Love as the Basis of Righteousness

The portion of the Sermon on the mount that we have been considering (Matthew 5:17–48) argues that the righteousness of kingdom citizens must exceed that of the Pharisees (v. 20). What the reader must understand is that the Pharisees’ error was to keep the “tradition of the elders” as set forth in the Babylonian Talmud by which they ignored the Old Testament Scriptures. In Matthew 15, Jesus’ disciples were criticized for eating with unwashed hands, an issue of tradition, not Scripture (v. 2). Jesus responded by asking, “Why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?” (v. 3). They were withholding support of their aging parents by declaring their possessions corban—“dedicated to God as sacred treasury.” Whether they understood this or not, they were guilty of disobeying the fifth commandment (“Honor your father and your mother”). Isaiah warned of this error: “In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (v. 9; Isaiah 29:13).

The people of God are to love Him with all their being. Loving Him involves fearing Him by keeping His commandments (Deuteronomy 6:17; John 14:15, 21). Like the Pharisees of old, everyone, especially the religious, tend to adjust behavior to their own convenience, and in this way, they will alter the commandments to suit their preference. As Jesus revealed, the gate to salvation is narrow and the way is difficult; consequently, few find it (Matthew 7:14).

The instruction Jesus gave in the Sermon provides clear guidance for those who would follow Him. He began by teaching full reconciliation to one’s brother as necessary to acceptable worship through love (Matthew 5:21–26).

He followed by condemning the lustful heart (vv. 27–30). Loving God and one’s neighbor requires one to denounce self-love and the pursuit of fleshly gratification. This principle is followed up and expanded as it relates to marriage and fidelity to God’s principles over personal desires (vv. 31, 32).

Third, the Pharisees’ self-deception led them to justify their dishonesty by inventing ways to “swear” to the truth of their word when they knew otherwise. Jesus responded that all oaths were equally binding because all things come from God (vv. 23–37). We love others when we keep our word to them, even when it costs us to do so (Psalm 15:4).

The last two issues that Jesus addressed were retaliation (vv. 38–42) and loving one’s enemies (vv. 43–48). These issues clearly relate to love for others, as we will show. Jesus closes this section with a charge, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (v. 48). Perfect is a reference to the last stage of maturity, not one’s flawless moral state. If one is a child of God (v. 45), he will grow to love as God loves. On the other hand, the tendency of sinful humans is to justify and satisfy self. Love is selfless devotion to the needs and concerns of others. Jesus pressed the fact that righteousness must be the natural fruit of loving as God loves.