Yeshua said,
For I say unto you that unless your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 5:20
What does He mean? How can this be applied today? What is going on here? Are we supposed to be more righteous than the Pope?
Backflash
Let's take a good look at the scribes and Pharisees and what they were saying and what they were doing! It's no secret that Yeshua hated the scribes and Pharisees but why? What were they doing that made Him hate them so much? Check out what Yeshua said.
Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
2 Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. Matthew 23:1-10
Are you starting to get the picture? These scribes and Pharisees did not really love the Commands of God, they loved the recognition of men. They were all about their ego and importance. Interesting he said this, "All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do;" Yet, notice they sit in the seat of Moses?
Seat of Moses
When the scribes and Pharisees sat in the “seat of Moses,” as referenced by Yeshua in Matthew 23:2 —
“The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.”
— the implication is that they were taking on the role of interpreting and teaching the Torah, much like Moses did. This “seat” was both a literal seat in synagogues from which the Torah was read and taught, and a symbolic position of authority in teaching God’s law.
Did this restrict them to the Written Torah only?
No, they were not restricted to the Written Torah alone — and that’s part of what Yeshua was actually confronting.
Here’s why:
1. Pharisaic Authority Included the Oral Torah
The Pharisees believed in both:
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Written Torah (Genesis–Deuteronomy)
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Oral Torah (later codified as the Mishnah and Talmud)
They claimed the Oral Torah was also given to Moses at Sinai and passed down through generations. So, when they sat in Moses’ seat, they often interpreted and expanded on the law using oral traditions.
❗ This led to the addition of man-made rules and heavy burdens (see Matthew 23:4).
2. Yeshua’s Rebuke Focused on Hypocrisy and Man-Made Traditions
Yeshua acknowledged their authority to teach the Torah — but He condemned:
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Their hypocrisy: "they say, and do not"
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Their legalism: "binding heavy burdens" (Matthew 23:4)
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Their traditions that nullify God’s commands (Mark 7:8–9)
So, while the seat of Moses should have meant teaching God's law (Torah) faithfully, in practice, they often went beyond it, mixing in Oral Torah and traditions that distorted its intent.
3. Yeshua Taught a Return to the Pure Torah
Yeshua continually pointed His disciples back to the heart and letter of the written Torah, rightly interpreted (Matthew 5:17–19), not the layers of tradition that had been added.
He never quoted the Oral Law, but constantly quoted the written Word: “It is written…”
Summary:
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Seat of Moses | Position of authority to teach Torah |
| What should have been taught | The Written Torah (God's Commandments) |
| What was often taught | A mix of Written Torah + Oral Traditions |
| Yeshua's issue | Hypocrisy, and elevating man-made laws over God’s Word |
| Yeshua’s solution | Obey the Word, not the corrupted traditions |
So no — they were not restricted to the Written Torah, but they should have been. That’s exactly why Yeshua had to rebuke them and call people back to true obedience rooted in God’s actual commandments, not added burdens.
The Hyporacy Continues Today
Now let's look at these religious leaders today, shall we? Are there any religious leaders that like to be called, "Teacher", "Rabbi", "Father"? Hmmm, I do not think that you would have to go far for one that thrives on this admiration. Now, let's add to that, are there any of these figures that go beyond the written WORD of God? Again, you would not have to go far. However bad the scribes and Pharisees were back then, it seems to be much worse today. In fact it is so bad that these people outright reject the Torah altogether! People are so confused about the "Commands of God" they do not even know where to start. They may say "The 10 Commandments" but then have trouble mentioning even one or two #commands.
Torah No Longer Applies
These religious leaders are sick today, they claim that the #Torah no longer applies. Therefore they are blind and they are the blind leading the blind. It is a vicious circle. It is amazing that any part of the Bible survived this hypocrisy, yet, God preserves His word so we can all read it today.
What Does It Mean To Be Righteous?
This is so very simple to answer, keep the Commandments of God. A righteous man keeps the commands of God and therefore does not sin. You only know what sin is if you know what the Torah says. This is why they say the Torah no longer applies, they actually work for Satan to keep you ignorant of the Torah. The dynamic has changed so that instead of adding to the WORD of God, these idiots today deny it altogether!