Verse Explanation

[Asher]

What does matt5:20 means?

[Divine Insight]

What does matt5:20 means?

To me appears to just be another stab at the Pharisees.

It's pretty clear that Jesus did not think very highly of the Pharisees as he called them hypocrites quite often.

I personally believe that if he was alive today the "Pharisees" would actually be today's clergy including the so-called "Christian clergy".

I don't think Jesus approved of organized religions that teach strict dogma. He was probably a pantheistic-minded Jew and leaned toward the Mahayana Buddhist view of "God",

Just my thoughts for whatever they're worth.

[kayky]

Jesus viewed the scribes and pharisees as hypocrites. He thought their piety was mainly for show. He is saying that individual righteousness must be genuine.

[Asher]

Thanks for answering, but what about the second part of the verse, you have only explain about Pharisees and scribes;

[McCulloch]

I have found that the context of a passage often gives insight into the intended meaning.

[font=Georgia]
“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.[/font]

Jesus, like the Psalmist, found great joy in the Law. He preached obedience to God's Law on more than one occasion. None of the law, according to him would ever be annulled and there is great virtue in both keeping and teaching the law.

[font=Georgia]
“For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.[/font]

So what is it about the law and righteousness that Jesus noticed being lacking in the scribes and Pharisees? Check out Matthew 23:1-3

[font=Georgia]
Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.[/font]

According to Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees were hypocrites, saying and teaching stuff, but not themselves acting on their own teachings. He is clearly saying that his disciples would have to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.

[font=Georgia]
“You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.[/font]

But wait, there's more. With a few examples, he shows that mere adherence to the rules is not enough. He wants his followers to internalize the rules, to adopt the attitudes and the spirit of the law. Don't just refrain from murder; avoid being angry. Don't just avoid adultery; avoid lust. Don't recite words of prayer; go into a private place and pray to God. Don't just go to church; be the church.

[Heterodoxus]

[font=Comic Sans MS]I agree that Jesus of Nazareth apparently had a low opinion of the penmen and holier-than-thou enforcers of Moses' Law who he compared to poisonous snakes and cold, unfeeling stones.

I disagree that Jesus was not, in his personal beliefs and actions, 100% Jewish: born, raised, taught, and died who, for whatever reason(s), exchanged his life as a craftsman for that of an apocalyptic Jewish prophet who encouraged his audiences to:

1) forsake the often cruel teachings of the tribal "god" of Israel as taught by the religious leaders in Jesus' time and place, and

2) elevate goodness in themselves and other people.

"What does Matt. 5:20 mean?" The key words in that verse indicate that what Jesus referred to as "the kingdom of heaven" will never be gotten into by persons who do not treat other people in a fair, equitable, and just manner.[/font]

[puddleglum]

For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
(Matthew 5:20 ESV)

To find the answer just think about what kind of righteousness the scribes and Pharisees had. Their righteousness was based on adherence to the law of Moses and the rules and requirements they had added to them. They hoped to enter the kingdom of heaven because they had earned the right to do so by the way they lived. The only problem with that is that it is impossible for anyone to keep God's laws completely. Look at what Paul said about this:

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
(Romans 3:21-24 ESV)

If we acknowledge our failure to meet God's standards of righteousness and put our faith in Christ he will give us as a free gift the righteousness we need. Jesus later told a parable that illustrates the difference between these two kinds of righteousness.

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.�
(Luke 18:9-14 ESV)

Here are two good places to learn more about how to acquire this righteousness.

http://www.backtothebible.org/Indexes/i ... Itemid=180

http://carm.org/answers-for-seekers

[Heterodoxus]

[font=Comic Sans MS]I agree that Jesus of Nazareth apparently had a low opinion of the penmen and holier-than-thou enforcers of Moses' Law who he compared to poisonous snakes and cold, unfeeling stones.[/font]

My aplogies for the font size in the quoted posting. I hit the wrong selection