Scripture: Matthew 5: 20-21
20 “For I say to you that unless your righteousness (uprightness, moral essence) is more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 21 “You have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not murder,’ and ‘Whoever murders shall be [g]guilty before the court.’
Scripture Commentary:
Our moral compass must be upright. We have so called experts today, as they did in the past, telling us what to do. However, they miss the central point of God’s law. Jesus made it clear that obeying God’s law is more important than explaining it.
It’s easier to study God’s law and tell others to obey it than it is to put it into practice.
Our weakness, like that of the Pharisees, is that we are content to obey the laws outwardly without allowing God to change our hearts. Jesus is saying that we need a different kind of righteousness altogether, not just a more intense version of the Pharisees’ righteousness with legal compliance. Our righteousness must come from God, not from ourselves.
Be God centered, not self centered.
Reverence God. Don’t look for approval from people. Go beyond keeping the law to living by the principles behind the law.
When Jesus said, “But I tell you,” He was not doing away with the law or adding His own beliefs. He was giving a fuller understanding of why God made the law in the first place.
Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:
Re-read last week’s exploration of Matthew 5: 17-20
Jesus Didn’t Come to Undo the Law. He Fulfills It.
Note: For the remainder of the summer, we will post once a week on Monday. Please join us next week as we explore more verses from Matthew Chapter 5.