For I tell you, that unless your justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
λεγω γαρ υμιν οτι εαν μη περισσευση η δικαιοσυνη υμων πλειον των γραμματεων και φαρισαιων ου μη εισελθητε εις την βασιλειαν των ουρανων
14 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The Lord associates righteousness with all that is virtuous, as reflected in the statement, ‘But Job was true, just, and blameless’ (Job 1:1). Therefore, let us feel a sense of awe, human being, when we recognize the demands placed upon us. The Lord then instructs us on how to excel by outlining the qualities we should embody.
The teachings of the past are lacking, for the complete and authentic standard was set forth in the era of grace, where it is declared, ‘Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.’ To those, it was commanded, ‘You shall not murder’ (Ex. 20:13), but to you, ‘You shall not harbor anger’ (cf. Matt. 5:22); for them, ‘You shall not commit adultery’ (Ex. 20:14), while to you it is said, ‘You shall not lust’ (cf. Matt. 5:28); there it was ‘an eye for an eye’ (Ex. 21:24, Lev. 24:20, Deut. 19:21), yet here we hear, ‘If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also’ (cf. Matt. 5:39).
‘Unless your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees.’ If the law instructs: ‘You shall not harvest the corners of your fields, nor shall you gather the fallen olives, nor shall you glean your vineyard, but leave them for the needy’ (cf. Lev. 19:9-10)—if such is directed at those under the law, what then is required of Christians, to whom the Lord said: ‘Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven’ (cf. Matt. 5:20)!
This passage relates to the earlier testimony, which states, "Not one jot or one tittle shall pass from the law until all is fulfilled." Consequently, He rebukes the Pharisees for establishing their own traditions while disregarding the commandments of God. Therefore, their efforts to instruct the people are futile when they transgress even the slightest commandment of the law. This can also be interpreted in another manner: the education of an instructor, harmed by even the least sin, diminishes his stature, rendering him ineffective in conveying the truth, which he undermines through minor faults. True blessedness is found in fulfilling through actions what is to be conveyed through words.
They instruct others but do not embody the teachings, living a lifestyle that deviates from the faith; however, it is essential for you to both instruct and embody, so that your actions align with your words. You might consider this from a different perspective. They focus solely on the culmination of sin, yet you should also contemplate its inception. The scribes and Pharisees are perceived as adhering to the law, rather than breaking it. Righteousness, in this context, encompasses any form of virtue. Observe how, in both these statements and the previous ones, He does not denounce the Old Testament, but instead holds it in high regard. But if it is not worthy of condemnation, why then does it not bring salvation to those who uphold it?
Prior to Christ's arrival, those who meticulously followed its prescriptions found salvation; yet afterwards, when individuals mature from spiritual infancy to adulthood, when abundant grace is bestowed upon humanity, and when immense rewards are promised for acts of goodness (wherein now the inheritance of the earth or temporal wealth, the possession of land, longevity, or triumph over foes is no longer guaranteed, but rather the promise of heavenly inheritance and divine blessings, adoption into God’s family, and kinship with His only begotten Son, victory over evil spirits, and participation in an everlasting kingdom), it is only natural that extraordinary efforts are expected from those desiring such rewards; and these efforts are precisely what the commandments of Christ advocate, who proclaimed these rewards. In accordance with the magnificence of the rewards offered, He has correspondingly asserted the necessity for remarkable deeds.
He critiques the integrity of the scribes and Pharisees, for they do not pursue faith in God's promise but instead seek accolades from people and worldly recognition. We see this exemplified in the arrogant Pharisee, who, in his own estimation, paraded his righteous deeds, unabashedly boasting before God with lofty words. Consequently, the scribes and Pharisees do not uphold the façade of righteousness to honor God, but rather to achieve human admiration, material gain, and temporary success. Therefore, the Lord calls us to transcend this pursuit of earthly accolades by embodying the true righteousness that comes from faith.
We, who consider ourselves the most noble, are culpable of the same faults as the scribes and Pharisees. Much like they believed that mere study of the law sufficed for its fulfillment, carelessly assuming that simply writing it down was enough, we too think that by merely approaching the altars of God, we draw closer to Him. However, the Lord, dispelling this illusion, states, ‘Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.’ This indicates that if you regard appearances as adequate for serving God and do not transform your claims into genuine actions, then the kingdom of God will remain closed to you. This kingdom is authentic and revealed to those who earnestly pursue it.
What transcends the truth of the law represents the pinnacle of the Gospel since the law addresses actions, while the Gospel examines intentions, with the gravity of judgment reaching even the depths of one’s thoughts.
You may have perceived a discrepancy in the Holy Gospels in your earlier remarks. The Saviour addressed the Pharisees, denouncing them as devoid of integrity, saying, ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites,’ while to the Apostles He proclaimed, ‘Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.’ In response, I clarify that the statement refers to a righteousness that should ideally be possessed by the scribes. True reigning demands an abundance of integrity that not only far exceeds those unworthy of pity but also surpasses even those who, by the law, are deserving of approval and live a life appropriate for heaven.
When humanity first turned away from God's command and favored the allure of the adversary, leading to ruin, their body became not only mortal but also prone to suffering, resulting in various imperfections. This condition made us both heavy and unruly. As this shameful legacy of loss has been passed down to all and exacerbated by willful negligence, Christ came to transform our bodies, making them light through Baptism, raising them with the wings of the Spirit. As a result, He offers us far greater pursuits and rewards than those known in the Old Testament. He desires us to be pure not only from actions like murder but also from anger, not solely from adultery and fornication but from lustful gazes, and not just from sinful behaviors but also from false oaths. He commands love for both enemies and friends. Additionally, He has broadened the scope of our responsibilities while warning those who disobey of unquenchable fire, demonstrating that these acts are not left to the mere whims of those who practice them, as with unlovingness or virginity, but are essential. For here He provides the guidance: ‘If you would be perfect’ (Matt. 19:21), and if one can remain single, let him do so (Matt. 19:12); conversely, He intends for these acts to be carried out as they are necessary. Hence, He stated that if your righteousness does not surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees, meaning if you do not exceed those who were commendable in the Old Testament (excluding those destined for judgment), as far as heaven is from earth, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Rewards are duly given for achievements. Those of the Old Testament, living according to their abilities, were compensated with land and longevity, as it is written: ‘Honor your father and your mother, that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you’ (Exodus 20:12). For us, who traverse the narrow pathways of the Gospel, eternal life and heavenly blessings await.
Many individuals, out of fear or embarrassment before others, or to gain their approval, refrain from committing wrongdoing. This is equivalent to if they had engaged in evil actions. Conversely, those who perform good deeds for similar reasons are not truly acting righteously. Actions intended to please others or driven by personal desires are unacceptable in the sight of God. It is essential that every good deed, word, and thought aim to honor God and reflect His glory, as the holy Apostle Paul instructs: "If you eat, if you drink, if you do anything else, you do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31). If this statement holds true, which it undeniably does, what justification do those have who only perform acts for the purpose of impressing others?
The Pharisees acted with a desire for recognition, and our Lord Jesus Christ taught us this lesson: "unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:20). In other words, unless one changes from seeking approval like the Pharisees did to acting solely for God's glory, entrance into His kingdom is impossible. Reflect on this: if those who do not surpass the righteousness of the Pharisees cannot enter the kingdom of God, what then awaits those burdened by greater unrighteousness or sin than that of the scribes and Pharisees? May God protect us from such a fate, and may He guide us to act solely for His pleasure and glory, granting us entrance into His kingdom through Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory forever. Amen.
The understanding of the scribes and Pharisees was confined to a mere academic engagement with the Law of God, lacking a deeper connection to its essence; this superficial grasp ultimately led to a way of life that was contrary to God's commandments. Those who limit themselves to studying the letter of the Law often fall into pride and arrogance due to their shallow comprehension, as noted by Monk Mark the Subbot, and as evidenced in the behavior of the scribes and Pharisees. The true significance of God's commandments, which is realized through their implementation, remained concealed from the Pharisees. The inner vision of the soul, which is illuminated by the observance of the commandments (Psalm 18:9), did not become enlightened for them.
Instead, through their actions that opposed God's law, they developed a misguided understanding of it, leading them away from God who intended the Law to draw them closer and transform them into His image. Each divine commandment holds a sacred mystery, unveiled through its observance and realized in its genuine practice.
The scribes are characterized by their understanding of the law, yet they lack a commitment to living in accordance with it. The Pharisees, on the other hand, emphasize outward appearances while neglecting the integrity of their inner thoughts and emotions. Both of these moral approaches are deemed unworthy of the Kingdom of Heaven. Take note of the lessons to be learned from this. Familiarize yourself with the teachings of the Gospel, not merely for intellectual knowledge but to shape your life according to that understanding. Strive for correctness in your actions, while ensuring that your inner feelings and attitudes are aligned as well.
When you acquire knowledge, do not remain stagnant; instead, seek to understand how this knowledge should guide your actions and be prompt in following through. Let your actions stem from your feelings and dispositions rather than allowing them to merely react to external circumstances; let your conduct reflect your inner state accurately. If you embody this disposition, you will surpass the scribes and Pharisees, and the gates of the Kingdom will remain open to you.
The righteousness upheld by the scribes and Pharisees was based on the teachings of Moses, yet the teachings of Christ are more comprehensive. This is why He declares, “Whoever does not fulfill more than the precepts of the law and these My commandments, which they regard as the least, shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.” The commandments mentioned, as previously noted, may protect one from the penalties due to transgressing the law, but they do not grant entry into the kingdom; conversely, Christ’s commandments both shield from punishment and allow access to the kingdom.
If violating even the smallest of these commandments and failing to observe them are equivalent, then it is significant that He states, “Whoever breaks one of these least commandments shall be called the least in the kingdom of God” (Matthew 5:19), indicating that, although deemed the least, such a person would still be part of the kingdom. Here, He refers to a person who does not adhere to His teachings—if a Christian's righteousness does not exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, such an individual cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Ultimately, those who do not gain entry into the Kingdom of Heaven are excluded from its blessings. It appears that being the least in the Kingdom and failing to enter it are synonymous. Mere presence within the kingdom does not equate to reigning with Christ, but rather to belonging to His followers. It is as though He expressed, “Whoever undermines even the least commandment of the law and leads others to do likewise will be counted among Christians, but will be regarded as the least among them.” Those who actually enter the kingdom of heaven will share in its joys alongside Christ, as it is said to the faithful servant, “Enter into the joy of thy master” (Matthew 25:21), signifying that one will celebrate with the Lord. Therefore, those who do not enter the Kingdom of Heaven will miss out on its glorious experience with Christ, yet will still exist in the heavenly realm—being part of His subjects under Christ, the King of Heaven.
To be a child of the Kingdom of Heaven, one must adhere to God's commandments and instruct others to do the same. Understanding how to fulfill these commandments is essential. The Jewish lawyers, Pharisees, and scribes also followed them, yet Christ the Savior explicitly states: ‘For I tell you, IF YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS DOES NOT EXCEED THAT OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, YOU WILL NOT ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.’ The Pharisees focused solely on the final act of sin - the sinful action itself, whereas you must examine its origin—sinful desires and thoughts. It is commendable to refrain from sinning in action, but it is insufficient; one must not allow sinful thoughts to take root.
If your mind dwells on impure thoughts and your heart is plagued by sinful ambitions, then your righteousness is merely pretense, tainted and unredeemed. This explains why, in God’s sight, the righteousness of the Pharisees was unclean; they observed God's commandments only in a superficial manner, seeking to impress others, while their proud hearts brimmed with wickedness and deceit. They believed this outward, insincere piety could vindicate them before God. They failed to recognize that without faith in Christ the Savior, there can be no justification before God—that all our righteousness, devoid of this saving belief, amounts to nothing. The righteous of the Old Testament were deemed righteous because they placed their faith in the promised Savior, just as we do today. This illustrates the distinction between the righteousness of the humble believers of the Old Testament and the self-righteous Pharisees; the former lived by faith in Christ without relying on their own merits. They acted according to their conscience and out of love for God, believing that God’s commands defined the right path. They embodied the spirit of the New Testament to the best of their ability during their time. Conversely, the Pharisees, puffed up by their adherence to the letter of the Law, overlooked the crucial truth that salvation cannot be attained without faith in Christ. Could such hollow righteousness redeem the Pharisees? Certainly not; this is why the Lord cautions His disciples against this kind of Pharisaical righteousness. The Old Testament does not promise the same rewards as the New Testament; it offers promises of longer life, abundance, and earthly prosperity, while the New Testament assures eternal life for those who live by the commandments. The Kingdom of Heaven offers divine adoption, which is why the New Testament demands a greater purity and more profound deeds than the Old Testament. The Lord elaborates on what this greater purity entails by presenting six examples that contrast the commandments of the Old Testament with those of the New Testament.
For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the teachers of the law and the Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:20). If you, similar to the teachers of the law and the Pharisees, view the commandments that challenge you as insignificant and do not see it as sinful to disregard them, you will be excluded from the kingdom of heaven.
In Matthew 5:20-22, Jesus demonstrates the limitations of the righteousness achieved through adhering to the commandments of the Old Testament by illustrating the contrast between the interpretations of the law and the foundational principles that underlie them. He does not dismiss or contradict the commandments; rather, He distills them to the fundamental essence of love. In line with this principle, even unjustified anger is liable to judgment, and the act of condemning a beloved individual leads to suffering in Gehenna. "Be angry, and sin not." It is important to note that Gehenna derives its name from Gehenom in Judah, named after the valley north of Jerusalem that was connected to its historical inhabitants, the sons of Ennom.
During the reigns of idolatrous kings, an altar to Moloch existed there, where children were sacrificed by passing them through the fire. Eventually, the area became a dumping ground for filth, refuse, and dead animals, with fires continually ablaze and mounds of waste smoldering to eliminate the decay of corpses. This site, characterized by flames, foul odors, smoke, and the growls of scavenging beasts, served as a vivid symbol of eternal suffering.
Your righteousness refers to moral perfection which grants justification before God; it embodies a life that is pure, blameless, and virtuous. Scribes, as noted in Matthew 2:4, were closely aligned in thought and lifestyle with the Pharisees, which is why they are often mentioned together (Matthew 23). The righteousness attributed to the scribes and Pharisees was predominantly false and merely apparent, lacking the essence of true righteousness. The foundation for authentic righteousness, as presented in both the Old and New Testaments, or justification before God, is rooted in faith in Christ the Savior.
However, in the later times, the Jewish leaders, particularly the scribes and Pharisees, so distorted and stifled the spirit of faith that they corrupted the very concept of the Messiah as Savior, leading to a righteousness that lacked the essential groundwork of genuine saving righteousness. Instead, their belief was based on the superficial fulfillment of the laws and regulations; through this adherence alone, the Jews believed they were justified before God without faith in the Messiah, viewing this compliance as a personal merit before God. Consequently, they established a self-righteousness devoid of true humility and love, which they held in arrogant self-assurance as if it were a favor to the Lawgiver Himself (Romans 10:3), relying solely on the accomplishment of the Law's requirements. Their righteousness was characterized by pride, lacking the spirit of gentle love and humility, becoming a facade under which vile sins and base desires could thrive. It was against this hypocrisy that the Savior sharply criticized the scribes and Pharisees (Matt. 23), despite their strict observance of the Law. “In speaking of the scribes and Pharisees, He refers not to those who break the Law, but to those who adhere to it. For if they were disregardful of the Law, He would not have commented on their righteousness, and a non-existent righteousness would not be contrasted with an existent one” (Chrysostom). The righteousness of Christ's disciples must be distinctly different; it must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, rooted in faith in Christ the Savior and expressed through genuine love for God and others, and be sincere rather than superficial, marked by humility and purity. If it does not surpass or elevate above that of the scribes and Pharisees, it will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 23 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS