Important Truth To Learn From Jesus Being Angry
It’s hard for us to imagine Jesus being angry, isn’t it?
We all prefer the message of Jesus the open and accepting friend who affirms everything about us. But that is not true about God’s Son and our Savior.
Jesus loves us too much to let us follow our own foolishness by worshipping and glorifying the created over the Creator.
So, let’s look at some important truths we can learn from Jesus’ anger.
It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. In the Temple area He saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; He also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. Then, going over to the people who sold doves, He told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!”
John 2:13–16
The Life Application Bible Notes add…
“God’s Temple was being misused by people who had turned it into a marketplace. They had forgotten, or didn’t care, that God’s house is a place of worship, not a place for making a profit.”
This Temple was to be a place of worship, praise, sacrifice, and remembering God’s mercy and grace in community.
Theologian Esau McCaulley wrote the following definition of worship…
“Worship is the reverential response of creation to the all-encompassing magnificence of God”
Worship is our purpose and the ultimate purpose of all creation. We were created to glorify God individually and together.
Even if that’s true, why did Jesus respond that way?
Scripture tells us that God is righteous. He was angry when His children worshipped the Golden Calf (Exodus 32), sin makes Him angry (Deuteronomy 9), and Jesus was righteously angry that religious leaders turned the Temple Courtyard into a place to exploit Temple visitors by exchanging foreign money for the Temple Tax at an outrageous profit.
What is righteous anger and what makes Jesus’ anger “righteous”?
It is anger that is motivated by and focused on love for God and people, and always properly self-controlled.
Because of love, Jesus wanted people to worship and glorify God because He knew it was and is the Father’s plan and purpose for people. Worship is our natural response of humble love for our Creator, Savior, and Living Spirit. Anything that gets in the way of our worship gets in the way of our relationship with God.
We were made for that relationship. One that is only made possible through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Jesus suffered the consequence of our sin; naturally, sin makes Him angry—it hurts the people for whom He willingly gave His life.
Let’s pray…
A Prayer of Humility and Repentance
Learning from Jesus Being Angry
Lord Jesus, I am so sorry. Please forgive me. I am quick to take You for granted and selfishly want comfort, ease, and my desires met. I’m tempted to listen to the world’s voices tell me that because You welcome sinners, You look the other way when we sin.
Thank you for revealing the truth to us in Your Word. You showed us the truth about our prideful selfishness and Your righteous anger. You showed us Your loving caring heart that longs for us to surrender our lives in repentance trusting You to transform us through faith and obedience.
It is about the attitude of our hearts and I’m sorry, Lord. I believe You created me to love You and the people around me. I know I fall short of Your will for me; and yet, You don’t reject me. You speak Your truth through Your Spirit and forgive my repentant heart.
I want to love the way You created me to love. I want to follow You. I want my anger to be guided by Your righteousness within me. Please transform, guide, and strengthen me to KNOW, LOVE, and TRUST You in all I think, do, and say. Amen.
Matthew Henry wrote…
“If we would be angry and not sin (says one), we must be angry at nothing but sin; and we should be more jealous for the glory of God than for any interest or reputation of our own.”
We’re all tempted to justify our anger and feel self-righteous about it but Jesus being angry teaches us that righteous anger isn’t about us. He showed us that anger is only righteous when it is directed at sin and only when it is spirit-controlled with a heart of love and a desire to show people a better way.
Think of a parent motivated by love yelling at their child to keep them from running into the street.
Jesus’ anger was motivated by His love for the Father and the people He created.
May our lives be filled with love and worship in response to the all-encompassing magnificence of God!
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This is such a great explanation of why Jesus got angry in the temple, Deb. We should only be angry at sin and not against the sinner. Jesus did nothing except in His great love.
Blessings, always!
Thank you, Martha! It is hard for us to separate the two but with God’s help and His love even that is possible. Blessings to you, dear friend! Have a wonderful weekend!