In Matthew 5:20 Jesus at a pivotal point in His Sermon on the Mount utters the following serious warning: “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” One correspondent represents many exegetes who default to an “imputed righteousness” understanding of Matthew 5:20. He wrote: “This passage does not demonstrate that imparted righteousness is required. It demonstrates that imputed righteousness is required because the righteousness that is required is perfect righteousness, as Jesus’ examples make clear.” Again, I have to observe that in this context the question is not at all one of imputed righteousness, but of imparted righteousness. And it is a question of imparted righteousness as necessary in the day of judgment.
First, we need to be clear that Jesus is not speaking our initial justification by faith. Entrance into the kingdom is eschatological here–as it often is in the synoptic gospels. Cf. Matt. 6:10; 8:11-12; 13:43; 25:34. This observation is confirmed by the consistently eschatological perspective of the blessings promised in each of the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-10. It is also confirmed by the frequent references to the day of judgment in the comments of Jesus which follow (Matthew 5:22, 26, 29, and 30). It is further confirmed by the parallel passage in Matthew 7:21-23 where the scene of entrance into the kingdom of heaven is the day of judgment.
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’
The eschatological character of this statement is confirmed finally by the fact that righteousness in question is the imparted righteousness which consists in our good heart and good deeds. Failure to understand the eschatological perspective of Jesus leads to the conclusion that he is saying that in order to be converted we must literally be more practically righteous than the Pharisees. Of course, this is nonsense and would directly contradict justification by grace and faith alone and directly affirm salvation by works. But all this brings me to my second point about Matthew 5:20.
Second, Jesus’ point is that no one will enter the eschatological kingdom unless their practical righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees. The context is not talking about the imputed righteousness of Christ, but the practical righteousness of the disciples. Notice Matthew 5:19: “Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Are we to gloss or intepret this verse by adding to it, “but no one actually does this.” I think not. Further, the Beattitudes of verses 3-10 are not subtle calls for imputed righteousness. Nor are they only the law slaying men so that they will seek out an imputed righteousness. They are the actual marks of genuine godliness in the lives of Christ’s disciples. Finally, in verses 21-48 Jesus is calling for a heart-righteousness in his disciples practically different from the externalism of the Pharisees. This call is summed up in unavoidably clear terms in Matthew 5:43-45:
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ 44 “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Such a genuine heart righteousness qualitatively different than that of the Pharisees is necessary to find eschatological entrance into the kingdom of God. Of course, this is so not because it is the basis or ground of our acceptance with God. Rather it is so because it is the necessary vindication of the fact we have saving faith and are really Christ’s disciples.
Here I am happy to point you to the comments of John Murray in his great book entitled, Principles of Conduct. In his brief comments on the Sermon on the Mount on pages 149-180 of this book Murray routs and refutes a good deal of current nonsense with regard to the interpretation of this vital passage in Jesus’ teaching. I urge my readers to read the entire treatment specifically of Matthew 5:20. In particular he rejects an imputed righteousness view of this passage.
“It might be supposed that the righteousness in view here is the righteousness of imputation. What else, we might say, will fit into the evangelicalism of the gospel of pure grace? The context offers no warrant for this interpretation.” (p. 155)
He also emphasizes that what the passage really positively requires for entrance into the kingdom is as follows:
“Hence, if we are to find in this verse the positive complementary truth to that of the negative, all we need to do is to recognize that, if we are to be members of the kingdom of heaven , our attitude, character, and behaviour, will have to be of an entirely different sort; different not in respect to concern for details, but different in respect to the details for which we entertain concern, and in respect of the intensity with which the law is applied to heart, thought, and word as well as to overt action. Jesus, however, does not inform us here of the way by which we come to possess that righteousness.” (p. 157)
Dr. Sam Waldron is the Academic Dean of CBTS and professor of Systematic Theology. He is also one of the pastors of Grace Reformed Baptist Church in Owensboro, KY. Dr. Waldron received a B.A. from Cornerstone University, an M.Div. from Trinity Ministerial Academy, a Th.M. from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. From 1977 to 2001 he was a pastor of the Reformed Baptist Church of Grand Rapids, MI. Dr. Waldron is the author of numerous books including A Modern Exposition of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith, The End Times Made Simple, Baptist Roots in America, To Be Continued?, and MacArthur’s Millennial Manifesto: A Friendly Response.
