Didn’t Jesus Get Angry Once?

• Is there such a thing as good anger? If so, give an example.

• What makes God angry?

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!”
John 2:14-16

There is such a thing as righteous anger. We see an example of it here in this passage from John. Jesus came to the temple in Jerusalem at Passover and found merchants and money changers charging high rates and taking advantage of people. In other words, they were exploiting God’s house in an attempt to get rich.

Jesus was irate, with very good reason. And he drove all that sinful behavior out of the temple.

It’s important for us to realize that Jesus did not lose control and react to the situation. Jesus responded to the situation with self-control and did what he had to do to make his point. Jesus was angry, yes, but it was a controlled anger that honored God. Jesus did not hurt anyone. In fact, his actions drew people nearer to him, not away from him.

There are things in this world that will make us angry. Evil and injustice in this world should make us angry, and God wants us to respond in a manner that glorifies him.

PRAYER
Dear God, help us to know what attitudes and actions honor and glorify you. Amen.