"Be angry and do not sin" (Ephesians 4:26)

Does anyone know what this means ??? Isnt anger a sin in the first place? I need some commentary by a chuech father about it too please. Thank you

Comments

  • [quote author=marmar_marmoora link=topic=7333.msg97083#msg97083 date=1226449527]
    Does anyone know what this means ??? Isnt anger a sin in the first place? I need some commentary by a chuech father about it too please. Thank you


    anger is NOT a sin. it's a feeling. it's like jealousy, love, kindness.....etc.

    any feeling is not a sin unless it's acted upon.
  • I thought I often come across similar verse in the Psalms,but I do not recall where it is.  There is also an an anger that is of good nature,meaning, anger which arises for a right reason. But the problem is when we experience anger for the wrong reason,like to satisfy our own ego.At such opportunties the Devil jumps in to push us further to commit a grave sin. We must be able to keep at bay our natural emotions and feelings for they can easily get out of hand for the devil to easily take control and steer the wheel.

    I basically have not said much than Mina's, I just emphasised on his point as Joe recommended in the previous thread:-)
  • Anger isn't a sin. Here is an example....... wen Jesus entered the temple and saw people selling things. He got angry and flipped over the tables. He said (Luke 19:46) " It is written,'My house is a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"
  • [quote author=Hezekiel link=topic=7333.msg97085#msg97085 date=1226451111]
    I thought I often come across similar verse in the Psalms
    yeah its in psalm 4:4
  • [quote author=minagir link=topic=7333.msg97084#msg97084 date=1226450047]
    [quote author=marmar_marmoora link=topic=7333.msg97083#msg97083 date=1226449527]
    Does anyone know what this means ??? Isnt anger a sin in the first place? I need some commentary by a chuech father about it too please. Thank you


    anger is NOT a sin. it's a feeling. it's like jealousy, love, kindness.....etc.

    any feeling is not a sin unless it's acted upon.


    I agree anger in itself isn't a sin, Regretful sinner gave a good example of that...

    what about the feeling of hatred, lust, desiring things that belong to your neighbour (like jealousy).., aren't those sins?


    God Bless
  • [quote author=marmar_marmoora link=topic=7333.msg97088#msg97088 date=1226451530]
    yeah its in psalm 4:4


    LOL,thanks, I was just checking my Agpeya. It is in the morning hours Pslams, and cos I am mostly lousy to do the morning prayers,it took me a while to figure out the page. Shame on me!
  • [quote author=godislove260 link=topic=7333.msg97089#msg97089 date=1226451632]
    I agree anger in itself isn't a sin, Regretful sinner gave a good example of that...

    what about the feeling of hatred, lust, desiring things that belong to your neighbour (like jealousy).., aren't those sins?


    i don't refine them to be. A feeling and a though can all be controlled to fit what will not get you into sin.
  • a feeling of hatred is now not just a feeling, but a thought, I hate him/her/it, now you are acting upon it, and jealousy is a sin depending on what kind of jealousy, the kind that encourages you to be better because you are jealous of someones relationship with God is good, but that of someone elses possessions is not Good.
  • One of the Church Fathers interpreted this verse for a person to be angry with himself/herself so that they stop sinning.

  • hey i dont know if you guys remember my previous post about hurting someone special to me but this is what i mean. i was angry and said mean things but i never acted on my words but it was just anger that caused me to say things i did not mean
  • [quote author=bigeee link=topic=7333.msg97114#msg97114 date=1226502557]
    hey i dont know if you guys remember my previous post about hurting someone special to me but this is what i mean. i was angry and said mean things but i never acted on my words but it was just anger that caused me to say things i did not mean


    It is still inexcusable to say mean things to people, whether you meant it or not.  Once said unfortunatley you can't take it back.  We have all said things that are hurtful that we later on regret.  We just have to repent and try our best not to do it again.

    "Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles" Proverbs 21:23

    "Death and life are in the power of the tongue" Proverbs 18:21

    Words can have a tremendous negative or positive effect on people.  Its not always easy to control what comes out of our mouth especially when we are angry but here is a good prayer to remember in those situations.

    'Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips" Psalm 141:3

  • [quote author=bigeee link=topic=7333.msg97114#msg97114 date=1226502557]
    hey i dont know if you guys remember my previous post about hurting someone special to me but this is what i mean. i was angry and said mean things but i never acted on my words but it was just anger that caused me to say things i did not mean


    that's the action upon anger that we are not supposed to do....becoming a sin.
  • This verse means being holy angry... angry in what is right. when jesus entered the temple and saw everyone was selling and buying things... he got angry... but he did not sin. This is what it means. Being angry with the Holy Zeal.

    Be angry in what is right.. but do not sin!!
  • From the Homilies on Ephesians by St. John Chrysostom:

    "Be ye angry, and sin not."

      Observe his wisdom. He both speaks to prevent our sinning, and, if we
      do not listen, still does not forsake us; for his fatherly compassion
      does not desert him. For just as the physician prescribes to the sick
      what he must do, and if he does not submit to it, still does not treat
      him with contempt, but proceeding to add what advice he can by
      persuasion, again goes on with the cure; so also does Paul. For he
      indeed who does otherwise, aims only at reputation, and is annoyed at
      being disregarded; whereas he who on all occasions aims at the recovery
      of the patient, has this single object in view, how he may restore the
      patient, and raise him up again. This then is what Paul is doing. He
      has said, "Lie not." Yet if ever lying should produce anger, [339] he
      goes on again to cure this also. For what saith he? "Be ye angry, and
      sin not." It were good indeed never to be angry. Yet if ever any one
      should fall into passion, still let him not fall into so great a
      degree. "For let not the sun," saith he, "go down upon your wrath."
      Wouldest thou have thy fill of anger? One hour, or two, or three, is
      enough for thee; let not the sun depart, and leave you both at enmity.
      It was of God's goodness that he rose: let him not depart, having shone
      on unworthy men. For if the Lord of His great goodness sent him, and
      hath Himself forgiven thee thy sins, and yet thou forgivest not thy
      neighbor, look, how great an evil is this! And there is yet another
      besides this. The blessed Paul dreads the night, [340] lest overtaking
      in solitude him that was wronged, still burning with anger, it should
      again kindle up the fire. For as long as there are many things in the
      daytime to banish it, thou art free to indulge it; but as soon as ever
      the evening comes on, be reconciled, extinguish the evil whilst it is
      yet fresh; for should night overtake it, the morrow will not avail to
      extinguish the further evil which will have been collected in the
      night. Nay, even though thou shouldest cut off the greater portion, and
      yet not be able to cut off the whole, it will again supply from what is
      left for the following night, to make the blaze more violent. And just
      as, should the sun be unable by the heat of the day to soften and
      disperse that part of the air which has been during the night condensed
      into cloud, it affords material for a tempest, night overtaking the
      remainder, and feeding it again with fresh vapors: so also is it in the
      case of anger.

    Pray for my weakness,
    childoforthodoxy
  • [quote author=childoforthodoxy link=topic=7333.msg97219#msg97219 date=1226689114]
    From the Homilies on Ephesians by St. John Chrysostom:

    "Be ye angry, and sin not."

       Observe his wisdom. He both speaks to prevent our sinning, and, if we
       do not listen, still does not forsake us; for his fatherly compassion
       does not desert him. For just as the physician prescribes to the sick
       what he must do, and if he does not submit to it, still does not treat
       him with contempt, but proceeding to add what advice he can by
       persuasion, again goes on with the cure; so also does Paul. For he
       indeed who does otherwise, aims only at reputation, and is annoyed at
       being disregarded; whereas he who on all occasions aims at the recovery
       of the patient, has this single object in view, how he may restore the
       patient, and raise him up again. This then is what Paul is doing. He
       has said, "Lie not." Yet if ever lying should produce anger, [339] he
       goes on again to cure this also. For what saith he? "Be ye angry, and
       sin not." It were good indeed never to be angry. Yet if ever any one
       should fall into passion, still let him not fall into so great a
       degree. "For let not the sun," saith he, "go down upon your wrath."
       Wouldest thou have thy fill of anger? One hour, or two, or three, is
       enough for thee; let not the sun depart, and leave you both at enmity.
       It was of God's goodness that he rose: let him not depart, having shone
       on unworthy men. For if the Lord of His great goodness sent him, and
       hath Himself forgiven thee thy sins, and yet thou forgivest not thy
       neighbor, look, how great an evil is this! And there is yet another
       besides this. The blessed Paul dreads the night, [340] lest overtaking
       in solitude him that was wronged, still burning with anger, it should
       again kindle up the fire. For as long as there are many things in the
       daytime to banish it, thou art free to indulge it; but as soon as ever
       the evening comes on, be reconciled, extinguish the evil whilst it is
       yet fresh; for should night overtake it, the morrow will not avail to
       extinguish the further evil which will have been collected in the
       night. Nay, even though thou shouldest cut off the greater portion, and
       yet not be able to cut off the whole, it will again supply from what is
       left for the following night, to make the blaze more violent. And just
       as, should the sun be unable by the heat of the day to soften and
       disperse that part of the air which has been during the night condensed
       into cloud, it affords material for a tempest, night overtaking the
       remainder, and feeding it again with fresh vapors: so also is it in the
       case of anger.

    Pray for my weakness,
    childoforthodoxy






    ok... thank you very much. that is exactly what i was looking for. :)
  • [quote author=*Regretful+Sinner* link=topic=7333.msg97086#msg97086 date=1226451236]
    Anger isn't a sin. Here is an example....... wen Jesus entered the temple and saw people selling things. He got angry and flipped over the tables. He said (Luke 19:46) " It is written,'My house is a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"


    but...doesn't taht kind of seem like acting upon anger..because he yelled and flipped over their tables.does this mean it's okay to act on when your anger is justified?
  • [quote author=copticcross3 link=topic=7333.msg97377#msg97377 date=1227064639]
    [quote author=*Regretful+Sinner* link=topic=7333.msg97086#msg97086 date=1226451236]
    Anger isn't a sin. Here is an example....... wen Jesus entered the temple and saw people selling things. He got angry and flipped over the tables. He said (Luke 19:46) " It is written,'My house is a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"


    but...doesn't taht kind of seem like acting upon anger..because he yelled and flipped over their tables.does this mean it's okay to act on when your anger is justified?


    well i learned this topic a long type ago. but my sunday school teacher said that we can't always act upon our anger especialy if it will lead to sin. wut Jesus did wasn't sin. He did it because the people were not praying in church like they are supposed to , but selling in it using it as a flee market. Don't u think u should get angry and flip the tables? yah of course!!! but if u get mad at someone and then punch him in the face, that is sin! see that anger led to sin. do u see the difference?

    oh if i said something wrong, plz someone correct me!!! but i think i am correct!!!
  • I did some research and this is what Pope Shenouda has to say:

    The verse "Be angry, and do not sin" was explained by
    the fathers in two ways:
    1. The holy anger for the sake of God, as long as it in a
    spiritual manner with no trespasses, is holy in its purpose and
    its action also.

    2. The anger of the person because of his personal faults and
    of the sins he committed, will result in him not sining in the
    future.
    The saying of the apostle "Do not avenge yourselves, but
    rather give place to wrath" means to give a chance for the
    anger to depart from you and not give it a place to settle
    inside you... do not keep the anger inside you. It might turn
    to hatred and desire for revenge. Give it a chance to depart
    from you.

    **this can be found in the book So Many Years With People's Questions Volume 1 by HH Pope Shenouda.
  • thnx for the post!!! this should explain the verse very well!!!
  • i think he meant to be angry with yourself when you sin
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