According to Jesus, those who flourish are righteously related to the Father through his Son. They have a righteousness that exceeds a merely external righteousness. Jesus begins to unpack what this looks like by teaching concerning the sixth commandment. Here, we learn that honouring the sanctity of life is much deeper than not taking the life of another. We can summarise this teaching in four key ways:

 

1. Acknowledge Dignity (vv. 21–26)

2. Avoid Animosity (vv. 21–22)

3. Appreciate the Necessity (vv. 23–24)

4. Act with Urgency (vv. 25–26)