What Does This Mean: Matthew 5:20 Kjv - Except Your Righteousness Shall Exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees?
1) Direct answer
It means entrance into the Kingdom requires a righteousness that is not outward rule‑keeping like the scribes and Pharisees, but an inward righteousness—Christ’s own life in you—fulfilling God’s law from the heart by the Holy Ghost.
2) Scriptural explanation
- The Bible says the Pharisees were clean outside but full of uncleanness within (Matthew 23:25–28). Jesus was not asking for “more” of that; He demanded a different kind: heart righteousness.
- Right in this chapter, Jesus raises the law to the heart level: anger is murder in seed, lust is adultery in seed (Matthew 5:21–28). That shows the righteousness God requires is inward.
- By the law shall no flesh be justified (Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16). If outward works could open the Kingdom, the Pharisees would have qualified.
- Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth (Romans 10:4). God made Him to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).
- The new covenant writes the law in the heart (Hebrews 8:10; Ezekiel 36:26–27), so that the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit (Romans 8:3–4).
- You must be born again to see and enter the Kingdom (John 3:3–5). That new birth is the only way your righteousness can exceed theirs.
3) Simple clarifying logic
- How will you “out‑Pharisee” the Pharisees—men who fasted, tithed, and kept traditions strictly—if righteousness is measured by external performance? You can’t.
- Jesus exposed the heart. Since sin begins within, righteousness must begin within. That’s why He pointed from acts to motives.
- The law can measure you but cannot change you. Christ gives a new nature; then the life of the Spirit produces what the law demanded: love that fulfills the law (Romans 13:10), the fruit of the Spirit against which there is no law (Galatians 5:22–23).
- So “exceed” means a higher quality, not a higher quantity—God’s righteousness, not self‑righteousness. It is received by faith and proven by a transformed walk.
4) Reinforcing statement
Repent and believe the Gospel, be identified with Christ, and receive the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38). Then the One who wrote the law will live it through you. That is the righteousness that exceeds and that opens the Kingdom.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
It becometh us to fulfil all righteousness
61-1001M §98
Well, put your hands on one another. I want to ask you a question. Did Jesus promise these things would be in the last days? Say, "Amen." "As it was in the days of Lot. The works that I do, shall you, also." Did He also say this? "These signs shall follow them that believe. If they lay their hands on the sick, they shall recover." Are you ready to take your stand, a believer? For thus it is becoming to us that we fulfill all righteousness. It's the righteousness of God, that when these handkerchiefs here (I lay my...
Revelation, Chapter 4c Throne of mercy and judgement
61-0108 §152
Now I got another one there, John 15:7. Let's turn right over to fifteenth chapter, the seventh verse: If ye abide in me, now, and my words ^^ (not the seminary's word)^^ my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ^^you ^^will, and it shall be done unto you. Is that right? Then that gospel's guarded right here. This Pentecostal blessing is guarded by John and his gospel; guarded by Matthew, his gospel.
What is the attraction on the mountain?
65-0725E §48
...-and read that little fourth chapter. ...behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, ... all that do wickedly, shall be as stubbles:... Now, this is not ... that's Malachi 3 was the first coming, now here's the next coming. Even Dr. Scofield here, I certainly don't agree with him in his footnotes, but he's got it lined out here right: the commission of John, to Malachi 3; and the second coming of Christ, and Elijah beforehand. ...all the proud shall burn up, saith the LORD of hosts,...
The presence of God unrecognized
64-0618 §4
The Lord help us as we choose this text and read it for tonight. May the Lord bless the reading of his Word, found in St. Matthew the 12th chapter, 38th to the 42nd verse. And my text tonight is "The Presence of God Unrecognized." Last night we were talking of Jesus being the same yesterday, today, and forever, and seen that He was the same yesterday, today, and forever. Now his presence, if He is the same, is unrecognized. Let us read; Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we w...
The stature of a perfect man
62-1014M §116
...genuine temperance, then genuine patience. See, you're moving right on up the line. All right, fifthly, add godliness. Oh, my. Godliness to be added. What does "godliness" mean? I looked in four or five dictionaries and couldn't even find what it meant. Finally, I was down at Brother Jefferies there. We found it in a dictionary. "Godliness" means "to be like God." Oh, my. After you've got faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, then be like God. Whew! You say, "I can't do that, Brother Branham." Oh, yes, y...