People of Mercy

The surpassing righteousness of Jesus’ followers impacts the world because it surpasses mere “religiosity.” In this last part of chapter 5, their righteousness surpasses the basic religious expectations of what mercy looks like. By addressing the Old Testament law of retaliation, Jesus once again establishes Himself as the interpreter of the Law. The inner, ‘spirit of the law,’ righteousness of Jesus leads His people to replace expected retaliation with unexpected generosity, to replace eager litigation with radical unselfishness, to replace enemy hatred with unworldly love , and to replace economic exchange with undiscriminating love. This is how Jesus defines the surpassing “mercy” of godly lives.