God always keeps the way to salvation open to all. Ezekiel told the Israelites that God took no pleasure in the death of anyone but welcomed the repentant sinner who turned away from their sins. However, God also warned that when the righteous person turned away from doing good and turned toward wickedness, that person would die. Just as the sins of the repentant person would not be remembered, so God would not remember the good deeds of the righteous person who turned to wickedness. God's way was fair. God gave hope to the Israelites if they would turn to God. We too can be assured of God's mercy when we turn away from sin and embrace God's righteousness.

Jesus was speaking to the crowds in the Sermon on the Mount. Important events often took place on the top of a mountain. Jesus was telling the people that their righteousness must be greater than that of the scribes and Pharisees who were the instructors of the Mosaic law. Jesus spoke with authority. He took examples from the commandments and expressed their deeper meaning. Not only murder but anger and insults could lead to judgement. Being in right relationship with others was necessary for true worship of God. Jesus expanded the commandment against adultery to include intentions rather than just actions. Morality for Jesus was based on interior motive as well as exterior behaviour. We must follow Jesus' way.