For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven

Cross of Life - 5th century, Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna, Italy

 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.  I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.  For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.  Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."

- Matthew 5:17-20

In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught:  "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.  You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.  You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.  I did not come to destroy but to fulfill."  Christ fulfills the Law in Himself, in His words, and in His actions, my study bible says.  This fulfillment happens through the performance of God's will in all its fullness (3:15), by transgressing none of the precepts of the Law (John 8:46, 14:30), by declaring the perfect fulfillment of the Law, which Christ is about to deliver in this Sermon, and through granting righteousness, which is the goals of the Law, to all of us (Romans 3:31, 8:3-4, 10:4).  He fulfills the Prophets both by being and carrying out what they have foretold.

"For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled."  Assuredly is amen/ἀμὴν in the Greek.  My study bible gives its definition as "truly," or "confirmed," or "so be it."   This word is used as a solemn affirmation, a type of oath.  Jesus uses this word at the beginning of various proclamations (as opposed to the end), which is a unique and authoritative way of doing so:  He is declaring His words affirmed before they are even spoken.  A jot is iota/ἰῶτα in the Greek, the smallest letter in the Greek alphabet.  A tittle is the smallest stroke in certain Hebrew letters.  Therefore, the whole of the Law is affirmed as the foundation of the new teaching of Christ.  My study says that all is fulfilled refers to the Passion and Resurrection of Christ.  Let us remember also Christ's words to John the Baptist:  "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness" (3:14-15).

"Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."  My study bible explains that righteousness according to the Law is a unified whole.  To observe the least commandments is to observe the whole Law, and the violation of the least commandment is considered a violation of the whole Law.

"For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."  The difference between the righteousness of the Pharisees and the righteousness that leads to salvation is the difference between an outward works-based righteousness and one that must exceed such an appearance-based system.  That is, the righteousness of salvation, as my study bible explains it, is a communion of heart, soul, mind, and body in Jesus Christ.  In the verses that follow, Jesus will go on to explain this depth of communion through various examples of violations of the Law, and His teachings on them.

St. Paul writes, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:16-17).  My study bible explains that "the righteousness of God" is to be in a continuous state of communion with God.  This state of "being right with God" originates with God and is accepted by mankind in faith.  This expression of the fullness of the Law, and the righteousness that exceeds that of the Pharisees, is where Christ is going in His Sermon.   In the verses that follow today's reading, Jesus will give us specific examples of violations of the Law, together with expressions of the deepening awareness of the heart and soul as to a true state of righteousness.  He will teach the fulfillment of faith and in interaction of loving creature and loving God.  In this model, it is the center of the self (or the "heart") which dwells within that active, living, ongoing communion of faith.  This is a mystical connection which works through grace within us.  In Christ's perspective, the ongoing model of faith is one in which this communion works thoroughly and holistically within a person, in which faith leads to works -- rather than being exclusively works-based.  That is, in the purity of heart He preached in the Beatitudes, we also act.  Christ offers us a depth of psychological understanding that the Law, or an exclusively works-based system, cannot.  As He says, He does not diminish or abolish the Law, but rather fulfills it.  Where a works-based understanding of life or faith may engender a great deal of hypocrisy (also in the examples He will give both in the Sermon on the Mount and throughout the Gospels), Christ preaches a fulfillment of the Law which includes every single part of who we are.    In order to achieve such righteousness, we must begin with the heart rather than leaving it out of the equation.  We go to the place where God works actively within us, and all the things we do to shore up our faith work to take us to that place of active communion.  Let us begin there, cleaning the inside of the cup, so that the outside also reflects that work!  Let us also understand that in this work we have the ongoing help and support of a loving God and communion of saints, and those both seen and unseen.  Repentance is always just a step away, and welcomed with loving acceptance.