For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus. Matthew 5:20. Hi, it’s Nathan, and this is Day 19 of 30 Days Reflecting on the Kingdom. The Pharisees had two fundamental problems with their righteousness. First, actual righteousness—loving well—had not taken hold of their hearts. So, in spite of diligent attention to religious rules, they failed miserably when it came to being like God. They didn’t love people. They still loved themselves supremely. And religion was just a superficial shift in how they served their own interests. And that’s the second issue—it was all a show for attention. Exceeding the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees meant two things: having a heart changed by God’s love AND doing right for its own sake—not to get attention.
