I am a Jesus pusher! “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 5:20). The meaning was a reference to a life in conformity to a known standard or law. The Pharisees developed their oral traditions. Thus “righteousness” was understood in the adherence to the “oral traditions” based upon the Scriptures. Jesus takes us before the “oral traditions” to the Scriptures themselves. The Scriptures are the boundary within which the Kingdom person lives. Any deviation from the Scriptures eliminates the status of “righteousness.” Therefore, the standard of righteousness is the Scriptures. The righteousness of a Kingdom person must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees. The six hundred and thirteen oral traditions became their standard of righteousness. Although the oral traditions may have been initially an application of the Scriptures, they became more important than the Scriptures. In effect, the oral traditions substituted stale, rigid activities for living relationship in the covenant.
The Pharisees and scribes found they could not achieve the standard of righteousness in the Scriptures. Why? No doubt, they felt the problem was the law, the commandments. If they could adjust the commandments, all would be well. They did not realize the problem was with the “source,” not the Scriptures. They lived through self-sourcing in all areas; thus, their righteousness was self-sourced. Jesus is the new Source for fulfilling the Scriptures and being righteous! I am a Jesus pusher!!