WHY WAS JESUS SO INTENSELY ANGRY?

The LORD Jesus Christ, who is more famously known as the Prince of Peace, is almost never seen in anger, all through the gospel records. Yet we see, flashes of “angry” outbursts at regular intervals. It surely was reserved for the religious leaders.

Here in this case, continuing from yesterday, we observe in Mark 11:15-19, that Jesus is truly enraged with anger, and the anger made Him to physically drive away the undesirable criminal Jews, out of His holy temple. The reason for such intense anger are two…
– Commercialisation of the sacred.
– Denial of space for the nations of the world from worshipping the One true God.

The activity of selling and buying was happening in the “Court of Gentiles” – a designated place for anyone and everyone, from all over the world, where they could come and worship YAHWEH, the Almighty God, Creator of everything, the One who wants to rescue, redeem and restore the fallen man…Jews and Gentiles alike.

Let us read the text from Mark 11:15-19, and see, what exactly it says…
– “15 So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 16 And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. 17 Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a den of thieves.’ ” 18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching. 19 When evening had come, He went out of the city.”

To understand the full implications of what Jesus was angry about, we should read the context of the text, that Jesus is quoting from – Isaiah 56; let us read verses 6-8… 
– “6 “Also the sons of the foreigner Who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, And to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants— Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And holds fast My covenant— 7 Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” 8 The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, “Yet I will gather to him Others besides those who are gathered to him.” – Isaiah 56:6-8. 
To truly appreciate the heart of God, we need to know that God was speaking these words, through the prophet Isaiah, between 740 BC and c. 686 BC…a good 600 plus years in advance.

If we desire to know the heart of God, we should read what was exactly did YAHWEH promise to Abraham, the source of all the pride and arrogance of the Jews… 
– “2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” – Genesis 12:2-3. 
Sadly, many a preacher, omits the last bit, the significant part of the promise. I don’t know if it is intentional or accidental. However, it is very odd and strange that almost all of them omit it completely, as if, YAHWEH never spoke those words. May be God’s promise to Abraham doesn’t fit their agenda…may be.

Now back to Jesus, and His burning anger in the holy Temple. According to historical records, as quoted by Pulpit Commentary, the commercial activity in the “Court of Gentiles” is entirely owned by the family of the then high priest – “There was a regular market in the outer court,’ the court of the Gentiles, belonging to the family of the high priest. The booths of this market are mentioned in the rabbinical writings as the booths of the son of Hanan, or Annas.”

God chose the Jews to be His representatives and ambassadors to the world; just like the Church. However, they have made this great and privileged position into an exclusive ethnic club, just as is seen even today, where everyone is excluded, except the Jews…because, they reasoned, they are the chosen ones of God; therefore, by default, the rest of the world are not chosen by God; hence Jews are special, and the rest of the world are worthless and useless. God never intended it that way. God always had the world at his heart, as we understand from the reading of the Holy Scriptures in the New Testament.

In fact, if we read the Old Testament, we see enough evidence for God’s heart for the entire world. The Jews were to be the vehicle through which the mercy, grace and forgiveness of YAHWEH, is supposed to flow throughout the world.

What did the religious heads do? The ones who are to lead this God given mission to the gentiles? They not only undermined it, but have actually subverted it into the exact opposite of all that God ever wanted to do in redeeming and restoring the fallen world. Can we now see the reason for the righteous anger of God, burning Him so intensely? Would He not burn with anger, to see what is being done in the name of God? Small wonder then, that Jesus called these religious heads, “brood of vipers” and “whitewashed tombs” and the “children of the devil” – what an insult it is, in simple, clear and plain language…so that no one would misread Jesus. No wonder, they plotted to kill Jesus, by any means, and at any cost…proving the very point that Jesus was making about them.

The LORD Jesus Christ’s anger that day is a warning to the Church too. Let me add, Church has not replaced Jews. That is never the intention of God. Rather, Church is merely an extension of the fulfilment of the mandate given to the Jews. God used, the apostles, whom He personally chose, are the foundational stones on which the Church is built. Sadly, the church has, and is still, playing the harlot, just like the Jews of Old Testament, vying for the attention and the affection of the powerful; and siding with the “strong” all through its history, since 312 AD…when Rome took over the church.

May the LORD Jesus help us to be true, just, faithful and obedient disciples and the ambassadors of the LORD Jesus Christ, who has paid for our redemption by His body and His blood.” May we learn our lessons, and live wholly and fully for our Redeemer.