19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
I’m sure for everyone else this is an easy one. And for some ways for me it always has been. I’ve read it and moved on. Though I wondered somewhat why my Bible doesn’t have it in a separate section than when Jesus says he is the fulfillment of the Law. I know it’s “not in the original” but I used to be curious and just moved on.
I do realize now that it follows from the text where Jesus says he doesn’t come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. What he is doing is making that clear. But is there more to it than that?
The first thing. noticed when I actually paused to think on this is that there are two parties — those who break the law and teach others to do the same and those who practice the commandments and teach other. But both of these are still in the kingdom of heaven. One is just called least and the other is called great. I don’t think I’ve really stopped to think about that.
Then there’s the statement that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the religious leaders, you won’t enter the kingdom of heaven. My thoughts about this verse have been two fold.
- Our righteousness is in Christ and there’s no one righteous, so in essence this is the gospel (as found in Romans)
- The Pharisees and Sadducees were thought to be the highest level of spirituality, so this would have been a shock.
Both of those are true. But I was missing the statements of Jesus being the fulfillment of the Law. And when I thought about it, I realized the translators were right.
Because while the Pharisees and Sadducees strived for perfection in keeping the law, they were keeping the letter of the Law. They didn’t realize the bigger picture. That Christ was the fulfillment and the law was about people. The Law was not meant to enslave people but to guide them. Guide them in righteous living and guide them to Jesus, the Messiah.
Whenever keeping the Law becomes a point of pride and superiority, there is a mishandling of the law. The law is being used as a measure of superior righteousness over others. That is not the point of the law.
That’s how the Pharisees and Sadducees were using the Law. Jesus gives them a blistering response in Mt 23. And it’s why he says a person’s righteousness must surpass just mere law keeping for the sake of the law and not understand its purpose for the sake of the people.
Sometimes I have acted like the Pharisees but thinking I was going the right thing. Lord, help me to mature.
