The Righteousness of Scribes and Pharisees
 

Matthew 5:20 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.

Is there something especial with the scribes and Pharisees in Jesus day? But why John the Baptist called them the "generation of vipers" and even held a council against Christ. Any idea brethren?

Matthew 12:14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.

Because they weren't outwardly sinful...

As Paul said, he was a pharisee, and as touching the LAW - blameless. But the law could not bring righteousness.

the righteousness of Christ Imputed to you exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees.

Romans 4:11, 24 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which [he had yet] being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:. . . But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

Amen to that chette. Christ is our righteousness.
II Corinthians 5:21
"For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."

I Corinthians 1:30
"But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:"

They were two-faced for one thing brother Fred. They hunted with God's hounds and ran with Satan's rabbits:

Eze 44:10 And the Levites that are gone away far from me, when Israel went astray, which went astray away from me after their idols; they shall even bear their iniquity.
11 Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having charge at the gates of the house, and ministering to the house: they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto them.
12 Because they ministered unto them before their idols, and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity; therefore have I lifted up mine hand against them, saith the Lord GOD, and they shall bear their iniquity.

Mr 7:6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Grace and peace

Tony

They are the "generation of vipers" as they are of Satan, the serpent. Christ tells us.....

John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it,

They are the "synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie." [Revelation 3:9] They claim to be of the house of Judah but...do lie.

John 8:33 They answered Him, "We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest Thou, 'Ye shall be made free?' "

8:37 I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill Me, because My word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with My Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father."

8:41 Ye do the deeds of Your father." Then said they to Him, "We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God."

There are many that are of Abraham's seed as he was the father of many nations but only through Isaac is the seed called. We know they lie and are not of Judah because they said...."were never in bondage to any man" when all of Israel was in bondage in Egypt. They are not Judah nor are they of Israel.

Whirlwind

Do you believe the serpent had sex with Eve and produced Cain?