What does "surpass the Pharisees" mean in the context of Matthew 5:20? Historical and Textual Backdrop Matthew 5:20 : “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Spoken near the outset of the Sermon on the Mount (circa AD 28), Jesus addresses disciples and the surrounding crowd within Galilee, under the backdrop of Second-Temple Judaism. The Pharisees (πᾶσις τῶν Φαρισαίων) were a lay movement that prized meticulous halakhic observance, oral-law expansion, and public displays of piety. Contemporary sources—Josephus, Antiquities 13.297; Mishnah, Sotah 3.4—confirm their reputation for scrupulosity. Yet Matthew’s Gospel repeatedly exposes their hypocrisy (cf. 6:1–5; 23:2-7). Jesus’ injunction therefore establishes an apparently impossible benchmark that drives hearers to the heart, not merely to ritual compliance. What Constituted Pharisaic Righteousness? 1. External Ritual Precision—Fastings (Luke 18:12), tithings (Matthew 23:23). 2. Oral Tradition Fences—“The tradition of the elders” (Matthew 15:2). 3. Public Recognition—Synagogue seats, street-corner prayers (Matthew 6:2, 5). Archaeological finds at Qumran (4QMMT) and Migdal Synagogue’s inscribed stone confirm the era’s emphasis on purity regulations and Torah exposition. Yet Jesus exposes the deficiency: “inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence” (Matthew 23:25). The Heart-Level Righteousness Jesus Requires 1. Internal Obedience (Matthew 5:21-48): Anger equated with murder; lust with adultery. 2. Whole-Person Integrity (5:33-37): Oathless truth. 3. Non-Retaliatory Love (5:38-48): Enemy love mirroring the Father. The shift is from codified behavior to transformative virtue promised in the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:33; Ezekiel 36:26–27). Law Fulfillment, Not Abrogation (5:17-19) Jesus fulfills (πληρῶσαι) the Torah by perfect obedience and by unveiling its telos—driving humanity to dependence on divine grace (Romans 10:4). Thus, surpassing righteousness is inseparable from union with Christ, whereby His righteousness is imputed (Isaiah 53:11; 2 Corinthians 5:21) and imparted through regeneration (John 3:3; Titus 3:5). Entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven “Kingdom” entails God’s redemptive reign inaugurated in Christ and consummated eschatologically. Entry is qualified by righteousness (Psalm 15; Revelation 21:27). The verse is therefore soteriological. Pharisaic legalism cannot open the gate; only the righteousness God provides “apart from law” (Romans 3:21-22) can. Pauline Parallels and Consistency of Scripture Philippians 3:6-9 presents Paul—a former Pharisee—abandoning “a righteousness of my own based on the law” for “the righteousness that is from God on the basis of faith.” Romans 8:3-4 affirms that the Law’s righteous requirement is “fulfilled in us” who walk by the Spirit, echoing Jesus’ ethic. Practical Outworking for Believers 1. Dependence on Grace—Prayerful reliance (Hebrews 4:16). 2. Spirit-Empowered Obedience—“Walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16). 3. Secret Devotion—Almsgiving, prayer, fasting in secret (Matthew 6:1-18). 4. Christlike Love—Self-sacrificial service (John 13:34-35). Warning to Legalists and Antinomians Alike Legalists: Externalism cannot justify. Antinomians: Grace does not annul moral living (Romans 6:1-2). Surpassing righteousness harmonizes justification and sanctification. Conclusion To “surpass the Pharisees” is to receive and manifest a righteousness that originates with God, penetrates the heart, fulfills the Law through Christ, and evidences itself in Spirit-led obedience—preparing one for entrance into the kingdom of heaven. |
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