Over the past few weeks I have been reading Bart Ehrman's book Misquoting Jesus. I think Ehrman is wrong on his most basic premises, but will debate that later. Yesterday I read that, according to Ehrman, there is a mistake in the passage; Mark 1:39 - 45, which describes Jesus' healing of a leper. All English translations of the Bible, and the two Greek translations I have access to, use the word "Splangnistheis," which most translate as "filled with compassion." to describe Jesus' reaction when confronted by the leper. However, the most reliable manuscripts, the context of the passage, and Mark's writing style indicate that a different word was used. The word that may have been original is "Orgistheis," which means "becoming angry." Presumably towards the leper. Ehrman goes on to state how devastating the picture of an angry Jesus would be to the fundamental beliefs of evangelicals.
I think that in this case Ehrman makes a good point, and that there is sufficient evidence to cause us to question which word was actually intended by Mark. But an angry Jesus would certainly not cause me to doubt my beliefs. In fact, I think that an angry Jesus here would fit perfectly with the gospel message of who Jesus was. The root of Orgistheis is orgizo. Orgizo means to be angry. It is used eight times in the new testament, but never in reference to Jesus. Often, however Jesus uses the word in His parables to describe the character who represents God the Father. (See Matt 18:34, 22:7 and Luke 14:21) This is not completely compelling, but I think it is significant that Jesus is not bashful about describing His Father as capable of anger.
Certainly Jesus' Father, the God of the Old Testament, displays anger at times. The Hebrew (by my uneducated research) equivalent to Orgizo is Ka'ac. It appears 54 times in the old testament. Of which 42 refer to the anger of God. Throughout Jesus' ministry He frequently identified himself as God. Why do we expect Him to be different from the God described in the Old Testament, who is clearly capable of anger.
Often Jesus rebuked the pharisees in a way that was certainly not gentle. See Matthew 23:23-29, for an example of Jesus' language towards the pharisees. Likewise, Jesus rebukes His disciples for their lack of faith. Poor Peter was often the target of this criticism. Click here for the most common example. I think that it is very important to examine the way in which the leper approaches Jesus in order to understand His response.
Christians are given a picture of Jesus as a gentle man, who carries baby lambs and holds the hands of children. But consider Matthew 21:12, and Mark 11:15. Both passages describe Jesus on a rampage, overturning tables and driving out merchants. Perhaps our ideas of Jesus are flawed. Perhaps Jesus is not the gentle pushover that is pictured in all of those Sunday school flannel board figures. Perhaps Jesus is at times a raging lion, perhaps He is like His Father after all.
Ehrman offers the explanations of a few evangelicals regarding the possible use of the word "angry" in Mark 1:41. These examples (as represented by Ehrman) are weak and wishy-washy. I don't know which word Mark actually used, but what is the matter with Jesus being angry once in a while? Maybe a little appropriately applied anger would suit today's church well.
