Your Brother Has Something Against You: Carson and Keller on Matthew 5:23
In Matthew 5:23, Jesus develops his teaching about murderous anger in an unexpected direction. Having stated that anger (v. 22) makes us just as liable to God’s judgment as murder (vv. 21), Jesus’ focus appears to shift in v. 23.
Sin Crouching at the Door: Genesis 4:7
Sin is personified by God as a beast crouching at the door, seeking, presumably, to overpower Cain. Just as Adam was tasked with ruling over the beasts of the field, so Cain must rule over sin. In the very next verse it is Cain who rose up against his brother, himself acting with animalistic violence.
“Blessed is the one … whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in season.”
— Psalm 1:1-3