Subject: Matthew #11 Title: Righteousness, A Matter of the Heart Text: Matthew 5:17-20 Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Introduction As we continue our study in the gospel of Matthew, we look at another portion of what may be Jesus most well known and popular sermon, the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew Chapter 5-7). The message is radical, quite different from what Israel was accustomed to hearing. Matthew 7:28-29 tells us that the people were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. It is important to understand that many people were functionally illiterate and relied heavily upon the teaching and interpretations of the religious teaching class. A similar situation existed prior to the Reformation in Europe in the 16th Century. Without having a copy of the Old Testament, and/or not having the ability to read it anyway, this seriously handicapped the common man. He was almost totally reliant upon the educated theology teacher for communicating God s Word accurately and effectively. As we have said before, the religious worship of Israel was nearly, if not, bankrupt. Jesus condemned and excoriated the leaders often. For example: Matthew 23:13-32 - note the eight woes in vs.13,14,15,16,23,25,27,29. Matthew 23:25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse fi rst that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men s bones, and of all uncleanness. These verses tell us that the religious life of the average religious leaders was all about externals, putting on a show for all to see, while inside they were full of dead men s bones! Jesus came to tell them that cleaning up the outside was not nearly enough, true spirituality was a matter of the heart! 1
God s primary concern has always been for inner purity, not simply outward compliance. II Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. I Kings 8:39 Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;) Ritual is no substitute for true internal righteousness! Jesus came to teach that God would not only judge them for what they did, but what they thought! Mind, heart, attitude, all were very important. The standard of righteousness which the Scribes and Pharisees taught and practiced differed from God s standard of righteousness. The Pharisees taught external, partial, redefined and a self-centered righteousness. Jesus came and spoke to correct such teaching and doctrine. Jesus held to a much higher standard, true holiness of mind and heart. Before illustrating this truth in six well thought out examples, Jesus assures His hearers that He is not violating or contradicting what God has said in the Law and Prophets. Jesus is giving the true meaning and accurate interpretation of God s words. This is what Jesus is doing in Matthew 5:17-20. He is affirming the validity, authenticity and authority of God s Word. The law in the text is the written word of God. He uses the term just as David used several terms in Psalm 119 to refer to the Word of God, i.e., statutes, judgments, word, etc. Jesus did not come to destroy or negate God s Word, He came to fulfill (complete, accomplish, perfect) - Matthew 5:17. Think not...i am not... (17). The Importance and Value of Scripture Jesus actually: 1. Reinforces the importance of the law (17). 2. He shows the utmost respect for the law (17). 3. He attests to the accuracy of the law (18). 4. He speaks of the permanence of the law (18). 5. He reconfirms the authority of the law (19). 6. He states the superiority of the law (20). 2
* Important - It is His teaching reference point * Respect - He came to meet or fulfill its demands * Accuracy - Jots and tittles * Permanence - Till Heaven and Earth pass * Authority - To bless and condemn * Superiority - Above and beyond man s call to righteousness Six Illustrations Among Jesus most amazing departures from traditional teaching were His insistence that tradition and Scripture were in conflict and that inner righteousness, not outward form, is the central and necessary characteristic of a right relationship to God. - John MacArthur Proverbs 16:2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits. Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. It is obvious that the Old Testament taught the importance of the heart. This was one of those weightier matters overlooked by the Scribes and Pharisees. Jesus sets up the contrasts of outward observance and internal motivation with the phrases, ye have heard that it was said...but I say unto you... (21,27,31,33,38,43). Jesus speaks to six particular issues: * murder (21-26) * sexual sin (27-30) * divorce (31-32) * honesty (33-37) * retaliation (38-42) * love (43-48) I. Murder - thou shalt not kill (21) * the sixth commandment (Exodus 20:13) * anger (22) * without a cause (22) * thou fool (22) * hell fi re (?) (22) * reconciliation (24) * quickly (25) 3
Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: I John 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. II. Sexual Sin - Adultery - thou shalt not commit adultery (27) * the seventh commandment (Exodus 20:14) * looketh...to lust (28) * committed...in his heart (28) * the flesh is the access point to the mind and heart (28-29) * hell is mentioned again (29) III. Divorce - let him give her a writing of divorcement (31) * references: Deuteronomy 24:1 When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she fi nd no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. 2 And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man s wife. 3 And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife; 4 Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defi led; for that is abomination before the LORD: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. Isaiah 50:1 Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother s divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away. Jeremiah 3:8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. * uncleanness (Deuteronomy 24:1) - What does this mean? A loose interpretation of the word led to divorce for just about any reason. * Jesus pulls in the reins - the cause of fornication (32) * Matthew 19:3-9 - Jesus deals with this again. 4
IV. Honesty - thou shalt not forswear thyself (33) * Leviticus 19:12; Numbers 30:2; Deuteronomy 23:21 * Vows and oaths * forswear - perjure oneself; to swear falsely * Just tell the truth! Your word should be good always, under oath or not. * Spin is an attempt to avoid the truth. No spin zone. V. Retribution - an eye for an eye (38) * pay back * Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21 * retaliation is a natural extension of selfishness * litigious society - we want people to pay for our inconvenience and discomfort * I have my rights: civil, women s, children s worker s, gay, prisoners, Gitmo detainees, etc. * We live in an environment of retribution. * Stop, vs.41-42, And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. VI. Love - Love your enemies (43,44) * Leviticus 19:17-18 * bless...do good...pray for them... * Sun and rain are for all, just and unjust. * Do you only love those who love you? Who is my neighbor? The Good Samaritan * What do ye more than others? (47) * Be...perfect! (48) The letter of the law was not enough. It is superseded by the Spirit - the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life (II Corinthians 3:6). The King came to usher in a new age, a new way of thinking - God s way. Five Summary Thoughts 1. The spirit of the Law is more important than the letter. The Law was not given as a mechanical set of rules by which men, in their own power, could govern their outward living. It was given as a guide to the type of character God requires. 2. The Law is positive as well as negative. Its purpose not only is to prevent both inner and outward sin, but to promote both internal and external righteousness. 3. The Law is not an end in itself. Its deeper purpose goes beyond purifying the lives of God s people. Its supreme purpose is to glorify God Himself. 5
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4. God alone is qualified to judge men because He alone can judge men s hearts. 5. Every human being is commanded to live up to the perfect Divine standard to which the Law points. Because that command is impossible for man to fulfil, God Himself has provided fulfillment through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus sets an incredibly high standard. Righteousness is not merely correct performance, but correct motivation, emotion and passion! A perfect heart. Proverbs 4:4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Why do we do what we do? What drives us forward each day? Jesus ends the chapter with, Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (5:48). The bar is set far beyond the reach of sinful man. Who then can be saved? (Matthew 19:25) With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26). 8