Jesus’ emotions as a man, His attributes on display as God
By Elizabeth Prata
Anger: Mark 3:5, After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.
He was angry at hypocrites, namely, the Pharisees, and He overturned the tables and cleansed the temple. His anger wasn’t a wild, uncontrolled anger tough, it was a righteous anger.
Ligonier: Jesus cleanses the Temple
GotQuestions: Was Jesus ever angry?
Compassion: Now Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “I feel compassion for the people, because they have remained with Me now for three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.” Matthew 15:32
Mark 1:42, Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out with His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.”
Our Daily Bread: Compassionate God
Sorrow: And when Jesus saw that [the Rich Young Ruler rejected Him] he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! KJV, Luke 18:24.
Desiring God: Jesus Understands our Deepest Sorrow
Exasperation/Frustration: And Jesus answered and said, “You unbelieving and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.” Matthew 17:17
Matthew 8:26, He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.
Tiredness/Exhaustion, John 4:6, and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, tired from His journey, was just sitting by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
Right From the Heart Ministries: Even Jesus Became Tired
Love: Looking at him, Jesus showed love to him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” Mark 10:21
Focus on the Family: God’s Love for Us
Joy: At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for doing so was well pleasing in Your sight. Luke 10:21.
Jesus felt joy in serving His Father: Hebrews 12:2, looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Spurgeon sermon: The Joy of Jesus
Anguish: And being in agony, He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. Luke 22:44
Various commentaries on Luke 22:44
Marveled: And He was amazed at their [Nazarenes] unbelief. Mark 6:6.
In Matthew 8:10 Jesus said, Now when Jesus heard this, He was amazed and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.”
The Expository Files: Jesus marveled at the Unbelief of the Nazarenes, and at The Faith of the Capernaum Centurion
Emotions never recorded: Jesus is never astonished. Why? He can’t be. He knows the end from the beginning. Nothing surprises him or startles Him. We never read of Him feeling sorry for Himself. More on that tomorrow.
We are grateful to a Savior who at all points felt the pressure of temptation, yet never sinned in thought, word, or deed. He knows and understands when we feel anger, frustration, sorrow. He rejoices with us when we triumph over sin or feel joyous empathy for another. He is a good, good God.
We humans feel, we are emotional beings. Monitor what you feel today, and think about why. Is our anger righteous or sinful? Were we feeling sorry for ourselves for a selfish reason, or are we legitimately down, yet trusting the Lord? Emotions are part of who we are, but they don’t have to lead us. In fact, our emotions should not lead us. Jesus felt emotions, but the right ones at the right time. let us do our best to copy His model.
