The Jews thought that they were safe and would receive God’s Kingdom by seeking to establish their own righteousness, but they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. (Ro 10:1-3) That is why Jesus said to his disciples: “For I say to you that if your righteousness does not abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter into the kingdom of the heavens.” These men had a form of righteousness in their obedience to certain of the requirements of the Law and to their added traditions. But they had actually made the word of God invalid because of their tradition, and they rejected Christ, the way provided by God through whom they could have obtained real righteousness.​—Mt 5:17-20; 15:3-9; Ro 10:4.

Righteousness not by one’s own works. Consequently, it is clear that imperfect men could never attain true righteousness​—they could not measure up to the righteousness of God—​either by dependence on works of the Mosaic Law or by their own works of self-righteousness. (Ro 3:10; 9:30-32; Ga 2:21; 3:21; Tit 3:5) The men whom God called “righteous” were men who had exercised faith in God and who did not trust in their own works but backed up that faith by works in harmony with his righteous standard.​—Ge 15:6; Ro 4:3-9; Jas 2:18-24.