Matthew 5:17-20 Your righteousness must exceed that of the scribes

theological

More in Matthew, the previous thread is here, the first in the series is here.

Matthew 5:17-20 wrote:

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

We are working through the Sermon of the Mount at the moment and we hit a point where Jesus is explaining what He has come to do and what it means both for the original hearers and for us.

The first thing we see in verse 17 is that Jesus has not come to do away with the Law. The Law being the Law of Moses given to him by God on Mount Sinai which forms the basis of the Jewish Torah. The prophets are another section of the Jewish Bible. So when Jesus is referring to the Law and the Prophets He is referring to what was known to the Jewish hearers as the Law and the Prophets in their Bible. Jesus has come to fulfil them. The covenant promises and the eternal realities spoken of in the law and the prophets will be fulfilled by Jesus who is the promised King.

This section of the passage is tricky and I'll look forward to your thoughts on this.

Jesus has not come to relax the Law until all is accomplished. If anything Jesus has come to exceed the Law. We're told in verse 20 that our righteousness needs to exceed that of the Pharisees and the scribes.

In the next parts of Matthew we're going to see a structure where Jesus goes through particular areas referenced in the law and says you've seen this in the law, but you need to go beyond the law by looking into the heart reality of what lies behind it. My thinking is that the exceeding of the righteousness refers to what is discussed in the coming verses in the Sermon of the Mount. I think this passage is a bridge between Jesus explaining that those who follow after Him must be a salt and a light in the world (5:13-16) to explaining how practically that can and should come about.

The bit I am unsure of is what is "until all is accomplished", is it until Jesus' ministry is complete on earth, or is it until Jesus comes back in righteousness? I would appreciate your thoughts on this.

Some thoughts for prayer:

Thank you Father for showing us the glory of your Son. Thank you that you are faithful to your word and that Jesus has fulfilled the law and the prophets. Thank you Father for Jesus showing us how we should strive to live, please enable us to seek to follow after you by your Spirit. Please help us to consider the heart reality of the law rather than being cold hearted, please help us to explore the root issues of our sin in our lives.

antiskeptic

theological wrote: »

The first thing we see in verse 17 is that Jesus has not come to do away with the Law. The Law being the Law of Moses given to him by God on Mount Sinai which forms the basis of the Jewish Torah. The prophets are another section of the Jewish Bible. So when Jesus is referring to the Law and the Prophets He is referring to what was known to the Jewish hearers as the Law and the Prophets in their Bible. Jesus has come to fulfil them. The covenant promises and the eternal realities spoken of in the law and the prophets will be fulfilled by Jesus who is the promised King.

This section of the passage is tricky and I'll look forward to your thoughts on this.

Jesus has not come to relax the Law until all is accomplished. If anything Jesus has come to exceed the Law.

The law is a school teacher. There is no point in relaxing it until what it was sent for is accomplished.

When heaven and earth pass away there will be no need for the law, obviously. For all it was intended to accomplish (leading people to Christ) will have been accomplished by it by the end. And then there will be only righteousness - so no need for the law.


Again, reading in isolation doesn't really get us anywhere. We know that the law is written in the hearts and minds and conscience of people. That is: the law that Jesus goes on to describe. The spirit of the law, rather than the letter written down. Adultery as lustful thoughts rather the adultery requiring you actually go off with another mans wife or from your own wife. We know this, aside from exposure to Christianity or scripture.

So that none are with excuse. It's pretty air tight this God gig.

We're told in verse 20 that our righteousness needs to exceed that of the Pharisees and the scribes.

A.k.a. saved. Declared righteous. That's a righteousness that exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees, who only adhere to letter if anything. Those who are declared righteous are deemed upholders of the spirit of the law.

In the next parts of Matthew we're going to see a structure where Jesus goes through particular areas referenced in the law and says you've seen this in the law, but you need to go beyond the law by looking into the heart reality of what lies behind it.

Indeed. WHich is why all men have the law. They have it sown in in their hearts and minds and conscience, this law that Jesus goes on to refine and intensify

My thinking is that the exceeding of the righteousness refers to what is discussed in the coming verses in the Sermon of the Mount. I think this passage is a bridge between Jesus explaining that those who follow after Him must be a salt and a light in the world (5:13-16) to explaining how practically that can and should come about.

The requirement to exceed related to entering the kingdom of heaven. Thus the righteousness we must have in excess of the pharisees is the righteousness that permits us entry to heaven. Which is being saved, declared righteous etc. Not the work we might do subsequent and because of our having been saved.

The bit I am unsure of is what is "until all is accomplished", is it until Jesus' ministry is complete on earth, or is it until Jesus comes back in righteousness? I would appreciate your thoughts on this.

As I say: until the law is no longer required. He gives an until heaven and earth pass away, until all is accomplished. The two until's tie together.

When the last person to be saved has been saved then there will be no more need for the law. For the law was given in order to fuel the mechanism of salvation.