It begins in 5:20 (read). This was an absolute bombshell to His audience, because the scribes and Pharisees were considered to be the most righteous people around. It would be like saying, “Unless you're far more righteous than Billy Graham and Mother Theresa, you can forget about ever earning your entrance into God’s kingdom.”
In 5:21-47, Jesus criticizes the scribes and Pharisees for lowering the bar, for creating a diluted version of “Plan A.” He cites six of God's commandments. In each case, He refutes the scribes’ and Pharisees’ misinterpretations (“You have heard that it was said...”) and corrects them with His authoritative interpretation (“...but I say to you...”). As we look at what Jesus says, why don’t we score our performance on “Plan A?” There is more application and complexity in Jesus’ teaching on these six areas – but let’s focus on Jesus’ main point about...
“You shall not commit murder.” Read 5:21. The scribes and Pharisees taught that you fulfilled this command if you never actually committed homicide. “I've never murdered anyone, so I am righteous enough to enter God’s kingdom.”
Read 5:22. Jesus says it’s not just the outward act of murder will exclude you from God's kingdom; it’s also the heart-attitude that underlies murder, even if you never actually kill anyone. Vilifying anger and contempt, therefore, while they do not make us guilty enough to go to prison, do make us guilty enough to go to hell.
Ask yourself: “Have I ever been sinfully angry toward anyone?” If your answer is “Yes,” you are not righteous enough to enter God’s kingdom.
“You shall not commit adultery.” Read 5:27. The scribes and Pharisees taught that you fulfilled this command as long as you never actually had sex with someone other than your spouse after you got married. “I have never gone out on my wife, so I am righteous enough to enter God’s kingdom.” (Of course, a huge percentage of Americans are in trouble even by this standard!)
Read 5:28. Jesus says that it’s not just the outward act of adultery that will exclude you from God's kingdom; it’s also the heart-attitude that underlies adultery, even if you never actually commit it. Sexual lust – not physical attraction, but viewing another person as an object of sexual pleasure and fantasizing or planning to use them in this way – this is abhorrent enough to God to sentence you to hell!
Ask yourself: “Have I ever sexually lusted for anyone?” If your answer is “Yes,” you are not righteous enough to enter God’s kingdom.
Read 5:31. The Law acknowledged that sometimes divorce should be permitted as the lesser of two evils. But many scribes and Pharisees perverted this into virtually “no-fault divorce” for men. They could divorce their wives for burning a meal, talking loudly in the morning, being “troublesome,” or even because he had found another woman who was more attractive. “I may have ditched my wife, but I’m still righteous enough to enter God’s kingdom.”
Read 5:32. Jesus says that even if this kind of behavior is legal in court, it is a transparent betrayal that earns God’s judgment. I think this principle applies to all committed relationships (parents; children; friendships).
Ask yourself: “Have I ever wrongly broken my commitment to a relationship?” If your answer is “Yes,” you are not righteous enough to enter God’s kingdom.
“You shall not make false vows, but you shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.” Read 5:33. The scribes and Pharisees had come up with a legalistic code of “binding” and “non-binding” vows (read Matt.23:16-22). So if you knew the code, you could deliberately deceive someone and still be righteous! Their answer was something like “As long as you have never committed perjury in court, you are righteous enough to enter God's kingdom.”
Jesus completely rejects this whole definition of righteousness! Read 5:34-37. His point is not that we should never take an oath in court or swear by God’s name (God does, Jesus did, Paul does). It is rather that every assertion, promise, etc. is made in God’s presence, and that therefore righteousness means always being honest and never being deceptive. Twisting an account to make us look better, failing to tell the truth when we should, etc. condemns us in God’s eyes.
Ask yourself: “Have I ever broken a promise or lied to anyone?” If your answer is “Yes,” you are not righteous enough to enter God’s kingdom.
“An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” Read 5:38. This was part of the Old Testament civil law, a key principle of jurisprudence: the penalty should match (not exceed) the crime. Its intent was to not only justly punish crime, but also prevent blood-feuds. The scribes and Pharisees ripped this out of its context and applied it to personal relationships so that it justified vengeance in personal relationships! If someone wrongs you, you can get back at him in the same way (“I don't get mad--I get even.”) and still be righteous.
Jesus rejects this whole definition of righteousness. Read 5:39-42. He is not saying that there is no place for a police force to maintain civil order or an army to defend a country. Neither is he saying that you must give money to every person on the street who asks you for it. He is saying that true righteousness involves rejecting personal vengeance and trying to overcome evil with good, even when it means personal sacrifice.
Ask yourself: “Have I ever taken vengeance on anyone?” If your answer is “Yes,” you are not righteous enough to enter God’s kingdom.
“You shall love your neighbor.” Read 5:43. Here Jesus actually includes the scribes’ and Pharisees’ interpretation of this command. They decided that “neighbor” includes only those who have the same religious beliefs, ethnic origin, etc. So they interpreted this law, which was given to emphasize loving people who are different, in a way that actually justified ethnic and religious bigotry. You could hate Samaritans and Gentiles and tax-gatherers and prostitutes, and still be righteous enough to enter God’s kingdom.
Jesus categorically rejects this perversion of God’s Law. Read 5:44-47. True righteousness requires always seeking the good of even those who persecute you for your allegiance to God. This is how God treats us.
Ask yourself: “Have I ever been guilty of bigotry toward anyone?” If your answer is “Yes,” you are not righteous enough to enter God’s kingdom.
Read 5:48, Jesus says, “Just in case you missed my point...” If you’re trying to earn your way into God's kingdom, the passing grade is not keeping His Law better than most other people; it is keeping His Law perfectly. That's why Jas.2:10 (quote) says that the law is like a chain – if you break just one link, the whole chain is broken.
Ask yourself: “Have I truthfully answered ‘No’ to all of the above questions?” If not, you are not righteous enough to enter God’s kingdom. I know I’m not! Even on my best days, I fail miserably! That's why Paul says in Rom.3:23 that we have all “have missed the mark” and we all “keep falling short” of God’s glorious standard.