NOTES for Mat 5:20-26

Jesus calls His disciples to the highest measure of righteousness, which must surpass even the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, who were noted for their great piety. And He says plainly that without this it is impossible to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Reading the explanations that follow, one cannot help being struck by the difficult and uncompromising path the Lord sets before us. Anger is equated with murder, an insult with mortal sin, and finally the loss of peace with one's neighbor with the loss of one's bond with God. Once we accept this frame of reference, we immediately understand how great God's mercy is, covering our daily “murders,” “betrayals,” and “rejections of the Lord.” We understand that it is not our merits, but He alone, who can lead us into His Kingdom.