When Jesus Raises the Bar
“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.” — Matthew 5:20, KJV
Let’s be honest. If we didn’t know better, we’d read Jesus’ words here and think He’s handing out a checklist.
What we would hear is. “If you want to enter the kingdom, then you need to be more righteous than the most righteous people you know.” And if this is the correct way to understand it, then it’s devastating.
But here’s the truth: Jesus is not calling you to try harder. He’s calling you to give up.
This passage is from The Sermon on the Mount, which is likely one of the most famous teachings in the Bible, and probably one of the most misunderstood. Contrary to what many may think, it’s not Jesus’ TED Talk on how to be a better person, nor is it a new and improved law.
Jesus begins by saying the sermon by saying that He didn’t come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. That’s not just a throwaway line, it’s the key to the entire sermon. He’s telling us upfront that this whole thing is about Me doing what you could never do. But why then does Jesus drop the bomb and say that “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you’re not getting into heaven.”
Now pause for a second. The scribes and Pharisees were the spiritual elite of their day. Think of the most religious, rule-following people you know, then multiply that by ten. That’s who Jesus is talking about, and He’s saying, that’s not good enough.
The Law That Crushes
Jesus isn’t lowering the bar; in fact, He’s raising it higher. If you read the next verses, He shows us just how high the bar really is. It’s not enough to avoid murder, you can’t even be angry. It’s not enough to avoid adultery, you can’t even lust. It’s not enough to love your friends, you’ve got to love your enemies. If that doesn’t undo you, you’re not listening or you’ve taken the bar of the law that Jesus raised, and brought it back down to your level.
Jesus is preaching the law in its full strength. Why? Because the law isn’t meant to make you feel good about yourself, or even to give you an achievable goal. It’s meant to expose your inability and to drive you to despair of your own righteousness.
That’s why the Reformers said the law is like a hammer. It is meant to crush you under its weight so that you know without any doubt that you are unable to make it to God.
So where’s the good news?
It’s in that little word: “fulfill.” Jesus doesn’t come just preaching the law, but He has come to keep it perfectly. For you. The righteousness that exceeds the Pharisees? It’s not something you can produce, but it is something you receive from another.
That’s the scandal and beauty of the gospel. It doesn’t tell you to climb higher, it tells you Someone climbed for you. Jesus ascended into the hill of the Lord and stood in his holy place, and He did this for you. (Psalm 24:3-6)
So when He says, “Unless your righteousness exceeds…” He’s not saying, “Be better.” He’s saying, “You need My righteousness.”
Don’t Miss the Point
If we read this text and walk away thinking Jesus gave us a harder list, we’ve missed everything. He didn’t come to crush us with a new law. He came to fulfill the law for us.
This is the heart of the law-gospel distinction:
The law shows us what God requires, but it gives no power to meet it.
The gospel tells us what God has done in Christ, and it gives everything freely.
As Martin Luther said, “The law says, ‘Do this,’ and it is never done. The gospel says, ‘Believe this,’ and everything is already done.” (AE 31:41)
Rest in that today. You are not saved because you are more righteous than the Pharisees. You are saved because you are in Christ, and His righteousness exceeds them all.