If we had time for a dialog session before the sermon, I might have asked you how you respond to Matthew 5:20, a verse that’s included in one of the lectionary cuts of today’s gospel passage: “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” That word “never” has an ominous sound to it. How do we respond to the idea that unless we get this righteousness stuff right, we will never enter the kingdom?

            Did a shiver run down your spine when you heard that verse? Has Jesus set the bar so high that we can never jump over it? When we look at the scrupulous tithing of the Pharisees, and how they dedicated themselves to keeping the law in every aspect of their lives, do we feel our hearts sink in despair? Do we have to quit our jobs and become missionaries to have a chance?

            Or on the other hand, do we think we have nothing to fear? Do we see the scribes and Pharisees as nit-picky, joyless, holier-than-thou sticks-in-the-mud who missed the point of faith? When we read Matthew 23, where Jesus continues scolding them, do we consider our chances pretty good? “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!”¹ Jesus says. Then he details their hypocrisy. Jesus accuses them of misunderstanding what matters in the law, among other problems. We may not consider ourselves perfect, but we consider ourselves sincere. If we avoid hypocrisy, we can ace Matthew 5:20, we might think.

            Or perhaps we feel confused by verse 20. It sounds as if entering the kingdom of heaven comes from our own goodness, our own ability to live rightly. If we understand righteo

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