"Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
Truth to Learn
It’s God-like to get angry without sinning.
Behind the Words
“Angry” is translated from the Greek verb orgidzō. It is based on orgē which refers to “excitement of the mind,” that is, “violent passion, anger, vengeance, or wrath.” Orgidzō is expressed in the imperative mood, a form referred to as “permissive imperative.” It is not so much a command to be angry as it is expressed permission to be angry with conditions.
The verb translated “sin” is hamartanō, which is made up of the negative particle a (not) and a form of meros, meaning “a piece or a portion.” The root meaning of hamartanō is “to miss the mark (and therefore to not share in a portion of the prize).” It is almost always translated as “sin.” This verb is also expressed here in the imperative mood.
“Wrath” is from parorgismos, made up of para, meaning “beside” and orgidzō, which we looked at above. Parorgismos refers to “irritation or exasperation,” that is, something more temporary and not as deep seated and enduring as orgē.
Meaning Explained
Let’s start off today’s lesson with a definition of anger. Anger is an emotional response to someone or something that has offended or hurt us. The obvious question is, “What is good anger and what is sinful anger?” Having read the comments of numerous scholars, I can tell you with certainty that there is no simple answer. What we can do is look at examples of God’s anger, for God cannot sin.
When the Israelites were about to cross the Jordan River, Moses reminded them that while he was receiving the Ten Commandments from God, they turned away and made a golden calf. He said, “Also in Horeb you provoked the LORD to wrath, so that the LORD was angry enough with you to have destroyed you.” (Deuteronomy 9:8) God was angry because they rejected Him and worshipped false gods.
When Jesus was challenged by the Pharisees regarding healing a man on the Sabbath, Mark tells us, “And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’” (Mark 3:5) Christ was angry with the Pharisees because they refused to believe that He was God, capable of healing anyone at any time, without breaking the Law.
Reading through the book of the Revelation will repeatedly reveal God’s anger (wrath) with those who reject Him as God and His sovereignty as the Ruler and Judge of the earth. God gets angry when His majesty and sovereignty are rejected. If that is what makes God angry, it should also make us angry.
But, Paul takes it one step further. He teaches us that when we do get angry, whether it is righteous or sinful anger, we are not to hold on to it. The Jewish day begins at 6:00 in the evening (at sundown), so this verse would tell them, “Don’t carry anger over from one day to the next.” That’s good advice!
Application
Does it make you angry, for example, when you hear the name of our Savior used as a swear word? At the same time, are you willing to pray for that blasphemer? Be angry, but don’t sin!
In God's service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved.