“Our Saviour’s Anger“
[By Duncan Steeves]

Is anger a passion which was right for CHRIST to show and feel? And if it were right for Christ, is it equally right for us? Christ and the sinner can be reconciled through His blood but Christ and sin will never be reconciled. Jesus clearly displayed anger during His earthly life. A good example of this is His response to those who were making a profit by exchanging money and selling animals at the temple (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-18; John 2:13-22).

While Christ’s anger was strong, was not His sorrow and compassion Devine? Was not Christ sorrowful at the thought of what their actions meant and yet Jesus Himself would eventually provide the path to rescue them from their sin. Anger and grief were both a part of Christ’s mind but Christ’s mind was also perfect in Holiness, Love, Sorrow and Compassion.

On another occasion, Jesus asked the religious leaders if it was okay to heal a person on the Sabbath day. When they would not answer, we are told, “he looked around at them with anger” (Mark 3:5, ESV) before healing a man. His anger centered on the attitudes of religious teachers who claimed to know the Law yet cared more about themselves than whether a person was healed.

So yes, Jesus was angry at times, yet HE did not sin (Hebrews 4:15). Likewise, Christians that have been added to the Lord’s Church are taught, “Be angry and do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26, ESV). Was not Christ’s anger a Righteous anger? So, if in Ephesians 4:26 we have scriptural authority to be angry, we also have Jesus’s example on exactly what Ephesians 4:26 means and how to be angry and sin not.

While anger is often viewed as a completely negative emotion, there are times Christians can be angry for appropriate reasons. In the case of Jesus, His anger was the result of ungodly attitudes and actions by those around Him. Should not these also provoke us to Righteous anger?

God the Father often displayed anger in the Old Testament when people sinned against Him and when injustices took place. Still today, when Christians whom have been added to the Lord’s Church see sinful actions taking place, especially by those who claim to be religious leaders or by Denominations, should that not cause Righteous anger or are we so used to this violation of Jesus’s gospel, the word of Truth, that we are complacent to it? Does not Righteous anger reflect the attitude of Christ in these situations? We are told to have the same mindset as our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5).

Anger that reflects the anger of Christ requires two aspects. First, it must be properly motivated and scripturally based. In other words, if we are angry because we do not get our own way in a situation this can never be justified. Is religious hypocrisy or unfaithfulness to God, Godly reasons to become angry?

Another aspect required for our anger to reflect Christ’s anger is to act appropriately when we are angry. Jesus healed a man even when He was angry, revealing that we are called to do what is right by the Word of Truth even when we are upset or angry. In addition, the scriptures that refer to Jesus turning over tables in the temple showed His anger properly expressed to remove people who were breaking God’s Law by making a profit from the system of animal offerings rather than focusing on worship of the Lord.

Also, the anger of Jesus did not result in a long-term grudge holding. Instead, His anger was an emotion that resulted in proper actions. Today, Brethren, we must seek and implement the same response that Jesus implemented. Anger left unchecked or wrongly motivated can result in long-term unforgiveness, which is not the example that our Lord and Savior Jesus died for. Anger has a proper time and place. We must rid ourselves of unrighteous anger and its results (Colossians 3:8).

Jesus did become angry on some occasions, yet Jesus was not known as an “angry person”. Also, notice the Jesus got angry but was not known as “quick tempered”. Rather He was “Full of Compassion” (James 5:11, NASB). Christ’s anger was not an excuse for sinful actions, but rather for righteous actions that helped others, honored God the Father and provided the pathway for the Truth we love and hold dear to our hearts today.