How Do We DO Anger Biblically?

Discussion Questions:

• Think of a time or two when you have been really angry – not just mad, like really upset.
  • Who was your anger directed at?
  • Were they the one responsible?
    • A scape goat?
• What do you do to handle your anger?
  • Confront?
  • Forgive?
  • Ignore/stuff/minimize?
  • Reroute responsibility to self?
  • Misdirect the confrontation to someone “safer”?
• More discussion questions after scriptures

Related Scripture (NIV):

• Exodus 4:14 (Even God gets Angry)
  • “Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and He said, ‘what about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you.'”
• Exodus 15:7 (God gets Angry)
  • “In the greatness of your majesty
    you threw down those who opposed you.
    You unleashed your burning anger;
    it consumed them like stubble.”
• Exodus 32:10 (God gets Angry)
  • “Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”
• Numbers 11:1 (God gets Angry)
  • “Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord, and when He Heard them His anger was aroused. Then fire from the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.”
• Mark 3:4-6 (Jesus got Angry)
  • “Then Jesus asked them, ‘Which is lawful on the Sabbath; to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?’ But they remained silent.
    He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, ‘stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.”
• Romans 2:8 (What provokes God’s anger)
  • “But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.”
• Exodus 34:6 (God is slow to anger)
  • “And He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, ‘The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” 
• Numbers 14:18 (God is slow to anger)
  • “The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished; He punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”
• Proverbs 22:24 (Anger vs. Temper)
  • “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person,
    do not associate with one easily angered”
• Proverbs 30:33 (On “fanning the fire” of anger)
  • “For as churning cream produces butter,
    and as twisting the nose produces blood,
    so stirring up anger produces strife.”
• Proverbs 29:8 (On public anger, mobbing)
  • “Mockers stir up a city,
    but the wise turn away anger.”
• Proverbs 27:4 (On Jealousy)
  • “Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?”
  • Exodus 34:14, Jealous is God’s name, where the original definition has been confused with envy in today’s culture. To be jealous is to be protective of one’s own property, as opposed to envy, or coveting.

Further Discussion:

• List the things that make God angry
• How, biblically, are we (or aren’t we) to express anger in general?
  • 1 Corinthians 13:5
    • “It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.”
  • Ephesians 4:26
    • “‘In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry”
  • Ephesians 4:31
    • “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.”
  • Colossians 3:8
    • “But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.”
  • 1 Timothy 2:8
    • “Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.”
  • James 1:19-21
    • “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”
  • Keep in mind the difference between “slow” and “never”

Citations/sources: https://www.biblegateway.com/