Christians! Do you really believe that Jesus was WITHOUT SIN given some of his violent behavior?

Question

Consider this passage:

John 2:13-16"The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, "Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!"

Obviously, Jesus seems to have had some serious issues with his anger management. It may not be a huge sin, but it still a flaw of character which should be treated.

Another point is that such hositility to free market capitalism is inconsistent with the lifestyle of today's Christians.

Actually, anger is listed as one of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Answer 1

You're right. It might not be a huge sin according to Christians, but it's certainly a sin of some kind.

Love the irony in the second part of your question. Christians don't seem to be very obedient, now do they?
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Answer 2

Anger in itself is not a sin. Jesus is the son of God and rightfully cleaned up that temple. Wrath is a sin. Wrath is acting vengeful out of anger. What Jesus did was not vengeful. Vengeance belongs to God. Any person has the right to be angry. If any man came in your house and practiced things against your wishes there, you would have the right to throw them out as well. Anger is not a flaw, biblically or psychologically. Anger management issues are defined by irrational behaviors. Jesus was not only rational in his acts but righteous as well. Violence in itself is not sin either. The reasoning for the action defines whether it be sin. To murder an innocent so that you may have his gold is a sin. To kill an enemy on a battlefield is not. I hope this helps you to better understand the issue you present. I suggest reading the bible deeper and maybe studying more on anger management. Your definition is off a bit.

Answer 3

Hm-mm. Anger management problems you say. Maybe that is by your current social standards. But is it possible that that is the only thing they would have understood? Would He have been able to do what was needed by sitting in the corner preaching? These people, I suspect, had heard Him before as he preached and taught in the streets. Think. What was His purpose in the temple. Then think, what was His reaction when physically attacked and drug to prison. Did He have anger management issues then? Based on His life in context, with so many times He was verbally attacked and threatened I'd say He had it well under control.

I have to add, as this came up later, if you think that what they were doing in the market was simply free market capitalism you need to do some research as to the purpose of the temple, what the purpose of the sacrifices were for, what was to be sacrifice and why, and what they were doing and selling in the temple.

Answer 4

You obviously do not know what the concept of sin or of illegal behavior includes!

When the police breaks down a door after having obtained a legal search warrant are they doing something illegal? When the air force is asked to shoot down an airplane clearly in control of a terrorist are they doing something illegal?

In either case the answer is NO - big time!

When the SON OF GOD gets angry at the Jews conducting profane activity in his Father's temple - and the SON drives these out of the temple -- do you really believe that the Father is going to be angry with the SON or is he angry with the ones PROFANING HIS TEMPLE?

In this case, Jesus could have said a curse such as "drop dead" and all these he drove out would have dropped dead. Instead he drove them out to prove a point in a more subtle manner.

This was no sin: it was his right. Especially was it his right since the temple foreshadowed Jesus as the foundation and the Saints as the true heavenly temple. Oh Yes -- Jesus did not sin here.

Neither shall he sin when he comes with all the Saints to punish all the wicked in Armageddon with everlasting death.

Answer 5

Be angry and sin not.He only did what was right.They had turned the synagogue into a den of thieves.It was a place of worship not a market.By the way he is God.He can do what he wants to and in this instance he was chastising them as a Father chastises a child.O I know corporal punishment is not popular these days but if your dad ever set your hind end on fire it was an effective counter measure to disobedience.By the way it didnt kill me and im a better person for it.

Answer 6

The scripture clearly teaches us to "Be ye angry and sin not; do not let the sun go down on your wrath" - so that anger is not a sin - and certainly not righteous indignation at sin such as Jesus demonstrated here.

Jesus knew no sin - and God made Him to become sin for us; so that we might receive the righteousness of God in Him.

Answer 7

It was not unbridled anger. If you notice in Marks version, he prayed the night before. He sought guidance from the spiritual Father before fighting for His House.
The Bible says to be angry and sin not. Sooo...how is being angry a sin? All Jesus did was rile people up a bit, for making money on God's sacrifices. They know they shouldn't do that, but man's greed gets in the way allot. This one is easy.
Jesus was teaching them a lesson. Don't extort God's worshipers.

Answer 8

See, this is where the unbeliever reveals his ignorance. But I understand. They do not possess the discernment of the Holy Spirit.

The temple tax had to be paid with a special coin and Jews came from various regions which had their own local currency. So they had to exchange their money for the temple coins. The moneychangers (we call them bankers today) charge usury which was forbidden by Mosaic Law.

Others were selling various animals in the temple. This is not about capitalism, but disrespect for God's house which is a house of prayer.

If someone were to set up shop on your front lawn and sell his goods, you would have every right to throw him out. Jesus had the same right because the temple was His Father's house.

Answer 9

Anger and wrath, properly focused against sin, is not a sin. So yes, He was without sin. Hard to comprehend and believe, that's why it requires faith.

Regarding the second question, selling merchandise in a synagogue is totally different than the free marketplace. You're stretching quite a bit to attack Christianity and justify your skepticism and/or non-belief.

Answer 10

God made Jesus man to walk in our shoes ; to experience what we do ; to show and prove that there is life after death; Jesus asked for the cup to be taken away if it was his father's will ; he walked in our shoes ; who better than Jesus to pray for help ; he knows the weakness of mankind first hand and rose above it

you equate every action that someone calls themselves a Christian does to be a Christian; only God knows what is in the heart of someone; and that is why it is told that judgment and vengeance belongs to God; don't judge all the followers by the handful that you visibly see even if they call themselves Christians ; can I say that all brunettes are superior intellect , of course not , same thing; put things in perspective when analyzing the outside persona.

Answer 11

I hardly consider this incident an indication of "violent behavior".

To the second part of your question: With all due respect, you've taken the entire situation out of context. Jesus was not against free market capitalism. Hello, his followers were tradesmen. Tentmakers, fishermen. Did they not sell their wares? Jesus objected to WHERE this was taking place. your own quote "Stop making MY FATHER'S HOUSE a market place."