9263. Mention is often made in the Word of “the righteous,” of “righteousness,” and of “to be made righteous;” but what is specifically signified by these expressions is not yet known. The reason why it is not known is that hitherto it has been unknown that every expression in the Word signifies such things as belong to the internal church and to heaven, thus to the internal man (for the internal of the church, and heaven, are in the internal man), and also that these interior things in the Word differ from the exterior things which are of the letter, as spiritual things differ from natural, or as heavenly things differ from earthly, the difference of which is so great that to the natural man there scarcely appears any likeness, although there is full agreement. As this has been unknown, it could not be known what is signified in the Word, in its spiritual and celestial senses, by “the righteous,” by “righteousness,” and by “to be made righteous.” It is believed by the heads of the church that he is righteous, and has been made righteous, who is acquainted with the truths of faith from the doctrine of the church and from the Word, and consequently is in the trust and confidence that he is saved through the Lord’s righteousness, and that the Lord has acquired righteousness by fulfilling all things of the Law, and that He acquired merit because He endured the cross, and thereby made atonement for and redeemed man. Through this faith alone a man is believed to be made righteous; and it is believed further that such are they who are called in the Word “the righteous.”

[2] Yet it is not these who are called “righteous” in the Word; but those who from the Lord are in the good of charity toward the neighbor; for the Lord alone is righteous, because He alone is righteousness. Therefore a man is righteous, and has been made righteous, insofar as he receives good from the Lord, that is, insofar, and according to the way, in which he has in him what belongs to the Lord. The Lord was made righteousness through His having by His own power made His Human Divine. This Divine, with the man who receives it, is the Lord’s righteousness with him, and is the very good of charity toward the neighbor; for the Lord is in the good of love, and through it in the truth of faith, because the Lord is Divine love itself.

[3] The good of charity toward the neighbor is exterior good, which is signified by “the righteous;” and the good of love to the Lord is interior good, which is signified by “the innocent,” as shown in the foregoing section. That the good of love toward the neighbor from the Lord is “the righteous” in the proper sense, can be seen from the passages in the Word where mention is made of “the righteous,” of “righteousness,” and of “to be made righteous;” as in Matthew:

Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, When saw we Thee a hungered, and fed Thee? or thirsty, and gave Thee drink? When saw we Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? or naked, and clothed Thee? When saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee? But the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily, I say unto you, Insomuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye did it unto Me. And the righteous shall go into eternal life (Matthew 25:37-40, 46);

[4] those are here called “the righteous” who have performed the goods of charity toward the neighbor, which are here recounted. And that the goods of charity are the Lord with them is said openly: “insomuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me” (n. 4807-4810, 4954-4959, 5063-5071). These are also called “the sheep,” for by “sheep” are signified those who from the Lord are in the good of charity (n. 4169); whereas by “the goats” which are on the left hand, and are condemned, are signified those who are in faith separate from charity (n. 4169, 4769). The same are signified by “the righteous” in another passage in Matthew:

The angels shall go forth, and shall sever the evil from the midst of the righteous (Matthew 13:49);

and in Luke:

Thou shalt be recompensed in the resurrection of the righteous (Luke 14:14).

[5] From this it is evident what is signified by,

The righteous shall shine forth as the sun in heaven (Matthew 13:43);

namely, that they are in the good of love from the Lord; for the Lord is the sun in the other life, and that which is from the Lord as the sun there is the good of love (n. 1053, 1521, 1529-1531, 2441, 2495, 3636, 3643, 4060, 4321, 4696, 5097, 7078, 7083, 7171, 7173, 7270, 8487, 8812). Hence the Lord is called “the Sun of Righteousness” (Malachi 4:2).

In Daniel:

The intelligent shall shine as the brightness of the expanse, and they that make many righteous as the stars for ever and ever (Daniel 12:3);

“the intelligent” denote those who are in the truth and good of faith; and “they that make many righteous” denote those who lead to the good of charity through the truth and the good of faith; “to shine forth as the stars” denotes to be in the intelligence of truth and the wisdom of good, consequently in eternal happiness; for the “stars” denote the knowledges of truth and good, from which are intelligence and wisdom (n. 2495, 2849, 4697).

[6] “The righteous” is thus described in David:

Jehovah upholdeth the righteous; the righteous showeth mercy, and giveth. Every day the righteous showeth mercy, and lendeth. The righteous shall possess the land. The mouth of the righteous meditateth wisdom, and his tongue speaketh judgment; the law of his God is in his heart (Psalms 37:17, 21, 2 37:26, 29-31).

These things are goods of charity, which belong to “the righteous.” The church knows that these goods of charity are from the Lord, insomuch that they are the Lord’s in the man. “The righteous” is also described in Ezekiel 18:5-9, 21; 33:15-20.

[7] From all this it can be seen what is signified by “the righteous,” and by “righteousness,” in the following passages of Matthew:

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled (Matthew 5:6).

He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward (Matthew 10:41).

Many prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things which ye see, but have not seen them (Matthew 13:17).

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye build the sepulchers of the prophets, and garnish the tombs of the righteous; upon you shall come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel (Matthew 23:29, 35);

“the prophets” denote those who teach the truths and goods of faith, and in the abstract sense, the doctrines of faith (n. 2534, 7269); and “the righteous” denote those who live a life of charity, and in the abstract sense the good of charity. (That Abel, who is called “righteous,” represented the good of charity, see n. 342, 374)

[8] In Isaiah:

The righteous hath perished, and no man layeth it to heart; and men of holiness are gathered, none understanding; for because of evil the righteous is gathered (Isaiah 57:1).

Thy people shall be all righteous; they shall possess the land eternally (Isaiah 60:21).

Drip down, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds flow down with righteousness; let the earth open, that they may bring forth the fruit of salvation, and let righteousness spring up together. I, Jehovah, speak righteousness, I declare things that are right (Isaiah 45:8, 19);

“righteousness” denotes that which is from the good of love; and “things that are right,” that which is from the truths of faith. Again:

Thus said Jehovah: Keep ye judgment, and do righteousness; for My salvation is near, and My righteousness, that it may be revealed (Isaiah 56:1);

by “judgment” is signified the truth which is of faith; and by “righteousness,” the good which is of charity; wherefore it is said, “and do righteousness.” That “righteousness” denotes the good of charity from the Lord, is meant by “My righteousness is near that it may be revealed.”

[9] In many other passages also mention is made of “judgment and righteousness;” and by “judgment” is signified truth, and by “righteousness” good; as in Jeremiah:

Thus said Jehovah, Do ye judgment and righteousness; and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor. Woe unto him that buildeth his house not in righteousness, and his upper chambers not in judgment. Did not thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and righteousness? Then it was well with him (Jeremiah 22:3, 13, 15);

“judgment” denotes those things which are of truth; and “righteousness” those things which are of good.

In Ezekiel:

If the wicked turn from his sin, and do judgment and righteousness, none of his sins that he hath sinned shall be remembered against him; he hath done judgment and righteousness; living he shall live. When the wicked turneth from his wickedness, and doeth judgment and righteousness, for these he shall live (Ezekiel 33:14, 16, 19

And in other places also (Isaiah 56:1; 9:7; 16:5; 26:7, 9; 33:5, 15 58:2; Jeremiah 9:24; 23:5; 33:15; Hosea 2:19-20; Amos 5:24; 6:12; Psalms 36:5-6; 119:164, 172).

It is said “judgment and righteousness,” because in the Word whenever truth is treated of, good also is treated of, because of the heavenly marriage, which is the marriage of good and truth, in every detail of it (n. 683, 793, 801, 2173, 2516, 2712, 4137, 5138, 5502, 6343, 7945, 8339). As “righteousness” belongs to good, and “judgment” to truth, in other passages it is said “righteousness and truth,” as in Zech. 8:8; Psalms 15:2; 36:5-6; 85:10-11.

4769. And killed a he-goat of the goats. That this signifies external truths from delights, is evident from the signification in the Word of a “he-goat of the goats” as being natural truths, that is, truths of the external man from which are the delights of life; and as also being external truths derived from delights, of which hereafter. The truths of the external man, from which are the delights of life, are Divine truths such as those of the literal sense of the Word, from which truths the doctrinals of a genuine church are derived; these truths are properly signified by a “he-goat” and the delights from them are signified by “goats;” thus by a “he-goat of the goats” in the genuine sense, are signified those who are in such truths and in delights therefrom. In the opposite sense however, by a “he-goat of the goats” are signified those who are in external truths (that is, in appearances of truth derived from the sense of the letter) which are in agreement with the delights of their life, such as the delights of the body, which in general are called pleasures, and the delights of the lower mind, which in general are honors and gains. Such persons are signified by a “he-goat of the goats” in the opposite sense. In a word, by a “he-goat of the goats” in this sense are signified those who are in faith separate from charity, for these select from the Word those truths only which are in agreement with the delights of their life, that is, which favor the loves of self and the world. The other truths they bring into conformity by interpretations, and thereby present falsities as appearances of truth.

[2] That a “he-goat of the goats” signifies those who are in faith separate, is evident from Daniel:

Behold a he-goat of the goats came from the west over the faces of the whole earth, and touched not the earth; and the he-goat had a horn of aspect between his eyes. Out of one of the four horns came forth a little horn, and it grew exceedingly toward the south, and toward the east, and toward comeliness. Yea it grew even to the army of the heavens; and some of the army and of the stars it cast down to the earth, and trampled upon them; and it cast down truth unto the earth (Daniel 8:5, 9-10, 12).

The subject here treated of is the state of the church in general, not only the state of the Jewish Church, but also that of the following, which is the Christian Church; for the Word of the Lord is universal. The “he-goat of the goats” in respect to the Jewish Church, signifies those who made nothing of internal truths, but accepted external truths so far as they favored their loves, which were that they might be the greatest and the wealthiest. For this reason they recognized the Christ or Messiah whom they were expecting, simply as a king, who would exalt them above all the nations and peoples in the whole world, and would make these subject to them as vilest slaves; this was the source of their love for Him. They did not at all know what love toward the neighbor was, except that it was conjunction by participation in such honor, and through gain.

[3] But the “he-goat of the goats” in respect to the Christian Church signifies those who are in external truths from delights, that is, who are in faith separate; for these also care nothing for internal truths, and if they teach them it is only that they may thereby win reputation, be exalted to honors, and acquire gain. These are the delights which are in their hearts while truths are in their mouth. Moreover, by wrong interpretations they force the truths which are of genuine faith to favor their loves. Hence it is evident what is signified in the internal sense by the above words in Daniel-namely, that by a “he-goat of the goats” are signified those who are in faith separate. The he-goat’s coming from the west denotes from evil (that the “west” denotes evil may be seen above, n. 3708). His coming over the face of the whole earth, not touching the earth, denotes that he came over the whole church; for by the “earth” in the Word nothing else is meant than the land where the church is, thus the church (n. 566, 662, 1068, 1262, 1413, 1607, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 2928, 3355, 4447, 4453). The “horns” which he had are powers from falsity (n. 2832). The “horn of aspect between the eyes” is power from reasoning about the truths of faith, as may be seen from what was shown concerning the eye (n. 4403-4421, 4523-4534). The “one horn which grew toward the south, the east, and comeliness” is power from faith separate growing even toward those things which are states of the light of heaven, and states of good and truth. That the “south” is a state of light may be seen above (n. 3708), and that the “east” is a state of good (n. 1250, 3249, 3708); that “comeliness” is a state of truth is evident from the Word here and there. Its “growing even to the army of the heavens, and casting down to the earth some of the army and of the stars, and trampling upon them” denotes that it did so with the knowledges of good and truth. (That the “army of the heavens” and the “stars” are the knowledges of good and truth may be seen above, n. 4697.) From this is known what is meant by “casting down truth unto the earth” namely, the casting down of real faith, which in itself is charity; for faith has regard to charity, because it proceeds from charity. That which in the Ancient Church was called truth, in the new church is called faith (n. 4690).

[4] The “he-goat” has a similar signification in Ezekiel:

Behold I judge between small cattle and small cattle, between the rams and the he-goats. Is it a small thing to you that ye eat up the good pasture, and trample with your feet the residue of your pastures? Ye drink the settling of the waters, the remains ye disturb with your feet; ye strike with your horns all the infirm till ye have scattered them abroad (Ezekiel 34:17-18, 21);

in this passage also by “he-goats” are signified those who are in faith separate, that is, who set doctrine before life, and at last have no care about life; when yet life, and not doctrine separate, makes the man; and the life remains after death, but not doctrine except insofar as it partakes of the life. Of these it is said that they “eat up the good pasture, and trample with their feet the residue of the pastures;” and that they “drink the settling of the waters, and disturb the remains with their feet;” also that they “strike the infirm with their horns till they have scattered them.”

[5] From all this it is now evident who are meant by the “he-goats” and who by the “sheep” of whom the Lord speaks in Matthew:

Before Him shall be gathered all nations, and He shall separate them one from another as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the he-goats; and He shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the he-goats on the left, etc. (Matthew 25:32-33).

That the “sheep” are they who are in charity and thence in the truths of faith, and that the “he-goats” are they who are in no charity, although in the truths of faith, that is, who are in faith separate, is clear from the particulars, in which such persons are described.

[6] Who and of what quality are those who are in faith separate and are meant by “he-goats” may be seen from the two following passages:

“Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of the heavens; but he that doeth the will of My Father who is in the heavens. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied by Thy name, and by Thy name cast out demons, and in Thy name done many mighty works? And then will I confess unto them, I know you not; depart from Me ye workers of iniquity” (Matthew 7:19-23).

And in Luke:

“Then will ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us; but He shall answer and say to you, I know you not whence ye are. Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk before Thee, and Thou hast taught in our streets. But He shall say, I tell you I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me all ye workers of iniquity” (Luke 13:25-27).

These are they who are in faith separate, and are called “he-goats.” But what “he-goats” signify in a good sense-as those used in sacrifices and occasionally mentioned in the prophets-will of the Lord’s Divine mercy be told elsewhere.