This master's thesis examines the concept of the »greater righteousness« in Matthew 5:17–48 and interprets it within the hermeneutical framework of virtue ethics. The study starts with the question of how to understand Jesus' demand that the righteousness of his disciples must surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees, and in what way such righteousness can be realized in the concrete life. The first part focuses primarily on the Old Testament background of Matthew's thought, which is reflected in the understanding of righteousness as right conduct in accordance with God's will. This is complemented by Jesus' teaching on righteousness, which is not something external, but first and foremost an inner orientation of the heart. The exegetical analysis forms the central part of the thesis, in which Jesus is shown as one who reveals the deeper purpose of the Law – namely, the transformation of one’s character from which all action flows. Disciples are called to adopt attitudes of meekness, truthfulness, fidelity, mercy, generosity and nonviolence. The second part presents the Sermon on the Mount as a foundational text of the Christian ethics and argues that virtue ethics is a suitable hermeneutical principle for interpreting the text. This approach highlights the Sermon's goal-directed orientation, namely the gradual realization of the image of God in the human person through a process of moral and spiritual growth. Christian ethics further adds that we cannot accomplish this on our own but necessarily need God's grace.
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