A Righteous Anger 

Jesus shows us that there is a time to be angry
I never cease to be amazed by the way in which items for study and prayer are brought to the surface with me. Sometimes it is a fragment of conversation at a meal table, sometimes it is the pulling together of multiple disparate threads of what is going on in the world. Perhaps Jesus drew inspiration in a similar way – particularly from the meal table given Jesus’ frequent engagement with people through eating together.
A frequently misunderstood emotion
For this article, the sparks came from a book bought for me at Christmas by a friend trying to make a point, together with listening to Sir Keir Starmer’s (or, as I call him, Sir Clearly Startled) mellifluous dismissal of any anger on the scandal of the Pakistani grooming gangs and his labelling of any sign of anger from the general population as hate speech. Well, Sir Keir, it might do us well to remind ourselves that anger is a frequently misunderstood emotion, especially in the context of the Bible.
For many, the idea of Jesus, the epitome of love and grace, expressing anger may seem paradoxical. Yet, a closer examination of Scripture reveals that Jesus’ anger is a righteous and purposeful response to injustice, hypocrisy, and the profaning of sacred spaces – rather than a destructive, uncontained and selfish anger.
This study first explores John 2:13-16, where Jesus cleanses the Temple, and then surveys other instances of His anger in the Gospels. Additionally, we will examine Old Testament passages that resonate with these moments, providing a holistic understanding of divine, righteous anger.
I. The Cleansing of the Temple (John 2:13-16)
The passage begins with Jesus traveling to Jerusalem for the Passover. He enters the temple and finds it filled with merchants selling animals, and money changers conducting business. In a dramatic display, Jesus makes a whip of cords and drives them out, overturning tables and rebuking them for turning His Father’s house into a marketplace.
Key Observations:

The context of the Temple: The temple was the heart of Jewish worship, symbolising YHWH’s presence among His people. By allowing commercial activity, the religious leaders compromised its sanctity.

Jesus’ actions: Jesus’ anger was not impulsive but deliberate. The whip of cords indicates premeditation, reflecting His righteous indignation at the corruption and exploitation occurring in YHWH’s house.

Jesus’ Words: “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade” (John 2:16, ESV). This rebuke highlights the sacred purpose of the temple as a place of prayer and worship (Isaiah 56:7).

Old Testament Connections:

Zeal for God’s House: Psalm 69:9 prophetically declares, “Zeal for your house has consumed me” – a verse the disciples recall in John 2:17. This psalm reflects the righteous passion for YHWH’s glory and purity.

Condemnation of Exploitation: Jeremiah 7:11 rebukes Israel for turning the temple into “a den of robbers.” Jesus references this verse in Matthew 21:13, reinforcing His condemnation of the misuse of sacred spaces.

II. Other Instances of Jesus’ Anger in the Gospels
1. The Healing of the Man with a Withered Hand (Mark 3:1-6)
Jesus enters a synagogue on the Sabbath and encounters a man with a withered hand. The Pharisees watch closely, hoping to accuse Him of breaking Sabbath law. Jesus’ response is striking: “He looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart” (Mark 3:5, ESV).
Key Observations:

Jesus’ anger is directed at the Pharisees’ legalism and lack of compassion.

His grief underscores the relational nature of His anger, it is not merely wrath but a sorrowful response to their spiritual blindness.

Old Testament Connection:

God’s grief over hard hearts: Ezekiel 33:11 reveals YHWH’s desire for repentance: “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.” Jesus’ anger reflects this divine yearning for heart transformation.

2. Rebuke of the Pharisees and Scribes (Matthew 23)
In Matthew 23, Jesus pronounces a series of woes upon the Pharisees and scribes, denouncing their hypocrisy, pride, and spiritual abuse.
Key Observations:
Jesus’ anger here is verbal rather than physical but no less intense. He calls them “whitewashed tombs” and “blind guides.”

His rebuke serves as both judgment and a call to repentance.

Old Testament Connection:

Prophetic condemnation of hypocrisy: Isaiah 29:13 highlights a similar issue: “This people draw near with their mouth and honour me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me.”

God’s hatred of oppression: Micah 6:8 contrasts the Pharisees’ actions with YHWH’s requirement: “Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.”

3. Jesus’ Reaction to His Disciples’ Lack of Faith (Mark 9:14-29)
After the Transfiguration, Jesus returns to find His disciples unable to cast out a demon. His exasperated response is telling: “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?” (Mark 9:19, ESV).
Key Observations:

Jesus’ frustration arises from their failure to trust in God’s power, despite witnessing His miracles.

His rebuke is paired with action as He casts out the demon and teaches them about the necessity of prayer.

Old Testament Connection:

YHWH’s frustration with Israel’s unbelief: Numbers 14:11 captures a similar sentiment: “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?”

III. The Purpose of Jesus’ Anger
Jesus’ anger is not driven by selfish motives but by His commitment to YHWH’s glory and humanity’s well-being. It serves several purposes:

To restore holiness: In cleansing the temple, Jesus reaffirms the sacred purpose of worship.

To expose hypocrisy: His rebukes challenge religious leaders to align their actions with God’s truth.

To call for faith: His frustration with unbelief underscores the necessity of trusting God.

To demonstrate compassion: Even in anger, Jesus’ actions aim to restore, heal, and invite repentance.

IV. Lessons for Believers

Righteous anger is justified: Anger, when rooted in love for God and others, can be a powerful force for justice and restoration.

Guard against hypocrisy: Jesus’ rebukes warn against outward religiosity that lacks genuine faith and love.

Trust in YHWH’s power: Moments of doubt and failure should lead us to prayer and reliance on God.

Maintain the sacred: Believers are called to honour God in every aspect of life, treating worship and community with reverence.

Conclusion
The instances of Jesus’ anger in the Gospels, beginning with the cleansing of the temple in John 2:13-16, reveal a profound truth: anger, when aligned with YHWH’s character, is a holy response to sin and injustice. Through His actions and words, Jesus demonstrates that divine anger is never arbitrary but always purposeful: to defend YHWH’s holiness, call people to repentance, and restore what is broken. As believers, we are called to reflect this righteous anger in our own lives, standing against injustice and honouring God in all we do.
Before writing this, I was of the mind that the idea of Jesus being angry, whilst appealing to me, was not necessarily aligned with scripture. Having undertaken my research for this I now know absolutely that the idea is fully aligned with scripture in both the Old and New Testament. What is more I also know that the idea of a hot anger on behalf of victims and those impacted by the victims is absolutely right, it is a Holy thing. This is clearly very different from an uncontrolled, violent and self-serving anger.
What is most definitely not in line with scripture is the dispassionate appeal to see the perpetrator as a victim of their circumstances and to ignore and wilfully turn a blind eye to the pain of the victims. As a former lawyer, Sir Keir Starmer is patently clearly startled by the idea that a judiciary could be angry about any offence to society, and even more that the general population could be. So much so that anyone who evinces anger over the failings of multiculturalism and the establishment’s willingness to brush the victims’ suffering under the carpet in the interests of ‘the greater good’ must be guilty of hate speech.
By trying to denigrate the anger many feel, I would suggest rather that those who have perverted justice and failed to protect the girls that have been so horrendously abused are guilty of the biblical sin of failing to protect the widows and orphans as most admirably expressed in Exodus 22:22 “You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child” and Isaiah 1:17 (ESV) “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.”