"For I [Jesus] 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 above statement was made by Jesus during his very first public sermon, in Galilee before his newly called twelve disciples and a great multitude of people. (Matthew 4:23-25, 5) What a shocking statement for Jesus to make to the Jews, especially referencing the religious leaders of the Jews in such a way. Scribes were the professional interpreters of the Law of God, like human copier machines. This was a very important job, to get what would have been the Old Testament books at that time "copied", in order to be shared with as many religious leaders as possible, to teach it in as many synogogues as they could. Pharisees were a fairly young politico-religious sect, that developed within the Jewish community after they were exiled and under Roman control. They promoted a belief of being superior over all other nationalities and taught the Jews to separate themselves from all other peoples, and to live by the "letter of the law". Their counterparts, the Sadduccees were a politico-priestly sect, who denied most of the spiritual teachings of the Word of God. Jesus warned the Jews, "...to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but [to beware] of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees. (Matthew 16:1-12)
The religious leaders taught that the people had to earn their way into heaven, by doing "works". Yes, God did give the Jews specific commandments, because He chose to demonstrate His divine power and provision through them to all the people of the earth. (Genesis 15, 17) The Apostle Paul explains very clearly in his testimony what the Jews "religious" beliefs were, and how he was a leader among the Pharisees, persecuting anyone who taught in the name of Jesus: Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” So Paul stretched out his hand and answered for himself: ... “My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know. They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers. To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead? “Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities." (Acts 26:1-11)
Contrary to the religious leaders, Jesus taught that not by doing works but through "faith" in Him, the Word of God was the only way any of us would enter into heaven. (John 3:1-21) The conclusion to Paul's testimony should give us all hope, that no matter how far off the religions of this world may lead people, God Himself will reach us and get us on track, any of us who sincerely seek after Him: “While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come— that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.” (Acts 26:12-23)
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