🚀 Surpassing the Pharisees (Matthew 5:17-20)

Hope you’re charging through this exam season like a warrior!

Last week, we looked at Matthew 5:17-20, in which Jesus says that he did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it.

The Law Jesus refers to is the word and commandments of God given to the Israelites through Moses. From a young age, they were taught to keep these laws in order to build their relationship with God. There was even a group of Jews—the scribes and Pharisees—who devoted themselves to studying and practicing the Law.

However, in verse 20, Jesus says, “Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Since they were experts in the Law, does surpassing them mean keeping even more rules than they did?

What really stood out to me was how Jesus never looks at things superficially. He looks at the heart of a person, not just outward actions.

Although the scribes and Pharisees strictly followed the Law, their obedience was often only external. They followed the rules in action, but not in spirit. That’s why Jesus often called them hypocrites—they appeared righteous on the outside, but their hearts were not aligned with God. Jesus reminds us that fulfilling the Law is not just about obeying rules, but more importantly, about getting to know God—His heart, His will, and the intention behind His commands. This is how a true relationship with Him is built.

Summary by Meng Ping