612. Noah was a man righteous, and perfect 1
in his generations. That this signifies that he was such that he could be endowed with charity, is evident from the signification of “just and perfect” “just” (or “righteous”) having regard to the good of charity, and “perfect” to the truth of charity; and also from the essential of that church being charity, concerning which, of the Lord’s Divine mercy hereafter. That “just” (or “righteous”) has regard to the good of charity, and “perfect” to the truth of charity, is evident from the Word, as in Isaiah:
They will seek Me daily and desire knowledge of My ways, as a nation that doeth righteousness, and forsaketh not the judgment of their God; they will ask of Me the judgments of righteousness, and will long for the approach of God (Isaiah 58:2).
Here “judgment” denotes the things which are of truth, and “righteousness” those which are of good. “Doing judgment and righteousness” became as it were an established formula for doing what is true and good (as in Isaiah 56:1; Jeremiah 22:3, 13, 15; 23:5; 33:14, 16, 19). The Lord said:
The righteous 2
shall shine forth as the sun, in the kingdom of My father (Matthew 13:43),
“the righteous” meaning those who are endowed with charity; and concerning the consummation of the age He said:
The angels shall go forth and shall sever the wicked from among the righteous (Matthew 13:49).
Here also the “righteous” denote those who are in the good of charity.
[2] But “perfect” signifies the truth which is from charity, for there is truth from many another origin; but that which is from the good of charity from the Lord is called “perfect” and a “perfect man” as in David:
Who shall sojourn in Thy tent, who shall dwell in the mountain of Thy holiness? He that walketh perfect, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart (Psalms 15:1-2).
The “perfect” [or “complete”] man is here described. Again:
With the holy Thou wilt show Thyself holy; with the perfect man Thou wilt show Thyself perfect (Psalms 18:25),
where the “perfect man” is one who is so from holiness, or the good of charity. And again:
Jehovah will withhold no good from them that walk in perfectness [integritate] (Psalms 84:11).
[3] That a “perfect man” is one who is true from good, or who speaks and does truth from charity, is evident from the words “walk” and “way” being often applied to what is perfect, that is, to wholeness or entirety, and also the words “upright” or “uprightness” which words pertain to truth. As in David:
I will teach the perfect in the way how far he shall come unto me. I will walk within my house in the perfectness of my heart (Psalms 101:2);
and in the sixth verse:
He that walketh in the way of the perfect, he shall minister unto me (Psalms 101:6).
Again:
Blessed are the perfect in the way, who walk in the law of Jehovah (Psalms 119:1).
And again:
Perfectness and uprightness shall guard me (Psalms 25:21).
And in another place:
Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace (Psalms 37:37).
It is evident from these passages that he is called “righteous” who does what is good, and that he is called “perfect” who does what is true therefrom, which also is to “do righteousness and judgment.” “Holiness” and “righteousness” are the celestial of faith; “perfectness” and “judgment” are the spiritual thence derived.
Footnotes:
