Saturday, January 22, 2022

WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS NEEDS TO "EXCEESD THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES"?

The scribes and Pharisees ascribed to the "oral law" which is an addition to the law that God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai. They claim that this oral law was also given to Moses at that time, although a lot of the "oral law" contradicts the law given to Moses which he physically recorded. Jesus made enemies of this group by telling them the truth that by their adding the so-called "oral law" they were in fact adding the law given by God to Moses. Which of and by itself put them in a position of breaking the law.

Deuteronomy 4:2: You shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish ought from it, that you may keep the commandments of Yahovah your God which I command you.

The Pharisees both added to and diminished the law give to Moses at Mount Sinai and as a result Jesus said they were following the traditions of men rather the obeying the law give by God to Moses that they were supposed to obey.

To-day in modern Judaism the words spoken by various Rabbi's are considered to be in fact equal to the law given by God to Moses. They have perverted that which they were given and Jesus called them on that fact.

He did so as the Messiah they would not recognize because if they had recognized him as such they would have had to give up their positions of authority and stop deceiving their people. Thus they planned to have him killed! This is always the result of people who are confronted with the truth that convicts them to the core of their being. They will either accept the truth or persecute and deny what has convicted their hearts and minds.

If Satan or his minister who appear to be righteous cannot deceive you then he/they will persecute or try to destroy you. If we are doing the works of Jesus as we should, i.e. preach the gospel message about the soon-coming Kingdom and be willing to lay down our lives for our brethren we will be persecuted.

Matthew 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Galatians 4:29: But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

John 15:20: Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

Luke 6:47-48: Whosoever comes to me, and hears my sayings, and does them, I will show you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built a house, and dug deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

Psalms 89:26: He shall cry unto me, you are my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.

In doing these things we will exceed the "righteousness" of the Pharisees.

If we follow the creed of Jesus given in Mark 12:28-32 which is to love God with all our being and to love our neighbors as ourselves we will have exceeded the righteousness of the Pharisees one hundredfold!

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