Theme: Jesus' "higher righteousness"

Exegetical note
These verses contain three of the so-called "antitheses" of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, in which he intensifies the demands of the Law. Here, lust is equated with adultery, divorce is forbidden (the exception being Matthew's, not Jesus'), and swearing (as opposed to merely false swearing) is prohibited. In each case, Jesus is calling for a "higher righteousness" that moves beyond external obedience to a moral code, to an internal orientation toward God's will.

Call to W…