A Teaching About Anger. As will be evident, the following comments use Boring’s model as a way to think about the text at hand.

²¹ “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.’²² But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.²³ Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you,²⁴ leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.²⁵ Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison.²⁶ Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny. Continue reading →