Did Jesus ever get angry?

TL;DR:

Jesus did get angry on some occasions, yet He never sinned. Jesus’ anger was never an excuse for sinful actions but rather for positive actions that helped others and honored God.

Jesus did experience anger during His earthly ministry, but His anger was never sinful and was always directed toward righteous purposes (Mark 3:5). Notably, He displayed anger when people were exploiting the temple for profit and when religious leaders prioritized rules over compassion (Matthew 21:12-13, 23:23). His anger reflected a concern for justice, truth, and the well-being of others rather than personal offense (John 2:16-17). God’s anger is righteous, directed at sin, injustice, and rebellion (Psalm 7:11; Romans 1:18). Believers today are encouraged to “be angry and do not sin,” modeling their responses after Christ’s example (Ephesians 4:26; James 1:19-20). Properly motivated anger involves addressing wrongdoing or injustice, not personal frustration, and it should lead to constructive action (Romans 12:21). Jesus’ anger teaches us that our emotions, when aligned with God’s heart, can prompt positive action without resulting in sin or long-term resentment.

from the old testament

The Old Testament records incidents of God’s anger. For example, in Exodus 32, God’s anger burned against the Israelites when they made and worshiped the golden calf, showing His righteous indignation toward idolatry.
In Numbers 11, God became angry with the people for their complaints and lack of trust in His provision, illustrating His holy displeasure at rebellion.
Psalm 78 recounts how God’s anger came upon His people when they repeatedly disobeyed Him despite His faithfulness, emphasizing the seriousness of sin.
In Ezekiel, God’s anger is portrayed as a response to the persistent rebellion and injustice of His people, emphasizing that His wrath is always motivated by holiness and a desire to bring about justice and restoration (Ezekiel 18:30–32; 33:11). God’s anger is righteous and purposeful, aimed at correcting sin and guiding His covenant people back to faithful obedience.

from the new testament

Jesus clearly displayed anger during His earthly life. The primary example is His response to those who were exchanging money and selling animals at the temple (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-18; John 2:13-22).
On another occasion, Jesus asked the religious leaders if it was okay to heal a person on the Sabbath day. When they would not answer, we are told, "he looked around at them with anger" (Mark 3:5) before healing a man. His anger centered on the attitudes of religious teachers who claimed to know the Law yet cared more about themselves than whether a person was healed.

implications for today

While Jesus was angry at times, He did not sin (Hebrews 4:15). Likewise, believers are taught, "Be angry and do not sin" (Ephesians 4:26). While anger is often viewed as a completely negative emotion, at times, it’s appropriate. Jesus’ anger was the result of ungodly attitudes and actions by those around Him. God the Father often displayed anger in the Old Testament when over injustice and when people sinned against Him. Still today, when Christians see sinful actions taking place, especially by those who claim to be religious leaders, it should cause anger. Why? Because such anger reflects the attitude of Christ in these situations (Philippians 2:5).

Christ-like anger must be properly motivated. Religious hypocrisy or injustices of poverty or oppression are proper, godly reasons to become angry. But anger over not getting your way does not count.

Also, when angry, our actions should still be appropriate. Jesus healed a man even when He was angry, revealing that we are called to do good even when we are upset. The passages referring to Jesus turning over tables in the temple showed His anger properly expressed to remove people who were breaking God's Law by taking advantage of the system of animal offerings rather than focusing on worship of the Lord.

Finally, the anger of Jesus did not result in a long-term grudge. Instead, His anger led to proper actions. Today's believers must seek the same response. Anger left unchecked or wrongly motivated can result in long-term unforgiveness that causes problems in a believer's own life.

understand

Jesus’ anger was righteous, never sinful, and focused on justice and others’ well-being.
God’s anger responds to rebellion and injustice.
Believers should let anger prompt godly, constructive action without sin or grudges.

reflect

How can you evaluate your anger to ensure that it aligns with God’s purposes rather than personal frustration?
How can you respond with constructive action when you see injustice, like Jesus did, instead of holding onto resentment?
In what areas of your life do you need to allow God’s righteous anger to shape your response to sin or wrongdoing?

engage

How do we distinguish between godly anger and sinful anger?
How does understanding God’s anger in the Old Testament connect with Jesus’ anger?
What can we do to channel our anger into actions that reflect Christ’s heart?