Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 5:20
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
20. scribes ] See note, ch. Mat 7:29.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Your righteousness – Your holiness; your views of the nature of righteousness, and your conduct and lives. Unless you are more holy than they are, you cannot be saved.
Shall exceed – Shall excel, or abound more. The righteousness of true Christians is seated in the heart, and is therefore genuine. Jesus means that unless they had more real holiness of character than the scribes and Pharisees, they could not be saved.
The righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees – See the notes at Mat 3:7. Their righteousness consisted in outward observances of the ceremonial and traditional law. They offered sacrifices, fasted often. prayed much, were punctilious about ablutions, and tithes, and the ceremonies of religion, but neglected justice, truth, purity, and holiness of heart. See Mat. 23:13-33. The righteousness that Jesus required in his kingdom was purity, chastity, honesty, temperance, the fear of God, and the love of man. It is pure, eternal, reaching the motives, and making the life holy.
The kingdom of heaven – See the notes at Mat 3:2. Shall not be a suitable subject of his kingdom here, or saved in the world to come.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Mat 5:20
Your righteousness shall exceed.
An exceeding righteousness
I. What is the nature of the righteousness God accepts from us? It is a righteousness in excess of the most scrupulous moralist.
1. A Christian righteousness exceeds a natural or Jewish in that it is positive and not negative.
2. All other righteousness does the orders of God: this does His will. Here lies the greater part of the Christians obedience-in doing what he knows will please, though it was never laid down.
3. The motive is different.
4. As the moving power is within, so the righteousness is first an inward righteousness.
5. No wonder that such an inner righteousness when it is wrought out, goes very deep, and soars very high. It does not calculate how little it can do for God, but how much.
6. The righteousness of Christ is the exceeding righteousness; in this only can we stand before a holy God.(J. Vaughan, M. A.)
Righteousness.
I. What is that righteousness which must fail if relied on for entrance to the kingdom of heaven, Much in it that was good but only external. It was heart-deficiency.
II. The righteousness which will of necessity be effectual Exceed it-
1. In regard to its source.
2. In its quality.
(1) It must be spiritual.
(2) It must be evangelical righteousness; not by the works of the law.
(3) It must be a moral righteousness, possessed as well as imputed.
(4) It must be an essential righteousness, as essential as the air we breathe.
Address those whose righteousness does not come up to the standard of the Scribes and Pharisees; those who are trusting in the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees; those who through grace have found the effectual righteousness. (G. Fisk, LL. B.)
The Pharisees righteousness excelled by that of the Christian
I. It must differ from that of the Pharisee.
1. The seat of righteousness. Both Pharisee and Christian look alike in their conduct; the latter from the heart.
2. The righteousness of the Pharisee is limited by the narrow rule of sectarianism, that of the Christian is wide as the Word of God.
3. The righteousness of the Pharisee is at fault in its source. Its beginning and end is self. Christ is our righteousness.
II. It excels.
1. In the object of its faith.
2. In enabling the Christian to reach heaven. (W. D. Harwood.)
The Christian righteousness
The sense it which it must surpass them:-
I. In kind.
II. In spirit.
1. Not of mere outward zeal for the law, but of inward conformity.
2. Not of servile fear, but of filial confidence.
3. Not of religious pride, but of devout humility.
III. In aim, not to be seen of men.
1. This will rectify our judgment of righteousness.
2. Animate our pursuit of righteousness.
3. Brighten our prospect of righteousness (2Ti 4:8). (Prof. Griffith, M. A.)
Necessity of evangelical righteousness
I. The nature of that righteousness which distinguished the Scribes and Pharisees. Was, according to Gods law, extensive, connected with great devotion, self-denial, liberality, and zeal.
II. The nature of that righteousness necessary to our entering the kingdom of God. Ours must exceed theirs in its origin, nature, extent, end, effects. The revelation of this righteousness is given in Gods blessed Word. It is obtained by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who is made unto us, wisdom, etc. The purity of the Divine law, etc., render this righteousness necessary. (Dr. Burns.)
Gospel righteousness
I. The righteousness of the pharisees.
1. Orthodox.
2. Popular.
3. Moral.
4. Zealous.
II. Its defectiveness.
1. Superstitious.
2. Servile.
III. The righteousness commanded.
1. Personal.
2. Through faith.
3. Originating in love. (W. W. Whythe.)
Love more than regard for a mere rule
Now, no man can develop a true manhood who does not love the things which he does. No man ever does anything that marks him as masterly except it be done by a certain inspiration into which the whole soul enters. A man that paints, hating his business, never is an artist, and never can be one. A man that is a teacher, and hates teaching, making drudgery of it, can never be an inspirational teacher. A man that is a true workman in any sphere must work by a stimulation which comes from the actual enthusiasm of loving the thing done. A man that obeys moral laws without loving them is like a man who walks within the walls of a penitentiary. (Beecher.)
The righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees.
I. What it was. It consisted in-
1. A speculative knowledge of the truth and doctrines of religion.
2. A scrupulous observance of the forms of religion.
3. A freedom from scandalous sins.
II. Its defectiveness and insufficiency.
1. The righteousness here spoken of is insufficient for justification.
2. It is insufficient as the evidence of a justified state. It fell short in three respects.
(1) It was altogether external.
(2) It was partial in its requirements.
(3) It left its followers under the unrestrained influence of spiritual pride.
3. How delighted we should be that our righteousness does exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees. (E. Cooper.)
Morality the gate to spirituality
There are several kinds of religion.
1. There is the religion of simple technical observances.
2. There is a religion of conduct, or morality.
3. There is the religion of spirituality: this contemplates God and ignores mans needs.
4. There is the religion of morality and spirituality. Right conduct springing from right motives. Let us look at the nature and value of morality.
I. Morality may be defined as conformity to the laws of our condition. The laws of the body, the law of fellowship, civil laws.
II. The advantages of morality.
1. It is the gateway of spirituality.
2. All the things that come within the range of morality are good in themselves.
3. It has a tendency to educate men.
4. When men try to place themselves in conformity to the law of morals they put themselves in a line in which they will be illumined and carried to a higher Christian experience.
5. We must not suppose that morality is a substitute for the higher forms of religion.
6. It must not be a mask for self-indulgence.
7. Morality relates especially to this life, but religion to eternity, as fully realized in immortal existence.
Mere morality does not go far enough
A man builds him a house two stories high; but money fails, and he does not put on any roof. What is he going to do now? Live in it? He cannot live in it. It is good as far as it goes, but good for what? Until somebody can put a roof on it, and close it in, it is not good to live in. Honesty is a good thing. Kindness and neighbourliness are good things. Care for the laws of life is a very good thing. If this was all of our life, if these external and bodily relationships represented the sum total of all our existence, all that we should want would be morality. But we live again. (H. W. Beecher.)
A shipmaster wants to anchor. He throws out his anchor, and puts out his cable, and comes within about twenty feet of the bottom. It is not any longer. What is it good for? It is good as far as it goes; but it does not go far enough to touch the bottom, and therefore it is not good for anything. (H. W. Beecher.)
Exceeding the righteousness of the Pharisees
What is it to enter the kingdom of heaven? It involves leaving the kingdom of evil. There is no admission to it without righteousness.
I. Describe the righteousness of the Pharisees.
1. They were celebrated for their knowledge. As Scribes, they were acquainted with the Scriptures.
2. In religious matters they were particular and earnest. Always at temple, earnest at prayer.
3. They were wonderfully generous. They gave tithes of all they possessed.
4. They were held in high esteem by their fellow-countrymen.
5. Can you hope to excel them? Out of Christ you cannot.
II. How then is it possible to enter into the kingdom of heaven? Two ways:
1. By works.
2. By faith. No thoroughfare along the first way. In natures loom we cannot weave a better righteousness. Christs righteousness exceeds; as the sunlight exceeds the glimmer of the glow-worm. (Thomas Spurgeon.)
The measure of righteousness
I. The Scribes represent those who are formalists in the treatment of Gods Word.
II. The Pharisees, the formalists in religious life. (Dean Alford.)
Faith in Christ the only way of righteousness
Will you try to imagine that just in front of you there is roaring the great cataract of Niagara? Now, there are two ways of getting over the cataract. What are they? asks one. Well, do you see that thin airy looking bridge, which in the distance seems like a spiders web, which has been flung athwart the torrent? That is the suspension bridge of Niagara, and that is one way across, and the best way too. There is another way-the way that poor foolhardy Captain Webb went-right through the breakers. You may say that he did not get across. No; but it was his fault that he went that way, for it was not a way after all. And there are two ways to cross the cataract of sin and the avalanche of Gods wrath. One way is the bridge of salvation which God, in mercy, through the blood and sacrifice of Christ, has flung right across the mighty stream. Its buttresses are eternal power and everlasting love, and feeble as it looks it is strong enough to bear creation. There is another way, and there thou shalt battle with the flood thyself, and stem the breakers in thine own strength, and dash thyself against the stones, and sink to rise no more. Any man in his senses would choose the simplest path, the way that everybody else goes. (T. Spurgeon.)
Well to have a standard of self-measurement
I have sometimes seen, at athletic sports, how, when one has jumped the long jump, an opponent, another competitor in the jump, will come and look how far his rival has jumped, and mark the place; and I see him go away, with rather dejected head, as he sees what his rival has accomplished, and wonders whether he can do as much, and wonders much more whether he can exceed that wondrous jump. Now, I want to show you how far the Scribes and Pharisees jumped; and then I have to tell you that you have to jump farther than they did. (T. Spurgeon.)
The kingdom of heaven,
Here, as elsewhere in the Gospels, designates that spiritual society which Jesus came on earth to found. The righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees was at fault because they placed righteousness in what a man does, irrespective of what he is, and though practising many things which might be called virtues, yet they did so from outward considerations. The results springing from these false principles were:
I. Divorce of religion from common life.
II. Overlaying of the spirit of Gods law by the letter.
III. Ostentation in the performance of their so-called religious duties, and uncharitable judgment of others. Pharisaism is a form of righteousness that is not extinct among us. (Dr. W. M. Taylor.)
Here we have two things to consider:
I. What was the righteousness of the Scribes and the Pharisees?
II. How far that is to be exceeded by the righteousness of Christians.
I.
(1) The Pharisees obeyed the commandments in the letter, not in the spirit. They minded what God spake, but not what He intended; they were busy in the outward work of the hand, but not careful of the affections and choice of the heart. This was just as if a man should run on his masters errand, and do no business when he came there.
(2) The Scribes and Pharisees placed their righteousness in negatives; they would not commit what was forbidden, but they cared little for the included positive, and the omissions of good actions did not much trouble them.
(3) They broke Mosess tables into pieces, and gathering up the fragments, took to themselves what part of duty they pleased, and let the rest alone.
II.
(1) When it is said our righteousness must exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees, we must do all that lies before us, all that is in our hand; the outward work must be done, and it is not enough to say my heart went right, but my hand went aside.
(2) Our righteousness must exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees, by extension of our obedience to things of the same signification. Whatever ministers to sin, and is the way of it, it partakes of its nature and its curse.
(3) Christs commandments extend our duty, not only to what is named, and what is not named of the same nature and design, but that we abstain from all such things as are like to sins. Of this there are many. All violences of passion, prodigality of our time, doing things unworthy our birth or profession, aptness to go to law, misconstruction of the words and actions of our brother, easiness to believe evil of others, willingness to report the evil we hear, indiscreet and importune standing for place, and other things prohibited by the Christian and royal law of charity. (Jeremy Taylor.)
1. It was a righteousness of the outward letter rather than of the inward spirit. They washed their hands, but not their hearts.
2. Another defect in their righteousness was its narrowness and partiality. Gods commandment is exceeding broad; condemns anger as well as murder.
3. It contented itself too much with mere abstinences and negatives.
4. They mutilated the laws proper unity, reversed the principle that failure in one point makes guilty of all, and considered it enough to keep the law in general.
5. It leaned more on the blood in the veins than on thorough obedience in the life. They were of Jacob.
6. Their greatest defect was their self-sufficiency. (J. A. Seiss, D. D.)
A man should not be content with morality when spirituality is possible
A man should not live in a hovel when he can live in a house. A man is not content to live in a house when he can live in a mansion. And no man, I think, would live in a mansion when he could live in a palace. So no man is living rightly or honourably who demands of himself no more than morality requires. (Beecher.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 20. Except your righteousness shall exceed] , Unless your righteousness abound more – unless it take in, not only the letter, but the spirit and design of the moral and ritual precept; the one directing you how to walk so as to please God; the other pointing out Christ, the great Atonement, through and by which a sinner is enabled to do so – more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, who only attend to the letter of the law, and had indeed made even that of no effect by their traditions – ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. This fully explains the meaning of the preceding verse. The old English word is [Anglo-Saxon], right-wiseness, i.e. complete, thorough, excellent WISDOM. For a full explanation of this verse, see Lu 18:10, &c.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I am so far from giving a liberty to the violation of my Fathers law, (as the scribes and Pharisees may possibly suggest), that I assure you that unless your obedience to it exceed that obedience which the scribes and Pharisees teach you, and themselves practise, you shall never come into heaven. What the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees was we cannot better learn than from St. Paul, who was himself a Pharisee, and bred up at the feet of Gamaliel, a great doctor amongst them, Act 23:6; 26:5; Phi 3:5. That it was a righteousness of works appeareth from Phi 3:1-21, and the whole Epistles to the Romans (Rom 1:1-16:27) and Galatians (Gal 1:1-6:18); and their not owning Christ as the Messiah, nor believing on him, Joh 7:48, made it impossible that it should be any other. That they looked upon their mere obedience to the ceremonial law as their righteousness cannot be proved, yea, the contrary is enough evident by their obedience to the moral law, according to the interpretation they put upon it. But their interpretation of the moral law was so short and jejune, that it is manifest that their righteousness was not only a righteousness not of faith but of works, but works that were very imperfect and short of what the true sense of the law required, as our Saviour afterward proveth. That is to say, it was no righteousness, for he that keepeth the whole law, if he be guilty in one point, is guilty of all, Jam 2:10.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
20. For I say unto you, That exceptyour righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes andPhariseesThe superiority to the Pharisaic righteousness hererequired is plainly in kind, not degree; for allScripture teaches that entrance into God’s kingdom, whether in itspresent or future stage, depends, not on the degree of our excellencein anything, but solely on our having the character itself which Goddemands. Our righteousness, thenif it is to contrast with theoutward and formal righteousness of the scribes andPhariseesmust be inward, vital, spiritual. Some, indeed, ofthe scribes and Pharisees themselves might have the veryrighteousness here demanded; but our Lord is speaking, not ofpersons, but of the system they represented and taught.
ye shall in no case enterinto the kingdom of heavenIf this refer, as in Mt5:19, rather to the earthly stage of this kingdom, the meaning isthat without a righteousness exceeding that of the Pharisees, wecannot be members of it at all, save in name. This was no newdoctrine (Rom 2:28; Rom 2:29;Rom 9:6; Phi 3:3).But our Lord’s teaching here stretches beyond the present scene, tothat everlasting stage of the kingdom, where without “purity ofheart” none “shall see God.”
The Spirituality of the TrueRighteousness in Contrast with That of the Scribes and Pharisees,Illustrated from the Sixth Commandment. (Mt5:21-26).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For I say unto you,…. These words are directed, not to the true disciples of Christ in general, or to his apostles in particular, but to the whole multitude of the people; who had in great esteem and admiration the Scribes and Pharisees, for their seeming righteousness and holiness; concerning which Christ says,
that except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. He mentions the Scribes, because they were the more learned part of the people, who were employed in writing out, and expounding the law; and the Pharisees, because they were the strictest sect among the Jews for outward religion and righteousness; and yet, it seems, their righteousness was very defective; it lay only in an external observance of the law; did not arise from a purified heart, or the principles of grace; nor was it performed sincerely, and with a view to the glory of God; but for their own applause, and in order to obtain eternal life: besides, they neglected the weightier matters of the law, and contented themselves with the lesser ones; and as they were deficient in their practice, so they were very lax in their doctrines, as appears from the foregoing verse. Wherefore Christ informs his hearers, that they must have a better righteousness than these men had, if ever they expected to enter into the kingdom of heaven. There will be no admission into heaven without a righteousness: it was the loss of righteousness which removed Adam out of his earthly paradise; and it is not agreeable to the justice of God, to admit man into his heavenly paradise without one; yea, it is contrary to his nature, and would be destructive to the comfort of saints, to receive an unrighteous person into his kingdom and glory. A “pharisaical” righteousness will never bring a person thither; nor will any righteousness of man’s, be it what it will, because the best is imperfect; it must be a righteousness exceeding that of the Scribes and Pharisees; and such is the righteousness of the saints: indeed their inherent righteousness, or the sanctification of the Spirit, is preferable to any righteousness of a natural man; it exceeds it in its author, nature, effects, and usefulness; yea, even works of righteousness done by believers are greatly preferable to any done by such men as are here mentioned: but, above all, the righteousness of Christ, which is imputed to them, and received by faith, is infinitely more excellent in its author, perfection, purity, and use; and which is their only right and title to eternal glory; and without which no man will be admitted into that glorious state.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Shall exceed ( ). Overflow like a river out of its banks and then Jesus adds “more” followed by an unexpressed ablative ( ), brachylogy. A daring statement on Christ’s part that they had to be better than the rabbis. They must excel the scribes, the small number of regular teachers (5:21-48), and the Pharisees in the Pharisaic life (6:1-18) who were the separated ones, the orthodox pietists.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “For I say unto you,” (lego gar humin) “Because I tell you all,” as a body, as a church. Because I make it known as a distinct fact to you all.
2) “That except your righteousness shall exceed,” (hoti ean me perriseuse humon he dikaiosune pleion) “That unless your righteousness exceeds (is above the kind or quality of that),” Ceremonial righteousness, traditional righteousness, reflected in their keeping “traditions of the elders,” which had been instituted by them as a means of acquiring or retaining a saved state or condition with God, Mr 7:1-9.
3) “Of the scribes and the Pharisees,” (ton grammateon kai Pharisaion) “Of the kind of righteousness of the scribes (writers and archives guardians of the law) and of the Pharisees,” (pious religious populists of the Jews), Rom 10:3. They were called “hypocrites” so very frequently by the Lord because they perverted the very law that they were claiming to keep and administer, considering themselves to be righteous while “despising” or looking down upon others, Luk 18:9-12.
4) “Ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (ou me eiselthete eis ten basileian ton ouranon) “You all shall not at all enter into (the spirit of the work) of the kingdom of heaven,” into the work of the new covenant church, He had just recently begun. His church and work and worship required repentance, and belief in Jesus Christ unto Salvation before men could be baptized and enter into the work of “The kingdom of heaven” which John the Baptist came preaching. Jesus continued it, and required that one be that kind of saved person before he could be chosen to represent Him as a fisher of men, Mt 3:11-3; Act 19:4; Mat 4:17; Mr 1:14, 15; Mat 4:18-22; Joh 15:16; Joh 15:26-27.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Mat 5:20
. Unless your righteousness shall be more abundant. He takes a passing notice of the Scribes, who were laboring to throw a stain on the doctrine of the Gospel, as if it were the ruin of the Law. True, he does not reason on this subject, but only points out briefly, that nothing has less influence over their minds than zeal for the law. “They pretend, that their hostility to me arises from their strong desire, that the law should not be violated. But their life makes it evident, how coldly they observe the law, — nay more, how unconcerned they are about mocking God, (392) while they boast before men of an assumed and hypocritical righteousness.” This is the view which the most of commentators give of the passage.
But it deserves inquiry, whether he does not rather blame the corrupted manner of teaching, which the Pharisees and Scribes followed in instructing the people. By confining the law of God to outward duties only, they trained their disciples, like apes, to hypocrisy. (393) They lived, I readily admit, as ill as they taught, and even worse: and therefore, along with their corrupted doctrine, I willingly include their hypocritical parade of false righteousness. The principal charge brought by Christ against their doctrine may be easily learned from what follows in the discourse, where he removes from the law their false and wicked interpretations, and restores it to its purity. In short, the objection which, as we have already said, was unjustly brought against him by the Scribes, is powerfully thrown back on themselves.
We must bear in mind, what we have mentioned elsewhere, that the Pharisees are added to the Scribes by way of enlarging on what he had said: for that sect had, above all others, obtained a reputation for sanctity. It is a mistake, however, to suppose, that they were called Pharisees on account of division, (394) because they separated themselves from the ordinary class, and claimed a rank peculiar to themselves. They were called פרושים, that is, Expounders, (395) because they were not satisfied with the bare letter, but boasted of being in possession of a key to open up hidden meanings. Hence arose an immense mass of errors, when they assumed magisterial authority, and ventured, according to their wicked fancy and their equally wicked pride, to thrust forward their own inventions in place of Scripture.
(392) “ Comme ils se moquent de Dieu sans en faire conscience.” — “How they mock God, without making conscience of it.”
(393) “ Ils accoustumoyent leurs disc p es k ne hypocrisle, et en faisoyent des singes.” — “They accustomed their disciples to a hypocrisy, and made apes of them.”
(394) “ De division, ou separation;” — “of division, or separation.”
(395) Among a host of opinions as to the origin of the name Pharisees, there is room to doubt if Calvin has hit upon the true etymology. There are two roots: פרׂש (paras,) to spread out, with Sin for the final letter, — and פרׁש (parash,). to explain, to separate, with Schin. Both have been pressed into the service. The former is chiefly quoted in support of an allusion to our Lord’s description of them, that they make broad their phylacteries, (Mat 23:5.) But the latter root has been more fertile in suggestions. John Alberti, no mean authority, in his Glossarium Grcecurn , (under Luk 11:38,) defines Φαρισαῖος, to be διακεχωρισμένος, separated, and quotes the Septuagint as employing that participle (Eze 34:12) for, נפרׁשות the principhal participle of פרׁש, (parash.) From Hesychius he gives synonyms of like import, — Φαρισαῖος, ἀφωρισμένος, μεμερισμένος, καθαρός As to the last of those terms, καθαρός, the learned Vitringa, to whom Alberti also refers, has copiously illustrated its meaning in a passage, which has been often quoted as embodying the proud challenge of the Pharisee, Stand by: for I am holier than thou, (Isa 65:5 ) — Suidas unhesitatingly defends the same idea of separation. His definition is as follows : Φαρισαῖοι οἱ ἑρμηνευόμενοι ἀφωρισμένοι, παρὰ τὸ μερίζειν καὶ ἀφορίζειν ἑαυτοὺς τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων, εἴς τε τὸ καθαρώτατον τοῦ βίου, καὶ ἀκριβέστατον, καὶ εἰς τὰ τοῦ νόμου ἐντάλματα . “Pharisees, — which means separated, on account of their dividing and separating themselves from all others, to the greatest purity and strictness of life, and to the prescriptions of the law.” — Calvin’s derivation is from the same root, and is certainly ingenious. That sect, we know, boasted of a rigid adherence to the law, though it may be questioned whether profound skill in exposition was claimed by all its members. Many of them might think that this belonged to the Scribes as a professional matter. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(20) Shall exceed.Better, Shall abound more than.
Scribes and Pharisees.Here, for the first time, the scribes are mentioned in our Lords teaching. The frequent combination of the two words (thirteen times in the first three Gospels) implies that for the most part they were of the school of the Pharisees, just as the chief priests were, for the most part, of that of the Sadducees. Where scribes and chief priests are united, it is with a different import, as the two chief divisions of the Sanhedrim, or Great Council. The New Testament use of the word differs from the Old. There the scribe is simply the man who writes, the secretary or registrar of the kings edicts and official documents (2Sa. 8:17; 2Sa. 20:25; 2Ki. 18:18). After the return of Babylon, as in the case of Ezra (Ezr. 7:6; Ezr. 7:12), it was used first of the transcribers and editors of the sacred books, and then, by a natural transition, of their interpreters; and this is the dominant sense of the word in the New Testament. As interpreters they were much occupied with the traditional comments of previous teachers, and these as descending more into particulars, and so affording a better basis for a casuistic system, had come to usurp the rightful place of the Law. As far as the three Gospels are concerned this is the first direct protest of our Lord against their teaching. St. Johns record, however, shows that the conflict had begun already in Jerusalem (Joh. 5:10), and that the Sabbath question was prominent in it.
Ye shall in no case enter . . . .The kingdom of heaven is here neither what we speak of as the visible Churchfor there the evil and the good grow together till the harvestnor yet the Church triumphant in the far future. It stands here rather for the ideal and invisible Church on earththat which answers to its name, that to which belong the blessings and the promises. Into that Church none enter who are content with an outward conventional standard of righteousness. All who strive after a high standard, sooner or later, in spite of wanderings and mistakes, find their way into it (Mat. 25:34; Joh. 7:17).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
20. For I say unto By way of illustration of the terrible danger of making void God’s law. Exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees These not only violated the spirit of the law, but often both letter and spirit, and systematically taught men so. They could not be even the least within the kingdom; they were excluded from it. They, with all the ancient fathers of their tradition, had lowered the power of God’s law, as Jesus proceeds to show in the following verses.
2 . Christianity distinguished from degenerate Judaism, Mat 5:20 to Mat 6:18.
(1.) In regard to angry passions:
In interpreting much that follows, it is important to understand that corporeal and earthly objects are often made to stand as symbols for spiritual ideas. Sometimes the entire sentence is constructed with a series of such symbols; as, for instance, Mat 5:25. A true interpretation will reduce the figurative to the literal, by substituting the idea symbolized for the symbol. Having prepared his way by showing that he does not oppose but fulfil the pure Judaism, the Teacher now proceeds to reject and condemn the false glosses and traditions heaped upon Moses, which the people had heard from the Jewish doctors.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
How strongly this feature is brought out by the contrast:
v. 20. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Not in the teachers of the people as they were then acknowledged, but only in Himself there would be the perfect realization of teaching and doing. The scribes were the accepted teachers of the Law, and many of them were members of the sect, or party, of the Pharisees. The chief accusation which Christ brought against these people is recorded in many passages of the Gospels; See Mat 23:1-39. The feature of their doctrine and life was this, that they set aside the great for the little, the divine for the sake of the traditional. The result was a slavish observing of externals, which gave them a great show of piety before the people, an impression which they were very careful to nourish. So far as the great majority of these sectarians was concerned, their hearts were far from true piety and righteousness of the heart, which seeks, in true love of one’s neighbor, to do the will of God in word and deed. Whenever such is the case, there is no faith, and therefore no idea of entering into the kingdom of heaven.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Mat 5:20 . ] Unnecessary difficulties have been raised on account of this connection (Ritschl and Bleek, who even declare to be more appropriate), and the obvious sense passed over (de Wette, who, as well as Hilgenfeld, refers back to Mat 5:17 ). Jesus does not state any ground for recognizing why there must be distinctions of rank in the kingdom (Ritschl), which must be understood as a matter of course; but He assigns the reason and how important was that for the vocation of the disciples! for the . which He had just uttered, in accordance with its necessary connection: “For if ye do not unite acting with teaching, then can ye not enter into the kingdom, being upon the same stage of righteousness as the scribes and Pharisees” (Mat 23:2 f., Mat 23:14 ).
. is to be rendered: shall have been more abundant than . [405] Comp. , 1Ma 3:30 .
] your moral righteousness , as in Mat 5:6 ; Mat 5:10 , not the justitia fidei (Calovius), although the truly moral life rests upon the latter.
. . .] well-known comparatio compendiaria for , . . ., Khner, II. p. 847. It is understood, besides, as a matter of course, that Jesus here has in view the false righteousness of the Pharisees in general , so that nobler manifestations, like Gamaliel, Nicodemus, and others, do not determine His general judgment.
[405] These men thought and appeared to make themselves prominent by abundant acts of , whilst they “ceremonialem et forensem morali missa tutati sunt” (Bengel). An abounding in righteousness on the part of His disciples in a higher degree and measure of morality, which , however, in accordance with the actual relation of the thing compared, contains in itself an essentially quite different kind of , is required by Christ on the ground of faith in Him. That external righteousness, whilst the heart is impure, “does not belong to heaven, but to hell” (Luther).
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
2. Relation, between the Doctrine of Christ and the Law; and between the latter and the Doctrine of the Pharisees and Scribes, or Jewish Traditionalism, as exhibited in five special instances,showing the spurious in opposition to the genuine development of the Law, its narrowing by the letter, and its fulness in the spirit.
Mat 5:20-48
( Mat 5:20-26, the Gospel for the 6th Sunday after Trinity)
20For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
21Ye have heard that it was said by [to]12 them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be indanger of the judgment: 22But I say unto [to] you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause [without cause]13 shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but [and] whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. 23Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee; 24Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 25Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 26Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
27Ye have heard that it was said by [to] them of old time,14 Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28But I say unto [to] you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 29And if thy right eye offend thee [cause thee to offend], pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30And if thy right hand offend thee [cause thee to offend], cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, 31and not that thy whole body should be cast [depart, ] into hell. It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: 32But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving [save] for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
33Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by [to] them of old time, Thou shall 34not forswear thyself [swear falsely], but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is Gods throne: 35Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool; neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. 36Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37But let your communication [word, ] be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
38Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. 41And whosoever shall compel [impress] thee to go a mile, go with him twain [two]. 42Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
43Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you,15 and pray for them which [who] despitefully use you, and16 persecute you; 45That ye may be the children of your Father which [who] is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others [that excels, ]? do not even the publicans [the heathen]17 so? 48Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which [who] is in heaven is perfect.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
General Remarks on the whole Section.(1) Real abolition of the law under guise of rendering its injunctions more rigid; hedging in of the law in its spirituality and perfectness by the traditions of the scribes and Pharisees, resulting in perversion of doctrine by converting the law into a series of outward and finite ordinances.
First Instance: Abrogation of the law through observance of the letter, by the conversion of a moral precept into a purely civil law, thus secularizing it, and destroying its spiritas shown in the traditions connected with the commandment: Thou shalt not kill. Second Instance: Abrogation of the law by weakening its force, and converting a limited permission into an encouragementas shown in the traditions connected with the commandment: Thou shalt not commit adultery. Third Instance: Abrogation of the law by the perversion of a solemn asseveration into a common mode of assurance, or into cursingas exhibited in the injunctions connected with oaths. Fourth Instance: Abrogation of the law by the conversion of an ordinance of criminal law intended to put an end to private vengeance into a moral law, which, in reality, sanctioned vengeanceas shown in the law of retaliation. Fifth Instance: Abolition of the law by sectarian interpretation and false inferencesas exhibited in connection with the great commandment: Thou shalt love thy neighbor.
(2) In opposition to these perversions, we have five instances of the fulfilment of the law by the teaching of Christ, in each of which the law is traced back to the mind and heart, or to the moral and religious life generally. In the first of the above instances, the law is traced back to the passion of anger; in the second, to adulterous desires; in the third, to the sinful want of reverence; in the fourth, to yielding to the power of evil; in the fifth, to selfishness and sectarianism, which are incompatible with the requirements of universal love. In reference to the first of these instances, the Lord requireth from us brotherly feeling; in reference to the second, He demandeth sanctity in the relationship between the sexes; in reference to the third, calm assurance in the fear of God, so that our yea be yea, and our nay nay; in reference to the fourth, meekness and mercy, which overcometh injuries; while in reference to the fifth, He points out the infinitude of ove.
(3) In all these examples, Christ shows that, viewed as a principle, in its true import and bearing, the law goes far beyond the mere letter, demanding not only a definite outward compliance, but reaching also the mind and heart. This boundless extent of the law in its application to the inner man is here presented in a definite form, and as special precepts; which, however, must not be interpreted literally, but regarded as so many symbols designed to illustrate the spirituality and depth of the law. Thus the carnal literalism and perversion of truth which appear in the rabbinical interpretation of Thou shalt not kill, is met by a more literal yet infinitely deeper application of the commandment. The dull stupidity of their literalism is met, so to speak, by a certain irony of literality. Similarly, the lustfulness which was legalized by the cunning perversion of the commandment, Thou shalt not commit adultery, is met by an uncompromising demand of the most complete self-denial. In opposition to the third perversion of the law, by which that which was holy was thoughtlessly and sinfully dragged down, we have here a majestic prohibition uttered in the name of the highest authority. Instead of the spirit of strife, fostered by an abuse of the principle of retaliation, the Saviour inculcates readiness to surrender even our own rights; while, lastly, the national pride and narrow sectarianism of the Pharisees were to give place to the influences of a love so wide, as to break through all the narrow bounds of bigotry. Thus Jesus refutes the literalism of the scribes by literality; and shows that even in its literal interpretation, the letter of the law was from the first only the symbol of its spirit.
Mat 5:20. Except your righteousness shall exceed, etc., .The general idea, to be better, or to excel, does not exhaust the expression, which implies to grow up beyond the righteousness of the scribesto exceed it. The antithesis lies in the statement, that the Pharisees have all their reward here, while the righteousness of the kingdom of heaven is not only lasting, but extends to the kingdom of glory. The word does not merely refer to righteousness by faith, but in general to the righteousness of the kingdom of heaven as a principle, both in respect of doctrine and of life.
The directions here given by the Lord are manifestly not intended by way of improvement upon the law (Maldonatus and others), but as expressing its true fulfilment in opposition to its destruction by the traditions of the Pharisees. At first sight, it might appear as if Christ were setting aside the letter of the Old Testament; while in reality He only refutes the literalism of tradition, by which the true import of the law was perverted. Against every other abrogation of the law, the Lord protested on every occasion.
Mat 5:21. By them, or more correctly: To those of old, or to the ancients, .Beza, Schttgen, [our authorized version], and others, render, by them of old. But this interpretation is evidently strained, nor does it bring out the antithesis in the words of our Lord. But I say unto you. They of old, or the ancients, are evidently the old recipients of tradition, the Jewish synagogue,not the Lawgiver himself. The reference to traditionalism in the word is peculiarly apt. It were impossible to fix upon any one who had first propounded these traditions; they rather originated from the general spirit of interpretation common in the synagogue.18
Thou shalt not kill, Exo 20:13.To this the traditions of the scribes added, And whosoever shall kill, etc.a gloss which destroyed the spiritual and moral character of the law, and converted it into a rigid and merely external legal enactment. For, in the addition made by the scribes, the term kill manifestly referred only to actual murder; thus implying that the law itself applied only to the outward act of murder.Shall be in danger of the judgment: , which, according to Mat 5:22, was subject to the Sanhedrim. Every town had such a local court, the Council of Seven (consisting, according to the rabbins, of twenty-three members), which had the power of pronouncing sentence upon crimes, and of inflicting execution by the sword (Joseph. Ant. iv. 8, 14; Deu 16:18). The Sanhedrim, or the Council of Seventy, alone had authority to pronounce sentence of stoning, or to adjudicate in cases of grievous heresy and of blasphemy.
Mat 5:22. The word (omitted in Cod. B, and by some of the Fathers) is not of doubtful authority; at any rate, it would have to be mentally supplied, as the Scriptures do not condemn anger on proper occasions, or moral indignation (see Eph 4:26; the example of the Lord and His parables).19 The passage not only condemns unjust anger, but also the want of love.By the term brother, our Lord referred not merely to Jews, but to our neighbors generally.Raca. Variously interpreted as, 1. A mere interjection by way of reproach; 2. , empty head! a common term of reproach at the time. (See Buxtorf, Lex. Talm.; also Ewald, who derives it from the Araman , and renders it blackguard.) 3. From , to spit outthe prolonged imperative: Spit out, used as an interjection to designate heretics, at whom it was customary to spit. In support of this interpretation it might be argued, that the party so reproached was thereby, as it were, arraigned before the Sanhedrim.The word fool, , , indicates the hopeless, helpless fool or atheist (Psalms 14).Shall be in danger of hell fire, . Here the dative is awanting, as mention is no longer made of any tribunal, but of the punishment at once awarded to such a person. The New Testament term , or hell, must be carefully distinguished from the Jewish Sheol or Hades, which means merely the realm of the dead or the region of the departed.20 Originally, , the Valley of Hinnom; more precisely, the Valley of the Sons of Hinnom, at the southern declivity of Jerusalem. Afterward, the place where, during the apostasy, the service of Moloch was celebrated, 1Ki 11:7. King Josiah converted it into a place of abomination, where dead bodies were thrown and burnt (2Ki 23:13-14). Hence it served as a symbol of condemnation, and of the abode of lost spirits (comp. Lightfoot, Eisenmenger, Entdecktes Judenthum, and others).
Accordingly, the following are, in symbolic language, the three gradations of punishment:
(1) The sin of anger without a causein danger of the local court.
(2) The sin of imputing heresyin danger of the Sanhedrim, or the highest spiritual judicatory.
(3) The sin of condemning ones neighborin danger of immediate condemnation.
These awards of the Lord are evidently not harsh judgments, but in strict accordance with what is absolutely right. He who pronounces judgment without cause, is justly liable to the same judgment he had pronounced, in contravention of the law of love and of truth. The expression is peculiarly apt, as meaning, he is liable, or justly subject. This implies, not that he is lost in these judgments, but that he stands in need of Divine grace. In His explanation of the sixth commandment, the Lord does not allude to actual murder,according to Meyerbecause such a crime could not be supposed among believers, or, as we think, because the Lord intended to trace back every action to the state of mind from which it sprung. In that respect, he who is angry without cause stands on the same level with the murderer, just as lust in the heart is in reality adultery (1Jn 3:15).
Mat 5:23-24. Going to the temple. Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar.If thou art about to bring an offering. In accordance with the above principles, the party who deems himself offended is treated as if he were the offender, or as debtor to his brother. In short, the Lord addresses Himself to offenders generally. The passage teaches, 1. That when approaching the sanctuary, we learn to feel our personal guilt. 2. In such case, it is more urgent to pay our brother the debt of love than to discharge our debt to the temple; since an offering presented by one who is chargeable with wrong could not be acceptable to God, and the moral purification of man is the great object of the worship of God: see Mat 9:13 (the must be connected with ).In the ancient Church, it was customary for members of a family to ask each others forgiveness before going to the table of the Lord.
Mat 5:25. Going to the judgment-seat. This may be regarded as supplementary to what preceded. Agree, show thyself agreeable, , ready for reconciliation, with thine adversary, or the opponent in thy cause,applying to the legal accuser, not to the devil (Clement), nor to God (Augustine), nor to the conscience (Euthymius Zig.). It is a mistake to regard this as a mere prudential rule (Theophylact, Paulus); it embodies a principle of moral right in the form of a symbolic ordinance. Accordingly, the whole passage, as that about going to the temple, has a symbolical meaning. The term prison, , does not refer to purgatory (Roman Cath. interpreters), but to the full measure of punitive justice, which may, indeed, extend to Sheol (Olshausen: transition state).
Mat 5:26. Farthing.The word , quadrans, a quarter of an as, implies that the debt is exacted to the last balance.21 Meyer suggests that , till, indicates a term, which, however, cannot be reached.
Mat 5:28. Whosoever looketh upon a woman.The explanation of our Lord here follows immediately upon the mention of the commandment in Exo 20:14, to show that the scribes applied the commandment only to actual adultery. But while the matrimonial law of the Old Testament (although not the seventh commandment) accorded certain privileges to man in his relation to woman (such as the permission of polygamy and of divorce), the Lord here attacks and rebukes chiefly the sins of man.
To lust after her, .The word manifestly indicates the mental object or aim (Tholuck, p. 208). The statement, therefore, refers to intentional and conscious, not to unintentional desires.22 Even the latter are sinful; but, as Luther expresses it, a sinful thought, without the consent of the mind, is not mortal sin. Nevertheless it is a sin, but included in the general forgiveness (Tholuck, p. 210). In its strict grammatical bearing, the statement would imply that the most general, intentional desire of a carnal nature, is contrary to the spirit of marriage.In his heart.The heart as the centre of life, and the seat of feeling and desire.
Mat 5:29-30. And if thy right eye offend thee.The word refers to incitement to sin, which leads to the actual commission of it, and not merely to incitement generally. The eye and the hand are mentioned as the organs of temptation: the former, as the symbol of delight in locking (sense of beauty); the latter, as the symbol of converse and intercourse (social feeling, converse, friendship). The right eye and the right hand, i. e., according to the popular view, the best: in the present case, symbolically referring to the fairest view and the highest intercourse. The injunction must neither be taken literally (Fritzsche), nor as symbolical of self-denial in the right and lawful use (Grotius), but as a figure of absolute and painful renunciation.
It is profitable for thee.This cutting off and tearing out will be useful to thee. The word , which follows, shows that refers to the previous clause.This painful self-denial, this seeming self-deprivation of life and enjoyment, is real gain. For in that case only one organ of life is lost (i. e., only in one particular aspect) for this world, while in the other the whole lifehere indicated by the bodyis given over to hell. The word body is used for life, on account of the nature of this sin.
Mat 5:31. It has been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement.Christ here first takes up the later perversions of the law about divorce, and returns to the ordinances given by Moses, which He then further explains and develops. According to Deu 24:1, , uncleanness, matter of nakedness, something abominable in a femaleis admitted as a ground of divorce (Ewald, Alterthmer, p. 234). Rabbi Shammai and his school explained this as referring to adultery, while Hillel and his school applied it to anything displeasing to a husband (comp. Joseph. Antiq. iv. 8, 23). Rosenmller, Schol. on Deu 24:1, sqq. Rabbi Akiba went even further, and permitted divorce in case a man should meet with a more pleasing woman; see Wetstein.Meyer. The difference between the two schools consisted not merely in this, that while Shammai limited divorce to adultery, Hillel allowed it in a great variety of cases; but that Shammai insisted on the necessity of a criminal and legal cause for divorce, while Hillel left it to the inclination of the individual. The terms employed by Moses implied at least the germ of those spiritual views concerning marriage which were the aim of the theocracy. But the teaching of Hillel destroyed that germ, and converted the law of Moses into a cloak for adulterous lust. As the Lord shows in another place, Moses allowed a bill of divorce in the case of moral aberrations on the part of a wife, in order to limit the number of divorces. The Rabbins reversed the meaning of the law by saying Moses has commanded, Mat 19:7. The practice of divorce was an ancient and traditional custom, which Moses limited by insisting on a definite motive, and on a regular bill of divorce. Hence, (according to custom), (according to the new arrangement in Israel). Its object was not merely to serve as evidence that the marriage had been legally dissolved, and that the woman was at liberty to marry another man (Ewald), but to render divorce more difficult.
Mat 5:32. Save for the cause of fornication, .This exceptional case is not mentioned in Mar 10:11, nor in Luk 16:18; but occurs again in Mat 19:9 ( ), and must be supplied in the parallel passages,the more so, as, according to Lev 20:10, adultery was to be punished with death. Calov, Meyer, and others, maintain that the mention of this one ground of divorce excludes every other; while de Wette thinks that this one implies others also. But the question is not so simple as appears at first sight. We must distinguish between the legislation of the theocracy and that of the state which is intermediate between Moses and Christ; and again, between these two and the spiritual law binding upon Christians, and derived from the word of Christ. Moses permitted a bill of divorce, not to weaken, but to protect the marriage relationship. Absolutely to forbid all divorce, would have amounted to a practical sanction of the then customary low views on the subject of marriage, and to a rejection of the spiritual principles connected with it. Hence Moses introduced the bill of divorce, which rendered separation difficult, by requiring an adequate cause for it, as in Deu 24:1. This arrangement was intended as a lever gradually to elevate the views of the people from the former customary laxity to the spiritual ideal ultimately aimed at. It was left to the gradual development of spiritual life in Israel more clearly to determine and to settle the only sufficient motive for divorce, at which Moses had darkly hinted. This Christ did when He exhibited the full ideal of the law, by the words . But the practical difficulty which the State has to encounter in its legislation on this point, is that it cannot anticipate this interpretation of the Lord without raising the legal ordinances higher than the idea of marriage commonly entertained by the people. Still, this interpretation must always be the goal aimed at. Standing at that goal, our Lord does not refer to the recognition of an actual divorce, but to a positive divorce, when a man repudiates his wife. To make such a divorce, is certainly not allowed except for the sake of fornication. But it is another question, whether, if the divorce is actually accomplished by the other party, we are warranted in regarding and accepting it as accomplished. To this question Paul gives an affirmative reply in 1Co 7:15. The only difficulty lies in the question, Under what circumstances other than fornication a divorce may be regarded as actually accomplished by the seceding party? In this respect, the explanations which our Lord adds, may be taken as a final directory.
Causeth her to commit adulteryviz., by contracting another marriage. Strictly speaking, the actual adultery consists in, and dates from, the re-marriage of the woman who had been divorced. The following is the state of the case as laid down by the Lord. In the passage under consideration, we are told that he causeth her to commit adultery; and in Matthew 19, that he who divorces a woman, and marrieth another, himself committeth adultery. In the former case, the husband who divorces his wife is morally the cause of her committing adultery, and in that respect even more culpable than she. Still, the stigma of adultery is only attached to marriage after divorce, or to fornication before divorce. This implies, that where the guilty or the divorcing party has not actually committed the act of adultery (as above defined), the other party is in Christian duty bound to wait in faith and patience. This is the intermediate stage, or separation a mensa et thoro, which is the only kind of divorce allowed by the Roman Church: another species of legalism, by which the words of our Saviour are first converted into a literal ordinance, and next, the letter of the commandmentthe itself is annulled. The bad consequences of this arrangement are sufficiently notorious in the degeneracy of the marriage relation in Roman Catholic countries, especially in South America.
Our Lord, says Meyer, does not refer to the case of adultery committed by the man,there being no occasion for it, since a woman, according to the law of Moses, could not divorce her husband. But the spirit of Christian ethics fully justifies and requires the application of the statement to the other case. However, it ought to be noted, that Christ speaks three different times of the sin of the man, but never of the woman: (1) Whosoever looketh on woman, etc.; (2) whosoever shall put away his wife, etc.; (3) whosoever shall marry her who is divorced, etc.Comp. Heubner, p. 68.
Mat 5:33. Thou shalt not forswear thyself, (swear falsely): Exo 20:7; Lev 19:12.In this instance, also, the Lord first reverts to the law as given by Moses, showing its full and spiritual import, and then condemns the perversions of it introduced by traditionalism. Like divorce, the practice of taking an oath was an ancient custom, which existed before the time of Moses. Considering it indispensable in civil causes, the legislator adopted it in his code (Exo 22:11, comp. Heb 6:16), just as he admitted divorce. But as all license was restrained by the enactment concerning the bill of divorce, so all levity by the ordinances attaching to an oath, viz.: (1) by the condemnation of a false oath, Exo 20:7; Lev 19:12; (2) by the injunction to regard vows as sacred, and to fulfil them, Num 30:3; (3) by the direction to take an oath only in the name of the Lord, Deu 6:13. Hence, when Christ ordains, Swear not at all, He enters fully into the spirit of this legislation, and fulfils this law, or carries it to its ideal. The internal agreement between the saying of the Lord and the law of Moses is evident. As, in the case of the law of divorce, Jesus had brought out the latent prohibition of Moses, by presenting it without the temporary and conditional permission attaching to it; so here also the same latent prohibition appears when the Saviour carries out the spirit of the limitations introduced by Moses, which ultimately aimed at the complete abrogation of the oath. But the law of Moses was intended to bring out the spiritual nature of marriage, and not as absolute legislation on the subject. Similarly, his ordinances concerning oaths were not intended to abrogate them completely, but to bring out the ultimate idea of an oaththe yea, yea, nay, nay!both as before God. In these instances, however, Christ aims not merely after a negative, but after a positive result,in the present case, to introduce the oath in its spiritual aspect. Accordingly, He now shows the difference between it and the practice common among the Jews. This consists not merely in the fact, that what had been sanctioned for judicial procedure was now used in every-day life, but also in the introduction of additional asseverations and of self-imprecations in the common mode of taking oaths, . These asseverations by heaven, by earth, etc.this pledging as it were of things over which we have no controlare manifestly sinful. In a certain sense, they convert an oath into a curse. Hence, rendering the words of Christ according to their import, we might almost translate them: But I say unto you, Curse not, not at all! Since the oath, in the proper sense of the term, had thus degenerated, and been almost completely perverted, it was to cease, but only in order to give place to what was implied in the true idea of the oaththe calm and solemn attestation: yea, yea; nay, nay; as in the presence of God. The relation in which the Christian State and the Christian citizen stand to this absolute spiritua law, is the same as we formerly noticed in reference to marriage. So far as our own personal conduct is concerned, we are to adopt in the fullest sense the New Testament direction (Jam 5:12); it is the duty of the State to aim after realizing the ideal here set before it, while the Christian citizen is bound humbly to submit. (In this, and in similar respects, it is important to distinguish between the duty of bearing testimony and that of obedience. There is no inconsistency, for example, in the Christian minister, who as an evangelist is opposed to all war, and yet acts as an humble and efficient military chaplain.) This explanation Christ has sanctioned by His example. Like the patriarchs of old (Gen 21:23-24; Gen 31:33; Gen 47:31), He acknowledged the lawfulness of the adjuration before the Sanhedrin (Mat 26:64). It is not an isolated error when certain sectariansas the Anabaptists of the Reformation period, the Mennonites, and the Quakersconfound the duty of the individual Christian as such with that of the citizen; the mistake goes far deeper. They deny in principle the moral and educational character and object of the State, which is intended to be subservient to the kingdom of heaven and to promote it. From the example of Paul (Rom 9:1; 2Co 11:10) we gather how the spiritual nature of the oath appears, when the Christian appeals to his fellowship with God in support of the reality and certainty of his assertions. Viewed in this light, the oath of the Christian is based even on that of the Lord Himself (Isa 45:23; Heb 6:13). God swears by Himself, i. e., He appeals to His absolute and personal certitude; and the Christian swears before God, when he solemnly attests his statement under a calm sense of the presence of, and of communion with, God. It is the duty of the State more and more to modify the oath in conformity to the spirit of the gospel, and to acknowledge a simple Christian assurance as equivalent to an oath. The Church cannot require an oath without obscuring the consciousness of standing before the Lord with all the solemn affirmations and vows of her members. Comp. on the different explanations Heubner, Com. p. 71 [and Tholuck, Bergpredigt, p. 258275].
The scribes insisted on the obligatory character of vows, but distinguished between oaths which were binding and others which were not binding. Maimonides: Si quis jurat per clum, per terram, per solem, non est juramentum. Comp. Mat 23:16 Similarly, Philo regarded oaths by heaven, by earth, etc., as not very important, and advised that they should be employed rather than a direct appeal to the Most High God.
Mat 5:34. Swear not at all.For the different interpretations of this prohibition, comp. Tholuck.To swear not at all, if it be incompatible with due reverence toward God (Tholuck).Not to swear lightly in ordinary life (Berlepsch),not to swear after the manner and in the sense of the Jews (Matthi).Strict prohibition which is binding, so far as the kingdom of heaven is concerned, but not applying to our duty as citizens in the State (de Wette, Meyer).Absolute prohibition binding at all times, and under all circumstances (the Quakers) Comp. also Winer, Heubner, Gschel (Der Eid), etc.23
Mat 5:34-36. Neither by heaven, etc.These modes of swearing were customary at the time among the Jews. Comp. Philo, De spec. leg. 776; Lightfoot; Meuschen, Novum Testam. ex Talm. illustr. p. 58.Meyer. [Dr. Thomson in his excellent work, The Land and the Book, vol. i., p. 284, says of the modern Orientals that they are fearfully profane. Everybody curses and swears when in a passion. No people that I have ever known can compare with these Orientals for profaneness in the use of the names and attributes of God. They swear by the head, by their life, by heaven, and by the temple, or, what is in its place, the church. The forms of cursing and swearing, however, are almost infinite, and fall on the pained ear all day long.P. S.]
Mat 5:37. But let your communication be, Yea, yea, Nay, nay.Similar expressions in the Rabbins, and . Beza: Let your affirmative communication be yea, your negative, nay. Grotius: Let your affirmation and negation be in accordance with fact. Meyer: The repetition in the formula indicates emphasis in the assurance. Jam 5:12 : Let your yea be yea, and your nay be nay. Luther: A yea that is yea. (The same as Grotius.) Undoubtedly, the intention is to combine decidedness of assurance with the certitude of the fact. But the positive import of the yea, yea, is overlooked by those who imagine that the Lord concludes with a mere negative result. The true oath consists in the simple asseveration, uttered in perfect consciousness and under a sense of the presence of God, before Him, and in Him.
Cometh of evil, .1. Euthym. Zig., . Similarly Chrysostom, Theophylact, Beza, Zwingle, Fritzsche, Meyer, and others. 2. From the , of evil, as a neuter.The two in so far agree, as Christ uniformly traces all , or evil in the world, to the . The statement, however, is not to be interpreted as meaning, that the traditional mode of swearing is of the devil, but as implying that the kingdom of darkness has occasioned this kind of asseverations; and that actual evil also attaches to them, in as far as they indicate a want of reverence, a pledging of things which belong to God, and a kind of imprecation.
Mat 5:38. An eye for an eye, Exo 21:24.The right of retribution, jus talionis. A general principle of law, presented here in the form of a proverb, and applied to a special case. This principle was undoubtedly introduced into the judicature, not to foster revenge (as de Wette imagines), but to substitute law for private vengeance (Lev 19:18). We agree with Tholuck, that the Pharisees, in this instance, converted a principle of judicature into a rule of everyday life. But Meyer is likewise right in adding, that a Christian should not exact even judicial vengeance from his neighbor, as also appears from the word , which follows.
Mat 5:39-42. But I say unto you, Resist not .Chrysostom and Theophylact refer this to the devil; Augustin and Calvin, to wrong; Tholuck, to evil; de Wette and Meyer, to an evil person. The words are apparently in favor of the latter interpretation. But, on the other hand, the idea of evil men scarcely applies to the various cases afterward enumerated. We are not to resistas we understand itthe evil that is in the world (the combination of sin and evil):
(1) As we encounter it in violent offenders;
(2) As we encounter it in litigious accusers;
(3) As we encounter it in intrusive applicants for favors, or else slavish instruments of superior powers;
(4) As we encounter it in beggars and borrowers.
Beggars and borrowers can scarcely be ranked among evil men. Hence our Lord must refer to the sin and evil in the world which is conquered by wise and Christian submission, rather than by strenuous resistance. In all the instances just mentioned, we do not yield from weakness to the course of events, but voluntarily desist from our just claims in the exercise of self-denying love. This yielding, in reality, constitutes true heroism, by which alone injustice can be conquered. To be merely passive or non-resistant were weakness; but a passiveness which springs from Christian principle, and has a spiritual object in view, is true strength and real victory. To present the left cheek to him who smites us on the right, is to return the blow in the right sense; to give the cloak, is to have gained the suit about the coat; to go two miles instead of the one that is imposed on us, is to overcome the arbitrary power that would coerce us; to meet the wants of others, is to render begging impossible; and not to turn away from him who would borrow, is to train him to right independence.
Of course, these expressions, in their paradox form, must not be taken literally. The fundamental idea of the passage is, that Christian love must make us willing to bear twice as much as the world, in its injustice, could demand. But in this case also, the requirements of the moral law must guide us in applying the principle here laid down to every particular instance (comp. the example of the Lord, Joh 18:22).
Mat 5:40. , litigare, to sue at law. (coat), the under garment., the more expensive upper garment or cloak, which was also used for a covering at night, and hence could not be retained as a pledge over night (comp. Luk 6:29).
Mat 5:41. Compel. , a word introduced from the Persian into the Greek and into rabbinical language; meaning, to compel for the purposes of transport, or for conveying messengers, in accordance with the postal arrangements of Cyrus, who authorized messengers to compel others to convey them: Herod, viii. 98.24 This compulsion is mentioned third, because those who did it were officially obliged to resort to such measures. Besides, the word is here used in a more general sense, referring to a traveller who exacts under the stress of necessity. From the above we conclude, that those mentioned in the fourth example do not belong to a different category, as Ewald suggests.
Mat 5:43. Thy neighbor, , Lev 19:18.This passage referred in the first instance, as the context shows, to Jews, although Mat 5:34 proves that it includes love to our neighbors generally. The Pharisees argued, that the injunction to love our neighbor implied that it referred only to such, and that all Gentiles were to be hated. They went even further, and regarding those only as Jews who adhered to traditionalism, stigmatized as strangers not merely Gentiles, but publicans, and every one who shared not their peculiar views. But their great argument was, that every one who was not a Jew was an enemy, and that every enemy should be hated. Hence their pride and contempt of men, the odium generis humani. Meyer adds, that the casuistic tradition of the Pharisees explained the word neighbor as meaning friend, and inferring from itperhaps in connection with Deu 25:17-19 (comp. Mal 1:3)that every enemy should be hated,a principle, as is well known, shared also by the Greeks. But we see no reason for identifying the system of the Pharisees with the popular prejudices of the Gentiles. According to Grotius, the inferenceto hate our enemieswas derived by the Pharisees from the command of God to destroy the Canaanites, etc.,a statement which scarcely deserves the serious refutation of Heubner and Gerlach. The latter was manifestly a special theocratic injunction, bearing reference to the heathen institutions of the Canaanites, and not to the people as individuals (as appears from the history of Rahab).
Mat 5:44. Love your enemies,is the principle from which all the following directions flow. The expression must be taken in all its literality, and the injunction is universally applicable.By his very hatred, our enemy becomes our neighbor, since his hatred tempts us to retaliate, and leaves us no choice but to fall, or else to defend ourselves by the weapons of love. In the latter case, cursing is met with blessing; hatred, which leads to injuries, by well-doing; threatening, or calumniating in secret (, from , threat, contumely), and persecution, by prayer and intercession on our part. Comp. Cyprian, De mortalitate, and Heubner, p. 76.
Mat 5:45. That ye may be.The expression refers not merely to final salvation in the kingdom of heaven, but means, that ye may prove yourselves really the children of God, His sons, in the peculiar sense explained in Mat 5:9. For this constitutes the evidence of being peacemakers, whose great model is Christ Himself.The Lord appeals to the example of His Father, in order to show the nature and universality of highest love; while the publicans and the heathen exemplify the egotism and narrow-mindedness of a selfish community,a sin of which the Pharisees also were guilty, and which they sought to invest with the halo of special sanctity.
Mat 5:46. The publicans, , partly natives and partly Romans, employed in the service of the Roman knights who had leased the taxes of the country. They were disliked as being the representatives of Roman domination, and for their rigor and exactions. The Pharisees no doubt regarded them as under the ban, and in the same category as Gentiles (comp. Mat 18:17).
Mat 5:47. And if ye salute.The persons saluted are here designated as brethren, meaning co-religionists. Hence the salutation indicates friendliness and readiness to serve.25
Mat 5:48. Be ye therefore perfect,in the moral sense, perfectness being your ultimate aim.26
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. The Lord purposely makes no reference to pure Antinomianism, because such opposition to the law exposed or condemned itself. But He rends the veil of pretended adherence to the law under which traditionalism sought to hide its real Antinomianism, and shows how in all its essential features it is destructive of the lawa hostility which at last manifested itself in all its fulness in the crucifixion of Christ. This tendency springs from a rigid and carnal adherence to the letter, which takes away the symbolical import of the letter, and at the same time converts the law into a series of secular and external traditions. Traditionalism first converts the law itself into traditions, and then adds its own special traditions by way of explanation. It assumes various forms: externalism, which results from the spiritual deadness of legalism; perversion or detraction from the true import of the law, as prompted by the dictates of lust or passion; and, finally, apparent increase of rigidness resulting from egotism, fanaticism, and spiritual pride. Thus, what was meant to serve as the eternal foundation of humanity became changed into hatred of mankind.What is here said of Old Testament traditionalism equally applies to that of the medival Church, in its relation to the Gospel.
2. Some have difficulty in regarding Christianity as the genuine development of the teaching of Moses and of the prophets. This partly arises from the circumstance that, notwithstanding the express statements of the Lord, many imagine that Christ abolished the law of Moses in its substance. The statements of Paul about the abolition of the law, so far as its temporary form was concerned (Eph 2:15; Col 2:14), are similarly misinterpreted, while his declaration in Rom 3:31 is entirely overlooked. It is only when we learn to trace throughout all history a double course of traditionone internal and ideal, the other external and ever lapsing into secularismthat we fully understand the difference and the agreement between the Old and the New Dispensation. Hegel, too, only knew of the external tradition, and assumes that Socrates and Christ died according to law.
3. The positive idea underlying this section is, that in the doctrine of Christ the teaching of Moses was fulfilled and carried to its spiritual ideal. Murder, adultery, profane swearing, revenge, and the rancor and selfishness of party spirit, are destroyed, not merely in their outward manifestations, but in their root. In their stead, Jesus sets before us a holy, spiritual gentleness, a holy and spiritual marriage, a holy and spiritual oath, a holy and spiritual retribution, and a holy and spiritual love toward our neighbor. These, however, are only instances by which the whole law must be explained. Five are mentioned as being the symbolical number of liberty and moral development, whether for good or evil.
4. Christ is the end and the fulfilment of the law (Rom 10:4; Rom 13:10). Here, then, we have another picture of the life of Jesus. The Sermon on the Mount presents to our view the righteousness of Jesus in itself; here, we have it in its contrast with that of the Pharisees and scribes. Himself, however, in holy meekness, stands in the background, and only presents to His disciples this picture, as constituting their heavenly calling.
5. It is strangely and sadly characteristic of the Church of Rome, that it should have converted these fulfilments of the law of Moses into so-called consilia evangelica, and thus declared them, (1) not universally binding; (2) a directory for a species of higher legal righteousness,such, for example, as that of the monks. Similar instances of strangewe had almost said, fatalmisinterpretation by the same Church, occur in connection with the two swords, Luk 22:38, the Lords Prayer, the laws on matrimony, etc.
[6. Mat 5:48. Be ye perfect, etc. We who are created in Gods image, and restored in Christ, and made partakers of the divine nature in Him, are bound by the conditions of our creation, redemption, and sanctification, to endeavor to be like Him here, that we may have the fruition of His glorious Godhead hereafter. Eph 4:1; 1Pe 1:15; 1Jn 2:1.]
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
The righteousness of the kingdom of heaven, and that of the Pharisees and scribes: 1. The former spiritual from the Spirit of God; the latter worldly, and from the spirit of the world. 2. The former implying a state of mind; the latter, outward and merely apparent service. 3. The former continuing throughout eternity; the latter passing away with the world.A living and true faith, and dead ortho doxy.Antagonism between the spirit of the law and the mere letter of the law.True and false tradition.The ordinances of man an abolition of the commandments of God.While pretending to make a hedge around the law (which itself was a hedge), the Pharisees trod down the plants in the garden of the Lord.The perversions of truth which appeal under the guise of enforcing truth.On the difference between It is written, and It has been saidIt has been said, as pointing to the impure source of tradition. 1. It has been said; but we know not by whom, where, or when; 2. It has been said, by religious indolence, by carnality and deadness.It has been said, or the origin of tradition within the kingdom of God.Our proper respect for what is ancient appears in proper reverence for what is eternal, which is at the same time both old and new.The hearts of the fathers must be turned to the children, then shall the hearts of the children also be turned to the fathers (Mal 3:7; Luk 1:17).The word of the Lord: But I say unto you.If the letter of the law were carried out to its full length, it would consume the world, as did the fire of Elijah.Christ condemning the service of the letter by the spirit of the letter.Contrast between It has been said to them of old, and But I say unto you. 1. In the one case, it is the general unspiritual mass that speaks; here, it is the highest Personagethe Lord Himself. 2. In the former case, it has been said to past generations; in this, the Lord speaks to those around Him. 3. The former is a tradition from the grave; the latter, a word of life to the living.The explanation given by the Lord of the commandment, Thou shall not kill. 1. His correction of traditionalism; 2. the law of the spirit.(The same remarks apply to our Lords explanation of the other commandments.)The anger of passion, the way to judgment and to hell.The passion of anger appearing in reproaches.He that judgeth set right in judgment: 1. Sudden passion set right by the dignity of the secular judgment-seat. 2. He who charges others with heresy set right by the judgment of the Church. 3. He who condemns set right by history, or the prospect of condemnation.Going to the temple, an admonition to reconciliation.Going to the judge, an exhortation to render satisfaction.The sanctity of marriage, as opposed both to concupiscence and to divorce.The sacred oath under the New Covenant is Yea, yea; Nay, nay.The law of retribution: 1. Private vengeance giving place to law; 2. vengeance left to the proper authorities; 3. vengeance left to the Lord.Our enemy becomes our neighbor by his aggressions upon us, which leave us no choice but either to hate or to love.Love toward our enemies the weapon of spiritual defence against them.Sunshine and rain preaching toleration and love.The Divine rule equally over the good and the evil.Sacred meditations during sunshine.Sacred meditations during the rain.Party spirit only a different form of egotism.Party spirit under the guise of sanctity: 1. So far as our own nation is concerned; 2. so far as our religion is concerned; 3. so far as our own ecclesiastical denomination is concerned.Love the bond of perfectness in spiritual life.To feel that malice is weakness leads to pity.The children of the Father in heaven: 1. Like their Father, they care for the world; 2. they bring it sunshine and rain; 3. in their Father they are hid from the world.
Starke:Pharisaical legalists cannot but explain the law falsely.The law is spiritual.The Gospel has regard to the spirit, not to the letter, 2Co 3:6.As one sin is more grievous than another (Joh 19:11), so the temporal and eternal punishments of God also ( Mat 5:11; Mat 5:22; Mat 5:24).A genuine Christian will abstain from all opprobrious epithets.All your worship is vain, so long as your heart retains enmity. Reconciliation is more necessary than anything else.God has made our forgiveness the condition of His, Job 42:8; 1Pe 3:7.He who neither forgives nor asks forgiveness, nor makes restitution, renders himself unworthy of the Lords table.Let us not lose the season of grace.True repentance is painful, but salutary.If thine eye offend thee, etc.; see Col 3:5.Men like to interpret the Scriptures according to their corrupt inclinations.We must enter into the married estate in the fear of God, if our union is to prove happy.If we suffer violence and bear it patiently, we shall be able to derive advantage even from the injustice of men.To give and to lend are both fruits of love, Psa 112:5.Even to love our enemies is regarded as too difficult; but who among us thinks of blessing them and of praying for them?Oh where shall we find Christians among these Christians? Hos 4:1.By faith we become the children of God, Rom 8:14; Gal 3:26. But love proves that we resemble our Father (1Jn 3:10), who is love, 1Jn 4:8.If God had not loved us when we were still His enemies, we should never have become His children, Rom 5:8-9; and now we should cease to be the children of God if we ceased to follow Him in love, Eph 5:1-2God would disarm our enemies by His long-suffering and by our kindness.Love toward our enemies is both an evidence of sonship and a means of strengthening it, 2Pe 1:10.Let us set more by the example of God than by that of the world, with its hatred and callousness, Luk 6:36.God rewards only such virtue of which Himself is the beginning and the end.God is willing to help all men, and His own people share the same mind, Rom 10:1.Many are ready to imitate God in His punitive justice, but few in His love.
Lisco:(The pericope Mat 5:20-26.) Those who have part in the kingdom of heaven cannot rest satisfied with the righteousness which Judaism regarded as sufficient, and which consisted in mere legalism and outward morality, without regard to the mind and heart.True love is the sacrifice of all sacrifices.Sinful lust must die in our hearts, and purity spring up, Mat 18:8; Mar 9:43.Every oath is a solemn asseveration of truth, in which God is invoked as witness of the truth and avenger of untruth. Hence it always bears reference to God; and, whether it be in the form of witness-bearing or solemn promise, it is always an act of worship.True love must bear and submit, and thus prevail. But this does not imply that we are not allowed to seek assistance or protection from magistrates or judges, who are instituted by God for that very purpose (Rom 13:4).There is in these commandments of Christ a progression from what is easier to what is more difficult.To love our enemies was commanded even in the Old Testament, Exo 23:4-5; Pro 25:21. Hence it was a lying addition to the command of God, to say, Thou shalt hate thine enemy.Christ says, Your Father and My Father, but never, Our Father; the distinction is always marked, Joh 1:12Perfect love is perfect bliss.
Gerlach:The Old Testament itself contained the germ which was destined to burst through all husks.Luther: Thinkest thou that God refers only to thy fist when He says, Thou shalt not kill? Whosoever does not love is a murderer, 1Jn 3:15.Every one of us is on his way to the Judge, without knowing how long the road may be.The heart belongs to God, it is the temple of the Holy Ghost. Who would not be afraid to commit adultery in a temple made of stone? and shall we not be afraid to do it in our hearts?27Chrysostom: Have you noticed how many steps He has gone up, and how He has now placed us on the very summit of virtue? Look back! The first step upward was to do no wrong to our neighbor; the second, not to reward evil for evil, if he had done us wrong; the third, not to revile him, but to remain silent; the fourth, to offer our persons in order to take wrong; the fifth, to offer more than the offender demands; the sixth, not to hate him who had done us wrong; the seventh, even to love him; the eighth, to do him good; the ninth, to entreat God for him. Do you now perceive the full height of Christian virtue?Every further explanation of His requirements on the part of God is based on a fresh manifestation of His holy character and love.
Heubner:If you are angry with a child of your Father, how can you venture to approach the Father? Pericope for the 6th Sunday after Trinity: False and true righteousness: 1. their character; 2. their manifestations; 3. their effects.Speners sermon on this text preached at Frankfort, a. d. 1669.Thou hast cleft my heart in twain. Oh! throw away the worsen part of it, and live the purer with the other half: Shakspeare (Hamlet, Mat 3:4).Not to resist, does not mean to submit patiently and passively to all aggressions, but not to meet evil by evil.Harms: The close connection between love to our neighbor and true religion. [1. Love to our neighbor is one of the grounds of true religion, and leads to it. 2. Love to our neighbor is part of true religion, and belongs to it. 3. Love to our neighbor is a consequence of true religion.]28Marheineke: What that righteousness is which excels the righteousness of the Pharisees and scribes: 1. Love to the commandment, yet not disjoined from love to God; 2. love to God, yet not disjoined from love to man; 3. love to man, yet not disjoined from love to our neighbor.Schleier macher (Sermons, vol. 4): What the Lord would have us to learn from these words, especially with reference to united worship and service.Kniewel: The righteousness of the Pharisees (its character; how to avoid it).
ADDENDA
BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR
The Sinaitic Manuscript of the Bible, which Professor Tischendorf rescued from the obscurity of the Convent of St Catharine on Mount Sinai, and carefully edited in two editions in 1862 and 1863,* two years after the issue of the third edition of Dr. Langes Commentary on Matthew, has been carefully compared in preparing the American edition of this work from Chapter 8 to the close of the Gospel of Matthew. I thought I was the first to do so, but just before I finished the last pages of this volume, I found that Bumlein, in his Commentary on the Gospel of St. John,** and Meyer, in the fifth edition of his Commentary on Matthew, both of which appeared in 1864, had preceded me, at least in print. No critical scholar can ignore this manuscript hereafter. For it is the only complete, and perhaps the oldest of all the uncial codices of the Bible, or at least of the same age and authority as the celebrated Vatican Codex (which is traced by some to the middle of the fourth century), and far better edited by the German Protestant Professor, Tischendorf, than the latter was by the Italian Cardinal, Angelo Mai. In the absence of a simpler mark agreed upon by critics (the proposed designation by the Hebrew has not yet been adopted, and is justly objected to by Tregelles and others on the ground of typographical inconvenience), I introduce it always as Cod. Sin., and I find that Dr. Meyer in the fifth edition does the same. As I could not procure a copy of the printed edition of this Codex till I had finished the first seven chapters, I now complete the critical part of the work by adding its more important readings in the first seven chapters where they differ from the textus receptus, on which the authorized English, as well as all the older Protestant Versions of the Greek Testament are substantially based.
*Novum Testamentum Sinaiticum, sive Novum Testamentum cum Epistola Barnab et Fragmentis Pastoris (Herm). Ex Codice Sinaitico auspiciis Alexandri II., omnium Russiarum imperatoris, ex tenebris protracto orbique litterarum tradito accurate descripsit notheus Friderious Constantinus Tischendorf, theol. et phil. Dr., etc. etc. Lipsi, 1863. The text is arranged in four columns and covers 148 folios; the learned Prolegomena of the editor 81 folios. There is besides a magnificent photo-lithographed fac-simile edition of the whole Sinaitic Bible, published at the expense of the Emperor of Russia, in 4 volumes (3 for the Old and 1 for the New Testament, the latter in 148 folios), under the title: Bibliorum Codex Sinaiticus Petropolitanus. Auspiciis augustissimis imperatoris Alexandri II. ed. Const. Tischendorf. Petropoli, 1862. A copy of this rare edition I have also consulted occasionally, in the Astor Library of New York. For fuller information on this important Codex (in the words of Tischendorf: omnium codicum uncialium solus integer omniumque antiquissimus), we must refer the reader to the ample Prolegomena of Tischendorf, also to an article of Hilgenfeld in his Zeitschrift fr wissenschaftliche Theologie, vol. vii. (1864), p. 74 ff. (who is disposed to assign it to a somewhat later age), and to Scriveners treatise, which I have not seen.
**Hengstenberg, in his Commentary on John, concluded in 1863, pays no attention whatever to this Codex, and is very defective in a critical point of view
Mat 5:30.Cod. Sin. sustains the Vatican Codex, Vulgata (eat), etc., Lachmann, Tischendorf, Tregelles, and Alford, in reading , should depart into hell, instead of the lect. rec. , should be cast into hell, which seems to be a correction to suit the preceding verse.
Mat 5:44.Cod. Sin. reads simply: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, and omits after the words from to (bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you), and after the words: (who despitefully use you and). It agrees in this omission with Cod. B., Copt., Iren., Orig., Euseb., and other fathers. Lachmann, Tischendorf, Tregelles, and Alford, expunge the words referred to, as an interpolation from Luk 6:28; but de Wette and Meyer object, since the order of the clauses in Luke is different, and since the homoteleuta could easily cause omissions. The words , however, are very suspicious, and in all probability inserted from Luk 6:28. Hence Meyer, also, gives them up.
Mat 5:47.Cod. Sin. sustains , heathen, with B., D., Z., verss. and fathers against , publicans, which seems to have been inserted from Mat 5:46, as already remarked on p. 112, Crit. Note 6.
Mat 6:1.Cod. Sin. agrees here again with the Vatican MS. (also D., Syr., Hieros., Itala, Vulgata, several fathers, Lachm., Tischend., Treg., Alf.), in reading , righteousness, instead of (text, rec., Matthi, Scholz), which is a mistaken gloss, the general nature of this opening caution not being perceived.
Footnotes:
[12] Mat 5:21.[, to the ancients, is the interpretation of the Greek fathers, the ancient versions, and all the English versions from Wiclifs to the Genevan incl., and also that of Rheims. This is certainly much more natural than the rare and mostly questionable ablative use of the dative case, which Beza, in his later editions, preferred, and which passed into the E. V. of 1611. Bengel (Gnomon in loc.) remarks: Antitheton, vobis; undo patet, , antiquis, (patribus, tempore Mosis) non esse casu sexto: faciliorque est constructio: dictum est antiquis, id est, ad antiquos, quam ab antiquis. The word is always followed in the N. T. or the Septuagint by the substantive which denotes the person to whom (not by whom) the words were spoken, comp. Rom 9:12; Rom 9:26; Gal 3:16; Rev 6:11; Rev 9:4. Comp. also Com.P. S.]
[13] Mat 5:22., without cause, omitted by Cod. B., several minuscule MSS., translations, and fathers. [Lachmann and Tischendorf omit it, and Tregelles marks it as very doubtful. Alford retains it, and there is sufficient ancient authority for it to justify its continuance in the popular translations.P. S.]
[14] Mat 5:27.[The critical authorities are against of the text. rec. in this verse, and throw it out of the text. But Dr. Lange retains it in his transl. Comp. Mat 5:31; Mat 5:38; Mat 5:43, where these words are likewise omitted.P. S.]
[15] Mat 5:44.[The clauses of the received text: bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, are marked as doubtful by Griesbach, and omitted in the modern critical editions; but they are genuine in the parallel passage, Luk 6:27-28. Hence Dr. Lange retains them here in his translation.P. S.]
[16] Mat 5:44.The words: which despitefully use you and [ ] are omitted by some authorities. [Lachmann Tischendorf, Tregelles, and Alford omit them, and Meyer is disposed to regard them as an interpolation from Luk 6:28.P. S.]
[17] Mat 5:47.[Dr. Lange translates: die Heiden, the heathen, following the reading: (Vulgata: ethnici), which is better authenticated in Mat 5:47 than , publicani. The latter seems to have been taken from Mat 5:46, where is universally sustained. See Tischend., Lachm., Tregelles, and Alford ad loc.P. S.]
[18][Dr. Alford, ad loc.: Meyer (ed. 2) has well observed [Dr. Bengel did it before him] that corresponds to , and the to the understood subject of . He has not, however, apprehended the deeper truth which underlies the omission of the subject of ., that it was the same Person who said both. It will be noticed that our Lord does not here speak against the abuse of the law by tradition, but that every instance here given is either from the law itself, or such traditional teaching as was in accordance with it. The contrasts here are not between the law misunderstood and the law rightly understood, but between the law and its ancient exposition, which in their letter, and as given, were and the same as spiritualized, , by Christ; not between two lawgivers, Moses and Christ, but between and ; between (the idea is Chrysostoms) the children by the same husband, of the bondwoman and of the freewoman. Dr. Wordsworth: to those of old (Chrys., Theoph., Maldon., Beng.), at the beginning of Gods written revelation, contradistinguished from , to whom I now speak face to face. Our Lord not only opposes the Pharisaic corruptions of the decalogue, but He unfolds it. He gives the kernel of it, its spirit, in opposition to those who dwelt only on the letter; for the letter (i. e., taken alone) killeth, but the spirit (added to it) giveth life, Rom 7:14; 2Co 3:6.P. S.]
[19][Grotius, ad loc., makes the appropriate remark: Merito additum. Neque eum iracundus est quisquis irasci solet, sed qui , , , at Aristoteles loquitur.P. S.]
[20][The English C. V., as also Luthers German V., have almost obliterated the distinction between hell and hades in the popular mind, by translating and alike hell Hlle). The term occurs 12 times in the N. T., viz., Mat 5:22; Mat 5:29-30; Mat 10:28; Mat 18:9; Mat 23:15; Mat 23:33; Mar 9:43; Mar 9:45; Mar 9:47; Luk 12:5; Jam 3:6, and is always correctly rendered hell. The term (sheol, spirit-world, region of the departed, underworld, Todtenreich, Unterwelt) occurs 11 times in the N. T., viz., Mat 11:23; Mat 16:18; Luk 10:15; Luk 16:23; Act 2:27; Act 2:31; 1Co 15:55; Rev 1:18; Rev 6:8; Rev 20:13-14, and is inaccurately rendered hell in all cases except 1Co 15:55, where the authorized Version translates grave. The difference of the two terms has an important bearing on the doctrine of Christs descent into Hades, and of the status intermedius between death and the resurrection.P. S.]
[21][As is one of the smallest denominations of coin, the English farthing and the German Heller are the precise equivalents as to meaning, and therefore good translations.P. S.]
[22][Dr. Alford, ad loc.: The , must not be interpreted of the casual evil thought which is checked by holy watchfulness, but the gazing with a view to feed that desire (for so with an infinitive must mean).P. S.]
[23][We add the explanations of the latest English and American commentators on Matthew. Dr. Alford (Episcopalian), 4th Engl. ed. ad loc.: In the words. Swear not at all, our Lord does not so much make a positive enactment by which all swearing is to individuals forbidder, e. g on solemn occasions, and for the satisfaction of others (for that would be a mere technical Pharisaism wholly at variance with the spirit of the Gospel, and inconsistent with the example of God Himself, Heb 6:13-17; Heb 7:21; of the Lord when on earth, whose was a solemn asseveration, and who at once respected the solemn adjuration of Caiaphas, Mat 26:63-64; of His Apostles, writing under the guidance of His Spirit, see Gal 1:20; 2Co 1:23; Rom 1:9; Php 1:8, and especially 1Co 15:31; of His holy angels, Rev 10:6), as declare to us, that the proper state of Christians is, to require no oaths; that when is expelled from among them, every and will be as decisive as an oath, every promise as binding as a vow. We observe (a) that these verses imply the unfitness of vows of every kind as rules of Christian action; (b) that the greatest regard ought to be had to the scruples of those, not only sects, but individuals, who object to taking an oath, and every facility given in a Christian state for their (?) ultim to entire abolition.(Does their refer to scruples, or is it a mistake for its, i. e. the oaths?)Dr. Wordsworth (Episcopalian) gives a similar interpretation, though not so fully, and quotes from St Augustine: Non ames, non affectes as, non appetas jusjurandum, which is hardly sufficient. He also remarks that the corresponding Hebrew verb (from , seven, the holy number of the covenant) is used only in Niphal (i. e., to be made to swear, or rather to seven oneself, i. e., to take an oath confirmed by seven victims offered as sacrifice to God, Gen 21:28 sq.. or before seven witnesses), and in Hiphil (i. e., to cause to swear, to bind by an oath): as much as to intimate that no one ought to swear except when compelled to do so.Alb. Barnes (N. S. Presbyterian): Swear not at all. That is, in the manner which He proceeds to specify. Swear not in any of the common and profane ways customary at that time.Dr. Jos. Addis. Alexander (O. S. Presbyterian): Christ teaches that the sin, where there is any, consists not in swearing falsely, which is a distinct offence punished both by God and man, nor in any particular form of oath, but in swearing at all without necessity or warrant.Dr. D. D. Whedon (Methodist) ad loc.: Neither in his prohibition of swearing nor of violence (3842) is our Lord giving any law for the magistrate or the governmental regulations, but for private conduct. The officer of government has still a right to use force, and the magistrate to administer an oath. In fact, to forbid these things in private life secures that they may be done magistratively with better effect. None of the oaths which our Lord adduces as specimens are judicial oaths, but the ordinary profanities of the Orientalists.P. S.]
[24][Also Xenophon, Cyrop. Mat 8:6; Mat 8:17. Comp. the classical dictionaries sub verbo Angaria, and Tholuck, Meyer, Conant, and Alford ad loc. The corresponding English word for in its proper technical sense is to impress, i. e., to press or force into public service by public authority. The word occurs three times in the N. T., here. Mat 27:32, and Mar 15:21, where it is used of Simon who was impressed to bear the cross of our Saviour to Calvary. The Jews were strongly opposed to the duty of furnishing posts for the hated Roman government. The , or billeting of the Roman soldiers and their horses on the Jews, was one kind of this .P. S.]
[25][ may as well be taken, with Alford and others, in its literal sense. Jews did not salute Gentiles, as Mohammedans oven now in the East do not salute Christians.P. S.]
[26][Comp. Alford, Wordsworth, Whedon, and other English commentators on this passage and its bearing on the doctrine of perfectibility or the attainability of moral perfection in this life, which Alford opposes as inconsistent with the whole discourse, especially Mat 5:22; Mat 5:29; Mat 5:32, as well as with Php 3:12; while Wordsworth and Whedon favor it, the former in the patristic sense, quoting from St. Jerome, the latter in the sense of modern Methodism.P. S.]
[27][This sentence should be credited to Starke, from whom Otto von Gerlach (ad Mat 5:28) almost literally borrowed it. Starke remarks on Mat 5:28 (N. T., vol. i., p. 137): Man scheuet sich vor den Augen der Menschen in einer steinernen Kirche einen dusserlichen Ehebruch zu begehen; und scheuet sich nicht vor Gottes Augen viel Ehebruche im Tempel seines Herzens zu begehen.P. S.]
[28][Omitted in the third edition, but retained hero from the transl. of the first.P. S.]
Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
DISCOURSE: 1299
EVANGELIC AND PHARISAIC RIGHTEOUSNESS COMPARED
Mat 5:20. For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
IT would be a gratification to many to know the lowest degree of piety that would suffice for their admission into the kingdom of heaven. But to have such a line drawn for us, would be by no means profitable: for it may well be doubted, whether any, who under present circumstances are slothful in their pursuit of holiness, would be quickened by it; and there is reason to fear that the zeal of many would be damped. Information, however, of a nature not very dissimilar, is given us; and it will be found of the highest importance to every child of man. Our blessed Lord has marked out for us a line, that must be passed by all who would be numbered amongst his true disciples. There were certain characters, very numerous among the Jews, characters much contemplated and much admired; these, he tells us, must be surpassed. To equal the most exalted among them will not suffice: our righteousness must exceed theirs, if ever we would enter into the kingdom of heaven. The persons we refer to were the Scribes and Pharisees; the former of whom were the learned teachers and expositors of the law; the latter were a sect who affected peculiar sanctity, and were regarded by the people as the most distinguished patterns of piety and virtue. The two were generally associated together in the Scriptures; because the Scribes, though not necessarily, yet, for the most part, belonged to the sect of the Pharisees: and, so united, they were considered as having all the learning and piety of the nation concentred in them. But, notwithstanding the high estimation in which they were held, our Lord most solemnly affirmed that none of them could, in their present state, be admitted into heaven; and that all who would be counted worthy of that honour, must attain a higher righteousness than theirs.
This information, I say, is valuable; because, though it is not so definite as to encourage any to sit down contented with their attainments, it serves as a standard by which we may try our attainments, and a criterion whereby we may judge of our real state.
In investigating the subject, there are two things to be considered;
I.
Wherein our righteousness must exceed theirs; and,
II.
Why it must exceed theirs.
I.
To prepare the way for shewing wherein our righteousness is to exceed theirs, we must begin with stating, as clearly as we can, what righteousness they possessed. But in doing this, we shall be careful neither to exalt their character too much on the one hand, nor to depress it too much on the other. Indeed, precision in this part of our statement is of peculiar importance; for, as a comparison is instituted between their righteousness and ours, we are concerned to have the clearest knowledge of that by which our estimate must be formed. Their character was a mixture of good and evil. They had much which might be considered as righteousness; and at the same time they had great defects. Their righteousness, such as it was, was seen; their defects were unseen: their righteousness consisted in acts; their defects, in motives and principles: their righteousness was that which rendered them objects of admiration to men; their defects made them objects of abhorrence to God.
Let us begin with viewing the favourable side of their character. And here we cannot do better than refer to the account which the Pharisee gives of himself, when addressing the Most High God; and which our Lord particularly adverts to, as characterizing the more distinguished members of their community. After thanking God that he was not as other men are, he first tells us what he had not done: he was not an extortioner, nor could be accused by any man of demanding, on any account whatever, more than was his due. He was not unjust in any of his dealings, but, whether in commercial transactions, or in any other way, he had done to all as he would be done unto [Note: Such as oppressing the hireling in his wages, &c. The expression must of course be confined to acts of justice.]. Nor was he an adulterer: common as the crime of adultery was among the Jews, and great as his advantages had been for insinuating himself into the affections of others, he had never availed himself of any opportunity to seduce his neighbours wife. In short, he had avoided all those evils, which the generality of publicans and sinners committed without remorse.
He next proceeds to specify what he had done. He had fasted twice every week, in order to fulfil the duties of mortification and self-denial. He had been so scrupulously exact in paying his tithes, that not even mint, or rue, or the smallest herb in his garden, had been withheld from God: he paid tithes of all that he possessed [Note: Luk 18:11-12.].
From other parts of Scripture we learn, that the Pharisees were peculiarly jealous of the sacred rest of the Sabbath; insomuch that they were filled with indignation against any one, who, even by an act of the greatest necessity or mercy, should presume to violate it [Note: Mar 3:2; Mar 3:5-6.]. They prayed to God also, and that not in a mere cursory manner, hurrying over a form which they got through as quick as possible: no; they made long prayers, as well in the corners of their streets, as in the midst of their synagogues [Note: Mat 6:5; Mat 23:14.]. As for the purifications appointed by the law, they were punctual in the observance of them: they even multiplied their lustrations far beyond what the law required; and were so partial to them, that they never came home from the market, or sat down to their meals, without washing their hands: they even wondered that any one who pretended to religion, could be so profane, as to eat without having first performed these important rites [Note: Mar 7:2-5.]. Nor must we forget to mention, that they abounded in almsgivings; regarding themselves not so much the owners, as the stewards, of the property they possessed [Note: Mat 6:2.]. In a word, religion, in all its visible branches, was, in their eyes, honourable; and, in token of their high regard for it, they made their phylacteries broader than any other sect, and enlarged the fringes of their garments; thus displaying before all men their zealous attachment to the laws of God [Note: Mat 23:5.]. Nor were they content with thus fulfilling their own duties: they were desirous that all should honour God in like manner: persuaded that they themselves were right, they strove to the uttermost to recommend their tenets and practices to others, and would even compass sea and land to make one proselyte [Note: Mat 23:15.].
Of course, the attainments of all were not exactly alike: some would excel more in one branch of duty, and others in another branch. St. Paul himself was of that sect, as his parents also had been before him; and he was as fair a specimen of them, as any that can be found in all the records of antiquity. He was, as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the Church, (whom he considered as enemies to God;) and, as touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Having thus ascertained what their righteousness was, we can now proceed to point out wherein ours must exceed it.
But here it will be proper to observe, that as all were not equally eminent in what may be called their righteousness, so, on the other hand, all were not equally faulty in the vicious part of their character. We must take the Pharisees as a body, (for it is in that view that our Saviour speaks of them in the text;) and must not be understood to impute to every individual the same precise degree either of praise or blame. Nor must we be considered as saying, that no one of that sect was ever saved: because, previous to the coming of our Lord, there doubtless were many who served God according to the light that they enjoyed: but this we must be understood distinctly to affirm, that no person who enjoys the clearer light of the Gospel, can be saved, unless he attain a better righteousness than the Scribes and Pharisees, as a body, ever did attain, or than any one of them, while he rejected the Gospel, could possibly attain.
I am well aware, that, when we consider their fastings, their prayers, their alms-deeds, their strict observances of all the ritual laws, together with their zeal in promoting the religion they professed; and take into the account also, that they were free from many of the more gross and common sins; we shall seem to have left no room for superiority in our obedience. But, whatever may be thought of their attainments, our righteousness must exceed theirs: it must exceed theirs, first, in the nature and extent of it; and next, in the principle and end of it.
First, In the nature and extent of it
From what has been already spoken, it sufficiently appears, that the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees was for the most part external and ceremonial; or, where it seemed to partake of that which was internal and moral, it was merely of a negative kind, and extremely partial in its operation. Now the Christians righteousness must be totally different from this: it must be internal and spiritual: it must descend into the heart, and have respect to the whole of Gods revealed will. The true Christian will affix no limits to his exertions; he will set no bounds to his heavenly desires. He does not limit the commandments to their literal sense, but enters into their spiritual import, and considers a disposition to commit sin as nearly equivalent to the actual commission of it. He considers himself as accountable to God for every inclination, affection, appetite; and endeavours not only to have their general tendencies regulated according to his law, but to have every thought brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. In a word, he aspires after perfection of every kind: he desires to love God, as much as to be saved by him; and to mortify sin, as much as to escape punishment. Could he have his hearts desire, he would be holy, as God himself is holy, and perfect, as God himself is perfect.
Thus, in the nature and extent of the two kinds of righteousness, there is an immense difference: nor is there a less difference in their principle and end.
Would we know what was the principle from which the Pharisaic righteousness proceeded? We can assert, on the most unquestionable authority, even that of Christ himself, that all their works they did to be seen of men [Note: Mat 23:5.]. And St. Paul no less strongly marks the end, to which all their zeal was directed. He confesses that they had a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge: for, being ignorant of Gods righteousness, they went about to establish their own righteousness, and would not submit themselves unto the righteousness of God [Note: Rom 10:2-3.]. In these respects then we must differ from them. We should shun ostentation and vain-glory, as much as we would the most enormous crimes. We should bear in mind, that any thing done with a view to mans applause, is altogether worthless in the sight of God: whatever it be, we have in the applause of men the reward we seek after, and the only reward that we shall ever obtain. We should also dread self-righteousness, as utterly inconsistent with a Christian state. St. Paul assures us, that the Jews, who sought after the law of righteousness, did not attain to [any justifying] righteousness, because they sought it not by faith, but, as it were, by the works of the law; for they stumbled at that stumbling-stone [Note: Rom 9:31-32.]. The making of our own works the foundation of our hope towards God, argues a contempt of that foundation which God has laid in Zion: it thrusts out from his office the Lord Jesus Christ, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness, and who, from that very circumstance, is called, The Lord our Righteousness. A truly Christian spirit will lead us, even after we have done all that is commanded us, to say, We are unprofitable servants, we have done that [only] which it was our duty to do. See this exemplified in the Apostle Paul, than whom there never was but one brighter example of piety in the world: he, after all his eminent attainments, desired to be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness which was of the law, but the righteousness which is of God by faith in Christ [Note: Php 3:9.].
Now then, compare the righteousness of the two parties; the one, cleansing carefully indeed and superstitiously, the outside of the cup and platter, whilst within they were full of many unsubdued lusts; the other, allowing not so much as an evil thought, but cleansing themselves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit, and perfecting holiness in the fear of God: the one filled with a high conceit of their own goodness, and claiming heaven itself on account of it, whilst they aimed at nothing but the applause of man; the other, in the midst of their most strenuous exertions to serve and honour God, renouncing all dependence on themselves, and glorying only in the cross of Christ: the one, a compound of pride, unbelief, and hypocrisy; the other, of humility, and faith, and heavenly- mindedness. Whatever may be thought by those who know not how to appreciate the motives and principles of men, we do not hesitate to apply to these parties the distinctive characters assigned them by Solomon, and to say, that Wisdom excelleth folly, as much as light excelleth darkness [Note: Ecc 2:13.].
II.
If now we proceed to the second point of our inquiry, and ask, Why our righteousness must exceed theirs? the text furnishes us with a sufficient answer: If we be no better than they, the Lord Jesus assures us, that we shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Under the expression, The kingdom of heaven, both the kingdom of grace on earth, and the kingdom of glory in heaven, must be comprehended; for they are, in fact, the same kingdom; and the subjects in both are the same: only in the one, they are in an infantine and imperfect state, whereas, in the other, they have attained maturity and perfection: but from both shall we be alike excluded, if we possess not a better righteousness than theirs: the Lord Jesus will no more acknowledge us as his disciples here, than he will admit us into his beatific presence hereafter.
We cannot then without this be partakers of the kingdom of grace. The Lord Jesus Christ has told us plainly, that he does not regard those who merely say unto him, Lord! Lord! however clamorous they may be, or ostentatious of their zeal for him: he approves of those only who do the will of his Father which is in heaven. We may assume the name of his disciples, and be numbered amongst them by others; we may associate ourselves with them, as Judas did, and be as little suspected of hypocrisy as he; we may even deceive ourselves as well as others, and be as confident that we are Abrahams children as ever the Pharisees of old were; we may, like them, be quite indignant to have our wisdom and goodness called in question; Are we blind also? in so saying, thou condemnest us: But all this will not make us Christians. A sepulchre may be whitened and rendered beautiful in its outward appearance; but it will be a sepulchre still; and its interior contents will be as lothesome as those of a common grave. It is to little purpose to have the form of godliness, if we have not the power; to have a name to live, whilst yet we are really dead. God will not judge of us by our profession, but our practice: Then are ye my friends, says our Lord, if ye do whatsoever I command you. To this effect is that declaration also of the Psalmist: having asked, Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? he answers, He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart. The truth is, that those whom Christ will acknowledge as his disciples, have been born again, they are renewed in the spirit of their minds, they are new creatures; old things are passed away, and all things are become new: they have been taught the spirituality and extent of Gods law; to know, that an angry word is murder, and an impure desire adultery; and in that glass they have seen themselves guilty, polluted, and condemned sinners: they have been stirred up by this view of themselves to flee unto Christ for refuge, as to the hope set before them in the Gospel: having found peace with God through the blood of his cross, they devote themselves unfeignedly to his service, and strive to glorify him with their bodies and their spirits, which are his. Here is the true secret of their obedience; The love of Christ constraineth them; because they thus judge, that, if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they who live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him that died for them and rose again. This is conversion; this is regeneration; this is what every Scribe and Pharisee must be brought to: even Nicodemus, a master in Israel, must become a disciple of Christ in this way: for our Lord declared to him in the most solemn manner, that, unless he should be [thus] born again, he could not enter into the kingdom of God.
The same is true in relation to the kingdom of glory. Whilst we are in this world, the tares and the wheat, which grow together, may so resemble each other, that they cannot be separated by human sagacity. The Jewish tares (as I myself know by ocular inspection) cannot, even when full grown, be immediately distinguished from wheat by a common observer [Note: The learned are not agreed what the were. Parkhursts account of them, in his Lexicon, is, that they were a kind of plant, in appearance not unlike corn or wheat, having at first the same kind of stalk, and the same viridity; but bringing forth no fruit, at least none good. Macknight is precisely of the same opinion. Linnus, speaking of that very species which the author here refers to, designates them as the zizania. Later botanists deny that that plant grew in Juda; and represent it as of American growth. Whether Linnaeus was right, is no part of the authors intention to discuss. He merely mentions the fact, that he has seen (in a green-house at Bristol), and had in his own possession an ear of it for some months, till incredulous persons rubbed it to pieces, that plant, which Linnus identifies with the zizania of Juda; which in our Translation of the Bible, is called tares; and which, though to all appearance useless and unproductive, may easily be mistaken for wheat in full ear. In this view, whatever it be called, it illustrates his subject: and, if it be the zizanion, it reflects a beautiful light also upon the parable of the tares, Matthew 13. Some indeed think, that because the servants distinguished the zizania from the wheat, there was no resemblance between them. But that argument is by no means conclusive: for the servants who were constantly habituated to the sight of tares and wheat, might easily discern that they were mixed in the field, whilst yet the difference might not be so great, but that a number of persons employed to pull them all up, might make innumerable mistakes, and root up much of the corn with them. The parable indeed may be explained without supposing any resemblance between the two; but such an interpretation destroys, in the authors apprehension, much of the force, and beauty, and importance of the parable.]: the difference, however, is soon found by rubbing the ears, which in the one are nearly empty, and in the other are full of grain. The same may be noticed also in the religious world. Not only common observers, but even those who have the deepest insight into characters, and the best discernment of spirits, may be deceived; but God can never be deceived: however specious we may be in our outward appearance, he will discern our character through the thickest veil; he searcheth the hearts, and trieth the reins; or, as it is yet more strongly expressed, he weigheth the spirits: he knows exactly the qualities of which every action is compounded, and can separate, with infallible certainty, its constituent parts: and, when we shall stand before him in judgment, he will distinguish the upright Christian from the hypocritical and specious Pharisee, as easily as a man divideth his sheep from the goats. Then shall the final separation take place; the wheat shall be treasured up in the garner, and the tares shall be burnt with unquenchable fire. Here then is a further reason for the assertion in our text. If an outside religion would suffice, we might rest satisfied with it: but if we have a Judge, whose eyes are as a flame of fire, to whom the most secret recesses of the heart are naked and open, just as the inwards of the sacrifices were to the priest appointed to examine them; and if, as he has told us, he will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the heart; then must we be, not specious Pharisees, but real Christians, even Israelites indeed, and without guile: we must not be contented with being Jews outwardly, but must be Jews inwardly, and have, not the mere circumcision of the flesh, but the inward circumcision of the heart, whose praise is not of men, but of God [Note: Rom 2:28-29.].
The peculiar importance of the subject, we hope, will plead our excuse, if we trespass somewhat longer than usual on your time. In our statement we have been as concise as would consist with a clear exposition of the truth. In our application of it we shall also study brevity, as far as the nature of the subject will admit. An audience habituated to reflection, like this, will never grudge a few additional moments for an investigation so solemn, so weighty, so interesting as the present.
1.
The first description of persons, then, to whom our subject is peculiarly applicable, and for whose benefit we are desirous to improve it, is that class of hearers who come short of the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees.
Many there are, it is to be feared, who, so far from not being as other men are, cannot at all be distinguished from the generality of those around them: who, instead of fasting twice a week, have never fasted twice, nor even once, in their whole lives, for the purpose of devoting themselves more solemnly to God: who, instead of making long prayers, never pray at all, or only in so slight, cursory, and formal a manner, as to shew that they have no pleasure in that holy exercise. Instead of keeping holy the Sabbath-day, they speak their own words, do their own work, and find their own pleasure, almost as much as on other days; or if, for decencys sake, they impose a little restraint upon themselves, they find it the most wearisome day of all the seven. Instead of paying tithes with scrupulous exactness, they will withhold the payment both of tithes and taxes, if they can do it without danger of detection; thus shewing, that they have not even a principle of honesty to render unto Csar the things that are Csars, and unto God the things that are Gods. Perhaps they may now and then give away somewhat in charity; but they do not consecrate a portion of their income to God as a religious act, nor even account it their duty so to do, notwithstanding every man is expressly commanded to lay by him in store for charitable uses, according as God has prospered him. Instead of being able to appeal to God that they have never been guilty of whoredom or adultery, they stand condemned for one, or both, of these things in their own consciences; or, if they do not, their chastity has proceeded from other causes, than either the fear of God, or the hatred of sin. Instead of honouring religion in the world, they have been ashamed of it, yea perhaps despised it, and held up to scorn and ridicule those who were its most distinguished advocates: thus, so far from labouring to proselyte people to righteousness, they have used all their influence to deter men from it.
What shall we say then to these characters? Shall we encourage them with the hopes of heaven? Must we not rather adopt the Apostles reasoning, If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Yes; if the Pharisees, with all their righteousness, could not enter into heaven, how shall they come thither, who are destitute of their attainments? If every one must perish who does not exceed their righteousness, what must become of those who fall so short of it? O that this argument might have its proper weight amongst us! O that men would not trifle with their souls, on the very brink and precipice of eternity! Consider, brethren, what I say; and the Lord give you understanding in all things!
2.
Next we would solicit the attention of those who are resting in a Pharisaic righteousness. This is the kind of religion which is held in esteem by mankind at large. An outward reverence for the ordinances of religion, together with habits of temperance, justice, chastity, and benevolence, constitute what the world considers a perfect character. The description which St. Paul gives of himself previous to his conversion, is so congenial with their sentiments of perfection, that they would not hesitate to rest the salvation of their souls on his attainments. But what said he of his state, when once he came to view it aright? What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ; yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. He saw, that brokenness of heart for sin, a humble affiance in the Lord Jesus Christ, and an unreserved devotedness of heart to his service, were indispensable to the salvation of the soul. He saw, that, without these, no attainments would be of any avail; yea, that a man might have all the Biblical learning of the Scribes, and all the sanctified habits of the Pharisees, and yet never be approved of the Lord in this world, nor ever be accepted of him in the world to come. Is it not then desirable, that those who are in repute for wisdom and piety amongst us, should pause, and inquire, Whether their righteousness really exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees? Would they not do well to study the account which St. Paul gives of himself previous to his conversion, and to examine wherein they surpass him? Alas! alas! we are exceedingly averse to be undeceived; but I would entreat every one of my hearers to consider deeply what our blessed Lord has spoken of such characters: Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God [Note: Luk 16:15.].
3.
Lastly, we would suggest some profitable considerations to those who profess to have attained that superior righteousness spoken of in our text.
You need not be told, that the examples of Christ and his Apostles, and indeed of all the primitive Christians, were offensive, rather than pleasing, to the Pharisees of old. The same disapprobation of real piety still lurks in the hearts of those who occupy the seat of Moses [Note: By this expression is meant, Those who professing, like the Pharisees, to reverence the Scriptures as the word of God, expound them as they did, and make use of them to discourage, rather than promote, real piety. But it is not to be limited to any order of men whatever.]: and you must not wonder if your contrition be called gloom; your faith in Christ, presumption; your delight in his ways, enthusiasm; and your devotion to his service, preciseness or hypocrisy. Well, if it must be so, console yourselves with this, that you share the fate of all the saints that have gone before you; and that your state, with all the obloquy that attends it, is infinitely better than that of your revilers and persecutors: you may well be content to be despised by men, whilst you are conscious of the favour and approbation of God.
But take care that you give no just occasion to the enemy to speak reproachfully. The world, and especially those who resemble the Scribes and Pharisees, will watch your conduct narrowly, just as their forefathers did that of our Lord himself; and happy will they be to find occasion against you. As for your secret walk with God, they know nothing about it: your hopes and fears, and joys and sorrows, are nothing to them: these are the things which they deride as airy visions and enthusiastic cant. They will inquire into those things which come more under their own observation, and on which they set an exclusive value: they will inquire how you demean yourselves in your several relations of life; whether you are temperate in your habits, modest in your demeanour, punctual in your dealings, true to your word, regular in your duties, and diligent in your studies. They will point to many of their own followers as highly exemplary in all these particulars; and if they find you inferior to them in any respect, they will cast all the blame upon religion, and take occasion from your misconduct to confirm themselves in their prejudices. Permit me, then, to say to all my younger brethren, and especially to all who shew any respect for religion, that religion, if true and scriptural, is uniformly and universally operative; and that it is a shame to a religious person to be surpassed by a Pharisee in any duty whatsoever. Though I would be far from encouraging any of you to boast, I would entreat all of you so to act, that you may, if compelled by calumnies, adopt the language of the Apostle; Are they Hebrews? so am I: Are they Israelites? so am I: Are they of the seed of Abraham? so am I: Are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool; I am more; in labours more abundant. Thus be ye also prepared to repel comparisons, or to turn them to your own advantage: and shew, that, in all the social and relative duties, and especially in those pertaining to you as students [Note: Preached before the University of Cambridge.], you are not a whit behind the chiefest among them; but even in the things wherein they most value themselves, the righteous is more excellent than his neighbour [Note: Pro 12:26.].
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
Chapter 18
Faithful Unto Death False Sabbath-keeping Orthodox and Heterodox
Prayer
Almighty God, we bless thee for the gift of rest. Enable us to take it as thou dost give it with joyfulness, and may we, as the result of its acceptance, be stronger, and happier, and more useful in the world. Thou dost cause a great sleep to fall upon the life of man, and out of that sleep, as out of a grave, dost thou bring him again, quieted, and rested, and blest. Thou hast also given a rest for the soul, a time of quietness and peace for the mind; may we enjoy it to the full, knowing that tomorrow will bring its toil and its burden, and that soon we shall be in the world again, confused by its manifold tumult. May this be a Sabbath in the soul, a rest in the heart, a benediction pronounced upon the inner life, and under its soothing and healing influence may our best nature rise again to claim thyself, with all the impatience and delight of filial love.
May thy word dwell in our hearts richly; let all the sweetness of its music be heard by the ear of our soul, and may the light, which is above the brightness of the sun, shine upon our entire life and make it beautiful with the beauteousness of heaven. We come to thine house as men flee to a sanctuary, a refuge in the time of peril, a shelter in the great storm, and a place of prospect from which they can see the better time, the brighter morning, the greater land. Disappoint no soul that waits upon thee in trembling, reverent love. Speak large words in reply to our prayer, and while we are yet praying, do thou flood the soul with thy love, and lift us above all that is mean in earth and time.
Thy hand has been put out towards us in great richness of love, thou hast withheld no good thing from us, thou hast spread our table morning, noon, and night, thou hast been round about our dwelling-place as a defence, thou hast kept the storm from destroying us, and thou hast given thine angels charge concerning our life. Therefore do we return to thy holy sanctuary with a new song upon our lips, and a new gladness in our hearts. Meet us, we humbly pray thee, according to the urgency of our need, our pain, and our desire. Where the burden is heavy, thou canst lift it wholly off the trembling and crushed spirit; where it is more needful that it should remain than it should be removed, thou canst give sustaining and comforting grace. Not our will but thine be done, herein. Where the pain is intolerable, sharpening itself into a great fiery agony, the Lord come with heaven’s own balm and save those who are in great distress, lest they be swallowed up of sorrow overmuch. Where our desire is towards the heavens and all heavenly things, becoming a solemn and urgent prayer for the indwelling of the kingdom of Christ in the heart, thou wilt not say No; thine answer shall be a great Yes of acquiescence, and in the heart desiring thy Son there shall be a great light and a peculiar joy.
We would put the remainder of our life into thine hands, we would think nothing, be nothing, do nothing but under the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit. Undertake for us, we humbly pray thee, and send us bread, little or much light, dull or splendid, and do thou make us contented because it is of thy giving and sending, and may our joy be in thyself and not in the passing circumstances of the dying day. Where any heart is set against thee stonily, with obduracy and obstinacy of feeling, in great rebellion and tumult, the Lord break not such a heart to its destruction, but break it to its healing. And bring in those that are afar off, that they may see thy light and be affrighted and saved by thy grace and thy redemption. And where any are in great fear and distress of mind because of their relation to thyself, send forth the spirit of thy Son into their hearts, the spirit of thy redeeming and sanctifying grace, recall all tender memories and all blessed associations, awaken the feelings that are lying dead, and give to such to know the power of the assurance of faith. Help us all to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus. Make us true, honour, able, sincere, before heaven and earth, enable us to enter into the spirit of thy gospel and to exemplify all its beauty and its tenderness. Save us from the poverty of the letter which killed, and lead us into the spirit which giveth life, and may all our conduct be attuned by thy Spirit and lifted up by thy grace, and may it become a great light shining afar to the guidance of any who are in doubt and fear.
The Lord pardon our sins, and delight in doing it, the Lord repeat his miracle of grace in our life every day. We say this in the name of Jesus, our Priest, our Intercessor, the Daysman between thyself and us: thou hearest him always, thy delight is to look upon his face, and to consider what he has done. Behold our shield and look upon the face of thine anointed, and from the inner and hidden sanctuary send us forgiveness and bless us with all spiritual help. Disappoint the bad man in all his evil counsels: cause him to forget himself, and strike him dumb when he would speak forbidden words.
The Lord help every honest and good man to do good whilst his little day lasts, and may we all be found in the end good and faithful servants, inspired by thy spirit, upheld by thy grace, made strong by thy truth, rejoicing in the assurance that the life spent in thy service will be crowned with heaven in thy presence. Amen.
Mat 5:20 .
“For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of Heaven.”
For righteousness read rightness. Then the text will read, “For I say unto you, that except your rightness, your notion and idea of what is right, shall exceed the notion and idea entertained by the Scribes and Pharisees as to what is right, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Given, a ministry which begins in this tone, to know how it will end. It is impossible that it can end otherwise than in crucifixion. The Cross is here. If the Scribes and Pharisees get to know that a man has been speaking so of them, they will never rest until they kill him. The shadow of the Cross is in everything spoken and done by Jesus Christ. He here assails the religion and the respectability, the learning and the influence of his day. This is more than a speech, it is a challenge, it is an impeachment, it is an indictment of high treason how then can the speaker finish his eloquence but in a peroration of blood? He must die for this, or play the hypocrite further on. A man who talks so, in any age, even including the nineteenth century, must die. The reason we do not die now is that we do not speak the truth. The preacher now follows those whom he appears to lead: if he put himself into a right attitude to his age, its corruption, its infidelities, and its hypocrisies, he would be killed. No preacher is now killed, because no preacher is now faithful.
Consider who these Scribes and Pharisees were. They were the bishops and clergy and ministers of the day. Suppose a reformer should now arise and say concerning the whole machine ecclesiastical and spiritual, “Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness that is turned out of that machine ye shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven.” I do not know that we should nail him to wood with vulgar iron nails, but we would take care to pinch him so in bread and water as to take the life out of him. Christianity is nothing if not an eternal challenge in the direction of honesty, reality, breadth, charity. Has not the whole Church, in all its fragments and communions, become a mere theological grinding machine for turning out certain quantities and colours, of regulation extent and tone?
Religion was polluted at the well-head. It had become a ceremony, a profession, a dead adherence to dead formalities, synagogue-going, word-splitting, hand-washing, and an elaborate system of trifling and refining. Understand who these men were. They knew the law: the Scribes spent their time in copying it, in expounding, or rather in confounding and confusing those who listened to their peculiar expositions of its solemn requirements. They were not illiterate, so far as the law was concerned: they knew every letter, they had a thousand traditions concerning it, they formed themselves into synods and consistories for the purpose of extending, defining, and otherwise treating the requirements of the law. They were so familiar with it as to miss its music, as we have become so familiar with the sunlight as not to heed its beauty. A rattle, a sputter in the air, will excite more attention than the great, broad, calm shining of the. king of day. The Scribes were the men who professed to have the keys of the kingdom of heaven upon their girdles, and yet Jesus Christ, the reputed son of the carpenter, arises and says to them, “Ye are not in the kingdom of heaven at all; actors, mimics, pretenders, painted ones, ye are not in the spirit and the genius of the heavenly kingdom?” No man dares this day say a word against a bishop or a minister I speak of all churches, and not of one in particular without being publicly and severely reprimanded for his impious audacity. Jesus gathered himself up into one strain of power, and hurled his energy in one blighting condemnation against the whole of the Scribe and Pharisee system of his day. Beware! He was killed! He did not talk against disreputable persons, as the world accounts repute; the Scribes and the Pharisees were the most respectable people of their generation, they were looked up to as leaders and guides by those amongst whom they lived. They were the saints, the pillars of the Church, the lights of the synagogue, the very cream of respectable society: yet this Galilean peasant beards them all, lays his soft but sinewy fingers upon their throats, and says, “Stand back, ye defile and pervert the kingdom ye profess to serve.” Do not, therefore, let us be too bold and too faithful. The cost of integrity everywhere in a corrupt age is death.
I infer from Christ’s treatment of the Scribes and Pharisees that it is possible for men to deceive themselves on religious methods to suppose that they are in the kingdom of God when they are thousands of miles away from it. Is it possible that any of us can have fallen under the power of that delusion? I fear it may be so. What is your Christianity? A letter, a written creed, a small placard that can be published, containing a few so-called fundamental points and lines? Is it an affair of words and phrases and sentences following one another in regulated and approved succession? If so, and only so, there is not one drop of Christ’s blood in it: it is not Christianity, it is a little intellectual conceit, a small moral prejudice. Christianity is life, love, charity, nobleness it is sympathy with God.
My belief is that if Jesus Christ were to come into England to-day, the first thing he would do would be to condemn all places of so-called worship. What he would do with other buildings I cannot tell, but it is plain that he would shut up all churches and chapels. They are too narrow; they worship the letter; they are the idolaters of details; they are given up to the exaggeration of mint, rue, anise, cummin, herbs and weeds of the garden and the field; but charity, nobleness, honour, all-hopefulness, infinite patience with evil where are they? If judgment begins at the house of God, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? In disputing about the letter, the danger is that we neglect and despise the spirit; we quarrel about trifles; we are founders of sects and parties, and the champions of our own inventions; we pay tithe of mint and anise, and neglect the weightier matters of the law. The Christianity of this day, so far as I have been enabled to examine it, has no common meeting ground. If Jesus Christ came amongst us now he would have to call upon the leaders of the various denominations, and if he did not happen to begin at the right quarter he would have but scant hospitality. If he called upon the Independents first, the Plymouth Brethren would decline to see him; and if he called upon the Primitive Methodists in the first instance the Independents would urge the claims of an earlier ancestry. He would find us in pugilistic attitude, separated by cobwebs, or bickering and chaffering with one another over high walls, and pinning sheets of paper over little crevices in those walls lest any of the saintly air should get through to the other side. Is this the Church Christ died to redeem? Is this the blood-bought host? Where is our common meeting ground?
Let me now show you what religion had been brought to by the Scribes and Pharisees in their time. I called attention to some of these points in a discourse not long ago. I cannot do better than ask your attention again to those very points. Take the instance of Sabbath-keeping. To what pass do you suppose the Scribes and Pharisees had brought this matter of the fourth commandment? Recent writers upon the life of Christ have been at great pains in reading the Talmud (or doctrine), the Mishna (or repetition), and the Gemara (or supplement); and it would be amusing, if it were not distressing, to find how these theological carpenters have whittled away the broad, grand, solemn commandments of our Father in heaven. With regard to the Sabbatic observance, recent authorities tell us that the Scribes and their allies laid it down that a knot which could be untied with one hand might be untied on the Sabbath day, but not one that required both hands. A man might carry a burden upon his shoulder, but if that burden were slung between two, or even slung between the shoulders, the carrying of it would be a breach of the sanctity of the Sabbath day. It was unlawful to carry a loaf in the public streets on the Sabbath, but if two people carried the same loaf the act was good. It was so written in the Mishna and the Gemara. Understand this. If a man carried a loaf in the public streets, it was breaking the Sabbath Day; but if he got some other man to take hold of another end, they two could be carrying it without a breach of the commandment! This was the state of things when that carpenter’s Son came into the world. The law forbade any visiting upon the Sabbath day when I say the law, I mean the traditional law yet the Scribes must visit; how then was this difficulty to be overcome? They fixed a chain at one end of the street, and another chain at the other end of the street, and they called the enclosure one house, and thus the painted hypocrites went backward and forward, dining and drinking, and feasting and revelling, and yet keeping the Sabbath day! Two thousand cubits was a Sabbath day’s journey, but two thousand cubits was too short a walk for some of these traditionalists. What did they do? On the Friday they went two thousand cubits and deposited a loaf, and where a man deposited a loaf he was entitled to call the place his home for the time being. So the literalist walked his two thousand cubits to his loaf, and then began his Sabbath day’s journey of two thousand cubits further on. Do you wonder that when a man whose soul was aflame with righteousness came into such corruption, he damned the society of his day, and said it was not in the kingdom of heaven? This is the way to try Christ, this will show you what he was no trimmer, no oscillating theological pendulum, now here, now there but a fire, a judgment, a stern word, a living critic of the corrupt heart. It is in such instances as these that I see the shining of his real personality, and it is in such denunciations as are in the text that I see the beginning of his crucifixion.
When the Pharisee invited him to dine, he went in and sat down to meat without washing his hands, and the Pharisee marvelled that he should eat with hands unwashed. His marvelling was audible in all probability, and Jesus Christ answered it with the severest denunciation. We cannot understand the importance which was attached by the Pharisees and others to the washing of hands before eating. Not to wash the hands before a meal was, we are told by competent annotators, equal to homicide. Dwell upon that fact for one moment. Not to wash the hands before eating was, in the estimation of the Pharisees, an act equal to the killing of a man. Jesus Christ, knowing this, went into the house of the Pharisee, and sat down to eat without hand-washing. Did it take no courage so to act upon personal conviction? Was this a weak-minded man, was this an effeminate Redeemer? Does it cost nothing to rise up in daily, manly protest against the most settled and cherished usages of the time? Give him the honour due to his energy, consider the circumstances by which he was surrounded, and then tell me if he was the carpenter’s son or the Son of God.
So far was this matter carried by the Pharisees that no man, but themselves probably, could touch the parchment or skin upon which the law was written without being pronounced unclean. So we learn from those who take an interest in such studies that the question was asked of them, “How is it that a man can touch the pages of Homer and be clean, and yet he cannot touch the parchment or skin on which the law is written without being defiled?” The answer was, “Because of the peculiar sacredness of the law.” Thus extremes meet. It was because the law was so holy, that no man might touch the parchment on which it was written without being pronounced ceremonially defiled. And one commentator tells us that there was something like an ironical and sarcastic joke among the people of the time, who said to those high authorities in the law, “How is it that we can touch the bones of a dead ass without contracting pollution, and yet cannot touch the bones of John Hyrcanus, the most saintly of the High Priests, without being unclean?” And the casuistic answer was, “Because Hyrcanus was a holy man, and his very holiness caused those who touched his bones to be unclean.”
It was to this pass that religion had been brought by the Scribes and Pharisees, the traditionalists and the literalists of the time before Christ. There were hundreds of refinements, colourings, degrees of violation of the law and breaches of requirements of the letter, and it required a man a lifetime to read all that had been written as to the violation of the law, so that by the time he had become acquainted with all the traditional exactions and requirements of the literalists he was an old man. Can you wonder that when an earnest soul came to take charge of the kingdom of heaven upon earth, he sent a fire on such paper palaces and devoured the walls of such sectarian and monstrous restrictions? Jesus Christ came to give liberty. “If the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” With the besom of destruction he swept these things into the sea. He said, “Away with them, the kingdom of heaven is purity, peace, love, charity.”
What say you to following this new Leader? I like his tone, it sounds like the tone of an honest heart. But for him we should have fallen in the wake of these men, in all probability; and our religion would have consisted of innumerable lines of exact requirements, punctual observance, ceremonial cleanness, until our souls would have been vexed within us, and life would have been reduced to one daily chafe and fret. Jesus Christ came and said, “The kingdom of heaven is within you. What doth the Lord thy God require of thee, O man, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God?” “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”
This question arises, and I would put it with the sharpest emphasis of which the human voice is capable, were it in my power to do so What is our religion? I dare not ask what mine is. It is church-going, it is ceremony, it is going to a particular church, it is singing out of a particular hymn-book, it is being set within a certain regular surrounding of circumstances. I am so afraid of my religion I speak of mine that I may not reproach others becoming a question of routine and regulation. I now ask a man to put down on paper what he believes, then I take it up and I examine it, and I say, “You are orthodox.” To another man I say, “Put down on paper what you believe.” The man writes it. I examine it, and say, “Heterodox.” The orthodox man has gone out of the church. I ask him to bring in his week’s report of work done, and he says, “I bound your certificate upon my forehead, I went amongst men as orthodox, and I have sent at least two hundred people to hell for not believing what I believe. I got them to put down on paper what they believed, and I found they did not know what they did believe, and so I sent them all to perdition, and I have waked up the church; and I will do the same next week.” Heterodox man, bring in your report. How does it read? “Visited ten poor families, gave each of them five shillings and a word of encouragement, and told them to send for me if I could be of any help to them at any time. Saw a poor woman sitting on a doorstep, without a friend or a home in the world
Made an appointment with her, gave her something to be going on with, and I intend to see this woman as often as possible, until I get her established in life.” Who is the Christian?
What, then, is Christianity? A broken heart on account of sin going to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, the Son of God, the wounded One, the Priest, and saying
Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker
20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Ver. 20. Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees ] And yet they went far: 1. In works of piety, for they made long prayers, &c. 2. In works of charity, for they gave much alms. 3. In works of equity, for they tithed mint, anise, and cummin. 4. In works of courtesy, for they invited Christ often, &c. They were the most exact and accurate sect of that religion, as St Paul (who once was one of them) beareth them witness; a and so carried away the heart of the people, that there was no holy man that was not termed a Pharisee: and therefore among the seven kinds of Pharisees in their Talmud (whereof one sort was Pharisaeus: Quid debeo facere, et faciam illud, such a one was he, Luk 18:18 ); they make Abraham a Pharisee of love, Job a Pharisee of fear, &c. Yea, it was commonly conceited among the Jews, that if but two of all the world were to go to heaven, the one should be a scribe and the other a Pharisee. And what high opinions they nourished of themselves may be seen in that proud Pharisee, Luk 18:11-12 . Like unto whom, how many civil justiciaries are there among us? who if they can keep their church, give an alms, bow their knee, say their prayers, pay their tithes, and once a year receive the sacrament (it matters not how corrupt hearts, how filthy tongues, how false hands they bear), can thank God for their good estate to Godward, and take up their seats, as it were, in heaven beforehand. But our Saviour says nay to it in this text; yea, sets a double bolt upon heaven’s gates to keep out such. And when they shall come knocking and bouncing, with “Lord, Lord, open unto us,” he shall say, Discedite, Depart ye; or as once he did to their fellow Pharisees, Ye are they which justified yourselves before men, but God knew your hearts. And you shall now know (to your small comfort) that that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God, Luk 16:15 . Civility rested in, is but a beautiful abomination, a smooth way to hell. The world highly applauds it, because somewhat better than outrageous wickedness: as a cab of dove’s dung was sold in Samaria’s famine at a very dear rate, &c.
a , Act 26:5 . In hac haeresi sum: i.e. sic sentio.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
20. ] An expansion of the idea contained in , Mat 5:17 , and of the difference between , which the Scribes and Pharisees did by enforcing the letter to the neglect of the spirit and , in which particulars Christians were to exceed the Pharisees, the punctilious observers, and the Scribes, the traditional expounders of the law.
, purity of heart and life , as set forth by example in the , and by precept in the . The whole of the rest of our Lord’s sermon is a comment on, and illustration of, the assertion in this verse.
] Persons devoted to the work of reading and expounding the law (Heb. ), whose office seems first to have become frequent after the return from Babylon. They generally appear in the N.T. in connexion with the Pharisees: but it appears from Act 23:9 , that there were Scribes attached to the other sects also. In Mat 21:15 , they appear with the chief priests; but it is in the temple , where (see also Luk 20:1 ) they acted as a sort of police. In the description of the assembling of the great Sanhedrim (Mat 26:3 ; Mar 14:53 ; Mar 15:1 ) we find it composed of , , and ; and in Luk 22:66 , of . The Scribes uniformly opposed themselves to our Lord; watching Him to find matter of accusation, Luk 6:7 ; Luk 11:53-54 ; perverting His sayings, Mat 9:3 , and His actions, Luk 5:30 ; Luk 15:2 ; seeking to entangle Him by questions, Mat 22:35 (see note there): Luk 10:25 ; Luk 20:21 ; and to embarrass Him, Mat 12:38 . Their authority as expounders of the law is recognized by our Lord Himself, Mat 23:1-2 ; their adherence to the oral traditionary exposition proved, Mat 15:1 ff.; the respect in which they were held by the people shewn, Luk 20:46 ; their existence indicated not only in Jerusalem but also in Galilee, Luk 5:17 , and in Rome, Josephus, Antt. xviii. 3. 5. They kept schools and auditories for teaching the youth, Luk 2:46 ; Act 5:34 , compared with Mat 22:3 ; are called by Josephus , Antt. xvii. 6. 2; , B. J. i. 33. 2. The construction elliptically for . . . . . ., is illustrated in Khner (Gram. ii. 749) under the name of ‘comparatio compendiaria,’ by Hom. Il. . 191, ; Pindar, Olymp. i. init., , &c. Notice, that not only the hypocrites among the Scribes and Pharisees are here meant; but the declaration is, “Your righteousness must be of a higher order than any yet attained, or conceived, by Scribe or Pharisee.”
. ] A very usual formula (see ch. Mat 7:21 ; Mat 18:3 ; Mat 19:17 ; Mat 19:23-24 : Joh 3:5 alli [47] .): implying exclusion from the blessings of the Christian state, and from the inheritance of eternal life.
[47] alii = some cursive mss.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 5:20 . Here is another type still, that of the scribes and Pharisees. We have had two degrees of worth, the little and the great. This new type gives us the moral zero. . The is somewhat puzzling. We expect , taking our attention off two types described in the previous sentence and fixing it on a distinct one. Yet there is a hidden logic latent in the . It explains the of the previous verse. The earnest reformer is a small character compared with the sweet wholesome performer, but he is not a moral nullity. That place is reserved for another class. I call him least, not nothing, for the scribe is the zero. . . ., a compendious comparison, being understood after . Christ’s statements concerning these classes of the Jewish community, elsewhere recorded, enable us to understand the verdict He pronounces here. They differed from the two classes named in Mat 5:18 , thus: Class 1 set aside the least commandments for the sake of the great; class 2 conscientiously did all, great and small; class 3 set aside the great for the sake of the little, the ethical for the sake of the ritual, the divine for the sake of the traditional. That threw them outside the Kingdom, where only the moral has value. And the second is greater, higher, than the first, because, while zeal for the ethical is good, spirit, temper, disposition has supreme value in the Kingdom. These valuations of Jesus are of great importance as a contribution towards defining the nature of the Kingdom as He conceived it.
Nothing, little, great: there is a higher grade still, the highest. It belongs to Christ Himself, the Fulfiller, who is neither a sophistical scribe, nor an impatient reformer, nor a strict performer of all laws great and small, walking humbly with God in the old ways, without thought, dream or purpose of change, but one who lives above the past and the present in the ideal, knows that a change is impending, but wishes it to come gently, and so as to do full justice to all that is divine, venerable, and of good tendency in the past. His is the unique greatness of the reverently conservative yet free, bold inaugurator of a new time.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat 5:20
20″For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Mat 5:20 This was a shocking statement to sincere, legalistic religionists. Self-righteousness is a common plague of religious mankind (cf. Isa 29:13; Col 2:16-23). Neither correct doctrine (Jas 2:19) nor religious actions (Mat 7:21-23) replace the need for a personal repentance/faith relationship (cf. Mar 1:15; Act 3:16; Act 3:19; Act 20:21; Php 3:8-9; Rom 10:3-4). This verse and Mat 5:48, are keys to interpreting the whole Sermon on the Mount.
For a full discussion of the origin and theology of the Pharisees, see Special Topic at Mat 22:15.
NASB”will not”
NKJV”by no means”
NRSV, NJB”will never”
This is the doubling of two Greek terms for negation. One functions with the indicative mood and the second with the other Greek moods. It was a very emphatic way to negate a statement (cf. Mat 5:18; Mat 5:26; Mat 10:23; Mat 10:42; Mat 13:14; Mat 15:6; Mat 16:22; Mat 16:28; Mat 18:3; Mat 23:39; Mat 24:2; Mat 24:21; Mat 24:34-35; Mat 25:9; Mat 26:29; Mat 26:35).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
the righteousness. Supply “[that]”.
Pharisees. See App-120.
in no case. See App-105.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
20.] An expansion of the idea contained in , Mat 5:17, and of the difference between , which the Scribes and Pharisees did by enforcing the letter to the neglect of the spirit-and , in which particulars Christians were to exceed the Pharisees, the punctilious observers, and the Scribes, the traditional expounders of the law.
, purity of heart and life, as set forth by example in the , and by precept in the . The whole of the rest of our Lords sermon is a comment on, and illustration of, the assertion in this verse.
] Persons devoted to the work of reading and expounding the law (Heb. ), whose office seems first to have become frequent after the return from Babylon. They generally appear in the N.T. in connexion with the Pharisees: but it appears from Act 23:9, that there were Scribes attached to the other sects also. In Mat 21:15, they appear with the chief priests; but it is in the temple, where (see also Luk 20:1) they acted as a sort of police. In the description of the assembling of the great Sanhedrim (Mat 26:3; Mar 14:53; Mar 15:1) we find it composed of , , and ; and in Luk 22:66, of . The Scribes uniformly opposed themselves to our Lord; watching Him to find matter of accusation, Luk 6:7; Luk 11:53-54; perverting His sayings, Mat 9:3, and His actions, Luk 5:30; Luk 15:2; seeking to entangle Him by questions, Mat 22:35 (see note there): Luk 10:25; Luk 20:21; and to embarrass Him, Mat 12:38. Their authority as expounders of the law is recognized by our Lord Himself, Mat 23:1-2; their adherence to the oral traditionary exposition proved, Mat 15:1 ff.; the respect in which they were held by the people shewn, Luk 20:46; their existence indicated not only in Jerusalem but also in Galilee, Luk 5:17,-and in Rome, Josephus, Antt. xviii. 3. 5. They kept schools and auditories for teaching the youth, Luk 2:46; Act 5:34, compared with Mat 22:3; are called by Josephus , Antt. xvii. 6. 2; , B. J. i. 33. 2. The construction elliptically for . . . . . ., is illustrated in Khner (Gram. ii. 749) under the name of comparatio compendiaria, by Hom. Il. . 191, ; Pindar, Olymp. i. init., , &c. Notice, that not only the hypocrites among the Scribes and Pharisees are here meant; but the declaration is, Your righteousness must be of a higher order than any yet attained, or conceived, by Scribe or Pharisee.
.] A very usual formula (see ch. Mat 7:21; Mat 18:3; Mat 19:17; Mat 19:23-24 : Joh 3:5 alli[47].): implying exclusion from the blessings of the Christian state, and from the inheritance of eternal life.
[47] alii = some cursive mss.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 5:20. , except your righteousness shall exceed) Our righteousness, even though it should satisfy, could never exceed, the requirements of the law; but the Scribes and Pharisees thought that theirs did so. We are bound to surpass their righteousness. Cf. the force of (abound, or exceed), with that of (more than others, exceeding the general standard), in Mat 5:47. We must surpass both Pharisees and publicans: see Mat 5:48.- , your righteousness) The pronoun, (your), being placed first, is opposed with greater emphasis to the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees.[194] Others read .[195] That righteousness is intended, of which specimens are given in Mat 5:19; Mat 5:22-23. This language does not make void the righteousness of faith; but the language of Jesus Christ before His ascension, keeps, as it were, the mean between Moses and the apostles.- , …, more than the Scribes, etc.) i.e. , …, more than the righteousness of the Scribes, etc.- , of the Scribes) Our Lord does not command the righteousness of His followers to be greater than the righteousness of Moses, as if the law of Moses had been imperfect, which promised life to those who performed it, and was (see Rom 7:12; Rom 7:14) just, holy, good, and spiritual; but greater than the righteousness (which word, however, is elegantly omitted) of the Scribes and Pharisees, who observed ceremonial and legal, but neglected moral righteousness. The Pharisees urged traditions; the Scribes, or Karaei,[196] the letter, which was written, and constantly read out. It seemed to be especially the part of the Scribes to teach; of the Pharisees to do. Our Lord does not name Moses; but He says impersonally, It has been said.- , ye shall not enter) See ch. Mat 18:3; Joh 3:5; 1Co 15:50.
[194] Which was esteemed in those days as superlatively good.-Vers. Germ.
[195] Lachm. and Tischend., with the oldest MSS. Vulg., etc., read . For the order . there are of good, though later authorities, only L .-ED.
[196] Bengels words are, scrib sive Kari, literam, qu erat scripta et lectitabatur; where scripta erat (was written) refers to scrib (scribes), derived from the Latin verb scribo, to write: and lectitabatur (was constantly read out) refers to kari, derived from the Hebrew verb , of which Gesenius says, (4) to recite, to read aloud (from the signification of crying out,-see No. 1) anything, with an acc., Exo 24:7; Jos 8:34-35; Joshua 2 Kings Mat 23:2; also , to read what is written in a book. Neh 8:8; Neh 8:18; Neh 9:3; Isa 37:14. seqq. Hence generically to read, Deu 17:19; 2Ki 5:7; 2Ki 19:14.
The Karaites, a sect which existed before the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem, have been called the Protestants of Judaism. Their name is derived from the Hebrew , which signifies, according to Calmet, people perfected in the study of Scripture; people attached to the text, and to the letter of Scripture. They are, of course, diametrically opposed to the Rabbinists, who zealously maintain the Rabbinical traditions. For an account of their history and tenets, see Milmans History of the Jews, and Calmet in voc.-(I. B.)
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Chapter 11
Six Aspects of Righteousness
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
(Mat 5:20)
The Scribes and the Pharisees were regarded by the ancient Jews as the most devoted, most spiritual, and most holy of all men. Had anyone at that time thought of calling any man his holiness, they would have been called most holy, holiness. They were men of such high esteem and reputation that the Jews had a saying about them. It went like this, If be two of all the world were to go to heaven the one would be a scribe and the other a Pharisee.
In so far as outward, religious righteousness was concerned no one excelled these two groups of men. In works of piety they made long public prayers on the corners of streets, so that all could see and hear their devotion. In works of charity they gave alms, blowing the trumpet, so that all would be impressed by their generosity. In works of equity they paid their tithes, counting out ten percent on their gross income. In works of courtesy and hospitality they often held banquets, even for Christ and his disciples (Luke 7).
Yet, the Lord Jesus declares that our righteousness must exceed, not match but exceed, the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. If it does not, we cannot be saved. The text clearly teaches us these three things:
1.There will be no admission into heaven without righteousness.
2.A legal, Pharisaical righteousness will never be accepted of God.
3.The only hope any sinner has of being saved is through the righteousness of a divinely appointed and accepted Substitute and Representative. And that Substitute and Representative is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord our Righteousness (Jer 23:6; 1Co 1:30-31; 2Co 5:21; Rom 9:31 to Rom 10:4). The only way a guilty sinner can be saved and obtain righteousness before God is through faith in Jesus Christ, Jehovah-tsidkenu The Lord our Righteousness.
Righteousness Lost
All the sons and daughters of Adam are all sinners. We lost all righteousness before God in the garden. We are all totally depraved. We have all gone astray from the womb speaking lies. We all drink iniquity like water. So thorough and complete is the depravity of man that even our works of righteousness are filthy rags before the holy Lord God; and we are all at our best estate altogether vanity! But these things were not always so.
God created man in righteousness and true holiness. We were all created in the image and likeness of God himself. One aspect of that created image of God was an uprightness of nature (Ecc 7:29). How Adam lived in this state, we do not know. But it appears to have been a relatively short period of time. Then something happened. Our father Adam sinned against God and plunged the entire human race into sin, death, and condemnation (Rom 5:12; Psa 14:2-3). Because Adam was our divinely appointed representative and federal head, his sin was imputed to us in divine judgment. And his sin nature was imparted to us by natural generation (Psa 51:5; Jer 17:9; Mat 15:19).
By the sin and fall of our father Adam we all suffered a threefold loss of righteousness. This is a loss that simply cannot be denied. First, when Adam sinned in the garden, he lost his righteous nature, and we did too. Before the fall man was righteous. After the fall, he had no righteousness (Mat 15:19). We are all, by nature, sinful, guilty, condemned, and lost.
Second, Adam lost all legal righteousness, and we did too. Because man is sinful, he cannot approach God. Adam was expelled from the garden and separated from God. Because our sins have separated us from God, we cannot approach him (1Ti 6:15-16).
Third, once he sinned, fallen man lost all knowledge and understanding of righteousness. As soon as he lost righteousness he went about to establish righteousness for himself, sewing fig leaves together to make himself presentable to the holy Lord God; and man has been doing the same ever since (Rom 9:31 to Rom 10:3).
The natural man has absolutely no idea what righteousness is, where it is to be found, or how it can be obtained. But he thinks he does (Luk 16:15). This is the first thing to be established. We have no righteousness, and no ability to produce righteousness.
Yet, our Lord said, Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. In making that statement our Lord declared that there has never been one son or daughter of Adam on this earth good enough, righteous enough, or holy enough to inherit and inhabit the kingdom of heaven. There is not now and never will be one person in heaven who is there because he was good, righteous, and holy in this world. Man at his best estate is altogether vanity. Our righteousnesses are as filthy rags in Gods sight.
We must get the idea of righteousness out of our minds and get the word righteousness out of our vocabulary, insofar as any human works are concerned in Gods sight. Our righteousness is filthy rags before the holy Lord God! (Isa 64:6; Isa 1:16-20). Every imagination of the thoughts of mans heart is only evil continually (Gen 6:5). Read the Book of God and you will discover that every man in the Book who knew God, who knew the righteous character of God and had been made righteous in Christ, lamented his own utter wickedness.
Righteousness Required
God is holy. Being perfectly holy, he demands perfect holiness. He requires perfect righteousness. Anything and anyone that is not perfectly holy will be consumed by the fire of his glorious holiness. He declares, I am Almighty God; walk before me and be thou perfect (Gen 17:1). It shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein (Lev 22:21). Be ye holy; for I am holy (1Pe 1:16). There is a holiness to be pursued, without which no man shall see the Lord (Heb 12:14).
God demands character holiness. We are required to be holy on the inside, in heart, at the very core of our being. The Lord looketh on the heart (1Sa 16:7). He demands conduct holiness. We must be holy on the outside, in behavior. Be ye holy in all manner of conversation (1Pe 1:15). In a word, God demands complete holiness. We must be entirely without sin The soul that sinneth, it shall die (Eze 18:20).
God demands holiness; but we cannot produce holiness. Not one of us can do one good thing before God. It is written, There is none that doeth good, no not one (Rom 3:12). Purity cannot come from our corrupt nature. We cannot even seek the Lord on our own, much less correct our past record, change our present wretchedness (Psa 51:1-5), or control our future thoughts and deeds (Gal 3:10).
The whole purpose of Gods law is to show us our utter inability to keep it and to convince us of our need of a Substitute (Gal 3:24). And the first work of God the Holy Spirit in a sinners heart is to convince him of sin, of his need of a Substitute. (Joh 16:9).
A mans definition of righteousness depends entirely upon his understanding of who God is. The problem with this religious generation is that they have never seen the holy, righteous, just character of God almighty. They have never seen the absolute holiness of God. And no one will ever see the holy character of God until he sees what happened at Calvary (Isa 6:1-6).
How good does a person have to be to get to heaven? He must be as good as God. It must be perfect to be accepted. God cannot and will not accept anything short of perfection. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted upon his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully (Psa 24:3-4), and no one else. Yet, it is written, They that are in the flesh cannot please God. Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them (Gal 3:10).
Still, the fact that we cannot produce righteousness does not mean that righteousness cannot be produced. God can do it. Man cannot please God; but God can please God. Man cannot produce righteousness; but God can produce righteousness.
Righteousness Established.
The Lord Jesus Christ came into this world to fulfil all righteousness, not for himself, but for us (Mat 3:15; Mat 5:17). The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable (Isa 42:21). Our Savior did for us exactly what Dan 9:24 said he would do. He finished the transgression and made an end of sin for us, putting away our sins by the sacrifice of himself. He made reconciliation for iniquity by satisfying the justice of God as our Substitute. And he brought in everlasting righteousness by his obedience to the will of God in all things as our Representative and Federal Head. By his obedience to the will of God as our Representative and Substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ brought in an everlasting righteousness of infinite worth and merit for Gods elect (Heb 10:5-14).
According to the Book of God, it is the life obedience of Christ that constitutes that righteousness, with which we are clothed, that righteousness we are made to become before God. His death washed away our sins, and his life covers us from head to foot. His death was the sacrifice to God, and his life is the gift to man, by which all Gods elect have satisfied the demands of the law.
Only in this way is it possible for the law to be honored and our souls accepted by God. Many who appear to be perfectly clear about the merits of Christs death, do not seem to understand the merits of his life. Remember, from the moment that our blessed Savior broke his mothers womb, until the hour that he ascended up on high, he was at work for his people. From the moment that he was seen in Marys arms, until the moment that he was in the arms of death, when he bowed his head and gave up the ghost, he was performing the work of our salvation.
The Lord Jesus Christ completed the work of his obedience in his life, and said to his Father, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do (Joh 17:4). Then, he finished the work of his atonement in his death. And, knowing that all things were accomplished, he cried, It is finished (Joh 19:30). Throughout his earthly life, the Savior was spinning the fabric of that royal, priestly garment in which we are robed, and in his death he dipped that garment in his blood. In his life he was gathering precious gold, and in his death he hammered it out to make for us a garment of wrought gold. We have as much to be thankful for in the life of Christ as we do in his death. In his life Christ Jesus rendered perfect obedience to the law as our Substitute. And in his death he satisfied the claims of the law as our Substitute. Therefore, the prophet of God declares of Christ, This is the name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, and of us, This is the name whereby she shall be called, the Lord our Righteousness.
That is the message that is set before us in 2Co 5:21. The Lord Jesus Christ is our only righteousness, and it is our joy to confess that he is. Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord (1Co 1:30-31).
Righteousness Imputed
The only way a sinner can be made righteous is by the holy Lord God imputing righteousness to him. In justification God imputes the righteousness of Christ to his people in exactly the same way as he imputed the sins of his people to Christ (Rom 5:18-19; 2Co 5:21). How are sinners made to become the righteousness of God in Christ? I appeal to the Word of God alone for the answer to that question. The opinions of men are totally irrelevant. What does the Book say? Nothing else matters.
When Christ was made sin, that was a one time, once and for all act accomplished in the past, a work in which he was personally involved. But when the Holy Spirit speaks of us being made the righteousness of God in him, the word he uses for made is another word altogether. It is a present tense, passive verb, implying total passiveness on our part, and means continually cause to become. He is telling us that those for whom Christ was made sin God continually causes to become the righteousness of God in him without doing a thing. Let me show you how he has done it and is doing it.
Eternally Our great, all-wise, eternally gracious God made us righteous before the world was made, in his sovereign, eternal purpose of grace in Christ, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, (Rom 8:28-30; Eph 1:3-6; 2Ti 1:9-10; Jud 1:1). If we were blessed of God with all spiritual blessings before the world began and accepted in the Beloved, it was not as unrighteous but as the righteousness of God in Christ.
Judicially We were made to become the righteousness of God judicially, in a legal sense, when the Lord Jesus died as our Substitute under the wrath of God, satisfying divine justice for us. When he had put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, he obtained eternal redemption for us, and we were made to become the righteousness of God in him by divine imputation in justification (Rom 4:25; Rom 5:12; Rom 5:17-21).
Experimentally But this matter of being made the righteousness of God in Christ, while it is something with which we have no involvement, is not just a matter of law, any more than Christs being made sin was just a matter of law. It is not something that takes place altogether outside our experience, any more than Christ being made sin was outside his experience.
Sinners are made the righteousness of God in Christ experimentally in the new birth, when we are made partakers of the divine nature (2Pe 1:4). That holy thing in us that is born of God, that John tells us cannot sin, is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col 1:27). We experience this blessed thing (being made the righteousness of God) in the inmost depths of our souls, in the constant assurance of our access to, acceptance with, and forgiveness of our sins by our God (1Jn 1:7 to 1Jn 2:2).
We are in Christ, in whom alone God is well pleased. That means he is well pleased with us (Mat 17:5). Our sacrifices are accepted of God as a sweet-smelling savor in Christ (1Pe 2:5). Our sins are never imputed to us, but perpetually forgiven because we are one with him who was once made sin for us, in whom we are perpetually made to become the righteousness of God.
Absolutely Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, every sinner who trusts him is made to become the righteousness of God in him absolutely (2Co 5:17; Col 1:12). Discerning the Lords body, that is to say, knowing our need of a Substitute and knowing the Substitute himself, trusting his finished work and trusting him, sinners like you and me are worthy to enter his church, worthy to call upon his name, worthy to receive the Lords Table, and worthy to enter into and possess forever his glory! Tobias Crisp wrote
Mark it well, Christ himself is not so completely righteous, but we are as righteous as he was. Nor are we so completely sinful, but he became (being made sin) as completely sinful as we. Nay more, the righteousness that Christ hath with the Father, we are the same, for we are made the righteousness of God. And that very sinfulness that we were, Christ is made before God. So that here is a direct change. Christ takes our persons and condition, and stands in our stead. We take his person and condition, and stand in his stead. What the Lord beheld Christ to be, that he beholds his members to be. What he beholds them to be in themselves, that he beheld Christ himself to be.
So that if you would speak of a sinner, supposing him to be a member of Christ, you must not speak of what he manifests, but of what Christ was.
If you would speak of one completely righteous, you must speak and know that Christ himself is not more righteous than he is. And that that person is not more sinful than Christ was when he took his sins on him. So that if you will reckon well, beloved, you must always reckon yourself in anothers person, and that other in yours. And until the Lord find out transgressions of Christs own acting, he will never find one to charge upon you.
Everlastingly We shall be made to become the righteousness of God everlastingly in the last day in resurrection glory. We shall be raised in righteousness. We shall be declared righteous according to the record book of heaven at the Day of Judgment (Rev 20:11-15; Jer 50:20). We shall be declared righteous to wondering worlds to the glory of our God forever (Eph 2:7). Then, we shall forever begin to enjoy, in such experimental reality, as words cannot describe, the blessedness of being made to become the righteousness of God in Christ (Rev 21:2-5; Rev 22:1-6).
I am lost in wonder. All this, all that Christ has as the God-man my Mediator, we have in him. All that he is, we are in him. All that he enjoys, soon, I shall enjoy forever in him, because
If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christs stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (2Co 5:17-21).
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Rom 8:32).
Righteousness Imparted
In regeneration we are sanctified, made holy, by righteousness being imparted to us by the Spirit of God (Gal 5:23-24; 2Pe 1:4; Col 1:27; 1Jn 3:5-9). Believers are people with two natures (Rom 7:14-24), that holy seed which is born of God and cannot sin (1Jn 3:9), and the flesh which is nothing but sin (Rom 7:18). These two natures, the flesh and the spirit, are constantly at war with one another so long as we live in this world.
When God saves a sinner, he does not renovate, repair, and renew the old nature. He creates a new nature in his elect. Our old, Adamic, fallen, sinful nature is not changed. The flesh is subdued by the spirit; but it will never surrender to the spirit. The spirit wars against the flesh; but it will never conquer or improve the flesh. The flesh is sinful. The flesh is cursed. Thank God, the flesh must die! But it will never be improved.
This dual nature of the believer is plainly taught in the Word of God. It is utterly impossible to honestly interpret this portion of Pauls epistle to the Galatians, the 7th chapter of Romans, and 1 John 3 without concluding that both Paul and John teach that there is within every believer, so long as he lives in this world, both an old Adamic nature, that can do nothing but sin, and a new righteous nature, that which is born of God, that cannot sin, that can only do righteousness. The Holy Spirits work in sanctification is not the improvement of our old nature, but the maturing of the new, steadily causing the believer to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ and bring forth fruit unto God.
Every believer knows the duality of his nature by painful, bitterly painful experience. Ask any child of God what he desires above all things and he will quickly reply, That I may live without sin in perfect conformity to Christ, perfectly obeying the will of God in all things. But that which he most greatly desires is an utter impossibility in this life. Is it not so with you? Though you delight in the law of God after the inward man, there is another law of evil in your members, warring against you. You would do good; but evil is always present with you, so that you cannot do the things that you would. Even your best, noblest, most sincere acts of good, when honestly evaluated, are so marred by sin in motive and in execution that you must confess, All my righteousnesses are filthy rags!
It is this warfare between the flesh and the spirit more than anything else that keeps the believer from being satisfied with life in this world. Blessed be God, we shall soon be free! When we have dropped this robe of flesh, we shall be perfectly conformed to the image of him who loved us and gave himself for us!
This conflict is caused by and begins in regeneration because the righteousness of Christ is imparted to us in the new birth. C. H. Spurgeon said, The reigning power of sin falls dead the moment a man is converted, but the struggling power of sin does not die until the man dies. A new nature has been planted within us; but the old nature is not eradicated.
Do not think for a moment that the old nature dies in regeneration, or even that it gets better. Flesh is flesh, and will never be anything but flesh. Noah, Lot, Moses, David, and Peter, like all other believers, had to struggle with this fact. We need no proof of the fact that Gods people in this world have two warring natures within beyond an honest examination of our own hearts and lives. Our best thoughts are corrupted with sin. Our most fervent prayers are defiled by lusts of the flesh. Our reading of Holy Scripture is corrupted by carnal passions. Our most spiritual worship is marred by the blackness within. Our most holy aspirations are vile. Our purest love for our Savior is so corrupted by our love of self and love for this world that we can hardly call our love for Christ love. From time to time we have all found, by bitter experience, the truthfulness of the hymn
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it!
Prone to leave the God I love:
Heres my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.
Righteousness Rewarded
In the last day, every believer shall enter into heaven and obtain the inheritance of everlasting glory; and that will be righteousness rewarded. Immediately after the resurrection we must all be judged by God, according to the record of our works (Rev 20:12-13). “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Heb 9:27). The Judge before whom we must stand is the God-man, whom we have crucified (Joh 5:22; Act 17:31; 2Co 5:10). We will be judged out of the books, according to the record of God’s strict justice.
In the Scriptures God is often represented as writing and keeping books. And, according to these books, we all shall be judged. I realize that this is figurative language. God does not need books to remember man’s sins. However, as John Gill wrote, This judgment out of the books, and according to works, is designed to show with what accuracy and exactness, with what justice and equity, it will be executed, in allusion to statute-books in courts of judicature.
What are the books? — The Book of Divine Omniscience (Mal 3:5) — The Book of Divine Remembrance (Mal 3:16) — The Book of Creation (Rom 1:18-20) — The Book of God’s Providence (Rom 2:4-5) — The Book of Conscience (Rom 2:15) — The Book of God’s Holy Law (Rom 2:12) — And the Book of the Gospel (Rom 2:16).
But there are some against whom no crimes, no sins, no offenses can be found, not even by the omniscient eye of God himself! “In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve” (Jer 50:20). Their names are found in another book, a book which God himself wrote and sealed before the worlds were made. It is called, “The Book of Life. In this book there is a record of divine election, the name of Christ our divine Surety, a record of perfect righteousness (Jer 23:6, Cf. Jer 33:16), a record of complete satisfaction, and the promise of eternal life.
The question is often raised, Will God judge his elect for their sins and failures committed after they were saved, and expose them in the Day of Judgment? The only reason that question is ever raised is because many retain a remnant of the Roman doctrine of purgatory, by which they hope to hold over God’s saints the whip and terror of the law. There is absolutely no sense in which those who trust Christ shall ever be made to pay for their sins! Our sins were imputed to Christ and shall never be imputed to us again (Rom 4:8). Christ paid our debt to God’s law and justice; and God will never require us to pay. God, who has blotted out our transgressions, will never write them again. He who covered our sins will never uncover them!
The perfect righteousness of Christ has been imputed to us. On the Day of Judgment, God’s elect are never represented as having done any evil, but only good (Mat 25:31-40). The Day of Judgment will be a day of glory and bliss for Christ and his people, not a day of mourning and sorrow. It will be a marriage supper. Christ will glory in his Church. God will display the glory of his grace in us. And we will glory in our God.
Those who are found perfectly righteous, righteous according to the records of God himself, shall enter into eternal life and inherit everlasting glory with Christ. They that have done good, nothing but good, perfect good, without any spot of sin, wrinkle of iniquity, or trace of transgression, shall enter into everlasting life (Rev 22:11).
Who are these perfectly righteous ones? They are all who are saved by Gods free and sovereign grace in Christ (1Co 6:9-11; Rom 8:1; Rom 8:32-34). Though there shall be degrees of punishment for the wicked in hell, because there are degrees of wickedness, there shall be no degrees of reward and glory among the saints in heaven, because there are no degrees of redemption and righteousness.
Heaven was earned and purchased for all God’s elect by Christ. We were predestined to obtain our inheritance from eternity (Eph 1:11). Christ has taken possession of heaven’s glory as our forerunner (Heb 6:20). We are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ (Rom 8:17). Our Savior gave all the glory he earned as our Mediator to all his elect (Joh 17:5; Joh 17:20). And in Christ every believer is worthy of heaven’s glory (Col 1:12).
Glorification shall be but the consummation of salvation; and salvation is by grace alone! That means no part of heaven’s bliss and glory is the reward of our works, but all the reward of God’s free grace in Christ! All spiritual blessings are ours from eternity in Christ (Eph 1:3).
Jehovah-tsidkenu
Read Jer 23:5-6 and Jer 33:15-16. In both places Jeremiah is describing for us this blessed gospel day in which the Branch of Righteousness has grown up unto David and his seed. That Branch is Christ. And that David is Christ our King. Our David is now seated on his throne in glory, having grown up righteousness, by bringing in everlasting righteousness. He now executes judgment and justice throughout the earth in the salvation of his people by the gospel. That is what the Lord our God declares in these two passages.
(Jer 23:5) Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
(Jer 33:15) In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.
(Jer 23:6) In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
(Jer 33:16) In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.
That is not a mistranslation. Every word is translated with exact accuracy. This is what the Lord God tells us about the work of Christ in this day of grace in which we live. Judah, the tribe of Gods choice, shall be saved. Israel, Gods holy nation, his chosen generation, his royal priesthood, shall dwell safely. And this is the name whereby that Righteous Branch our King shall be called, Jehovah-tsidkenu, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. And this is the name wherewith every saved sinner shall be called Jehovah-tsidkenu! The Lord Our Righteousness.
Christ is our Righteousness. He is that righteousness that exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees. And, if we trust him, he is ours! Because his righteousness is ours, we shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. He is that Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. If we believe on the Son of God, that Holiness is ours and we shall see the Lord our God face to face in Christ. Then, (O blessed day!) he shall wipe all tears from our eyes!
Fuente: Discovering Christ In Selected Books of the Bible
righteousness
Mat 5:6; Mat 5:10; Mat 5:20 (See Scofield “Rom 10:10”)
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
exceed: Mat 23:2-5, Mat 23:23-28, Luk 11:39, Luk 11:40, Luk 11:44, Luk 12:1, Luk 16:14, Luk 16:15, Luk 18:10-14, Luk 20:46, Luk 20:47, Rom 9:30-32, Rom 10:2, Rom 10:3, 2Co 5:17, Phi 3:9
ye: Mat 3:10, Mat 7:21, Mat 18:5, Mar 10:15, Mar 10:25, Luk 18:17, Luk 18:24, Luk 18:25, Joh 3:3-5, Heb 12:14, Rev 21:27
Reciprocal: Mat 3:2 – for Mat 3:7 – the Pharisees Mat 5:47 – what Mat 7:29 – having Mat 15:1 – scribes Mat 16:1 – Pharisees Mat 18:1 – in Mat 18:3 – enter Mat 19:21 – If Mat 19:23 – enter Mat 22:12 – how Mat 22:36 – General Joh 3:5 – cannot Rom 3:31 – yea Phi 3:6 – touching Phi 4:9 – do Tit 2:12 – live Jam 2:14 – though 1Pe 2:24 – live 1Jo 3:7 – he that
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE FAILURE OF THE PHARISEES
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:20
Though many of the Pharisees, and more especially the scribes and other chief men among them, were hypocrites, whited sepulchres, fair to look upon, but within full of all uncleanness; yet there were some who really endeavoured to keep the law of God. How was it that these also came short of the righteousness of God?
There seem to have been two points in which even the best of them were wanting.
I. They trusted in themselves.They fulfilled the righteousness of the law, and with that they were quite satisfied. They fancied that if they obeyed the law as set forth in the books of Moses, as perfectly as possible, it was all God could require of them, and that heaven was their due reward. And is not this error, whether we consider it one of doctrine or of practice, one but too common amongst Christians also? Many a one, if he is asked about his hope of future salvation, will tell you that he is thankful to say that he has always lived honestly and dealt fairly.
II. They misunderstood the law they professed to obey so perfectly; they fancied it only referred to what they did, and not to what they thought or intended. It was against this error that our Lord especially directed the words of our text, as appears from all the rest of this fifth chapter of Matthew. Such is the law of righteousness which Christ has given us, in place of that of the scribes and Pharisees. Its great principle is this: that not only our actions, but all our most secret thoughts must be brought into subjection to the will of God. There are now many who think no more is necessary than to obey the letter of the law, and the letter only. These Jews were, many of them, as touching the righteousness which is of the law, blameless; all of them professed to obey the whole law of God. You must not think less will be required of you because you are Christians, and know more. On the contrary, your righteousness must exceed theirs. To whom much is given, of them shall much be required.
Rt. Rev. Lord Alwyne Compton.
(SECOND OUTLINE)
THE PHARISEES RIGHTEOUSNESS
It behoves us to consider very carefully what was the characteristic spirit of these classes and examine our own hearts searchingly, lest we should be at all infected with it. Our righteousness, we are warned, must exceed theirs. What then was wrong with their righteousness?
I. It lacked inwardness.Their righteousness was conformity to an external law, a hard rule which had to be obeyed, which made indeed an imperious demand on the conscience, but which did not touch the heart, or infuse into it any principle of goodness. The Pharisees simply sought to obey a rule as a rule, to do something that was commanded just because it was commanded. But when they had thus fulfilled the letter of the law, their heart still remained unpurified.
II. It was self-centred.It made the scribes and Pharisees the proverbial examples of self-righteousness. Many of them led very good lives according to their lights. But having done this, they were perfectly satisfied with themselves. They did not recogniseor at least, they were not troubled bytheir want of inward purity; they had no sense of sin. They did not acknowledge any shortcoming in the sight of God. There was no humility or self-distrust in their religion. Theypoor, weak, frail, sinful men, as they werestood up before their Creator and practically demanded that He should be satisfied with them.
III. It was stationary.This self-righteousness was closely connected with another grave defect in the scribes and Pharisees. Theirs was a stationary righteousness. They conformed to their rules of conduct; and then that was all they wanted. They had no desire for any advance in holiness. But a stationary righteousness is spiritual death. There is really no such thing as standing still in spiritual matters. If we are not advancing, not growing in grace, we are almost certainly falling back.
IV. What is true righteousness?There are two things which we must have for our souls health; on the one hand, a deep sense of sin, such as will never allow us to be satisfied with ourselves, and will constantly drive us forward in the pursuit of holiness; and on the other hand, a realisation of justification, of our being right with God, accepted with God, through a hopeful and joyous trust in Christ. If we have both these, we have, in as great a measure as God expects it of us, the righteousness which exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees.
The Rev. N. E. Egerton Swann.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
5:20
Exceed is from the same Greek word that is used in 2Co 3:9, and we know that it is there used in the sense of quality and not quantity. Jesus means that his disciples must have a better kind of righteousness than the Pharisees practiced, ‘for theirs was done for appearance and came from the lips only. A full description of the Pharisees will be found in connection with the comments at chapter 16:12. The kingdom of heaven was to be entered into only by men who were converted in heart and whose actions were induced by a genuine acceptance of the Lord’s corn-mandments.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 5:20. The scribes and Pharisees, by minute explanations of the law, had made it very burdensome. The people, oppressed by this, longed for deliverance. Some hoped for it through an abolition of the law, but our Lord opposes this further, by His exposition of the real demands of the law.
Except your righteousness, your obedience, rectitude, shall exceed, abound more than, that of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. He exacts more than these so exact and exacting in their righteousness.Less a charge of hypocrisy or wickedness than a declaration that they, with all their care, had not yet understood the real spirit of the law. Their scrupulous literal obedience was only a perversion of the law. Christ only unfolds its true meaning, first, by saying that the way to obey it is not that of the Pharisees. Christ is the way to obedience. His words here are to awaken a sense of the need of Him, to enable us to attain to this righteousness.The rest of the chapter contains five contrasts between the true fulfilment of the law and the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees. We include Mat 5:31-32, respecting divorce, under the second contrast (seventh commandment).
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Observe here, 1. A glorious prize or reward set before the Christian as attainable, namely, the kingdom of heaven.
Observe, 2. The means required in order to our obtaining of this prize, and laying hold of this reward; we must be holy and righteous persons: heaven is the reward of righteousness, a reward conferred only upon righteous persons.
Observe, 3. Here is the special qualification of that righteousness expressed, which will entitle us to heaven and salvation: it must be a righteousness which exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, and that these three ways;
1. In its principle and motive; love to God, and obedience to his command; not the applause and commendation of men.
2. In its aim and end; the Pharisees made themselves. their own credit and esteem, their worldly gain and interest, their ultimate end; and not God’s glory, their supreme aim.
3. In the manner of performance; the Pharisees duty wanted that purity and spirituality which the law of God required. They had respect only to the outward action, without any regard to the inward intention, and to that purity of heart which God required.
Quest. In what things are we to exceed the Scribes and Pharisees?
Answ. In sincerity, or by being that within which we seem to be without.
In simplicity, or having holy ends in our religious actions.
In humility, or having low and humble thoughts of ourselves, and our best performances.
In charity, or having compassion on all distressed persons.
In universality of obedience to all commands.
Learn, That holiness of heart, and righteousness of life, which God’s law requires of us, is absolutely and indispensably necessary to salvation.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Mat 5:20. For, except your righteousness shall exceed Gr. , shall abound more than the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees Than that which is apparent in their lives, or even required in their precepts, as is described in the sequel of this discourse, as highly as they are generally esteemed; ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven That is, into the kingdom of glory after you die, or be owned by the Son of man as his subjects while you live. It is justly observed by Dr. Doddridge here, that this must have greatly surprised Christs hearers, if the proverb, which has since prevailed, was in use then; namely, that if but two men were to enter into the kingdom of heaven, one of them would be a Pharisee and the other a scribe. It appears from what follows, the Pharisees affirmed that only the outward action was commanded or forbidden in the law, and that they interpreted all its precepts accordingly. On this principle, they boasted of having performed every thing that was required of them. Nay, they were so arrogant as to think they could do even more than was required. This pernicious morality, destructive of all virtue, Jesus loudly condemned, as was fit, in the beginning of his ministry.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
"I say to you" is a claim to having authority (cf. Mat 7:29). The relativistic view of the scribes and Pharisees led them to accept some Scriptural injunctions and to reject others (cf. Mat 15:5-6). [Note: For a good brief introduction to the scribes and the Pharisees, see France, The Gospel . . ., p. 189.] This resulted in selective obedience that produced only superficial righteousness (only external conformity to the revealed will of God). That type of righteousness, Jesus declared, would not be adequate for admission into the kingdom. The phrase "enter the kingdom" occurs seven other times in the New Testament (Mat 7:21; Mat 18:3; Mat 19:23-24; Mar 9:47; Joh 3:5; Act 14:22). The condition for entering in every case is faith alone. Selective obedience does not demonstrate a proper faith attitude to God, the attitude John and Jesus called for when they said, "Repent."
"I have always felt that Mat 5:20 was the key to this important sermon . . . The main theme is true righteousness. The religious leaders had an artificial, external righteousness based on Law. But the righteousness Jesus described is a true and vital righteousness that begins internally, in the heart. The Pharisees were concerned about the minute details of conduct, but they neglected the major matter of character. Conduct flows out of character." [Note: Wiersbe, 1:21.]
This pericope deals with various attitudes toward the Law: destroying it or fulfilling it (Mat 5:17), and doing it and teaching it (Mat 5:19).
Jesus proceeded to clarify exactly what the law did require in Mat 5:21-48. [Note: William M. McPheeters, "Christ As an Interpreter of Scripture," The Bible Student 1 (April 1900):223-29.] He selected six subjects. He was not contrasting His interpretation with Moses’ teaching but with the interpretation of the scribes and Pharisees. He was expounding the meaning of the text that God originally intended. He was doing Bible exposition.