Jesus' Anger and Frustration in the Gospels

Jesus' displays of anger and frustration in the Gospels are distinct from sinful human anger, often reflecting a righteous indignation against sin, unbelief, and spiritual blindness. The emotion of anger itself is not inherently sinful; it is an original susceptibility of human nature, similar to love, but it can become sinful if it is causeless, excessive, or prolonged ^[4].

One instance of Jesus' deep emotional distress is found in John 11:33, where he is described as "deeply troubled" (Greek tarassō) and furious at the futility of death and the people's unbelief in the face of the resurrection ^[8]. This anger was not directed at Martha or Mary, but at the broader context of human suffering and lack of faith ^[8]. Similarly, in John 13:21, Jesus was "deeply troubled" by the impending betrayal of Judas, indicating profound grief over this personal treachery ^[7].

The Synoptic Gospels also record Jesus' anguish in Gethsemane. Matthew 26:37 states that Jesus "became anguished and distressed" as he contemplated the Father's plan for him to absorb divine wrath for human sin ^[6]. This suggests a profound emotional struggle as he faced his impending suffering and death ^[6].

The concept of divine anger is present throughout Scripture, often described as God's displeasure with sin and sinners ^[4]. For example, Psalms 18:7 speaks of the earth shaking and trembling because God was angry ^[1], and Psalms 78:49 describes God sending "the fury of His anger, Wrath, and indignation, and distress" ^[2]. This divine anger is righteous ^[3] and is averted by Christ's sacrifice for those who believe and repent ^[3]. The early Church Fathers, such as Augustine, recognized that while anger is a human passion, when attributed to God, it does not imply human vice or corruption of divine power ^[13]. Augustine defines anger as "the lust of vengeance" ^[14].

The anger of God is also depicted in the Old Testament as a response to the people's wicked deeds, as seen in the Midrash Rabbah's interpretation of Ecclesiastes 5:16, where the generation of the Judges "would anger the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds" ^[9]. Moses, too, recognized God's anger at the Israelites' abuse and foretold punishment ^[5].

Theological tradition, including Thomas Aquinas, has considered whether anger could be present in Christ. Aquinas argued that anger is an effect of sorrow, arising from a desire to repel injury ^[11]. Since sorrow could be in Christ, a form of anger, understood as a passion composed of sorrow and a desire for justice, could also be present ^[11]. However, this anger would not be sinful, but rather a righteous response to evil.

Jesus' actions, such as cleansing the temple, are often understood as expressions of this righteous indignation against the desecration of a holy place and the exploitation of people. While the Gospels do not explicitly use the word "anger" in every instance of his strong reactions, the emotional intensity described, such as being "troubled in spirit" ^[10], aligns with a righteous displeasure. The nations' anger is contrasted with God's omnipotent anger in Revelation 11:18, highlighting the difference between human, often impotent, rage and divine, just wrath ^[12].

Sources

Psalms “Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken, because he was angry. -- Psalms 18:7”
Psalms “Psalms 78:49 (YLT) — He sendeth on them the fury of His anger, Wrath, and indignation, and distress--A discharge of evil messengers.”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Anger of God, The — Averted by Christ -- Lu 2:11,14; Ro 5:9; 2Co 5:18,19; Eph 2:14,17; Col 1:20; 1Th 1:10. Is averted from them that believe -- Joh 3:14-18; Ro 3:25; 5:1. Is averted upon confession of sin and repentance -- Job 33:27,28; Ps 106:43-45; Jer 3:12,13; 18:7,8; 31:18-20; Joe 2:12-14; Lu 15:18-20. Is slow -- Ps 103:8; Isa 48:9; Jon 4:2; Na 1:3. Is righteous -- Ps 58:10,11; La 1:18; Ro 2:6,8; 3:5,6; Re 16:6,7. The justice of, not to be questioned -- Ro 9:18,20,22. Manifested in terrors -- Ex 14:24; Ps 76:6-8; Jer 10:10; La 2:20-22. Manifested in judgments and”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Anger — The emotion of instant displeasure on account of something evil that presents itself to our view. In itself it is an original susceptibility of our nature, just as love is, and is not necessarily sinful. It may, however, become sinful when causeless, or excessive, or protracted (Matt. 5:22; Eph. 4:26; Col. 3:8). As ascribed to God, it merely denotes his displeasure with sin and with sinners (Ps. 7:11).”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 15, section 1: . How Moses Was Displeased At This, And Foretold That God Was Angry And That They Should Continue In The Wilderness For Forty Years And Not, During That Time, Either Return Into Egypt Or Take Possession Of Canaan. 1. Moses came now boldly to the multitude, and informed them that God was moved at their abuse of him, and would inflict punishment upon them, not indeed such as they deserved for their sins, but such as parents inflict on their children, in order to their correction. For, he said, that when he was in the tabernacle, a”
Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 26:37: 26:37 He took Peter . . . James and John: These three, apparently the leaders of the apostles, received special revelation (17:1-13) and accompanied Jesus in this difficult hour. • Jesus became anguished and distressed from contemplating the Father’s plan for him, to absorb God’s wrath toward humans for their sin (see 27:45-46).”
John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on John 13:21: 13:21 For the third time in the Gospel of John, Jesus was deeply troubled (Greek tarassō; see 11:33; 12:27). The personal betrayal of Judas brought Jesus profound grief.”
John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on John 11:33: 11:33 The loud weeping and wailing typified public displays of grief in this culture (Mark 5:38), as did beating one’s chest (Luke 18:13). • The Greek word translated deep anger expresses human outrage, fury, and anger. Jesus was furious, not at Martha or Mary, but at the futility of this scene and the people’s unbelief in light of the reality of the resurrection.”
Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Kohelet Rabbah 5:16:1: “In addition, all his days, he eats in darkness, and has much anger, illness, and rage” (Ecclesiastes 5:16). “In addition, all his days, he” walks “in darkness” – this refers to the generation of the Judges. “And has much anger” – they would anger the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “Illness and rage”: “illness” – this is suffering; “and rage” – that they enraged the Holy One blessed be He and said: “Why, Lord, God of Israel, has this been in Israel, to have one tribe lacking in Israel today?” (Judges 21:3). Another matter: “In addition, a”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 7: Augustine — Homilies on John — CHAPTER XIII. 21. (part 1): 1. It is no light question, brethren, that meets us in the Gospel of the blessed John, when he says: "When Jesus had thus said, He was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me." Was it for this reason that Jesus was troubled, not in flesh, but in spirit, that He was now about to say, "One of you shall betray me"? Did this occur then for the first time to His mind, or was it at that moment suddenly revealed to Him for the first time, and so troubled Him by ”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of the Defects of Soul Assumed by Christ, Art. 9: Article: Whether there was anger in Christ? I answer that, As was said in the FS, Question [46], Article [3], ad 3, and SS, Question [158], Article [2], ad 3, anger is an effect of sorrow. or when sorrow is inflicted upon someone, there arises within him a desire of the sensitive appetite to repel this injury brought upon himself or others. Hence anger is a passion composed of sorrow and the desire of revenge. Now it was said (Article [6]) that sorrow could be in Christ. As to the desire of r”
Revelation (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Revelation 11:18: the nations were angry--alluding to Psa 99:1, Septuagint, "The Lord is become King: let the peoples become angry." Their anger is combined with alarm (Exo 15:14; Kg2 19:28, "thy rage against Me is come up into Mine ears, I will put My hook in thy nose," &c.). Translate, as the Greek is the same. "The nations were angered, and Thy anger is come." How petty man's impotent anger, standing here side by side with that of the omnipotent God! dead . . . be judged--proving that this seventh trumpet is at the end of all things, when the judgment on Chris”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 5: Hippolytus, Cyprian, Caius, Novatian — CHAP. V. ARGUMENT.--IF WE REGARD THE ANGER, AND INDIGNATION, AND HATRED OF GOD DESCRIBED IN THE SACRED PAGES, WE MUST REMEMBER THAT THEY ARE NOT TO BE UNDERSTOOD AS BEARING THE CHARACTER OF HUMAN VICE: Moreover, if we read of His wrath, and consider certain descriptions of His indignation, and learn that hatred is asserted of Him, yet we are not to understand these to be asserted of Him in the sense in which they are human vices. For all these things, although they may corrupt man, cannot at all corrupt the divine power. For such passions as th”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 6: Augustine — Homilies on the Gospels — AGAIN ON THE LORD'S PRAYER, MATT. VI. TO THE COMPETENTES. (part 6): and so the Sun of righteousness go down upon thee, and thou abide in darkness. 8. Now do not think that anger is nothing. "Mine eye was disordered because of anger,"(13) saith the Prophet. Surely he whose eye is disordered cannot see the sun; and if he should try. to see it, it were pain, and no pleasure to him. And what is anger? The lust of vengeance. A man lusteth to be avenged, and Christ is not yet avenged, the holy martyrs are not yet avenged. Still doth the patience of ”

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