THEOSISGregory the Great
When individuals filled with anger unjustly attack others, they should not be confronted harshly, but rather approached with gentleness and respect. This becomes clearer when we consider the actions of Abner. When Asahel relentlessly pursued Abner, he warned him, as scripture recounts: “Get thee behind me, lest I cast thee down to the ground.” However, Asahel refused to turn away. Then Abner, turning his spear around, struck him in the abdomen; the spear pierced him, and he fell dead immediately. Is it not evident that Asahel's behavior reflects the kind of madness that can consume a person? Such individuals, when gripped by this madness, require our careful avoidance, particularly as their condition worsens.
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Thus, Abner, whose name signifies "the father’s lamp," fled, much like a teacher who, recognizing a person’s mind spiraling into madness, chooses not to engage with the furious individual. This approach resembles one who refrains from attacking the aggressor. Yet, when those in anger refuse to temper their emotions, and like Asahel, continuously pursue their irrational course, it is imperative to prevent their rage from escalating. Instead, we must strive to calm their madness by maintaining composure ourselves, allowing them to perceive, from a distance, the intervention that penetrates their anger-fueled thoughts. When Abner stood his ground against his assailant, he struck him not with the pointed end of his spear but with its blunt side. To strike with the point symbolizes a direct confrontation, while using the back of the spear represents a gentle, partial approach, giving mercy rather than destruction. Asahel's lifeless body fell to the ground as a testimony to how disturbed minds, upon realizing they have been spared, and when touched by the calmness shown to them, often descend from the heights of fury. Thus, when angered individuals retreat from their frenzy under the influence of noble restraint, it is akin to experiencing a death that comes without violence.