Have you ever had a moment where you thought you understood something perfectly—only to realize you had completely missed the point? That’s exactly what happened to Jesus’ audience when He spoke about the Law and righteousness in the Sermon on the Mount.
Many assumed they knew what it meant to follow God. They believed righteousness was about rule-keeping, about getting all the religious details right. But Jesus comes along and drops a bombshell:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 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 practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 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.” (Matthew 5:17-20)
What Was Jesus Really Saying?
At first, this statement sounds like a confirmation of everything the religious leaders had been saying. But then Jesus flips the script. He tells them that their understanding of righteousness is too small, too superficial. The Pharisees, the very people known for their obsessive adherence to the Law, were actually missing the point. And unless people embraced a deeper, truer righteousness, they would not enter the kingdom of heaven.
So what does Jesus mean by “fulfilling” the Law? He isn’t merely talking about obedience—He is saying that He is the embodiment of everything the Law was pointing to. If the Law was a road map leading people to God’s heart, Jesus is the destination. He is the living, breathing, walking fulfillment of God’s commands.
A Righteousness That Goes Beyond Appearances
Jesus’ statement about surpassing the Pharisees’ righteousness would have shocked His listeners. How could anyone possibly be more righteous than the most religious people of their time? The Pharisees tithed meticulously, fasted regularly, prayed publicly, and followed every letter of the Law. But their righteousness was outward. It was a righteousness of appearance, not of transformation.
Jesus was pointing to a righteousness that begins in the heart. A righteousness that isn’t about being seen but about being changed. He later illustrates this by addressing issues like anger, lust, and retaliation—not just as external actions but as matters of the heart. He was making it clear that righteousness isn’t just about avoiding murder but about eliminating hatred. It’s not just about avoiding adultery but about cultivating purity of thought. It’s not just about loving your neighbor but about loving your enemy.
Why This Matters Today
It’s easy to think this was just a first-century problem, but we have our own modern-day versions of Pharisaical righteousness. We might measure our spiritual status by how often we attend church, how much theology we know, or how well we avoid certain sins. But Jesus calls us beyond this. He calls us into a righteousness that transforms our relationships, shapes our priorities, and reorients our entire lives around His kingdom.
Maybe today, righteousness looks like forgiving the person who hurt you when you’d rather hold a grudge. Maybe it means choosing humility in a culture that rewards self-promotion. Maybe it means resisting the temptation to prove yourself right and instead seeking peace.
Jesus isn’t just interested in our behavior—He wants our hearts. And when He has our hearts, righteousness isn’t a list of rules we follow; it’s a life we live. A life shaped by love, mercy, justice, and a deep connection to God.
The Invitation to True Righteousness
Jesus’ words weren’t meant to discourage people from entering the kingdom; they were an invitation into something far greater than what they had imagined. He wasn’t raising the bar to make it impossible—He was redefining righteousness entirely.
Through Jesus, true righteousness is not just possible—it’s inevitable for those who follow Him. Because He doesn’t just tell us how to live; He transforms us from the inside out. He fulfills the Law, and in Him, we find the righteousness we could never achieve on our own.
So the question is: are we willing to go beyond the surface? Are we willing to let Jesus reshape our hearts? Because the kingdom of heaven isn’t just for those who follow the rules—it’s for those who are truly transformed by the love of the King.
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