Acts 5:17 But the high priest stood up, along with all his associates (that is, the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy and resentment.
Anger incited by envy is murderous and hateful. Envy enrages people into senseless rage. Envious anger is blood thirsty. Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy? (Proverbs 27:4). The root cause of aggressive antagonism and animosity is normally envy. Outrageous anger and envy are a lethal combination.
The Pharisees and Sadducees constituted the religious, legal and legislative assembly. They were influential religious leaders and the educated upper class of the society.
They opposed Jesus vehemently because of their pride and envy. Jesus challenged their traditional practices and exposed their legalistic behaviour. Hence, they themselves were filled with senseless rage, and began discussing together what they might do to Jesus (Luke 6:11). Their envy and shameful anger incited them to plot and crucify Jesus. Envious anger cannot be hidden. Even Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, realized that they were provoked with envious rage. For he realized by now that the leading priests had arrested Jesus out of envy (Mark 15:10).
If insecurity and inferiority are not dealt with, it will turn into envy. The manifestation of the hidden envy in the heart would be anger. Though envy in our heart might not plot a murder it would pollute the heart with hatred. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer (1 John 3:15a). If animosity is dissected, the discovery would shockingly be despicable envy.
“The spirit of envy can destroy; it can never build – Margaret Thatcher”.
Envious Anger is a deadly sin:
1. Twists: Envious outrageous anger twists the truth. Envy would make a person believe unjust claims about others and torment them with terror. Hatred and resentment are soiled by twisted truth. Anger is only a reaction and manifestation of the hidden misunderstanding and twisted truth.
2. Teachable: Envious anger hardens the heart to listen, learn and let-go. Correction is impenetrable into a callous heart full of envy and anger. Teachability and pliability evaporates when the heart burns with envious anger.
3. Trigger: Envious anger plots harm and destruction. The Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him (Matthew 12:14). Aggressive reactions can be controlled only if the triggers are identified and quenched. The qualm must be calmed before it triggers anger, rage and turns into outrageous wrath. The triggering thoughts, words or actions must not be brushed under the carpet but must be addressed. If a person’s name triggers anger, stop and understand the cause of the irritation. Bottled up frustration and irritation, will eventually burst into outrageous reactionary animosity.
Envious anger provoked by triggers and twisted truth is deadly, lethal and destructive.
Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Prayer: Father of Love, teach me to identify the triggers and twisted truth before it takes root as animosity and antagonism. Make me teachable, correctable and pliable in your hands. Amen.
Leave a Reply