A Mini Series on Anger

Part 3

by patsy norwood (c) 2008 – 2009 All Rights Reserved!

In lesson 1 one we studied about Cain and how he got angry at God and took it out on his brother Abel … in lesson 2 we looked at Mrs. Job and saw an example of what happens to someone who gives up instead of holding on to God in tough times and now in the final lesson we’re going to look at Jesus and how He handled anger …

Jesus

John 2:13-16 (first temple cleansing)
Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When he had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves. “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!

Luke 19: 45-46 (second temple cleansing)
Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.’”

Mark 11: 15-17 (second temple cleansing)
So they came to Jerusalem, then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. Then He taught, saying to them, ‘Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations?’ But you have made it a den of thieves.’”

Matthew 21: 12-13 (second temple cleansing)
Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them. “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of thieves.’”

What was Jesus angry about?

The temple was being defiled and people were being taken advantage of. The first cleansing occurred some 2 years prior. The profaners of the temple had not altered in any manner their desecration of the house of God. By their continuation, the Pharisees demonstrated their unwillingness to honor the moral obligations of true religion. The court of the Gentiles had been turned into a merchandising mart; and in the providence of God, that very court had been intended for use by devout Gentiles who worshiped God.

The double gouging of the multitudes who came to worship God was a lucrative abuse on the part of the temple concessionaires. Certain animals (or doves for the poor) were required in the Jewish sacrifices; but the difficulty of transporting livestock made it more convenient to purchase them in the temple. Moreover, ‘Temple dues had to be paid in the Tyrian coinage, the Tyrian shekel being the nearest equivalent to the Hebrew shekel.’ Thus, through control of the available supply of animals, and of the money required for their purchase, exploitation of the multitudes was brazenly accomplished. (Coffman Commentary)

Was Jesus angry for selfish reasons?

How did Jesus handle His anger?

Matthew 21:12 “Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.”

Mark 11:15 “So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.

Did Jesus’ anger hurt anyone?

Concluding thoughts …

Sometimes anger is an appropriate response to injustice and sin, but when anger is unchecked or misdirected it can cause great destruction.

The way we handle our anger is important!