Mat 5:20 | TNotes | STEP | 5:20 unless your righteousness is better: Jesus’ disciples must have the substantially new kind of righteousness that Jesus teaches and makes possible (illustrated in 5:21-47 and summed up in 5:48 ); it is both quantitatively and qualitatively distinct. Just as Jesus is greater than the Temple (12:6 ) and Jonah (12:41 ), so the righteousness of his followers far outstrips that of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees (see 3:7-9 ).

b5:21-47►

‏ Matthew 5:20

5:20 ^a unless your righteousness is better: Jesus’ disciples must have the substantially new kind of righteousness that Jesus teaches and makes possible (illustrated in 5:21-47 ^b and summed up in 5:48 ^c); it is both quantitatively and qualitatively distinct. Just as Jesus is greater than the Temple (12:6 ^d) and Jonah (12:41 ^e), so the righteousness of his followers far outstrips that of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees (see 3:7-9 ^f).