This study was first taught on March 24, 2010

Topic: The Righteousness That Excels That of The Scribes and Pharisees (1)

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Background
Last week, as we saw the difference between worldly greatness and kingdom greatness, we defined greatness in general terms as: being considered important, being prominent, being counted worthy, or being highly esteemed.

We saw that whereas the great people of the world exercise authority over their subjects, kingdom greats serve God’s people; whereas highly esteemed people in the world are high minded and selfish, those who are highly esteemed in the kingdom of God are lowly in heart and are selfless, giving themselves to others; and, whereas people who are counted worthy in the world recline at tables to be served, people who are counted worthy in the kingdom of God are waiters serving at tables.

We also saw that to be prominent and important in the world is to be proud, self -confident, snotty, powerful, strong, etc.; but to be prominent and important in the kingdom of God, is to be humble, have no confidence in oneself (but in God), being of a contrite heart, meek, and doing the will of God.

Kingdom greatness, we therefore concluded, is for those who, as a result of being genuinely converted, have humbled themselves to the point where they can willingly submit themselves to the will of God (whatever that may be), and to His teachings (in every respect without compromising any); and who teach others to do the same (that is, to submit to the will of God, and to His every teaching). We noted that anything else will lead to being in the lowest rung in God’s kingdom, and even complete exclusion from the kingdom. We saw that even though John the Baptist in his course on earth did no miracles, he was counted worthy and highly esteemed by God, because he did all that was required of Him by God.

We saw the example of the Lord Jesus, who did not think that the position He rightly had was anything to latch on to, but Who subjected Himself to the authority of His Father, even when it meant death. As a result, His Father made Him the greatest there ever will be. We noted that it is God’s plan that every child of His to be great. This can only happen, however, when we live according to His teachings; doing His will in the process, and not yielding to some abridged or modified form of teaching.

Scripture Text(s)
Matthew 5:20
In our scripture text tonight, the Lord speaks of righteousness that exceeds, surpasses or is better that the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees. That is, the standard of law and living which Christians should seek to attain must surpass that set by the Scribes and the Pharisees. May the Holy Spirit help us to attain to God’s kind of righteousness, in Jesus name, Amen.
Righteousness can be defined as moral uprightness, justice, blamelessness or faithfulness toward God. Righteousness in general terms is thus the standard for judging who is living right and who is not. It forms the basis for establishing the judiciary and law enforcement in human society. Thus, where there is no justice or moral uprightness in society, we speak of lawlessness, wickedness and corruption. For righteousness to be universal, the standard must be set by the Creator of the earth, and not by men (Isaiah 64:6). Any righteousness that falls short of God’s standard therefore, must be the wrong kind and is to be aptly tagged wickedness! Tonight, we shall look at the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, which falls short of God’s standard of holiness.
Matthew 5:17- 48; Romans 10:3; Matthew 23:1-33; Luke 12:1; 11:37-44; Mark 7:1-23 (Matthew 15:1-20); Luke 16:13-15; 10:25-37; 18:10-14; Exodus 20: 8-11; Acts 1:12; Luke 6:1-4, 6-11; 13:10-17; Deuteronomy 17:2-7; John 8:3-11; Matthew 19:3-11 (Make 10:2-12); Leviticus 13 & 14; Matthew 8:1-3; Romans 2:28; 2 Corinthians 3:6.

Conclusion
The righteous standard of the Scribes and Pharisees is the making of men who lack the understanding of why God gave the commandments. This arose from ignorance on the one hand, and unwillingness to submit to the righteousness of God on the other hand. If we are to enter into the kingdom of God, we must live by a standard that exceeds that of the Scribes and the Pharisees.

Although the Scribes and the Pharisees of Jesus’ days are dead and gone, we still have them today. These are religious people who, not being able to live by God’s standard, are now creating their own way of attaining to the righteousness of God. They modify God’s word to accommodate their wrong doing; they justify their wrong actions, and replace God’s word with philosophies of men; and have no room for mercy for those who break their laws, but insist on God’s mercy for themselves. They are hypocrites who say one thing and do another; and who have an outward show of religion, but no complementing inner life of holiness (2 Timothy 3:5)

To enter into the kingdom of God, our standard of living must excel that of these Scribes and Pharisees. Christians must of necessity possess a righteousness that is devoid of hypocrisy and an outward show of religion. Church attendance without holiness amounts to hypocrisy; so does giving to be acknowledged by men. The fundamental problem of many so called Christians today is that they live by the letter of the word of God which leads to death; and not by the Spirit, which gives life and the grace to live according to God’s word.

Let us go to the Lord in prayer and seek his face for help to strip us of every “leaven of the Pharisees”.

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