truth and good of faith to the good of charity. ‘Shining like the stars’ means having an intelligent understanding of truth and a wise discernment of good, as a result of which they possess eternal happiness; for ‘the stars’ are cognitions or knowledge of truth and good, which lead on to intelligence and wisdom, 2495, 2849, 4697.
[6] ‘A righteous person’ is described in David as follows,
Jehovah upholds the righteous. The righteous shows mercy and gives. The righteous shows mercy all the day and lends. The righteous will possess the land and dwell in it forever. The mouth of the righteous utters*** wisdom and his tongue speaks judgement. The law of his God is in his heart. Ps. 37:16-34.
These are good deeds of charity, which are those of ‘the righteous’. The fact that these good deeds of charity are inspired by the Lord, so much so that they are the Lord’s with a person, is well known to the Church. ‘A righteous person’ is also described in Ezekiel 18:5-9, 21; 33:15ff.
[7] All this shows what it is that ‘the righteous’ and ‘righteousness’ mean in the following places: In Matthew,
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matt. 5:6.
In the same gospel,
He who welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in a righteous person’s name will receive a righteous person’s reward. Matt. 10:41.
In the same gospel,
Many prophets and righteous people desired to see what you see, but did not see it. Matt. 13:17.
In the same gospel,
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous. On you will come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel … Matt. 23:29, 35.
‘The prophets’ stands for those who teach the truths and forms of the good of faith, and in the abstract sense for doctrinal teachings that compose faith, 2534, 7269; and ‘the righteous’ stands for those who lead a charitable life, and in the abstract sense for the good of charity. Abel, who is called ‘righteous’, represented the good of charity, see 342, 374.
[8] In Isaiah,
The righteous has perished, and no man takes it to heart; and holy men are taken away,**** and no one understands. For because of evil the righteous is taken away.***** Isa. 57:1.
In the same prophet,
Your people will all be righteous; they will possess the land forever. Isa. 60:21.
In the same prophet,
Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain with righteousness; let the earth open, in order that [its inhabitants] may bring forth the fruit of salvation, and let righteousness spring up together. I Jehovah am speaking righteousness, declaring ways that are right.****** Isa. 45:8, 19.
‘Righteousness’ stands for what comes out of the good of love, ‘ways that are right’ for what comes out of the truths of faith. In the same prophet,
Thus said Jehovah, Keep judgement and do righteousness, for My salvation is near [to come], and My righteousness to be revealed. Isa. 56:1.
‘Judgement’ means the truth that belongs to faith, and ‘righteousness’ the good that belongs to charity, which is why it says ‘do righteousness’. The fact that ‘righteousness’ is the good of charity received from the Lord is what the words ‘My righteousness is near to be revealed’ are used to mean.
[9] Many times also, in other places, the words ‘judgement and righteousness’ are used, ‘judgement’ meaning truth and ‘righteousness’ meaning good, as in Jeremiah,
Thus said Jehovah, Do judgement and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Woe to him who builds his house in unrighteousness, and his upper rooms not in judgement! Did not your father eat and drink, and do judgement and righteousness? Then it was well with him. Jer. 22:3, 13, 15.
‘Judgement’ stands for those things that are matters of truth, and ‘righteousness’ for those that are aspects of good. In Ezekiel,
If the wicked person turns away from his sin and does judgement and righteousness, all his sins which he has committed will not be remembered; he has done judgement and righteousness, he will surely live. When the wicked turns away from his wickedness and does judgement and righteousness he will live because of these. Ezek. 33:14, 16, 19.
Other places similar to these include Isa. 9:7; 16:5; 26:7, 9; 33:5, 15; 56:1; 58:2; Jer. 9:24; 23:5; 33:15; Hosea 2:19, 20; Amos 5:24; 6:12; Ps. 36:5, 6; 119:164, 172. The words ‘judgement and righteousness’ are used because wherever truth is dealt with in the Word, so too is good, on account of the heavenly marriage in every detail of the Word, which is the marriage of goodness and truth, spoken of in 683, 793, 801, 2173, 2516, 2712, 4138 (end), 5138, 5502, 6343, 7945, 8339. Since righteousness is associated with good and judgement is associated with truth, other places again use the words righteousness and truth, such as Zech. 8:8; Ps. 15:2; 36:5, 6; 85:11, 12.
Apocalypse Revealed (Rogers) n. 805
805. 19:2 “For true and just are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her licentiousness.” This symbolically means, because in accordance with justice the profane Roman Catholic religion has been condemned, which by its foul adulterations of the Word destroyed the Lord’s church.
“True and just are Your judgments” symbolizes the Word’s Divine truths and goods, in accordance with which the Lord executes judgment (nos. 668, 689), and which together are called righteousness. For righteousness in reference to the Lord has just this symbolic meaning, as in verse 11 below, and in Isaiah 63:1, Jeremiah 23:5, 6, 33:15, 16. “Because He has judged the great harlot” means, symbolically, because the profane Roman Catholic religion has been condemned, as described in the preceding chapter. It is called a great harlot because of its adulteration and profanation of the Word. “Who corrupted the earth with her licentiousness” means, symbolically, which by its foul adulterations of the Word destroyed the Lord’s church-its licentiousness symbolizing an adulteration of the Word (no. 134), and the earth symbolizing the church (nos. 285, 721).
Apocalypse Revealed (Rogers) n. 821
821. And He who sat on it was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and does combat. This symbolizes the Lord in relation to the Word, as being Divine good itself and Divine truth itself, who exercises judgment in accordance with both and separates the good from the evil.
He who sat on it, that is, on the white horse, means the Lord in relation to the Word. That it is the Lord in relation to the Word is apparent from verse 13 below, where we are told that He was clothed with a garment stained with blood, and that His name is called “The Word of God.” “Faithful and true” symbolizes the Divine goodness and Divine truth-faithfulness symbolizing Divine goodness because Divine goodness is faithful. In reference to people, someone who is faithful is someone in the inmost or third heaven, thus someone prompted by celestial goodness, as may be seen in no. 744 above. Truth in reference to the Lord plainly symbolizes Divine truth.
That righteousness symbolizes both goodness and truth, and in reference to the Lord, Divine goodness and Divine truth, may be seen in no. 805 above. It follows, therefore, that to judge in righteousness symbolically means to exercise judgment in accordance with Divine goodness and Divine truth.
That every judgment by the Lord is given effect by means of the Word, and that it is accordingly the Word that judges everyone, may be seen in no. 233 above. To do combat in righteousness means, symbolically, to separate the good from the evil, because the Lord does not fight against anyone, but separates good people from evil ones, and when the good have been separated from the evil, the evil then cast themselves into hell.