Righteous Anger

Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.  “It is written,” He said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”

- Matthew 21:12-13

On Monday of Passion Week (the week of Jesus’ death and Resurrection), Jesus had just come off the high of His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. People waved palm branches and shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”

As He approaches the temple, rather than see the beauty of God’s presence, He is hit smack in the face by the merchants who have set up in the temple courts to sell doves to be sacrificed. The merchants have turned a holy moment, and a holy place, into an opportunity for financial gain - at the expense of the people who feel obligated by religious duty to line the pockets of these unscrupulous dealers.

Jesus is indignant… no, He is furious. This is a rare time we get to see Jesus angry, an anger that flares up and lashes out against those blaspheming God’s temple and His children.

Jesus’ anger creates tension for us, for this is not the meek and mild Jesus we see in all the portraits.

This is not the Good Shepherd caring for His sheep. In addition, all throughout Scripture, we understand anger to be sin, yet we know Jesus did not sin. How do we reconcile this in our minds and in our hearts?

Jesus… who He is and His character... provides clarity for us. Here in the temple courts, Jesus is making a stand for what is Holy. He is not sinning, but is, instead, setting before us an example of what should make us indignant as well. Sinful people trampling on holiness should make us furious.  

Will we stand “red hot” for God in the face of unrighteousness?  Will injustice make our blood boil? Then… will our anger lead us to righteous action that moves us away from sin and leads us to make a positive difference in the lives of others?

May we be a people of God who stand up against injustice and unrighteousness. May we, as followers of Jesus Christ, follow His example, and make a bold stand for the things that truly matter to God.

Pastor Ken

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