Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.” vs. 15
John 2:13-17
If we were asked to describe Jesus we would likely use words like wise, charismatic, loving, humble, and gentle. Yet passages like this one from John would indicate that we should also add the adjective “angry” to the list. Because many struggle with anger issues, it can be difficult to even imagine that Jesus had those feelings. But he did! And a careful reading of the gospels will show us many instances where Jesus expressed anger, and he did it without apology! So anger is an appropriate emotion for disciples of Jesus, but not in the ways that we often experience it. His anger was not the out of control explosive type that plagues us on the freeways or in conversations about politics. Jesus got angry at the misguided efforts of the Pharisee and scribes to make the law a burden. He got angry at the exclusion of sinners from God’s grace, and the grinding poverty of the poor. In the instance mentioned by John he was infuriated at the systematic abuse of the temple sacrificial system. Certainly there will be times when we too are called to express righteous indignation at the ways people continue to be abused and neglected. Some of the things being done in our world deserve our angry and unapologetic responses. As disciples of Jesus, it really is our duty!
Thought for the Day: What makes me angry?
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