Matthew 5:20

“For I say unto you, etc.] These words are directed, not to the true disciples of Christ in general, or to his apostles in particular, but to the whole multitude of the people; who had in great esteem and admiration the Scribes and Pharisees, for their seeming righteousness and holiness; concerning which Christ says, that except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. He mentions the Scribes, because they were the more learned part of the people, who were employed in writing out, and expounding the law; and the Pharisees, because they were the strictest sect among the Jews for outward religion and…”

“For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees--The superiority to the Pharisaic righteousness here required is plainly in kind, not degree; for all Scripture teaches that entrance into God's kingdom, whether in its present or future stage, depends, not on the degree of our excellence in anything, but solely on our having the character itself which God demands. Our righteousness, then--if it is to contrast with the outward and formal righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees--must be inward, vital, spiritual. Some, indeed, of the scribes and Pharisees themselves might have the very righteousness here demanded; but our Lord is…”

“Your righteousness - Your holiness; your views of the nature of righteousness, and your conduct and lives. Unless you are more holy than they are, you cannot be saved. Shall exceed - Shall excel, or abound more. The righteousness of true Christians is seated in the heart, and is therefore genuine. Jesus means that unless they had more real holiness of character than the scribes and Pharisees, they could not be saved. The righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees - See the notes at Matthew 3:7. Their righteousness consisted in outward observances of the ceremonial and traditional law. They offered sacrifices, fasted often. prayed much, were punctilious about ablutions, and tithes, and the…”

“The righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees - Described in the sequel of this discourse. Matthew 5:21”

“5:20 unless your righteousness is better: Jesus’ disciples must have the substantially new kind of righteousness that Jesus teaches and makes possible (illustrated in 5:21-47 and summed up in 5:48); it is both quantitatively and qualitatively distinct. Just as Jesus is greater than the Temple (12:6) and Jonah (12:41), so the righteousness of his followers far outstrips that of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees (see 3:7-9).”

“exceed: Mat 23:2-5, Mat 23:23-28; Luk 11:39, Luk 11:40, Luk 11:44, Luk 12:1, Luk 16:14, Luk 16:15, Luk 18:10-14, Luk 20:46, Luk 20:47; Rom 9:30-32, Rom 10:2, Rom 10:3; Co2 5:17; Phi 3:9 ye: Mat 3:10, Mat 7:21, Mat 18:5; Mar 10:15, Mar 10:25; Luk 18:17, Luk 18:24, Luk 18:25; Joh 3:3-5; Heb 12:14; Rev 21:27 Matthew 5:21”