Ephesians: Managing Anger
Ephesians 4:26-27; Psalm 4:4; Matthew 5:20-24 - “Don’t fly into a rage unless you are prepared for a rough landing.”
“BE ANGRY, and yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.”
Ephesians 4:26-27 NASB1995
In his admonishments to the Ephesians, Paul identified a lying tongue as a sin that must avoided. Now he talks about anger. First, a precautionary statement for those who copy Bible text from a Bible app into other documents. I missed the capitalizations that were part of the verse in the last devotional for Ephesians 4:25. In reading commentary, I saw some important aspects to the capitalization of the words shown above in this passage (those capitalizations did NOT come over with the copy of the text and I had to add them back in). Every aspect of scripture, including special capitalization and emphasis of words, must be part of our deep dive into His Word. That emphasis, by the way, points directly to Psalm 4:4, written by David, as he admonishes himself to let go of anger before he sins:
“Tremble, and do not sin; Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.”
Psalms 4:4 NASB1995
These two verses about anger in Ephesians are probably among the most misunderstood and misquoted verses in the Bible. Anger in and of itself is not a sin! What IS a sin is to let anger fester over time and turn into resentment, arrogance, hatred, or even worse. Righteous anger is justified and good, but it should not linger as anger but turn into resolve, an action plan and a commitment (prayer, time, talent, treasure) to right wrongs that go against God’s holiness and His creation. God can become angry, too, and as believers we should pay attention to those circumstances and sins that vex Him as recorded in the Bible.
First, let’s do a word study from the Blue Letter Bible lexicon:
Be angry comes from the Greek verb ὀργίζω or orgízō (Strong’s G3710), with the following Biblical usages:
to provoke, to arouse to anger
to be provoked to anger, be angry, be wroth
So the AI picture at the top is the same two gentlemen from the previous devotional, except this time there is obviously anger being exhibited by the man on the left towards the man on the right. Some offense has been made or perceived by that man on the left and he is expressing his anger. We can imagine several scenarios that are happening in this exchange:
The man on the left is correct to be angry and his confrontation with his friend is done to express that anger.
The man on the left is angry for no good reason (perhaps he gets angry all the time for petty reasons), but he is expressing his anger to the friend.
The man on the right has done something that certainly would create anger in his friend.
The man on the right has done nothing to anger his friend.
The outcomes of those scenarios can follow several paths:
The angry man is not pacified by his friend’s explanation or sincere and full apology and his anger festers, driving a wedge into their relationship. He becomes more angry and starts to talk about the man behind his back to make others suspicious and he hopes that they will also be angry and retaliate.
The friend who is being confronted is guilty of the action that caused the anger but he refuses to acknowledge that guilt or apologize. The first man stays angry and the second one is now angry, but not for righteous reasons but because of personal pride. The festering anger on both sides can destroy their relationship and carry over into other relationships.
The friend who is being accused is not guilty of any action that made his friend angry. He does not want to apologize for something he didn’t do. Both men walk away with more anger and the second man is now full of resentment for the false accusation.
The man on the right apologizes for his error that offended his friend and the angry man forgives him and all is restored in their relationship.
The angry man realizes that he is wrongfully enraged and he apologizes to the second man, who forgives him and all is restored in their relationship.
Only the last two outcomes do not allow an opening for the devil to race in to exploit this anger, leading to sin.
First, let’s discuss righteous anger. There were some good examples and reasons for this anger from the scholars quoted in Precept Austin for “right anger for right reasons”:
John Stott has an interesting comment that "the verse recognizes that there is such a thing as Christian anger, and too few Christians either feel or express it. Indeed, when we fail to do so, we deny God, damage ourselves and encourage the spread of evil....I go further and say that there is a great need in the contemporary world for more Christian anger. We human beings compromise with sin in a way in which God never does. In the face of blatant evil we should be indignant not tolerant, angry not apathetic. If God hates sin, his people should hate it too. If evil arouses his anger, it should arouse ours also. ‘Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake thy law.’ (Psalm 119:53) What other reaction can wickedness be expected to provoke in those who love God? " (The Message of Ephesians )
Sam Gordon - we can be angry when it is a righteous cause and, when we are, it will be a wholesome anger. Yes, there are times when we should be angry. We need the anger of a Wilberforce or a Shaftesbury at personal or societal sins, or of a Martin Luther at doctrinal aberration. It is the anger of which the great English preacher F W Robertson of Brighton wrote in one of his pastoral letters. When he once met a certain man who was trying to lure a beautiful young girl into prostitution, he became so angry that he bit his lip until it bled. An excellent rule of thumb: be angry at the things with which God is angry and only for the same reasons. What are they? I can suggest a couple: (1) be angry when his unsullied holiness has been outraged, and (2) be angry when his universe has been spoiled. In the face of evil, we should be indignant not tolerant, we should be angry not apathetic. If God hates sin, his people should hate it too. If evil arouses his anger, it should arouse ours also. Indeed, when we fail to feel it or express it, we deny the Lord, we damage ourselves, and we encourage the spread of evil.
Steven Cole reminds us to "Keep in mind that Paul is telling us specific ways in which we need to put off the old way of life and put on the new. One characteristic of the world is that worldly people do not get angry about the right things. They see sins that destroy people, shrug their shoulders and say, “Whatever!” Or, even worse, they laugh at these sins as they are portrayed on the evil sitcoms on TV. In this apathy toward sin, they are very un-godlike. God hates sin and He displays His righteous wrath against it (Ro 1:18+). Since sin destroys people, God would be neither righteous nor loving if He did not hate sin with a holy passion.And, if we want to be godly people, we must learn to hate sin. First of all we must hate and be angry at sin in ourselves. We must take the log out of our own eye first! (Mt 7:3- 5+) But, also, we must be angry at the sin and injustice that we see in the world. But, in our righteous anger, we must be careful, lest we fall into sin. When you are righteously angry, deal with it promptly, carefully, and biblically, so that the devil does not gain an opportunity in your life. All of the sins that Paul deals with in this section (Ep 4:25-5:2) disrupt the unity of the body (which is the theme of Eph 4:1-16). The positive actions and attitudes that we are to put on in place of these sinful behaviors all contribute to the unity of the body. Our motive in seeking to preserve the unity of the body should be to glorify our Lord, who gave Himself for the church.” (How to Be Both Good and Mad)
Henry Ward Beecher - A man that does not know how to be angry does not know how to be good. Now and then a man should be shaken to the core with indignation over things evil.
Remember that anger is only one letter short of danger!
“Don’t fly into a rage unless you are prepared for a rough landing.”
The problem with having righteous anger towards something or someone is that it is far too easy for us, as ignorant sinners, to allow that anger to turn into inappropriate and possibly violent action. If you are angry about child abuse or pornography or abortion or apostasy in your church, that anger should turn into actions like fervent prayer, a reasoned action plan for yourself, and a commitment to sharing your time, talents and treasures with groups that are fighting these evils and shining the “light of truth”.
It does not serve anyone if your reaction to things that create righteous anger is to pepper social media with nasty and abrasive comments and respond to every person who does not see these things as problems or sins with frothing rage. We have way too much rage in the world!! It can turn your stomach to see total strangers threatening physical harm of others just for their viewpoints. Steer towards good resolutions and don’t let the enemy control your response.
Jesus had this to say about anger in Matthew 5:
““You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.”
Matthew 5:21-24 NASB1995
Jesus went to the heart of the matter. Anger is but a few steps (or less) away from murder. We may be so angry at someone or something that we envision a murderous act in our minds. Enduring Word has good commentary on this passage from Matthew:
a. You have heard it said: These people had not really studied the Law of Moses for themselves. All they had was the teaching on the law from the scribes and Pharisees. In this particular matter, the people had heard the scribes and Pharisees teach “You shall not murder.”
i. When Jesus said, “…it was said to those of old,” He reminds us that something isn’t true just because it is old. And if it is not true, its antiquity is no credit to it. “Antiquity disjointed from verity is but filthy hoariness; and deserveth no more reverance than an old lecher, which is so much the more odious, because old.” (Trapp)
b. But I say to you: Jesus shows His authority, and does not rely on the words of previous scribes or teachers. He will teach them the true understanding of the Law of Moses.
i. “What a King is ours, who stretches his scepter over the realm of our inward lusts! How sovereignly he puts it: ‘But, I say unto you’! Who but a divine being has authority to speak in this fashion? His word is law. So it ought to be, seeing he touches vice at the fountain- head, and forbids uncleanness in the heart.” (Spurgeon)
c. Whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: The teaching of the scribes and Pharisees (“You shall not murder”) was true enough. Yet they also taught that anything short of murder might be allowed. Jesus corrects this, and makes it clear that it is not only those who commit the act of murder who are in danger of judgment, those who have a murderous intent in the heart are also in danger of the judgment.
i. Jesus exposes the essence of the scribes’ heresy. To them, the law was really only a matter of external performance, never the heart. Jesus brings the law back to the matters of the heart. “The supervision of the Kingdom does not begin by arresting a criminal with blood-red hands; it arrests the man in whom the murder spirit is just born.” (Morgan)
ii. We should emphasize that Jesus is not saying that anger is as bad as murder. It is profoundly morally confused to think that someone who shouts at another person in anger has sinned as badly as someone who murders another person in anger. Jesus emphasized that the law condemns both, without saying that the law says they are the same things. The laws of the people could only deal with the outward act of murder, but Jesus declared that His followers understood that God’s morality addressed not only the end but also the beginning of murder.
iii. Barclay, commenting on the specific ancient Greek word translated angry: “So Jesus forbids for ever the anger which broods, the anger which will not forget, the anger which refuses to be pacified, the anger which seeks revenge.”
I must confess - I have had an anger management problem my whole life. I would get mad and flare up for no good reason (or very little reason) at co-workers, bosses, my hubby, my parents, and at the world in general. My Mom had this tendency, too, and I used to just write it off as a genetic problem. To
This is an area of my sinful self that the Holy Spirit has been working on diligently for a long time. I still get angry, but I avoid things that feed anger as much as possible and pray for guidance to rid me of my wrath. God is sovereign and is the final arbiter of injustices and dreadful sins and atrocities that people have committed and I look to Him for His perfect holiness to make things right.
My next devotional examines Ephesians 4:28 - He who steals shall no longer steal.
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - Thank You for the work of the Holy Spirit in helping me soften my general anger and direct it towards things that are concerns for righteousness and Your holiness. Help me to continue this journey towards peace. Amen.
Citations and Credits:
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org.
“G3710 - orgizō - Strong’s Greek Lexicon (NASB95).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 14 May, 2026. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3710/nasb95/mgnt/0-1/>.
Precept Austin was accessed on 05/14/2026 to review commentary for Ephesians 4:25-26. Links to the source documents are provided where appropriate.
Commentary from Enduring Word is used with written permission and without any alteration. ©1996-present The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – enduringword.com. Within the Enduring Word commentary are the following references for Matthew 5:
Barclay, William The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1and Volume 2 (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1975)
Morgan, G. Campbell An Exposition of the Whole Bible (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Revell, 1959)
Morgan, G. Campbell Searchlights from the Word (New York: Revell, 1926)
Morgan, G. Campbell Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Revell, 1979)
Spurgeon, Charles Haddon The Gospel of Matthew (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Revell, 1987)
Spurgeon, Charles Haddon The New Park Street Pulpit, Volumes 1-6 and The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Volumes 7-63 (Pasadena, Texas: Pilgrim Publications, 1990)
Trapp, John A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments, Volume Five (Eureka, California: Tanski Publications, 1997)
We confuse anger with rage. Anger is an intellectual thing that people use as an excuse to show off negative emotions. They are different. Anger is disagreement. Check out the original Greek. No verse in the Bible says we are never to be angry. Actually, it says we should be angry. But how? We just tell the other person why we do not like a statement, an action, etc. BUT many Bible verses are against manipulating other people into agreeing with us. I have often been angry at something and told the other person calmly what I disagreed with. I did not throw anything. I did not hit anyone. I just said so. The verse commands us to show that calm kind of anger, but calls emotional outburst and hitting disobedience. Did I explain this right? More people are apt to come around to our opinion without outbursts. Outbursts just get in the way of what the anger is about.