Matthew 5:17-20
Key Verse: “For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20 CSB)
When you think of the godliest or pious person that you know, who comes to mind? Is it the person who never misses their Bible reading or prayer time each day? Is it the guy who can quote lengthy Bible passages verbatim? Or is it the one who spends her spare time feeding the hungry or sharing Jesus with those who haven’t yet heard of Him?
For the first-century Jewish audience that was hearing Jesus teach about the kingdom of God, it would have likely been the Pharisees or teachers of the law who would have been considered the most devout or spiritual. They were known for the strict devotion to Jewish Law. They were so committed to living out the written law in their daily lives that they created a whole other set of religious traditions to rigorously follow as well. They went above and beyond what was expected and were the archetype of religious devotion or piety.
One of the rubs that the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders often had with Jesus was that He and His disciples did not appear to treat the Jewish Law with the same weight or importance that they did. Whether it was those whom Jesus chose to associate with, or what He and His disciples did on the Sabbath, it was almost as if Jesus was looking to nullify or reverse all that they held so dear. What was with Jesus?
Jesus clarified it when He said, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets” (v.17). Jesus wasn’t there to invalidate the Old Testament. He wasn’t there to make it all null and void. Instead, in the words of Jesus, “I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” The word “fulfill” refers to giving true meaning to something. Jesus has come to in part to give true meaning to the Law and the Prophets. In Him, they were fulfilled.
This is an important reminder for all of us as we read through the Old Testament. We must always do so with Jesus in mind. He is the One to whom the words of the Prophets point. He is the One in whom all of God’s promises find their fulfillment. He is the only person who has perfectly followed every single one of God’s righteous requirements, even to the minutest detail. He is the One who gives it all its true meaning.
Listen though to what else Jesus says: “For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven” (v.20). Are you kidding me? Who could possibly live so righteously that they could exceed the Pharisees? If their devotion and piety weren’t enough, then what hope is there for the rest of us?
What the Pharisees and other religious leaders failed to understand though was that the righteousness that God requires is not about external religious devotion. In their blindness, they were so focused on ensuring that all the outward religious boxes were checked. They had deceived themselves into thinking that if they just cleaned themselves up enough that their “righteousness” before God would be sufficient. But it wasn’t sufficient. It wasn’t enough. Not according to Jesus.
God said through the prophet Ezekiel, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will place my Spirit within you and cause you to follow my statutes and carefully observe my ordinances” (Ezekiel 36:26-27). The kind of righteousness that God requires begins on the inside in our hearts. It is a work that God does in us through His Spirit based on the finished work of Jesus Christ.
While our outward devotion to God still matters, what God is after first and foremost in us is a heart that has been radically transformed by Him. A broken and humbled heart before God He will not despise (Psalm 51:17).
Prayer: Jesus, only in you can I find the true righteousness that leads me to the kingdom of heaven. It’s not about cleaning myself up enough first. It’s about turning to you and inviting you to give me a new heart of flesh that is fully surrendered to your Spirit. Do that work in me today, I pray. Amen.
