Bible Groups - Digests of Bible Commentaries

Paul's Letter to the Galatians - Righteousness

Gentile Christians in Galatia are being persuaded that they would acquire righteousness through circumcision and acceptance of the Law (Gal 2:16x3;2:21; 3:11; 3:21; 5:2-4). Pressure is from Israelite Christians - and hence from other Israelites - who presumably believed that Gentiles were not righteous. Although the advocates of circumcision appear to have asserted that circumcision was essential for membership, ie for 'getting in', they would have portrayed righteousness as a fruit of entry, not a condition of entry. Nothing in Gal suggests that righteousness was a condition of entry or for continuing membership. Rather righteousness was the prize to be gained by accepting circumcision to gain entry.
Righteousness is inextricably connected with being an Israelite, whose identity included possession of a very distinctive set of ethical norms. Underpinning the religion of 1^st C Israel was a belief in God's election of his people and the establishment of a covenant with them. Obeying the works of the Law functioned to keep Israelites within this covenant (not to earn salvation).
Paul clearly believes that righteousness is desirable, although its actual definition may vary. But Paul maintains that righteousness comes from faith in Jesus Christ. And for Paul righteousness is not about how people 'get in', but with 'staying in' - ie righteousness is a character of their ongoing membership.
Wrede (1907) noted that Paul only refers to righteousness when he is dealing with the strife against Judaism, as in Galatia. Where there is no such argument, eg 1 Thessalonians, who were all previously Gentiles (1 Thess 1:9), righteousness is not mentioned, although many of the same ideas and concepts are discussed, ie faith (Gal 2:16), Jesus' death (Gal 2:21), believer in Christ (Gal 2:17; 5:4), life (Gal 3:11), Holy Spirit (Gal 3:1-14). Many places in 1 Thess where these concepts are discussed without any reference to righteousness.
There was a biblical basis for Letter of Aristeas, which asserts that the Law's role is to separate the Israelite in-group from the sinful Gentile out-group, and to establish a distinctive identity for God's people, with righteousness functioning to denote important aspects of that identity and separateness. This was Paul's perception too (Gal 2:15).
The Greek root for righteousness is dik, occurring in various forms 900 times in the Septuagint. Although often translated in forensic terms as 'aquit', there was no distinction in Israel between legal and civil proceedings, hence no difference between 'aquit' and 'find in favour of'. Most uses have the flavour of 'found to be in the right', and many examples suggesting that it is how a person is seen that matters, and that righteousness is not affected by promises not kept, unless made on oath.
Righteousness language is heavily concentrated in Psalms, especially Ps 37/38, and in Proverbs 10-15. Examining these gives many qualities which the righteous enjoy, and the evils which those not righteous suffer. But virtually nowhere are there indications of what behaviour is required to acquire righteousness. The characteristics attributed in OT to those who are deemed righteousness do not define them, but rather commend them as having a desirable set of qualities and gifts and a desirable destiny (Cf Prov 10:2, 10:6,22). IE righteousness does not indicate a type of desirable behaviour, but identifies a particular type of person, the exemplary Israelite, who exhibits admirable qualities and will be blessed by God. In short righteousness is the blessed condition of being a good Israelite. It is the nation which is righteous, while sins diminish others (Prov 14:34). Privileged social identity of the group is constructed and maintained by stereotyping out-groups as sinful.
In Galatia, the in-group of Israelites, including Israelite Christians, are offering to confer righteousness on Gentile Christians, providing they accept the Israelite norms of Law and circumcision. Paul seeks to counter this by asserting that righteousness can be obtained by faith in Christ.
Surprisingly Paul felt a need to use righteousness language, which he uses only where relationship between Gentile and Israelite Christians was a problem. Paul could simply have said righteousness is a purely Israelite character, and Gentile believers do not need it, as the language of sanctification in 1 Thess is adequate. Presumably the prize of righteousness was too attractive for this to work in Galatia. So Paul has to meet the problem head on, by highlighting those aspects of righteousness which relate to being God's people, descended from Abraham, while steering clear of its torah-based ethics. But this leaves undecided how Gentile sinfulness is kept at bay, which is left to chap 8, in which Paul abandons righteousness language.