unusual combination - anger and grief - 2nd week wednesday 2018

Again we find Jesus at odds with the Pharisees because he did something prohibited on the Sabbath.  Yesterday’s narrative told of hungry disciples plucking grain on a Sabbath so that they can have something to eat.  Today’s narrative speaks of the healing of a man born with withered hands.  Again this is done on a Sabbath.  The tension rises and so does the emotions.  Mark describes the scene saying “Jesus looked at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart.”  This is a unique combination.  It’s usually anger and hatred, anger and dislike or anger and disgust.  But in Jesus it was anger and grief.  He was angry and grieved because of their hardness of heart.  As the saying goes those who have not known deep anger has not known how it is to truly love. 

It is anger that does not permanently close doors.  It is the anger of love.  It is an anger that can and still can readily forgive and embrace. This is the anger of Jesus.  It is an anger that refuses to give up on the other.