The Gospel of the Kingdom - Matthew - Jesus and the Law - Part 4

 

Text: Matthew 5:19 – “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.”

We are in a study about Jesus and His relationship to the Law. Today, let us conclude this study with a look at the Religious Leaders and the Law.

We have looked at that Jesus didn’t come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it. Those who obey the message of the Law and teach them to others will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. Those who teach the Bible as truth will be considered great (Greek word “megas”) in the Kingdom.

Every one of us needs to read our Bible. We need to study it. As I have heard it said – we need to read, heed it, and repeat it to others. There are two things that you need to make a daily priority in your life – READ YOUR BIBLE, AND PRAY.

In the following devotions, we will be seeing six areas where Jesus says, “You have heard it said… But I say to you.”

So, what was wrong with the scribes and Pharisees’ interpretation of the Scriptures, in a nutshell?

Let me give you four statements, they were:

1. Concerned with details, rather than principles.
2. Concerned with actions, rather than motives.
3. Concerned with doing, rather than being.
4. Concerned with the letter of the law, forgot the spirit of the law.

They were hypocrites, making Christianity outward rather than inward. To them, reputation was more important than character. What’s the difference? The first is what people think you are, the latter is what God knows you are!

There was an episode of Leave it to Beaver where Wally is told by his mother, June, not to take his brother to a certain horror movie. Eddie Haskell later suggests to Wally, “She didn’t say Beaver couldn’t take you…give him the money!” 

As kids, we all tried to find ways to be able to say we were in compliance when we truly were not. Like when the father told his son, “Stand up, son.” The son thought “I may be standin’ on the outside, but I’m sittin’ on the inside!”

Even as adults we often are like that boy. Jesus is going to move the issue from outward conformity to an inward connection in the following lessons.

The principles Jesus is trying to teach aren’t about these 6 things alone, but are huge principles that apply to everything of this life, not just murder and hatred, adultery and lust, divorce, swearing, lawsuits, and our enemies.

Jesus is teaching on how to interpret the Law:

• Outward conformity is not enough, motives are equally important.
• Outward conformity is not enough, thoughts and desires are equally important.
• The law is not just negative, but also positive.
• The law is not to oppress us, but to free us.
• The law is not the end in itself but is an expression of our love for God.

A Pharisee is ready for bed so he  walks over to a wall on which hang the 10 commandments. He reads them, checks them off one by one, saying, “I didn’t do this today. So, then, all is well between me and God.”

Jesus here says no, here’s your checklist as you pillow your head: “Dear Lord, have You been supreme in my life today? Have I brought glory and honor to You? Do I know You better today? Have I deepened my relationship with You? Are there any wicked thoughts in me?”

The righteousness that He speaks of in verse 20 is His righteousness.  For without Him, we will find that we are all guilty of breaking God’s Law – and are condemned

We will see this developed further in the next devotions.