An Angry Jesus

BY REV. DORAL PULLEY

Scripture Reference – Matthew 21:12-14

In addition to feeling the emotions of happiness and sadness, Jesus Christ also felt anger. When he entered the temple, and saw the merchants and money-changers selling defective and overpriced animal sacrifices, he was irate. Jesus Christ expressed his anger through his words. He rebuked them for making God’s house a place of unrighteousness and injustice. “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all people and you have made it a den of thieves (Matthew 21:13).”

Jesus Christ also expressed his anger through his actions. He turned over the tables and the chairs that the thieves were using to sell their products. He also put the merchants and moneychangers out of the temple. Anger is a powerful emotion. It is through our anger that we gain clarity of what God had called us to do and where we are designed to be. It is not being angry that is sinful. It is what we do with the anger. “Be angry and sin not (Ephesians 4:26).” Anger can be constructive or destructive. It is totally up to us how we channel our anger.

Rev. Doral Pulley is the senior pastor of Unity Temple of Truth Church, 511 Prescott St. S, St. Petersburg.