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NASB | Matthew 5:20 ¶ "For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 5:20 ¶ "For I say to you that unless your righteousness (uprightness, moral essence) is more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. |
Bible Question:
Verse 20 of Matthew, Chapter5, if often quoted as an invitation for non-Christians to believe in Jesus. But the words were originally spoken to a church...How would Christ's invitation apply to Christians?? |
Bible Answer: Hi, Donna... Welcome to the forum! As you pointed out, the Sermon on the Mount is directed to the church, although in the immediate context our Lord is instructing His disciples. The Pharisees were very moral people, remarkably so. Paul spoke of himself relative to the Law as blameless (Philippians 3:6)! How many of us today could make that claim? Thus, when Christ says that our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees, it was shocking to everyone. Nonetheless, for the redeemed, they are imputed with the righteousness of Christ. It is not entirely an external thing, as it was to the Pharisees, but the very righteousness of Christ (Philippians 3:9). Commenting on Matthew 5:20, J. C. Philpot (1802-1869) said the following: "Christ did not mean an external righteousness wrought out by His obedience to the Law for them, but an internal righteousness wrought out by the Holy Spirit in them. Thus, we read of the inward as well as the outward apparel of the Church: 'The King's daughter is all glorious within; her clothing is of wrought gold' (Psalm 45:13). Two kinds of righteousness belong to the queen: her imputed righteousness is her outward robe, the 'clothing of wrought gold'; but imparted righteousness is her inward adorning, which makes her 'all glorious within.' This inward glory is the new man in the heart, with all his gifts and graces." If you like, we could enumerate some of the ways in which the righteousness of the Christian exceeds the righteousness of the Pharisee. In Him, Doc |