The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed from the tape, GC 1300, titled "Bible Questions and Answers."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE.

Question

Please explain Ephesians 4:26-27, "Be ye angry and sin not. Let not the sun go down on your wrath, neither give place to the devil," 27.

Answer

Well, “Be ye angry and sin not”… There are three Greek words for anger. “thumos,” which is, you know, explosive; turbulent emotion, boiling agitation, out of control… You know, volatile, wham! You know, that’s when you start throwing stuff and hitting people. It’s mindless, it’s wild! I don’t know if you’ve ever been in a situation where somebody’s like that and they have sort of a strength you can’t cope with. You know, that’s “thumos.”

And then there’s another Greek word, “parorgismos,” and that is translated here as the word “wrath” at the end of verse 26. It says there, “Don’t let the sun go down on your parorgismos.” That does sound kind of funny, doesn’t it? But parorgismos is less explosive than “thumos.” What it is, is that burning on the inside. It’s that kind of--you know, there’s something about “thumos” that’s there and it’s done, right? “Parorgismos” is that burning, eating thing that just tears up. And that is absolutely forbidden. Absolutely forbidden. That is absolutely destructive.

Then there is “orge.” Now, “orge” kind of anger is the settled kind of attitude of a person towards certain things that is aroused at certain times… And here it is permitted. For it is, “Be ye orge and sin not.” In other words, it may be that you have a right to a settled conviction of something and at certain times the arousing of that conviction causes anger. But it should always be justified and never sin--do you see? A person could be angry and not sin if he was angry about something he ought to be angry about, such as the righteousness of God. Have you ever read the Psalms about David, how David was so zealous for God, how his heart burned within him with vengeance toward the enemies of God, how he actually prayed, “God, do something to those men! God, come down against those, your enemies!” He was angry with them, but he had a right to be angry.

Jesus, going into the temple, made a whip and scourged the place, didn’t He? And He had a right to do that. So, there is a place for “orge,” that settled conviction that at certain times is aroused when it is violated. But it should never be sinful, it should never be for a personal reason; it should always be for righteous indignation. We are to be angry about some things, folks. We are to be angry about sin. And that’s the meaning. There is a certain kind of anger that is allowable.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur’s Questions and Answers" by:

Tony Capoccia
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