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Jesus' Teaching on Righteousness Exceeding the Scribes

Jesus' teaching on righteousness exceeding that of the scribes and Pharisees, found in Matthew 5:20, introduces a core theme of the Sermon on the Mount. This statement serves as a foundational principle for understanding the nature of the "kingdom of heaven" that Jesus proclaims [9, 13].

Righteousness, in a general sense, refers to obedience to God's law [3]. The Old Testament describes God's righteousness as part of His character, being very high, abundant, everlasting, and the habitation of His throne [1]. It is also seen in His testimonies, commandments, judgments, word, ways, and acts [1]. Humanity, in contrast, is often depicted as falling short of divine righteousness, with questions posed like, "Can a human being be more righteous than God?" [2, 5]. The concept of uprightness is also linked to righteousness, encompassing heart, speech, walk, and judgment [6].

In Matthew 5:20, Jesus declares, "unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." This statement is directed not only to his disciples but to the broader multitude who held the scribes and Pharisees in high esteem for their apparent righteousness [9]. The scribes were the learned part of the people, responsible for writing out and interpreting the law [9]. The Pharisees were known for their strict adherence to the law and traditions [10].

Commentators emphasize that the superiority Jesus demands is not merely a matter of degree but of kind [8]. The righteousness of Jesus' followers must be "inward" rather than merely "outward and formal" [8]. This new kind of righteousness is both quantitatively and qualitatively distinct from that practiced by the religious leaders of the day [13]. Jesus' teaching reveals the true intent of the law, uncovering sin at a deeper level than external actions [12].

Jesus illustrates this surpassing righteousness through a series of antitheses, contrasting his own teaching with traditional interpretations of the law [10]. For example, while the traditions prohibited murder, they did not prohibit hatred. Jesus demands reconciliation, indicating that merely refraining from murder is insufficient [10]. This demonstrates that the righteousness Jesus teaches goes beyond outward observance to address the heart and inner motivations [12].

The righteousness Jesus makes possible is exemplified throughout the Sermon on the Mount and is summarized in Matthew 5:48, which calls for perfection [13]. This concept aligns with the idea that Christ's example is perfect, requiring conformity in holiness, righteousness, purity, love, humility, and obedience [7]. The early church father Augustine taught that this righteousness is infused by God's grace, imparting love and not merely exhibiting truth [11].

The concept of righteousness in the New Testament also includes the idea of "imputed righteousness," which is revealed in the gospel and is of the Lord [4]. This is described as the righteousness of faith, the righteousness of God without the law, and the righteousness of God by faith in Christ [4]. Christ is seen as the end of the law for righteousness and is called "THE LORD OF OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" [4]. This suggests a righteousness that is not solely achieved through human effort but is a gift from God through Christ.

Sources

  1. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Righteousness of God, The — Is part of his character -- Ps 7:9; 116:5; 119:137. Described as Very high. -- Ps 71:19. Abundant. -- Ps 48:10. Beyond computation. -- Ps 71:15. Everlasting. -- Ps 119:142. Enduring for ever. -- Ps 111:3. The habitation of his throne. -- Ps 97:2. Christ acknowledged -- Joh 17:25. Christ committed his cause to -- 1Pe 2:23. Angels acknowledge -- Re 16:5. Exhibited in His testimonies. -- Ps 119:138,144. His commandments. -- De 4:8; Ps 119:172. His judgments. -- Ps 19:9; 119:7,62. His word. -- Ps 119:123. His ways. -- Ps 145:17. His acts. -- J”
  2. Job “Job 4:17 (LEB) — ‘Can a human being be more righteous than God, or can a man be more pure than his Maker?”
  3. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Righteousness — Is obedience to God's law -- De 6:25; Ro 10:5; Lu 1:6; Ps 1:2. God loves -- Ps 11:7. God looks for -- Isa 5:7. Christ Is the Son of. -- Mal 4:2. Loves. -- Ps 45:7; Heb 1:9. Was girt with. -- Isa 11:5. Put on, as breast-plate. -- Isa 59:17. Was sustained by. -- Isa 59:16. Preached. -- Ps 40:9. Fulfilled all. -- Mt 3:15. Is made to his people. -- 1Co 1:30. Is the end of the law for. -- Ro 10:4. Has brought in everlasting. -- Da 9:24. Shall judge with. -- Ps 72:2; Isa 11:4; Ac 17:31; Re 19:11. Shall reign in. -- Ps 45:6; Isa 32:1; Heb 1:8. Shall execute.”
  4. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Righteousness Imputed — Predicted -- Isa 56:1; Eze 16:14. Revealed in the gospel -- Ro 1:17. Is of the Lord -- Isa 54:17. Described as The righteousness of faith. -- Ro 4:13; 9:30; 10:6. The righteousness of God, without the law. -- Ro 3:21. The righteousness of God by faith in Christ. -- Ro 3:22. Christ being made righteousness to us. -- 1Co 1:30. Our being made the righteousness of God, in Christ. -- 2Co 5:21. Christ is the end of the law for -- Ro 10:4. Christ called THE LORD OF OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS -- Jer 23:6. Christ brings in an everlasting righteousness -- Da 9:2”
  5. Job “Job 35:2 (KJV) — Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God’s?”
  6. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Uprightness — God is perfect in -- Isa 26:7. God has pleasure in -- 1Ch 29:17. God created man in -- Ec 7:29. Man has deviated from -- Ec 7:29. Should be in Heart. -- 2Ch 29:34; Ps 125:4. Speech. -- Isa 33:15. Walk. -- Pr 14:2. Judging. -- Ps 58:1; 75:2. Ruling. -- Ps 78:72. The being kept from presumptuous sins is necessary to -- Ps 19:13. With poverty, is better than sin with riches -- Pr 28:6. With poverty, is better than folly -- Pr 19:1. They who walk in Fear God. -- Pr 14:2. Love Christ. -- Song 1:4. Countenanced by God. -- Ps 11:7. Delighted in by God. -- Pr 1”
  7. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Example of Christ, The — Is perfect -- Heb 7:26. Conformity to, required in Holiness. -- 1Pe 1:15,16; Ro 1:6. Righteousness. -- 1Jo 2:6. Purity. -- 1Jo 3:3. Love. -- Joh 13:34; Eph 5:2; 1Jo 3:16. Humility. -- Lu 22:27; Php 2:5,7. Meekness. -- Mt 11:29. Obedience. -- Joh 15:10. Self-denial. -- Mt 16:24; Ro 15:3. Ministering to others. -- Mt 20:28; Joh 13:14,15. Benevolence. -- Ac 20:35; 2Co 8:7,9. Forgiving injuries. -- Col 3:13. Overcoming the world. -- Joh 16:33; 1Jo 5:4. Being not of the world. -- Joh 17:16. Being guileless. -- 1Pe 2:21-22. Suffering wrongfully. --”
  8. Matthew (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Matthew 5:20: For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees--The superiority to the Pharisaic righteousness here required is plainly in kind, not degree; for all Scripture teaches that entrance into God's kingdom, whether in its present or future stage, depends, not on the degree of our excellence in anything, but solely on our having the character itself which God demands. Our righteousness, then--if it is to contrast with the outward and formal righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees--must be inw”
  9. Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 5:20: 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, a”
  10. Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 5:21: 5:21-47 You have heard. . . . But I say: Jesus contrasts his own teaching to six misinterpretations of the law. Each antithesis provides an example of the surpassing righteousness of Jesus. Jesus reveals the will of God as it contrasts with traditions. 5:21 our ancestors were told: The expression refers to the traditional interpretation of the teachers of religious law and Pharisees. Though their traditions prohibited murder, they did not prohibit hatred. The surpassing righteousness of Jesus demands reconciliation (5:23-24); merely refraining from committing mur”
  11. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 14 [XII.]--THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS OF GOD, AND THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS OF THE LAW. (part 1): If this grace is to be called "teaching," let it at any rate be so called in such wise that God may be believed to infuse it, along with an ineffable sweetness, more deeply and more internally, not only by their agency who plant and water from without, but likewise by His own too who ministers in secret His own increase,--in such a way, that He not only exhibits truth, but likewise imparts love. For it is thus that God teaches those who have been cal”
  12. Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 5:27: 5:27-30 Jesus’ righteousness uncovers sin at a deeper level than the external; he reveals the true intent of the law.”
  13. Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 5:20: 5:20 unless your righteousness is better: Jesus’ disciples must have the substantially new kind of righteousness that Jesus teaches and makes possible (illustrated in 5:21-47 and summed up in 5:48); it is both quantitatively and qualitatively distinct. Just as Jesus is greater than the Temple (12:6) and Jonah (12:41), so the righteousness of his followers far outstrips that of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees (see 3:7-9).”
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