"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.
The Jews had a saying, "If only two people go to heaven, one will be a scribe and the other a Pharisee."
Those who were there to hear Jesus’ statement must have wondered, "If the scribes and Pharisees can’t enter into the kingdom of heaven, who can?"
Luke 18:9-14
Notice the purpose behind this parable: "He spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous" (v. 9). This parable was isntended to confront the self-righteous.
The parable had two characters: a Pharisee and a publican (tax collector).
The Pharisee was the most respected man in Jewish society. We could compare the scribes and Pharisees of that day to the preachers and professors of our day.
The tax collector was the most hated man in Jewish society.
Ralph Gower writes,
In New Testament times, tribute by taxation had to be paid to the Roman Empire. Roman officials would sell the right to collect taxes in an area to the highest bidder. The tax commissioner (chief publican) would then have to supply a certain amount of money. He would employ local people as the collectors (publicans), and both commissioner and collectors would tax excessively so that they made a good living as well as passing on what was required by the government. . . . The Jews hated the publicans, not only because the publicans took the Jews’ money, but because the publicans were regarded as traitors to the occupying power [The New Manners and Customs of Bible Times, p. 178].
Tax collectors were considered liars and cheaters and traitors, yet who did Jesus say left the temple justified—the Pharisee or the tax collector? The tax collector.
Why? He saw himself as a sinner while the Pharisee saw himself as righteous. The tax collector pleaded for God’s mercy while the Pharisee presented to God his list of accomplishments.
The first recorded sermon of Jesus is the Sermon on the Mount, and the first statement He makes in this sermon is "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3).
What does it mean to be poor in spirit? It means to recognize one’s total wretchedness and inadequacy before God.
Jesus once proclaimed, "I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Matthew 9:13).
The scribes and Pharisees prided themselves in their observance of God’s law, but they misunderstood the purpose of that law.
John MacArthur writes,
The purpose of God’s law was to show that, to please God and to be worthy of citizenship in His kingdom, more righteousness is required than anyone can possibly have or accomplish in himself. The purpose of the law was not to show what to do in order to make oneself acceptable, much less to show how good one already is, but to show how utterly sinful and helpless all men are in themselves [The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Matthew 1-7, p. 276].
The standard of righteousness that the scribes and Pharisees taught and practiced differed from God’s righteousness in several important ways.
I. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES WAS EXTERNAL, BUT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS GOD REQUIRES IS INTERNAL.
Matthew 23:25-28
Seven times in this chapter Jesus calls the scribes and Pharisees hypocrites. Outwardly they were holy, but inwardly they were full of wickedness.
HYPOCRISY CANNOT SUBSTITUTE FOR HOLINESS.
Matthew 6:1-8
RITUAL CANNOT SUBSTITUTE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
"And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abominable [detestable] in the sight of God" (Luke 16:15).
God has always been concerned first with internal righteousness. When Samuel was ready to annoint Jesses’ oldest son, Eliab, to be Saul’s successor, the Lord said, "Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).
II. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES WAS PARTIAL, BUT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS GOD REQUIRES IS PERFECT.
"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgement, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone" (Matthew 23:23).
Those religious leaders were meticulous in tithing the smallest plants and seeds from their gardens, though that was not specifically commanded in the law. Yet they had total disregard for showing justice and mercy to other people and for being faithful in their hearts to God.
"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widow’s houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive greater damnation" (Matthew 23:14).
Jesus made another shocking statement in Matthew 5: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (v. 48). To be qualified for God’s kingdom we must be as holy as the King Himself. That standard is so infinitely high that even the most self-righteous person would not dare claim to possess it or be able to attain it.
III. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES WAS SELF-CENTERED, BUT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS GOD REQUIRES IS CHRIST-CENTERED.
The righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees was produced by self for the purpose of self-glory. Above all else, those leaders sought to be self-satisfied, and their system of religion was designed to enhance that self-satisfaction by providing ways to accomplish external, showing things about which they could boast and be proud. Their satisfaction came when they received approval and praise from men.
The righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees is the righteousness of countless people today.
Their righteousness is EXTERNAL.
Their righteousness is PARTIAL.
Their righteousness is SELF-CENTERED.
This kind of righteousness is never sufficient to gain a person entrance into God’s kingdom.
"They being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God" (Romans 10:3).
"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" (Proverbs 14:12).
How can a person enter into the kingdom of heaven?
The righteousness God requires of His kingdom citizens must far "exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees." The term "exceed" is used of a river overflowing its banks, emphasizing that which is far in excess of the normal.
How can we get that kind of righteousness?
The disciples one day asked Jesus the question, "Who then can be saved?" (Matthew 19:25). And the only answer is the one Jesus gave on that occasion: "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible" (v. 26).
Two key verses:
1. "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" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Matthew Henry wrote, "As Christ, who knew no sin of His own, was made sin for us, so we, who have no righteousness of our own, are made the righteousness of God in Him."
When God looks at imperfect, sinful believers, He sees His perfect, sinless Son.
2. "And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith" (Philippians 3:9).
"All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6).
God is not taking in dirty laundry, but He will take in dirty sinners.
"But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe. . . ." (Romans 3:21-22).
During a British conference on comparative religions, experts from around the world debated what, if any, belief was unique to the Christian faith.
They began eliminating possibilities. Incarnation? Other religions had different versions of gods appearing in human form. Resurrection? Again, other religions had accounts of return from death.
The debate went on for some time until C. S. Lewis wandered into the room. "What’s the rumpus about?" he asked, and heard in reply that his colleagues were discussing Christianity’s unique contribution among world religions. Lewis responded, "Oh, that’s easy. It’s grace" [Perfect Illustrations for Every Topic and Occasion, pp. 116-117].
THE ONE WHO DEMANDS PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS GIVES PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS.
THE ONE WHO TELLS OF THE WAY INTO THE KINGDOM IS HIMSELF THAT WAY.
Those who insist on coming to God in their own way and in their own power will never reach Him; they "shall in not case enter into the kingdom of heaven." No church, no ritual, no work, no philosophy, no system can bring a person to God. Those who try to work their way into God’s grace know nothing of what His grace is about.
Amazing grace! how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
The writer of that old hymn was struck with awe as he wondered how a sinful wretch like him could be saved. It could only be by grace.
John MacArthur writes,
It is tragic that many people today, like the scribes and Pharisees, will try any way to God but His way. They will pay any price, but will not accept the price He paid. They will do any work for Him, but they will not accept the finished work of His Son for them. They will accept any gift from God except the gift of His free salvation. Such people are religious but not regenerated, and they "shall not enter the kingdom of heaven" [The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Matthew 1-7, p. 281]
Notice the word "no" in 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."
CONCLUSION
An armed robber named Dennis Lee Curtis was arrested in 1992 in Rapid City, South Dakota. Curtis apparently had scruples about his thievery. In his wallet the police found a sheet of paper on which was written the following code:
1. I will not kill anyone unless I have to.
2. I will take cash and food stamps—no checks.
3. I will rob only at night.
4. I will not wear a mask.
5. I will not rob mini-marts or 7-Eleven stores.
6. If I get chased by cops on foot, I will get away. If chased by vehicle, I will not put the lives of innocent civilians on the line.
7. I will rob only seven months out of the year.
8. I will enjoy robbing from the rich to give to the poor.
This thief had a sense of morality, but it was flawed. When he stood before the court, he was not judged by the standards he had set for himself but by the higher law of the state.
Likewise when we stand before God, we will not be judged by the code of morality we have written for ourselves but by God’s perfect law [Perfect Illustrations for Every Topic and Occasion, pp. 154-155].
Jesus doesn’t care if your name is Billy Graham or if you’re the Pope. He says to all, "Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of God."
He’s looking for perfection, and it can only be found in Him.
