sermon on the mount --self righteousness

Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of God.

As it was the scribes and the Pharisees who crucified the Holy One of God, to exceed their righteousness, I wouldn’t think, would be much of a problem.

But we do need to be mindful that these were the people who were intensely serious about living righteously. They saw themselves as "standing in the gap" so that God would again return to His Chosen People, and return His Chosen People to their special place among the nations.

Where did their “righteousness” go so wrong?

Unlike the Psalmist, they did not understand the vacuity of righteousness outside of relationship with God.

Whenever we notice in ourselves a sense of self-satisfaction, guaranteed, our righteousness is not exceeding that of the scribes and Pharisees.

Whom have I in heaven but you?

There is nothing in all the earth that I desire beside you.

My flesh and heart may fail.

But God is the strength of my heart. Psalm 73:25

LR