Matthew 5:20-26

2 Corinthians 3:15-4:1, 3-6

Psalm 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14

Matthew 5:20-26

Jesus said to his disciples:

“I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that

of the scribes and Pharisees,

you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,

You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.

But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother

will be liable to judgment,

and whoever says to his brother,

‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,

and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.

Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,

and there recall that your brother

has anything against you,

leave your gift there at the altar,

go first and be reconciled with your brother,

and then come and offer your gift.

Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him.

Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,

and the judge will hand you over to the guard,

and you will be thrown into prison.

Amen, I say to you,

you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I want to imitate your patient love. When someone offends me or corrects me, I will not react in anger or rashly, but seek the truth in love. When I offend someone, I will seek out their forgiveness and make amends.

Encountering the Word of God

1. True Righteousness: When Jesus invoked the example of the Pharisees in the Sermon on the Mount, this likely caused some concern. The Pharisees called themselves the “separated ones” and sought to live according to the Law of Moses as perfectly as possible. They developed elaborate traditions over time that ensured perfect fulfillment. They were admired by the people for their righteousness and holiness. When Jesus tells his disciples that they need to surpass the righteousness of the Pharisees, this might have been perceived as an impossible task. How could a person do this? The righteousness of the Pharisees was only a flawed human attempt to be holy and righteous. True righteousness is only possible through the grace Jesus offers us. And so, we can surpass the human righteousness of the Pharisees with the spiritual righteousness offered to us by Christ.

2. Fulfillment as Radicalization and Internalization: Jesus shows what this true righteousness looks like by radicalizing the Old Law in the New. While the Old Law often concentrated on external practices that could easily be verified, the New Law will focus on the heart. This internalization of the Law was promised by Moses, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah. Moses promised that God would circumcise the heart. Ezekiel spoke about the cleansing of the heart, and Jeremiah spoke about the law being written on the heart in the New Covenant. This is exactly what Jesus does in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus’ Sermon is not merely a moral exhortation. He incarnates in himself the practice and promise of the Beatitudes. He is able to exhort his followers because he has lived what he preaches with perfection.

3. Grace Empowered Fraternal Love: The Old Law prohibited murder – the killing of the innocent. Yet, there was also a tension in the Law of Moses. Moses also commanded the extermination of entire cities when the people of Israel entered the Land of Canaan. Are we to love our neighbor and hate our enemy? What Jesus does in the Sermon is show that we need to overcome rage and anger, insults, and belittling our brothers and sisters. Not only should we love our family and neighbors, but we should extend this love to our enemies. This is only possible if we have hearts that are filled with the Love and grace of God.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I desire to practice righteousness. I want to remain in a right relationship with the Father, with you, and with the Spirit. I ask for your grace so that I may do good works that give glory to God and merit eternal life.

Living the Word of God: Who is it in my business dealings that I struggle with the most? Who do I interact with that I call a fool or consider a fool in my heart? What can I do to fix that relationship? How can I see the good in my brother or sister?