Hey Fran. Welcome back. Haven't seen you in awhile. Hope you are well.
The context of the Matthew verses you cite I believe are to be understood in the light of verse 20. One verse BEFORE those you listed:
20 [FONT=&]For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
[/FONT]The whole point is IF you were to be able to exceed THE MOST RIGHTEOUS (in their eyes) PEOPLE ON EARTH, the Pharisees, you could then enter heaven because of YOUR righteousness.
The Pharisees DID follow the Law better than ANYONE, yet we all know that got them NOTHING.
Jesus then follows with extreme examples of just how righteous you HAVE to be in order for YOUR righteousness to qualify you for heaven.
NO ONE but Him was ever able to accomplish following the Law perfectly. PLEASE. Do NOT rely on YOUR righteousness, YOUR ability to follow the Law to obtain the free gift He has given you with His Blood. Please see how truly offensive this is to God.
Hello PennEd
Doing OK. Could be better. Could be worse. My best wishes to you and yours also.
I'm rather shocked at how scripture is not understood.
Let's start at Mathew 5:20, as you wish.
Jesus was saying how He did not come to abolish the Law.
He says that he came to fulfill the Law. Fulfill means to make complete. I'm sure you now this.
Mathew 5:17
So, how is the Law made complete?
By moving it from a heart of stone to a heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 36:26
Or, as someone here has stated, from the external to the internal.
Not the smalles stroke or letter will pass from the Law. IOW, we are not to trivialize the Law - it's as important as it has ALWAYS been. God did NOT give the commadments and then decided to take them away.
God is the same Yesterday, today and Tomorrow.
Hebrews 13:8
Whoever ANNULS one of the LEAST OF THESE COMMANDMENTS, and also teaches Others to do the same, will e called the least in the Kingdom
Mathew 5:19a
But who hold these commandments and teachings in high regard, will find Honor in the Kingdom.
Mathew 5:19b
UNLESS YOU DO EVEN BETTER THAN THE PHARISSES IN THE MATTER OF LIVING RIGHTEOUSLY, YOU WILL KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ENTERNG THE KINGDOM.
Mathew 5:20
verse 20 is saying that we MUST DO BETTER than the Pharisees.
We MUST move the commandments from our mind to our hearts.
Then Jesus goes on to show us HOW we are to do this.
Now lust goes beyong physical action, but becomes a HEART action or matter.
Mathew 5:27-28
Is this difficult to understand?
Please take the time to read Mathew again and understand it in context, as you yourself have said.
Jesus did NOT make following the commandments easier, He made it MORE DIFFICULT.
Someone else on this thread had the same idea as you.
It's incorrect if the bible is read at face value and not made to say what WE might want it to say.