It Exceeds
20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.
21 “You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder, and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. 22 But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Whoever insults his brother or sister will be subject to the court. Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hellfire. 23 So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Reach a settlement quickly with your adversary while you’re on the way with him to the court, or your adversary will hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny.
Matthew 5:20–26
20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.
This is something to tell people. I mean, those Pharisees were pretty good at doing church and church stuff.
Better…yes, and make no mistake about it…far better than we do.
Yet, still Jesus would tell us that prostitutes and other horrid sinners would go to heaven before these guys ever would.
Okay…but then did the cheating, thieving tax collectors’ and prostitutes’ righteousness exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees?
No! Not at all…
So, let’s ask the question that usually comes to mind when hearing this teaching…as the people listening to Jesus…including His disciples…: How then can people be saved?
Well, Jesus’ first answer…and this is in the face of all who THINK THEY HAVE…or could get enough righteousness of their own:
21 “You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder, and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. 22 But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Whoever insults his brother or sister, will be subject to the court. Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hellfire.
Okay… but who doesn’t… who hasn’t gotten mad at a sibling? Maybe for you it has never shown…
Yeah… and so… you may look good…you may be nice on the outside…but what about what goes on in the inside…what about the thoughts and attitudes of the heart?
Would you want what goes on in there… to be on display for everyone to see?
Well, for God… it is very plain to see.
So how will you deal with that?
And we are talking about between you and God, not so much between you and other people.
Sure, that needs to be dealt with too, but Jesus said don’t worry about those who can just take away what you have and only kill the body. Be afraid of the one who can send the body and soul to hell forever.
And this next part of what Jesus says IS about us and God…not about those who may have something…rightly or wrongly…against us.
As God certainly does… have MUCH against us… and He gets first dibs at us.
23 So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you…
Who is this…by the way…giving of a gift? Was it to placate…who…I wonder? If there is not any forgiveness between you… of what value is it?
But anyway, Jesus continues…
24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.
This next part jumps from worldly matters to eternal ones… not that the above wasn’t in fact…
Jesus says:
25 Reach a settlement quickly with your adversary while you’re on the way with him to the court, or your adversary will hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny.
Yes, in both, Jesus is talking more about hell than any earthly jail cell.
But what terms? Can we make terms with God?
If we have a life-time of debt (and we most certainly DO!), but only have a life-time to pay back…what then?
How then can we EVER find amicable terms to negotiate…
Try and do the math!
And with what can we do, or have, to do this? Even what we do have…is only what He has graciously given to us…
…and then we try to pay God back with that? This earns us more debt, not less.
So, we are stuck, then? Prison and hell bound? Yup….
How then can people be saved? Yes, that question again… and it has not been yet answered here….
Because:
20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.
What is Jesus’ second and complete answer?
With men it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
In other words, God has to save us then. Yes! Absolutely!
That is what this is all about. There needs to be a righteousness that does more…is more…than what the best of men can do…even the best of what the church can ever do.
The church is not here to teach how to earn, work for, or payback what is owed to God or to our fellow man.
The church is here to give out RIGHTEOUSNESS that she has been given.
No, not from its store of it, but from the source Himself. From what Jesus earned. From what He worked for those 33 years He was on earth…humble, meek and mild…gently making enough Righteousness to cover the debt of the whole world.
Yes, even to cover the sins of self-righteousness and prideful Pharisees…
…if they would ever want some of His…
But… joy… yes… even all of ours. His… and His Righteousness ALONE exceeds that of anyone…and everyone…
That is what we need. We need His… to cover our lack…which means to cover everything… every part of us and every aspect of our lives.
Again, how is this done? We are not the only ones who ask…and we are not the only ones who worry about this…
St. John records the group of Jews following Jesus who were asking this very same thing
No… not the Scribes and Pharisees. The Jews ask:
…“What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” [ESV] [John 6:27–29]
Believe in His Work. Believe His Word when He says that that this is what we need…all we need to have eternal life. Believe His Word when He says that your sins are forgiven…
For yes, the wages of sin is death…here and in eternity…and he who sins is a slave to sin…unless the Son sets you free…so…the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
John tells us again in His first letter:
11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 The one who has the Son has life. The one who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life…
20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know the true one. We are in the true one—that is, in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. [1 John 5:20][CSB]
So, the answer to our question about having a righteousness that exceeds what we may consider the best of the best here…
Is Yes. We Have one that has been given to us…[Even to my little two-month-old granddaughter Josie!] when we were baptized…when we hear His Gospel message…the message of Christ that causes us to believe and trust Him for it all…
16 …the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. [Romans 1:16][CSB]
Even you… and even me… chief of sinners, though we be. This is the Work of God, not ours. Thanks be He!
Amen.
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