The world around us has all sorts of darkness these days. There is the darkness that gathers around us in visible ways: violence, famine, global conflict, racial tension, unemployment, etc. For some of us, that darkness feels close and for others it feels distant. However, I’d like to sharpen our understanding of darkness by remembering …
Jesus’ Six Examples of Surpassing Righteousness in Matthew 5
In my message at Eastbrook this past weekend, "Real Righteousness," I utilized a chart that helped show how Jesus' teaching on "righteousness that surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law" (Matthew 5:20) is worked out in six examples. I'm including that chart here for those who asked to see it. Again, …
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Christ Contains the Law: insights from an early church leader on Matthew 5
While studying for my message at Eastbrook from this past weekend, "Real Righteousness," I came across these words by an anonymous church father from homily 11 of an incomplete work on Matthew. I found these insights helpful in understanding how Christ does not abolish the Law but fulfills it. The author is commenting on the …
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Contrasting Forms of Righteousness in Matthew 5: how Jesus’ way is different from that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law
This past weekend in my message, "Real Righteousness," I focused on Jesus' striking statement in Matthew 5:20: "For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven." While this statement has often plagued interpreters, I believe Jesus …
Real Righteousness: the old and the new
This past weekend at Eastbrook, we continued our series "Becoming Real" on the Sermon on the Mount by looking at a very long portion of Scripture in Matthew 5:17-48. This long passage of teaching by Jesus looks at what it means to truly be righteous before God and in relation to others. Jesus has not …
Matthew Erickson 