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Today we turn to the “breastplate of righteousness” as we continue our study of the “whole armor of God” in the 6th chapter of Ephesians.  The lesson scripture for today is from the 11th chapter of Proverbs, verses 1-10:

1 A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but an accurate weight is his delight.
2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace; but wisdom is with the humble.
3 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
5 The righteousness of the blameless keeps their ways straight, but the wicked fall by their own wickedness.
6 The righteousness of the upright saves them, but the treacherous are taken captive by their schemes.
7 When the wicked die, their hope perishes, and the expectation of the godless comes to nothing.
8 The righteous are delivered from trouble, and the wicked get into it instead.
9 With their mouths the godless would destroy their neighbors, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
10 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices; and when the wicked perish, there is jubilation. Prov 11:1-10 (NRSV)

Proverbs 10:2 reads almost the same as 11:4, “Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.”  Paul wrote extensively about righteousness in Romans, particularly in the early chapters of that epistle.  Righteousness saves in that it places us in right relationship to our eternal creator God.  The first instance of the use of this term is in Genesis, chapter 15, “And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6)  It was by Abraham’s faith that he was reckoned righteous, not through obedience to law.  This is one of the main points argued by Paul in advancing his understanding of justification by grace through Christ (see, Romans 4:3-13 and Galations 3:6-29).  So, what is the breastplate for?

In searching through the Bible for uses of the term “righteousness” in context, I found it interesting that it is not used in Deuteronomy 16:20.  The NRSV translates this verse as “Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, so that you may live . . .”  Yet the term translated as “justice” is tzedakah (or tzedek – again, it depends on how you insert vowels in the Hebrew) which is generally translated as “righteousness”.  A literal translation (like Young’s Literal Translation or some Jewish translations) renders the verse as “Righteousness, righteousness, you shall pursue . . .”  The word “justice” to me speaks more of “law” (understandably, given my profession), and doesn’t convey the same sense of grace that the word “righteousness” does.  Both terms ultimately relate to God’s covenantal love for us – for us – not for our going through the motions of ritual obedience.  This is expressed beautifully in the fifth chapter of Amos:

21 I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals I will not look upon.
23 Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps.
24 But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Amos 5:21-24 (NRSV)

Verse 24 uses both the Hebrew terms for “justice” (mishpat) and that for “righeousness” (tzedakah).  For theologians, the term “justice” may seem more accurate in translating Deuteronomy 16:20 (in terms of justification?), but to me, the term righteousness conveys the deeper meaning of the concept.  That we are not only seeking to legally justify ourselves in relationship with God, but we are doing so righteously.  The pursuit of justice (righteousness) must be with justice (righteousness) to paraphrase Rabbi Elya Meir Bloch of the historic Telshe Yeshiva.  And to me this means that it is with deep humility, submission and recognition that it is ultimately God through Christ who works the redemptive act that we join the body of Christ.   So, the breastplate is a passive device — a breastplate — a protection of the heart for the heart.

Tomorrow we’ll talk about some of the offensive weapons in our “armory”.