Bob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Matthew 5:20

Bob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Matthew 5:20 - 5:20

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Bob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Matthew 5:20 - 5:20

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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat_5:20

²⁰"For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven."

Mat_5:20 This was a shocking statement to sincere, legalistic religionists. Self-righteousness is a common plague of religious mankind (cf. Isa_29:13; Col_2:16-23). Neither correct doctrine (Jas_2:19) nor religious actions (Mat_7:21-23) replace the need for a personal repentance/faith relationship (cf. Mar_1:15; Act_3:16; Act_3:19; Act_20:21; Php_3:8-9; Rom_10:3-4). This verse and Mat_5:48, are keys to interpreting the whole Sermon on the Mount.

For a full discussion of the origin and theology of the Pharisees, see Special Topic at Mat_22:15.

NASB     "will not"

NKJV     "by no means"

NRSV, NJB        "will never"

This is the doubling of two Greek terms for negation. One functions with the indicative mood and the second with the other Greek moods. It was a very emphatic way to negate a statement (cf. Mat_5:18; Mat_5:26; Mat_10:23; Mat_10:42; Mat_13:14; Mat_15:6; Mat_16:22; Mat_16:28; Mat_18:3; Mat_23:39; Mat_24:2; Mat_24:21; Mat_24:34-35; Mat_25:9; Mat_26:29; Mat_26:35).