What Makes Jesus Angry?
It's unyielding hearts, the lack of compassion from those who should know better.
Happy 3rd Sunday of Easter!
Jesus does get angry. How could he not? If he’s the center of God’s righteousness, and he’s placed in the midst of unrighteousness, we might expect things to get hot, no?
But we must note the nature of the unrighteousness. It’s not lack of religious fervor. It’s not some discrepancy of purity. It’s a lack of compassion for need.
That’s what grieves him. That’s what provokes his anger — not skepticism, not questions, but hearts so rigid they’d rather preserve rules than relieve suffering. A man stands in front of them with a withered hand, and all they can see is a Sabbath violation waiting to happen.
It’s one of the most striking things about Jesus’ ministry: righteousness, for him, always bends toward mercy.
Mark 3:1-12
Jesus returned to the synagogue. A man with a withered hand was there. Wanting to bring charges against Jesus, they were watching Jesus closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. He said to the man with the withered hand, “Step up where people can see you.” Then he said to them, “Is it legal on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they said nothing. Looking around at them with anger, deeply grieved at their unyielding hearts, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he did, and his hand was made healthy. At that, the Pharisees got together with the supporters of Herod to plan how to destroy Jesus.
Jesus left with his disciples and went to the lake. A large crowd followed him because they had heard what he was doing. They were from Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the area surrounding Tyre and Sidon. Jesus told his disciples to get a small boat ready for him so the crowd wouldn’t crush him. He had healed so many people that everyone who was sick pushed forward so that they could touch him. Whenever the evil spirits saw him, they fell down at his feet and shouted, “You are God’s Son!” But he strictly ordered them not to reveal who he was.
Psalm 82:1-4
God takes his stand in the divine council; he gives judgment among the gods:
“How long will you judge unjustly by granting favor to the wicked?”
Selah
Give justice to the lowly and the orphan; maintain the right of the poor and the destitute! Rescue the lowly and the needy. Deliver them from the power of the wicked!
Prayer
God,
As this Easter season continues, I remember that life has conquered death — not just in history, but in me, too. Still, I confess how easily my heart can grow hard. Not always out of malice, but out of habit. Out of exhaustion. Out of fear.
So soften me again by your grace. Help me to see need before I see rules; to be more eager for mercy than for being right; to welcome your resurrection not only as a past event, but as a present reshaping of my compassion.
Let this Sunday be a quiet rising in me — a little more openness, a little more tenderness, a little more life.
By your Spirit & in Christ,
Amen.