The Sermon...

SHOCKED BY HIS WORDS

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READ THE FULL TEXT: MATTHEW 5

KEY VERSE: 20

For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

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TODAY’S THOUGHTS FROM THE SCRIPTURE:

Think of the shock that puzzled the multitude when Jesus 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 the time that the Lord Jesus was on the earth, the scribes and Pharisees were not only zealous guardians of the law, but they were the highest authorities in the law. The scribes and Pharisees held the highest rooms at the ceremonial feasts; they held the chief seats in the synagogues. They were looked up to and were called Rabbi, or Master of the law. They were the ones who understood and taught the law. They were not only the teachers but also the upholders of the law.

Now in our text, we have the Lord Jesus telling the multitudes that "...except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." May the Lord give wisdom as we examine the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees! Wherein had they gone wrong? What righteousness is the Lord Jesus speaking of that we need so we might enter the kingdom of heaven?

We need to be able to sort out the distinction between the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees and the righteousness that is needed to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

The scribes developed and divided each commandment into many distinctions. These distinctions always set new precedents for further clarifications, which became traditions. Read MAR 7:1-2; the Lord Jesus was dealing with this very thing. Notice that this chapter begins, "Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashed hands they found fault." The law or the righteousness they were enforcing were traditions made by man. They were not the laws of God.

I want to follow through with this in MARK 7:3-5, For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.

Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?”

The Lord Jesus was dealing with this when He said, "...except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees...." Why? It was because the scribes and Pharisees held traditions ahead of the law of God. They held their traditions superior to the law of God, and the Lord Jesus said to them in MARK 7:6, He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." Now we start to see the distinction between the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees and the righteousness that is needed to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

The righteousness that is needed to enter into the kingdom of heaven is the righteousness that comes from the heart. How can we serve God if our heart is not with Him? The heart must be right before God. MARK 7:7-8 says, and in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of me. For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men- t he washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”

The Lord Jesus gave them an illustration in which He points out that by their tradition, they are making the Word of God of none effect. By doing so, their righteousness becomes a righteousness of man. Their righteousness becomes a righteousness of obeying their traditions and not the law of God.

He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.” MARK 7:9-13.

This is what the Lord Jesus is speaking of in our text when He says, "...except your righteousness, [your conformity of heart and life to the Divine Law,] shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees," ye cannot enter into His service. The Lord Jesus is pointing out that they are conforming to their own traditions, but their heart is not with the Lord; they are not conforming to His Divine Law. The Lord Jesus is pointing out that they are holding their traditions as being superior to the Word of God.

Amen