He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts.
Jesus angry? Distressed? Doesn’t fit the traditional image many have of the Teacher. He shouldn’t have these normal human emotions!
Yet, the Bible only says – Be angry and sin not! So anger itself is not a sin, even though it can go there very quickly.
To be angry can be a perfectly normal human emotional response. To be angry and not say or do something wrong is the difficult part!
To be distressed is also a healthy response. But to be under stress and not make a mistake is another matter altogether.
Jesus could do both. Stubborn hearts both angered and stressed Him, but these normal emotional responses did not cause Him to sin! In fact, here He responds with an act of loving kindness.
You can tell much about a person by what makes them angry and how they handle it. Most of the time selfishness is the cause of anger. Things don’t go our way. We lash out!
Jesus, on the other hand, is angry because these leaders have no love in their hearts. Here is a man who needs healing and they don’t care about him whatever!
This is bad enough, but these are the ones in charge of religion. They’re the leaders who are supposed to care for the people.
Jesus never seems angered by the sinners He meets. But He’s angry here! These self-appointed guardians of the people simply don’t care! Still, Jesus loves them - would change their hearts – but they’re obstinate, immoveable!
After He heals the man, they go out and plot to kill Him. In such a deplorable situation the only reasonable response is anger. In fact, it’s the perfect emotional response!
What makes us angry? And how do we handle it?
Very good thoughts on anger. Notice that Jesus' anger was righteous indignation. Here, when the religious leaders care not for a hurting crippled man. At the temple when they had made His Father's House a den of thieves. Righteous indignation.
ReplyDeleteRighteous indignation - being angry over those who are misrepresnting God, who are oppressing and taking advantage of others - in God's name!
James writes: for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. (James 1:20)
Here we see jesus responding not with man's wrath, but with anger - a righteous indignation.
I like your last questions
What makes us angry? And how do we handle it?
That's the crux of the matter.
I know that Denny commented on a different topic. My thought on this passage get stuck at the beginning. What faith the friends had! Do I go to those lengths to see and be close to Jesus? Am I willing to express my faith that openly to help a friend? What have I done lately that could have been said of me, 'When Jesus saw her faith?' I pray that I may work harder to be closer to Jesus!
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