Thursday 7th March
Read Matthew 5:19-20
“Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practises and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” (NIVUK)
A righteousness that surpasses the Pharisees is a steep and demanding expectation indeed. Who can meet it? Jesus will challenge the Pharisees ‘law-keeping’ in many ways. The additions and definitions they place around it in order to ensure they ‘keep’ it offend Him greatly (as we will soon see). But the expectations and demands He places on those who would obey Him and follow His commands require a deeper fulfillment of the law than the Pharisees can even comprehend. The key is found in two Old Testament verses.
“‘This is the covenant that I will make with the people of Israel
after that time,’ declares the Lord.
‘I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:33) (NIVUK)
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” (Ezekiel 36:26-27) (NIVUK)
Both the law and the Spirit will be placed in people’s hearts. This coincidence of law and Spirit allows God’s covenant people, us, to fulfil the deepest meaning of the law and display a righteousness and holiness that surpasses the Pharisees. In fact, it is only if we are born again by the Spirit, that we can obey Jesus. If we are not born again, or literally born ‘from above’ (i.e heaven) (John 3:1-8), that we can enter the kingdom of heaven.
