The Bible says, “Be angry and do not sin…” (Ephesians 4:26).
So apparently it’s possible to be one and not do the other.
But how many people do you know who pull that off—being
angry without crossing the line? Honestly, I know only one.
I admire Jesus' anger.
What makes you angry? Most of us get mad when our plans are
thwarted, when people stand in our way, disappoint or betray us. Our anger is
often (usually?) self-protective and self-centered.
But why did Jesus get angry?
- He got angry when His disciples kept little children from His blessing. His disciples thought they were guarding His time. But Jesus was “indignant” – much displeased (Mark 11:14).
- He was angry at the tomb of Lazarus—“deeply moved in His spirit and greatly troubled” (John 11:33). The Greek words mean He was agitated and upset.
- When our Lord overturned the tables of the money-changers and drove out the vendors, He was angry (See Mark 11).
Jesus was angry when people He loved were kept from Him. And
He was angry at how sin scars and separates, and leads--inevitably--to death.
But Jesus did not
get angry when His plans were opposed, when His disciples failed, or even when
He was betrayed, falsely accused, and sentenced to die.
There’s a proper role for anger, and the only place I know
to learn it is from Jesus.
