The Bible shows us that Jesus expressed a range of emotions during his earthly ministry, including anger. However, Jesus’ anger was never sinful but always righteous and just. In this article, we will examine several instances where Jesus displayed anger in the Gospels and consider what they teach us about God’s character and how we should respond to sin and injustice.
Jesus Cleanses the Temple (John 2:13-17)
One of the clearest examples of Jesus’ anger is when he drove out the money changers and merchants from the temple courts. This incident is recorded in John 2:13-17:
When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”
Jesus was “filled with zeal” for God’s house and could not tolerate the merchants turning it into a marketplace. His anger was directed at the injustice, greed, and irreverence being displayed toward God. This demonstrates that there are things that righteously anger God, particularly when his holiness is not honored.
Jesus Laments over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-44)
As Jesus approached Jerusalem before his crucifixion, he lamented over the city’s coming destruction because they did not recognize him as the Messiah. Luke 19:41-44 describes the scene:
As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”
Jesus was deeply disturbed by the judgment coming upon Jerusalem because of their rejection of him as Messiah. His anger stemmed from sadness over their stubborn unbelief despite seeing his miracles and ministry.
Jesus Rebukes the Pharisees (Matthew 23)
One of Jesus’ lengthiest expressions of anger comes in Matthew 23, where he confronts the hypocrisy and false teaching of the Pharisees and teachers of the law. He pronounces seven woes upon them and warns of their coming condemnation. For example:
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. (Matthew 23:13)
Jesus was fiercely angered by religious leaders who should have pointed people to God but instead imposed heavy, legalistic burdens on them. He exposed their hypocrisy in hopes they would repent.
Jesus Grieves at Lazarus’ Tomb (John 11:32-38)
When Jesus came to the tomb of his friend Lazarus, he was deeply moved by grief and anger at the power of death. John 11:32-38 tells us:
When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb.
Jesus’ anger stemmed from empathy at the grief of Lazarus’ family and friends. He was also outraged at death’s horrible power and the unbelief of some who doubted him. His emotional turmoil highlights his humanity and deep compassion.
The Question About Divorce (Mark 10:2-9)
When asked about divorce, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for the hardness of their hearts and affirmed God’s design for marriage. Mark 10:2-9 says:
Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” “What did Moses command you?” he replied. They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.” “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
Jesus was angered over how casually they viewed divorce, not recognizing it deeply hurts spouses and contradicts God’s purposes. His anger reflected God’s hatred of marital unfaithfulness and broken covenants.
The Stubbornness of Jesus’ Hometown (Mark 6:1-6)
When Jesus returned to his hometown of Nazareth, the people stubbornly refused to believe in him. Mark 6:1-6 recounts:
Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.
“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.
Jesus marveled at the people’s lack of faith in him despite seeing the miracles he had done. He was angered by the rejection of the truth despite overwhelming evidence.
Driving Out an Evil Spirit (Mark 1:23-28)
Early in Jesus’ ministry, he confronted an evil spirit who recognized him as “Jesus of Nazareth.” He forcefully drove out the spirit, as described in Mark 1:23-28:
Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
“Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.
The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.”
Jesus’ anger flowed from his holy revulsion against the presence of evil. He forcefully confronted the demon and drove it out by his divine authority, displaying his power over the forces of darkness.
The Unbelief of Thomas (John 20:26-29)
After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples and rebuked Thomas for his unbelief in refusing to accept their eyewitness testimony. John 20:26-29 tells us:
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Jesus was troubled by skepticism and hard-heartedness toward the testimony of the Scriptures and his followers who saw him risen. He desires faith, not unbelief.
Driving Out Buyers and Sellers (Mark 11:15-17)
At the end of Jesus’ ministry, he again drove out the merchants who were buying and selling in the temple courts. Mark 11:15-17 describes the scene:
On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”
Jesus would not tolerate the religious leaders enriching themselves through merchandising in the temple. His anger reflected divine judgment against exploiting God’s house for worldly profit.
The Hardened Hearts in Nazareth (Mark 6:4-6)
After Jesus was rejected in his hometown synagogue of Nazareth, Mark 6:4-6 tells us:
Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.
Jesus was indignant that the people of Nazareth did not accept him despite his miracles and wisdom. Their stubborn unbelief prevented him from doing further miracles among them.
Driving Out Money Changers (Matthew 21:12-13)
When Jesus entered the temple courts in Jerusalem, he drove out all those buying and selling, overturning tables and benches. Matthew 21:12-13 says:
Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”
Jesus would not tolerate those making his Father’s house into a marketplace. His zeal reflected God’s anger at irreverence and greed in the temple.
Insights into Jesus’ Anger
What insights do these examples of Jesus’ anger give us? Here are several key truths we learn:
- Jesus’ anger revealed divine judgment against sin, particularly hypocrisy, irreverence, and hard-heartedness.
- His anger stemmed from deep care, concern, and compassion for those straying from truth.
- Jesus exercised self-control, directing his anger at the sin rather than the sinner.
- He used his anger to teach essential spiritual principles and confront injustice.
- Jesus’ anger was never capricious, selfish, or unduly harsh but completely pure and righteous.
- God’s wrath and judgment against wickedness provoked Jesus’ anger at sin’s terrible consequences.
- Jesus grieved over the affliction sin brings and the destruction it causes.
The examples of Jesus’ anger give us a window into God’s divine nature, showing his hatred of sin and injustice, and his compassion toward sinners. Jesus perfectly balanced grace and truth, mercy and justice, patience and indignation. His anger affirms that God takes sin seriously and will ultimately judge unrepentant sinners. Yet God longs for their salvation with great mercy and love.
Principles for Christian Anger
As followers of Christ, how should we apply the principles underlying Jesus’ righteous anger? Here are some key points:
- Anger at blatant sin and injustice in the world is appropriate.
- However, we must guard our hearts against self-righteous anger.
- Our anger must be controlled and carefully directed, not unrestrained.
- We should be motivated by love and care, not judgment, when confronting sin.
- Our anger must grieve over, not delight in, the consequences of sin.
- Patience, grace and hope must temper indignation toward unrepentant sinners.
- Superior, hostile attitudes have no place in godly anger.
- Though hating evil, we must still love the evildoer and long for their redemption.
The Bible exhorts us, “In your anger do not sin” (Psalm 4:4) and “Be angry, and do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26). With God’s help, we can learn to express righteous anger against injustice, while avoiding sinful attitudes that onlybreed more evil. As we grow in spiritual maturity, the Holy Spirit will empower us to exemplify God’s perfect blend of justice and mercy.
Jesus’ Anger and God’s Wrath
It is also important to understand the relationship between Jesus’ earthly anger and God’s eternal wrath against those who reject Christ as Savior. Scripture plainly warns:
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them. (John 3:36)
Though Jesus grieves over unbelief, he also will execute divine judgment upon his return:
This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might. (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9)
Jesus’ anger and actions against sin while on earth foreshadowed God’s future judgment. His warnings of coming wrath stemmed from a desire to see people repent and find salvation before it is too late. Those who continually reject Jesus’ loving grace and truth face eternal separation from God.
Conclusion
In summary, the Bible clearly shows Jesus expressed righteous anger and indignation during his ministry. He directed it primarily against spiritual blindness, hypocrisy, irreverence, greed, and hardness of heart. Christ’s anger reflects both God’s holiness and his deep compassion for sinners to repent and escape future judgment. As followers of Jesus, we must ask the Holy Spirit to help us emulate his perfect example of moral indignation blended with mercy, truth, and grace.
