1) Righteousness that surpasses

(click the arrow to listen)

For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20)

This may not strike us as a hard saying to begin with. However, to those listening Jews it was dramatic. There were several groups who made up the religious leadership of the Jewish nation. The group known as Pharisees were the most rigorous in how they taught that people should obey the Law. Along with the scribes they taught exactly what the practical demands of the Law were. For instance, there were 39 acts which were prohibited on the Sabbath. They were logical conclusions if it was accepted that all work was banned on the Sabbath.

conflict

Jesus had many run-ins with the Pharisees because they saw him as a threat. This was because Jesus was interpreting the Law from a divine perspective. As we have seen elsewhere, his principle was that ‘the Sabbath was made for man’ (Mark 2:27)[see Rule of Life 7]. The Pharisees were very diligent in how they applied their rules. For instance, they had a great stress on tithing (Matthew 23:23) [see Rule of Life 3]. They were so stringent on this, that they refused to eat in the homes of those who were not Pharisees, in case those offering hospitality did not tithe in the exact way the Pharisees thought they should: they did not want to eat even a morsel of food, in case it perhaps should have been offered to God in a tithe.

Jesus called them hypocrites. We understand a hypocrite as being someone who does not practice what they profess. This charge did not stand against the Pharisees because they were so religiously diligent about keeping their rules. The hypocrisy to which Jesus referred was their inability to understand, that in God’s eyes, what is happening in one’s heart is as important as what is happening in one’s actions. It is in this way that, as Jesus said, our righteousness (doing the right thing) should surpass that of the Pharisees and scribes.

motives

The Pharisees judged Jesus by their own standards. Consequently, they found fault in him in many ways. Jesus ate with anyone who invited him in; this, of course, broke one of their basic rules on refusing to eat with non-Pharisees. Even when he was invited to eat with the Pharisees, they found fault when Jesus did not wash in their prescribed way before eating. Perhaps the most telling time was when he was eating in a Pharisee’s house and a prostitute came crying at his feet. The Pharisees would have nothing to do with anyone who was such a prominent ‘sinner’, yet Jesus welcomed her attention, and announced that her sins were forgiven (Luke 7:36-50).

This rigorous judging of others by their outward actions was what made the Pharisees blind to the real purpose of righteousness by the Law. It meant they never judged themselves according to their inward motives. As the ministry of Jesus proceeded, they went from disdain for him, to opposition to his teaching, to finally plotting to have him killed. They did not judge their motives for this. They could not see that they were envious of the impact and influence that Jesus was having with all the people. In the end, they justified their hatred of him by viewing him as a false teacher.

lovers

Jesus showed up this inward hypocrisy in a few situations. After he had told a parable about money, we read this:

The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, ‘You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight. (Luke 16:14-15)

They were secretly motivated by the love of money. They had no inkling that this was something which God considered detestable. This explains other situations in which Jesus clashed with them:

‘Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the market-places and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.’ (Luke 20:46-47)

Their blindness to sin in the heart meant they committed the most awful offences against God.

The Pharisees loved shows of respect from others which demonstrated their self-importance:

Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved human praise more than praise from God. (John 12:42-43)

In this they were breaking the first great commandment to love God before all else. However, their love of admiration prevented them from seeing even this basic error on their part.

zealous

We can also learn about this from the apostle Paul. He shared his experience of being a Pharisee with the Philippian Christians:

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. (Philippians 3:4-6)

As a Jew, Paul was taught by the Pharisees and followed their rigorous interpretation of the Law. You can see that by their standards his ‘righteousness’ was faultless. It means that his sin was not hypocrisy but rather ignorance of the real standard of righteousness before God. He was so zealous as a Pharisee that he was one of those who executed Stephen for blasphemy (Acts 7:58).

But when he was confronted by Jesus on the road to Damascus and shown the secret intentions of his heart, he subsequently saw things very differently:

Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst. (1 Timothy 1:13-15)

His ignorance as a Pharisee of his murderous behaviour was forgiven, when he saw by grace the true state of his heart. He then felt he was the worst sinner of all. The Pharisees were mostly immune to the revelations of grace in the heart. They saw themselves as the best: God saw them as the worst!

standard

If we return to the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus now shows how our righteousness should surpass that of the Pharisees. Their basic teaching of the Law was correct; but it needed the much more demanding dimension of looking into the heart. Immediately following this saying about righteousness, Jesus continues:

‘You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, “You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.” But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. (Matthew 5:21-22)

Righteousness is concerned with the whole person: body and soul, outward and inward. John gets even more to the point on this:

Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. (1 John 3:15)

Returning to Jesus, he outlines another limitation to the righteousness of the Pharisees:

‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:27-28)

Again, the need for purity of heart is called for and not just the outward observance. We ought to note that in Jewish society at the time, same-sex interaction was completely taboo and Jesus did not need to mention it specifically. However, in our society, this lust of the heart applies across the board, both between the sexes and within the sexes.

(I will not deal with divorce here as, although it fits the pattern that Jesus is teaching – the higher standard of righteousness – it requires a very extensive exposition of principles which are contentious).

perfect

The reference to oaths which Jesus makes, does add a significant dimension to what we are seeing:

‘Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, “Do not break your oath, but fulfil to the Lord the oaths you have made.” But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all … All you need to say is simply “Yes,” or “No”; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. (Matthew 5:33-37)

In those days, oaths were a way of making an unbreakable promise. However, even though breaking your oath made it obvious to all that you had not kept your promise, oaths became yet another way of showing off your own righteousness. Saying “Yes” or “No” did not carry the same flourishing impression with others. But before God, simply keeping a promise, without having to reinforce it with flowery oaths, was something precious.

(For reasons of space I shall not deal with his teaching on ‘turning the other cheek’. This also needs extensive exposition but will not add anything more significant).

Finally, Jesus finishes with a reference to love which really summarises the measure of righteousness required:

‘You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you … Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48)

Love is indeed, as the Apostle Paul puts it: ‘the fulfilment of the law’ (Romans 13:10). God is love and righteousness is being like God: not in the likeness of his divinity, but in the likeness of his moral purity. We were created in the image of God; we are born again as children of God; we are filled with the Spirit of God: but we do not become God. We are to be imitators of his nature. Love is the greatest attribute of a human. Love protects us from sin, and protects others from our sin. The pursuit of selfless, servant-heated love is our goal in life: it is a righteousness that surpasses that of the Pharisees.

sanctification

I should finish with a distinction which is being lost to the church because of a sentimental interpretation of love. Traditionally, there are two kinds of righteousness: imputed righteousness and imparted righteousness.

Imputed righteousness is that which is granted to us by faith in Christ. He lived a life of thorough righteousness. We do not meet that same standard, however, to escape the judgment we deserved, God considers us righteous in Christ through our faith in him.

Imparted righteousness is the manifestation of love in us which comes through growing in Christ in obedience to God’s will. This could be seen as working out righteousness. It is not saving righteousness; but it is righteousness being put into practice which confirms the genuineness of our salvation. If we profess a faith which does not change us, we are deceived. It is not enough to claim that ‘righteousness which surpasses that of the Pharisees’ is just imputed righteousness. It has to be earthed in our obedience to God’s commands to love.

Paul references this in regard to the final judgment:

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved – even though only as one escaping through the flames. (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)

The judgment seat of Christ will involve scrutiny of our obedience and practice of love. The outcome of our salvation is not in question for those who truly believe. But the outcome of any reward for a life of obedience and love will be significant: this is also known as sanctification. Let us all take this to heart and practise our faith in all seriousness. Our righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees; and God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, equips us to make that possible.