The Anger of Jesus: John 2:13-17

John 2:13 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

John 2:14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business.

The worshipers were being ripped off.  The house of worship was turned into a den of thieves. The Gentiles were being told the wrong thing about worshiping God

John 2:15 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.

John 2:16 And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!”

John 2:17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”

Jesus was a holy divine tornado roaring through the temple. To drive them out of the temple was an incredible feat would have required a holy anger.  It was a holy and sinless anger because of the driving force behind it. By examining the anger Jesus demonstrated, we can understand what sinless anger is.

Notice three characteristics of Jesus’ anger demonstrated in this example. 1) Angry in the interest of others. The anger of Jesus was not based on his self interests being violated, but in others being hurt and abused.  2) Second, Jesus’ anger was with a directed purpose. It hindered this despicable practice and demonstrated God’s righteous stand against it.  3) Third, the anger of Jesus was under the control of love not self. He did not have a fixation with His anger. Some people are just angry people and they display it everywhere. This was not Jesus. He directed His anger, used this anger for a God ordained purpose and then went on with his life and ministry. Jesus did not hold an ongoing grudge. He did what was necessary and went on.