“Perhaps we’re shocked by an angry Jesus. This Jesus may be less familiar and perhaps even less attractive. But this is not only an essential aspect of his character; it’s also good news. We can and should enjoy the anger of Jesus.”
(Tim Chester) Here’s a surprise. In preparation to write about how we relate to Jesus day by day in the here and now, I re-read the Gospels. I was looking out for how he related to people when he was on earth as pointers to how he relates to his people now from heaven. Much of what I found was what I expected. He cares, protects, energizes, touches, and intercedes for his people—then and now. But one thing took me by surprise: Jesus on earth was often angry.
His emotional state may not often be specified, but his words can be surprisingly sharp and his attitude shockingly abrasive. Consider what happens when he goes to the home of a Pharisee in Luke 11:37–54.
Jesus is angry at hypocrisy and injustice (Luke 11:37–54). Imagine the scene with me. Jesus enters a home. Instead of washing his hands, as custom dictated, he goes straight to the table and sits down. This is not a failure of personal hygiene—the Pharisees had extended the ceremonial cleanliness required of temple priests into everyday life. But Jesus deliberately ignores this expectation. Make no mistake: this is a provocative act.