Matthew 5:19-20
What is written? (ESV)
Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
What does it say?
Whoever ignores or changes even the slightest of these [Old Law] commandments and/or teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, while those that do and teach them will be called great. Hear me! Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
What is its immediate context?
After beginning His ‘Sermon on the Mount’ by describing the characteristics of a [new] kingdom citizen (vss 2-14), Jesus clarifies that His coming fulfills the Old Law and does not replace it. He continues to give specific examples of how their behavior would need to exceed that of the religious leaders of their day (e.g. “scribes and Pharisees”).
How Matthew 5:19-20 is applied across Bible answers
How are works defined in the Bible?
Jesus points out that new kingdom citizens will have to have works of faith/righteousness even greater than those of their religious leaders.
Jesus further illustrates His meaning by showing that their leaders did works in order to boast about themselves (e.g. meritorious works). The righteousness that "exceeds" would be works that came from a pure and changed heart (e.g. works of faith). This statement is a parallel to Paul's statement in Ephesians.10
