The Real Pharisees (Part 2): The Pharisees Tried to Do the Minimum in Serving God

The Real Pharisees

For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).

Jesus said that our righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees if we wish to enter the kingdom. How could this be if the Pharisees were so careful and meticulous in trying to follow the Law?

The problem with the Pharisees was that they looked to the Law to learn what they thought was the minimum they needed to do to serve God. Yet God’s law is more than a mere checklist containing the absolute minimum that we have to do to please Him. Instead, the law contains explicit commands, implicit instructions, and principles that we are to follow.

Jesus explained this by citing six commands from the Law of Moses that the Pharisees viewed as a minimum standard while ignoring the instructions that were implicit in each one. Let us consider the six examples:

  • Murder – “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ […] But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court” (Matthew 5:21-22). Murder was condemned under the old law (Exodus 20:13); but killing someone accidentally (Numbers 35:10-12, 22-25), in self-defense (Exodus 22:2), or to carry out capital punishment (Genesis 9:6) was not. What was the difference? Murder is done out of anger. Jesus’ point was that anger is not acceptable even if it does not lead to murder. When we become angry, we must refrain from acting in anger and not allow it to continue in our heart (Ephesians 4:26). Furthermore, Jesus explained that anger toward a brother can hinder our own service to God (Matthew 5:23-24). It was not enough simply to not murder. Jesus said we must overcome anger – the root cause of murder.
  • Adultery – “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28). Lustful thoughts are the first step on the path to adultery (or any other type of fornication). James warned that “lust…gives birth to sin” (James 1:15). Therefore, we must work at defeating lust. It was not enough simply to refrain from committing adultery. Jesus said we must overcome the lust that might eventually lead to adultery.
  • Divorce – “It was said, ‘Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce’; but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery” (Matthew 5:31-32). Jesus referred to the allowance that was made because of the people’s hard hearts (Deuteronomy 24:1-4; Matthew 19:7-9) – a law that was given not to condone divorce, but to limit it. God intended marriage to be for life (Matthew 19:6). This is implied by Jesus’ labeling of post-divorce sexual relations as adultery. Rather than finding a “loophole” and using it to our advantage, Jesus emphasized the importance of respecting God’s intention for marriage as a life-long relationship.
  • Making vows – “Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ But I say to you, make no oath at all… But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil” (Matthew 5:33-37). These people had missed the point about vow-making. The commandment was not given because honesty was only necessary when they made a vow but was unnecessary at other times. We must be truthful at all times (Ephesians 4:25).
  • Taking vengeance – “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two” (Matthew 5:38-41). They had taken instructions about the punishment of crimes and used them as an excuse to get even for everything. Someone may insult, defraud, inconvenience, or become a burden to us, but none of these are reasons to seek revenge. We are to strive for peace in our dealings with others (Romans 12:17-21).
  • Loving others – “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:43-45). The Law of Moses commanded them to love their neighbor (Leviticus 19:18), but it did not command them to hate their enemy. This was human opinion that had been read into the law. It was an unnecessary inference. Jesus’ point was that loving only our neighbors and friends is not enough. We must love all people.

Jesus taught that we are to strive for perfection: “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). This means following the explicit commands, implicit instructions, and also the principles contained in His word.

So who are the real Pharisees today? They are not the ones who strive for perfection and try to do all that the Lord has commanded. Instead, they are those who view God’s word as a “checklist” of minimum requirements with no regard to the principles and implicit instructions He has given for us.


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Comments

  1. John Henson says

    The “Righteousness that Exceeds” is the theme of the Lord’s “Sermon on the Mount.” The Pharisees thought themselves to be righteous, but they weren’t. The Lord wants so much more for us.