We have been looking at Jesus' heart and seen that he is – and always will remain – gentle and lowly to the core of his being; and he will always be the friend of sinners. And we will all remain sinners until we are fully transformed into his likeness at his coming.

So what was it that made Jesus angry? To whom were his harsh words addressed? What were such people guilty of that differed from "normal sinners"? What invoked deep anger in him? I believe we need to look at four areas that all have a common denominator. They all set themselves against sinners finding the one and only Saviour; they all diametrically oppose the gospel; they all work against God's plan of salvation.

1. THOSE WHO DIRECTLY OPPOSED HIM

Jesus became very angry with the proud, hypocritical Pharisees and those like them and reserved his harshest words mainly for them. (See the seven woes of Mt. 23.) Why? Because they directly opposed him; tried to kill him; and rejected his message and his claim to be God's Son. Because they mistreated God's people by laying heavy legalistic burdens on them that could never save them; and because they misled people, being blind guides themselves. Most of all, because they prevented people coming to him; and punished those who did by expelling them from their synagogues. They thus committed the unforgiveable sin of rejecting God's gift to the world of his precious Son.

2. THOSE WHO RUIN THE LIVES OF CHILDREN

Who else deeply angered him? It is the father who loves his children with every fibre of his being whose anger rises most fiercely when they are mistreated or misled. So Jesus pronounced serious denunciations on those who cause children to become entrapped in sin; especially those who have a simple and trusting faith in him. Why? Because he deeply and passionately loves little children and has entrusted their care into the hands of adults. He created their trusting nature, their need for unconditional love and acceptance and their complete dependence on the nurture and protection of adults, especially in their earliest years. The worst kind of exploitation is that meted out to the very young. "It would be better for that person to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to sin" (Lk. 17:2).

3. THOSE WHO PERVERT GOD'S HOUSE

In anger Jesus drove the money changers out of the temple with a whip he had actually made himself for that purpose. He violently overturned their tables and scattering their money in the process. Why? Because they had perverted the use of God's house. This was the one place where sinners could come and offer sacrifices, pray and enjoy fellowship with God; where they could be reassured of his favour and grace. The money changes had turned it into a market place. (I can't help but think of self-important leaders who, lacking sober judgement regarding their gifting, and resisting accountability, have destroyed local church congregations.

4. THE DEVIL

But one passage stands out the most when thinking about the anger of Jesus. It concerned the death of Lazarus. "When Jesus saw Mary weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him and he was deeply troubled" (John 11:33). "Inextinguishable fury seized him. It is death that is the object of his wrath, and behind death him who has the power of death and whom he had come into the world to destroy: the evil one (Heb. 2:14). The raising of Lazarus is a graphic symbol of Jesus' conquest of death and hell" (BB Warfield). Both death and hell anger Jesus. Remember, hell was prepared for the devil and his angels (Mat. 25:41); not for human beings. The devil is working hard 24/7 to take as many with him as he can. And his in-your-face hatred for Jesus extends to each of his followers. Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones said: "If the devil had the power to snatch any child of God from the hand of Jesus, no one could be saved." The devil doesn't have that power.