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Answer
Six times in Matthew 5, Jesus introduces statements with, “But I say to you” (ESV). In each of these statements in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus claims to have a higher authority than the scribes. The Lord, as the original giver of the law, was expounding on the law and bringing out its full meaning.
Jesus first says, “But I say to you” after quoting the Mosaic Law’s prohibition of murder «You have heard that it was said by them of old time, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment.’», (Matthew 5:21). Jesus then contrasts the well-known saying that “you shall not commit murder” «You shall not kill.», (Exodus 20:13) with an explanation that a person didn’t have to physically commit murder to be guilty of murder. A person is guilty of murder in his heart even if he is only angry with his brother «But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever shall say to his brother, ‘Raca,’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever shall say, ‘You fool,’ shall be in danger of hell fire.», (Matthew 5:22). Unrighteous anger makes one guilty and worthy of hell. Other teachers of the law taught that, as long as you didn’t literally commit murder, you were okay; Jesus said, no, you’re not off the hook that easily, because God sees the heart.
Jesus then recounts the Mosaic requirement to not commit adultery (Matthew 5:27;cf: Exodus 20:14). He adds, “But I say to you” that if a man looks at a woman with lust, that man is guilty.of adultery in his heart «but I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. », (Matthew 5:28). Jesus then reminds His listeners of the law permitting divorce «It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: », (Matthew 5:31) and then pivots: “But I say to you” that if a person divorces his wife for any reason other than immorality, he causes her to commit adultery and commits adultery himself if he remarries someone else «but I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. », (Matthew 5:32).
Jesus cites the law prohibiting making false vows (Matthew 5:33;cf: Leviticus 19:12). He then adds, “But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all” «but I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: », (Matthew 5:34, ESV). Jesus notes the punitive standard of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth (Matthew 5:38;cf: Exodus 21:24) and adds, “But I say to you,” that one should not resist an evil person but be generous to him «but I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. », (Matthew 5:39). Finally, Jesus
Reminds His listeners of their responsibility to love their neighbors «Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.», (Matthew 5:43) and challenges them to go further: “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” «But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;», (Matthew 5:44).
In each of these cases, Jesus is challenging His listeners’ perception of how a person becomes righteous. Many thought that they could simply be externally obedient to the Mosaic Law, and if they did that, they would be righteous in God’s sight. Earlier, Jesus had instructed the crowds that they needed to repent or change their minds about how they could become righteous and how they could enter the kingdom, and they needed to do it quickly because the kingdom was near «From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.», (Matthew 4:17). External obedience doesn’t equate to righteousness. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explained that they needed to have an internal righteousness—a kind of righteousness neither they nor the Pharisees had «For I say unto you, That except 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). As Jesus would later explain, righteousness, eternal life, and entrance into the kingdom come through belief in Him (John 3:16;John6:47) and not from obedience to the law.
Jesus’ “but I say to you” statements contrast the people’s comprehension of the legal requirements for righteousness through obedience to the law and the people’s actual necessity for righteousness through faith in Jesus. Before Jesus presents them with the solution (Himself as the water of life, the bread of life, etc.), He reveals their need to them. While many individuals did believe in Him for eternal life, the leadership of the nation refused to alter their perspectives on how they could attain righteousness, opting to rely on their own endeavors rather than placing their trust in their Messiah. In doing so, they overlooked the kingdom as seen in Matthew 21:31, 43.
