Before adding a post about what Jesus says about anger and contempt, I thought I would reference two great links compiled by Todd Bolen, about the “myth” of the Valley of Hinnom (Gehenna) being used for burning trash in Jesus’ day. Many of the sources I’m using state that Gehenna was a garbage dump, burning day and night. Yet these two posts argue there’s no evidence for that claim.

http://blog.bibleplaces.com/2011/04/myth-of-burning-garbage-dump-of-gehenna.html

http://blog.bibleplaces.com/2011/04/fires-of-gehenna-views-of-scholars.html

It’s very interesting reading – like a mystery almost. After reading some of the primary sources referenced in these blog posts, I was convinced it was a myth. In my book, the images of child sacrifices in the valley and Jeremiah’s reference to the “Valley of Slaughter” make Gehenna worse than any thought of burning trash.