Women Are Not Sex Objects

Another entry from Adele Hebert,
Independent Scholar.

There are numerous occasions recorded in the Gospels where women are treated as second‑class citizens, even as sex objects, and it was expected that Jesus would do the same. One such occasion occurred when Jesus was invited to dinner at the house of a skeptical Pharisee (Lk 7:36ff.) and a woman of ill repute (harmatolos, a sinner) entered and washed Jesus’s feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair and anointed them. The Pharisee saw her solely as an evil sexual creature: “The Pharisee ...said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would know who this woman is who is touching him and what a bad name she has.’” But Jesus deliberately rejected that way of thinking. He rebuked the Pharisee and spoke solely of the woman’s human, spiritual actions; he spoke of her love, her unlove, i.e., her sins, her being forgiven, and her faith. Jesus then addressed her (it was not “proper” to speak to women in public, especially “improper” women) as a human person: “Your sins are forgiven.... Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

A similar situation occurred when the scribes and Pharisees used a woman reduced entirely to a sex object to set a legal trap for Jesus (Jn 8:2‑11). It is difficult to imagine a more callous use of a human person than what the “adulterous” woman was put through, by the enemies of Jesus. First, she was “taken” in the act, then dragged before the scribes and Pharisees, finally brought before an even larger crowd that Jesus was instructing, “making her stand in full view of everybody.” They told Jesus that she had been caught in the very act of committing adultery and that Moses had commanded that such women be stoned to death (Dt 22:22ff.). “What have you to say?” The trap was partly that if Jesus said Yes to the stoning he would be violating the Roman law, which limited capital punish­ment, and if he said No, he would contravene Mosaic law. It could have been to expose Jesus’s reputation for kindness toward, and championing the cause of, women in opposition to the law and the condemnation of sin.

Jesus, of course, eluded their snares by refusing to become entangled in legalisms and plots. Rather, he dealt with bth the accusers and the accused directly as spiritual, ethical, human persons. He spoke directly to the accusers in the con­text of their own personal ethical conduct: “If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” To the accused woman he spoke with compassion, but without approving her conduct: “‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.’”

Regarding the status of women, the woman being caught in the act of adultery, according to the Law of Moses must to be stoned to death. But since the type of execution mentioned was stoning, the woman must have been a “virgin betrothed,” as referred to in Dt 22:23f. It states both the man and the woman must be stoned, although in the Gospel story only the woman is brought forward. However, the reason given for why the man ought to be stoned was not because he had violated the woman, or God’s law, but “because he had violated the wife (property) of his neighbor.” It was the injury to the man (not the wife or betrothed) that was the great evil. Jesus defended her; he did not condemn her; he declared her a person, definitely not the property of a man.

Adapted from Leonard Swidler

Biblical Affirmations of Women

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Learning to Say "No"

OK to say NO!

By Adele Hebert

Jesus used images concerning the end of time. Both men and women are in these stories; both must be ready; both treated equally. Both involve hard choices, even saying NO!

What sort of servant, then, is faithful and wise enough for the master to place him over his household to give them their food at the proper time? Happy that servant if his master arrival finds him at his employment. I tell you solemnly, he will place him over everything he owns. His master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. (Mt 24:45-51; Lk 12:42-46 says female servants as well.)

Immediately following is the second story, about the wise and foolish bridesmaids. Jesus took great effort to illustrate the same point, this time focusing on women. The big difference is that the women in this parable use their voice. This is a powerful lesson for women. They are not simply told what to do. In fact, they do not obey. Jesus gave women dignity, always defended them, and taught them about boundaries, not to allow abuse.

Jesus NEVER once told women that they had to submit to anyone. The word submit does not occur in the Greek; the actual word is Support. There is much confusion concerning submission. We want to do the right thing, but we don know where to draw the line. Often, we don draw any lines at all, or the lines that we do draw are way past the safety zone. We realize it when we are over our heads in trouble; then we get depressed and don know why. So where are the lines to be drawn that will keep us safe, walking in truth, and in the center of God's will? The word submit is still used to keep women in bondage. Without knowing these boundary lines, we allow others to use us. Jesus ADVISED women to use boundaries.

Ask yourself, would God want me to do this? Women, this is the boundary line! We have been taught that we are to blindly obey our spouse, but that is not from God. So we obey out of fear. We obey to keep the peace. But Abraham made Sarah lie. Ahasuerus wanted Vashti to show her beauty; she rightly refused. God gave us His Word so we will not be deceived. The Lord would not have us do anything ungodly or under coercion or manipulation. You are NEVER to submit to abuse. Here Jesus tells women they SHOULD say NO!

Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise: the foolish ones took their lamps, but no oil, whereas the wise ones took oil as well as their lamps. The bridegroom was late, and they all grew drowsy and fell asleep. But at midnight there was a cry, he bridegroom is here! Go out and meet him. At this, all those bridesmaids woke up and trimmed their lamps, and the foolish ones said to the wise ones, ive us some of our oil: our lamps are going out. But they replied, NO, there may not be enough for us and for you; go to those who sell it and buy some for yourselves. (Mt 25:1-13) At times we Need to say NO. One of the most crucial lessons for women in the whole bible is right here. Jesus gave women permission to say, NO! Check out another woman with boundaries and a voice Lk 1:60.

*NO! an extremely valuable word for women*. Jesus gave women the right to say NO to stand up for themselves, for what is right, to protect themselves. Jesus Advised, even Encouraged us to say No!

Women, get boundaries or you will get used!

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Adapted by Stephen Gola and Leonard Swidler.

Fair Lady with the Alabaster Flask

A Poem by Adele Hebert

Fair lady with the alabaster flask
How I wish I were there
To smell that fragrance in the air
All through the house
And what a cost A year’s wages
I would not forget that wonderful smell
And who could forget what you did?
Many saw you
Many knew you
Many smelled your precious perfume
Fair lady, I wish I had been there

You took quite a risk fair lady
You were not invited
Nor welcomed
And to enter a room
Full of men
Some were angry to see you there
Some are still angry
Some don’t care

Jesus was not though
He saw you and smiled
He knew why you came
Only a woman could do it
Only a woman would do
It had always been men before
Men prophets, men kings, men men

But suddenly now a woman
The time was right
A woman with some means
Who would buy the best
Who was compelled to come
Who dared to enter
Who dared to take a man’s place
Oh Fair lady, you were so brave

To anoint… the Anointed One
Not for a crown
Not for a title
But for his burial
A life giving sacrifice
For you and me
Fair lady, how did you know?

It was a special task
You broke that alabaster flask
…And it broke your heart
To see your Lord
You loved him so
To feel his skin
Knowing he would die
To smell that sweet fragrance
For his burial
He would have no funeral
Yet he was so alive
Oh fair lady, how could it be?

No singing in your heart
Only tears that night
Uncontrollable quiet tears
Sweet powerful smell
Tears pouring down
Costly ointment poured out
Oh fair lady, I can hardly bear it
Tears mixed with nard
Sweet sad agony
You used your hair
Oh fair lady on your knees

Jesus knew
Your heart and soul
He defended you
Against those men there
Said it would be a memorial
To remember you fair lady
Jesus knew
And so did you
What lay ahead
That’s what was so sad

But it had to be done
Jesus dying was the only way
The ultimate act of love
He loved you fair lady
Thank you for your precious nard
And especially for your tears
May we never forget you…
Mary of Bethany (Jn 12)

Fair lady with the alabaster flask.

Adele Hebert

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Tears Are Treasured

Tears are Treasured

A study on all the Tears in the New Testament

A guest entry by author, editor and independent scholar,
Adele Hebert

There are few words spoken by women in these gospels, but many tears are shed and recorded, mostly by women, some even by Jesus, the man of sorrows. The fact that all these tears are detailed says that God values all our precious tears, whether for joy or sorrow. Psalm 56:8 tells us that, “God knows our troubles and our wanderings, stores all our tears in a bottle, has counted each one of them, and they are recorded in the Book.”

The beginning of the New Testament opens with glad tidings, the announcement of two children, which brought tears of joy to Elizabeth and Mary. This joy would be short lived for Mary, as Joseph tells her that he will put her away her quietly. The betrothed was heartbroken, to say the least. An angel in a dream restores their marriage. After Jesus is born, Mary and Joseph bring the child to the temple, and it is prophesied to Mary that, “a sword will pierce your soul.” Lk 2:35. When Jesus was missing for days, she would have been beside herself with worry, but Mary would experience many more tears.

Following the joyful birth of Jesus, other women are not so lucky. Mt 2:18 “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamenting and weeping bitterly: it is Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted because they are no more.” Those women were bereft; Herod had given the order; the soldiers had killed their babies.

There was a woman in Lk 7:37-44,

“who had a bad name… and had brought with her an alabaster jar of ointment. She waited behind him at his feet, weeping, and her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them away with her hair; then she covered his feet with kisses and anointed them with the ointment. 'You see this woman? I came into your house, and you poured no water over my feet, but she has poured out her tears over my feet and wiped them away with her hair.” Jesus was touched by her tears.

There was another woman, taken in adultery, Jn 8:1-11. This woman would have been shocked, sobbing uncontrollably, knowing she would be stoned.

A man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, had a daughter who died. Lk 8:52 “They were all crying and mourning for her, but Jesus said, 'Stop crying; she is not dead, but asleep.” No doubt the woman who touched his hem, and was healed of her hemorrhage for 12 years would have rejoiced. Other women who would have wept with joy are the Syrophoenecian woman whose daughter was cured, the widow of Nain whose son was brought back to life and given back to her, the woman who had a crooked back for 18 years… and many more who heard the wonderful words of their Lord.

Jesus was friends with Martha, Mary and Lazarus. When Lazarus died, everyone wept. Even Jesus wept. Jn 11 says,

“When the Jews who were in the house comforting Mary saw her get up so quickly and go out, they followed her, thinking that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Mary went to Jesus, and as soon as she saw him she threw herself at his feet, saying, 'Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.' At the sight of her tears, and those of the Jews who had come with her, Jesus was greatly distressed, and with a profound sigh he said, 'Where have you put him?' They said, 'Lord, come and see.' Jesus wept; and the Jews said, 'See how much he loved him ' Sighing, Jesus thanked God.”

In Lk 23:28 Women wailed, “But Jesus turned to them and said, 'Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep rather for yourselves and for your children.” He had such deep concern for mothers and their children.

There is no telling how many tears were shed at that cross or the tomb, by Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene and the other women. Their grief would have been unbearable. But on Resurrection morning, their tears of sorrow turn to shouts of joy.

Mk 16:1 says, “When the Sabbath was over, Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices with which to go and anoint him.” These women were still mourning for Jesus. Tears are louder than words.

Jn 20 says (twice) to Mary Magdalene, “Woman, why are you weeping?” Then he called her name, “Mary, go and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' So Mary of Magdala told the disciples, 'I have seen the Lord'.” Mk 16:10 “Mary Magdalene then went to those who had been his companions, and who were mourning and in tears, and told them.”

Apparently it was important to mention even in Acts 9:39 that, “all the widows stood round him in tears, showing him tunics and other clothes Dorcas had made when she was with them.” Another woman was brought back to life. Our tears are not for naught.

Jesus paid attention to all the tears; he saw them; he acknowledged them; he even cried with them. There are many tears in the NT, which says that Jesus knows our suffering, he hears our cries. Jesus also promised in Jn 16:22, “Now you are having pain. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.”


Thank God all our tears are recorded; each tear is counted, for our consolation. Jesus hears our cries; Jesus sees our tears. Jesus even cries with us.

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Jesus Loved Women by Adele

Another entry from Adele Hebert, Independent Scholar.

Jesus loved women so much!

Thank God no woman was made mute.
Thank God no woman decided to kill innocent baby boys.
Thank God no woman was ever rebuked harshly by Jesus.
Thank God no woman was ever called a name by Jesus.
Thank God no woman was ever silenced.
Thank God no woman ran away.
Thank God no woman denied knowing Jesus.
Thank God no woman
was ever predicted to be part of
the plot to murder Jesus.
Thank God no woman pronounced Jesus death sentence.
Thank God no woman was part of the beating, mocking,
whipping, or crucifixion.
Thank God no woman ever hurt Jesus in any way.

Jesus loved women so much!

Thank God one woman said, Yes! (Lk 1:38)
Thank God another woman said, No! (Lk 1:60)
Thank God a Mother named her son.
Thank God for women prophets, even an old woman,
not ready to die telling,
telling all those who wanted redemption
Thank God women told and retold and retold their stories;
they were given a voice.
Thank God for the caring, nurturing, generous women who followed,
fed those men three years.
Thank God for the timid, trembling woman who dared to touch his hem.
Thank God Jesus called women forward to receive healing,
then gave them a voice.
Thank God women few words are recorded.
Thank God for the bold woman who asked for crumbs, was then
commended for her great faith.
Thank God Jesus defended children, called them,
hugged them, blessed them.
Thank God for the nameless voiceless woman who kissed Jesus feet,
anointed them with costly ointment, wiped them with her hair.
Thank God Jesus offered a woman living water.
Thank God the woman told, told her whole village.
Thank God for the named raped women in the genealogy of Matthew.
Thank God we are now called daughters, sisters, and friends.
Thank God children shouted, Hosanna!
Thank God Jesus said not to worry about many things.
Thank God even tears were treasured and recorded.
Thank God women were encouraged to sit at Jesus feet.
Thank God Jesus touched women,
even those with blood, even a dead girl.
Thank God Jesus made us equal in marriage and divorce.
Thank God Jesus forgave women, even for adultery.
Thank God the Holy Spirit is feminine.
Thank God for the parallel stories about women.
Thank God for servant girls speaking, and pregnant women praising.
Thank God Jesus wept.
Thank God for the woman who dared to share her dream.
Thank God Jesus uplifted widows for what little they can give.
Thank God for the nameless, voiceless women, but not forgotten.
Thank God Jesus revealed his being the Messiah to a woman!!
And the Resurrection disclosed only to a woman!!
Thank God women were honored, uplifted, blessed, healed, and heard.
Thank God Jesus gave women a voice!
Thank God women and children were precious!
Thank God Jesus consoled, comforted women who wept.
Thank God for the faithful women who were there under that cross.
Thank God the women took note of the tomb,
and how Jesus body was laid,
wrapped.
Thank God for the women who bought spices to anoint him,
the only funeral he would have.
Thank God the women went to the tomb that early morning.
Thank God Jesus chose a woman/women to be the first
to see the RisenLord!!
Thank God Jesus chose not to reveal Himself to Peter
at the tomb ut to meet the men over there in Galilee.
Thank God Jesus chose a woman/women to go and Tell!
Thank God she/they ran and told and told and told!
Mary Magdalene Beloved Disciple!!
Mary Magdalene Apostle to the Apostles!!
Thank God women were there in the upper room.
Thank God women received the Holy Spirit!!
Thank God for the women who had the first churches, in their homes.
Thank God women were teachers, co-workers, and apostles even martyrs.
Thank God women are still hearing the voice of God.
Above all, Jesus gave women a voice!!

Thank you Adele!

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Jesus Was Angry

Guest Entry written by Adele Hebert

“Is it right for you to be angry?” God asked Jonah (4:4). Is it right for a Christian to be angry? Anger, if not controlled, is a very dangerous emotion and can lead to murder.

The first person to be angry in the Old Testament (Gen 4:5), “Cain was very angry and downcast.” God had accepted his brother’s sacrifice but not his. What did he do with his anger? “Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.”

The first person to be angry in the New Testament (Mt 2:17), “Herod was furious on realising that he had been fooled by the wise men.” What did he do with his anger? “In Bethlehem and its surrounding district he had all the male children killed who were two years old or less.”

Although we were told to love one another and to forgive our enemies, Jesus was often quite angry. Jesus got very frustrated with his disciples Mt 17:17, “Faithless and perverse generation! How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you?” Jesus had righteous indignation at the sellers in the temple Jn 2:15,16, “Making a whip out of cord, he drove them all out of the Temple, sheep and cattle as well, scattered the money changers' coins, knocked their tables over and said to the dove sellers, 'Take all this out of here and stop using my Father's house as a market.” Mostly, Jesus was angry at the Pharisees Mk 3:1, “Then he looked angrily round at them, grieved to find them so obstinate, and said to the man, 'Stretch out your hand. '”

Amazingly, Jesus never got angry with the women. There were 5 women who Jesus corrected; they were definitely not rebuked as some commentators / preachers have alleged. Jesus only rebuked the wind, sea, demons, unclean spirits, fever and men.

Jesus was more severe with his male disciples than anyone else: he rebuked Peter, calling him Satan Mt 16:23; he rebuked James and John for wanting to call down fire from heaven to burn up the Samaritan village Lk 9:55; and he rebuked the Eleven male disciples for not believing the women’s testimony Mk 16:14; but Jesus never rebuked women.

Let us examine the verses pertaining to women. Notice how Jesus leads them ever so gently, no names, and no harsh critical words. In fact, Jesus always uplifts them, guarding their honor, hearing them, blessing them.

Lk 2:48,49, “They were overcome when they saw him, and his mother said to him, 'My child, why have you done this to us? See how worried your father and I have been, looking for you.' He replied, 'Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?'”

Lk 11:27,28, “It happened that as he was speaking, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said, 'Blessed the womb that bore you and the breasts that fed you!' But he replied, 'More blessed still are those who hear the word of God and keep it!'”

Jn 2:3-5, “And they ran out of wine, since the wine provided for the feast had all been used, and the mother of Jesus said to him, 'They have no wine.' Jesus said, 'Woman, what do you want from me? My hour has not come yet.' His mother said to the servants, 'Do whatever he tells you… tasted the water, and it had turned into wine.'”

Lk 10:41,42, “But the Lord answered, 'Martha, Martha,' he said, 'you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part, and it is not to be taken from her.'”

Mt 15:24-28, “He said in reply, 'I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.' But the woman had come up and was bowing low before him. 'Lord,' she said, 'help me.' He replied, 'It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to little dogs.' She retorted, 'Ah yes, Lord; but even little dogs eat the scraps that fall from their masters' table.' Then Jesus answered her, 'Woman, you have great faith. Let your desire be granted.' And from that moment her daughter was well again.”

Also,

Mk 11:27-29, “And he said to her, 'The children should be fed first, because it is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to little dogs.' But she spoke up, 'Ah yes, sir,' she replied, 'but little dogs under the table eat the scraps from the children.' And he said to her, 'For saying this you may go home happy; the devil has gone out of your daughter.'”

Lk 11:39, “Jesus said, 'Take the stone away.' Martha, the dead man's sister, said to him, 'Lord, by now he will smell; this is the fourth day since he died.' Jesus replied, 'Have I not told you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?'”

Jn 20:17, “Jesus said to her, 'Do not cling to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to the brothers, and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'”

No matter how often and to what degree Jesus was angry, he never sinned; he was always in complete control. Anger only becomes a problem when it is not controlled, when is it not directed at the right cause, and when it is not appropriate. Jesus was angry as an expression of his zealous, holy devotion to God. His righteous anger had nothing to do with himself; it was always on account of others sinfulness or their lack of faith, both of which affected those around them, and those wanting to get into the kingdom of God. His reaction was also directed only at those he was angry at; he never took it out on anyone else; and his actions were also appropriate to the cause. Most importantly, Jesus’s anger was exclusively motivated by love, even to forgiving those who crucified him from his dying breath.

Jesus made it very clear that we were not to judge others; not even to call someone a fool, Mt 5:22, because names are destructive, demeaning, and abusive. A little further Jesus explains why, Mt 7:3 says, “Hypocrite! Take the log out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take the splinter out of your brother's eye.” Jesus was able to expose the Pharisees, Mt 23:17, calling them “Fools and blind!” because he was perfect. As long as you are without sin, you can cast stones.

Now, we will consider all the verses where Jesus is angry.

To whom	Why	What He called them, what He did
Matthew
8:26 Peter	storm	little faith
9:25 people	ridiculed him	turned them out
12:34 Pharisees	'chief of devils'	Brood of vipers
12:39 Pharisees	Sign	Evil, adulterous generation
14:31 Peter	Sinking	Little faith
15:7 Pharisees/scribes	Washing hands	Hypocrites
16:4 Pharisees/ Sadducees	Sign	Evil, unfaithful generation
16:8,9 disciples boat	Yeast	Little faith
16:23 Peter	Rebuked Jesus	Satan
17:17 disciples	Could not cure	Perverse generation
19:8 Pharisees	Divorce	Hard hearted
21:12,13 money changers	Bandit's den	Whip, upset tables, drove
22:18 Pharisee's disciples	Taxes	Hypocrites
23:3 crowds, Pharisees	Do not practice	Vain, hypocrites
23:13-37 scribes/ Pharisees	Shut up kingdom	Hypocrites
	Travel to evangelize	Hypocrites
	Swear by altar	Blind guides
	Swear by gold	Fools and blind
	Swear by both	Blind men
	Pay tithe	Hypocrites
	Straining gnats	Blind guides
	Clean outside of cup	Blind guides
	Leave inside full	Hypocrites
	Inside full corruption	whitewashed tombs
	Look upright	Full of lawlessness, hypocrisy
	Build sepulchres	Hypocrites
	Say you would never	Children of murders
	Escape hell	Serpents, brood of vipers
	You shed blood	Murders, kill prophets
Mark
3:5 Pharisees	Heal on Sabbath	Grieved, obstinate, angry
4:40 disciples	Storm	No faith
5:40 people	Ridiculed him	Turned them out
7:6 Pharisees/scribes	Washing hands	Hypocrites
7:17 disciples	Questioned him	Non understanding
8:18 disciples	Yeast	Minds closed
8:21 disciples	Do not remember	Still do not realize
8:33 Peter	Rebuked Jesus	Satan
9:19 disciples	Couldn't heal	Faithless generation
11:15 sellers	Bandit's den	Drove out, upset tables
12:15 Pharisees/ Herodians	Taxes	Hypocrites
12:24 Sadducees	Whose wife	Doesn't understand scripture
12:27 Sadducees	Rising again	Very much mistaken
12:38 Pharisees	Rob widow's houses	Thieves, hypocrites
16:14 Eleven	Refused to believe women	Incredulity, obstancy
Luke
6:42 people	On judging	Hypocrites
8:25 disciples	Storm	No faith
9:41 disciples	Couldn't heal	Perverse generation
9:55 James, John	Wanted to call fire	Rebuked
11:29 crowds	Sign	Evil generation
11:39 Pharisees	Wash cup	Extortion, wickedness
11:40 Pharisees	Wash cup	Fools
11:42 Pharisees	Tithe	No justice, love of God
11:44 Pharisees	Seats of honour	Unmarked tombs
11:46 lawyers	Load burdens	Unendurable, do not touch
11:48 lawyers	Build tombs	Witness, approve killing
11:50 lawyers	Send prophets	Blood of Abel, Zechariah
11:52 lawyers	Take away knowledge	Prevent from going in
12:1 Pharisees	Yeast	Hypocrisy
12:28 disciples	Worry	So little faith
12:56 crowd	Signs	Hypocrites
13:15 ruler synagogue	Healed on Sabbath	Hypocrites
13:32 Herod	Means to kill you	Fox
12:34 Jerusalem	Refused God	Kill prophets
16:14 Pharisees	Upright	Loathesome for God
18:9 people	Prided themselves	Not justified
18:14 people	High opinions	humbled

The Fourth Gospel does not reveal an angry Jesus, although Judas is described indirectly twice.

To whom	Why	What He called them, what He did
John
6:70 one disciple	Jesus chose	devil
12:6 Judas	Not care about poor	thief

Compare the amount of times Jesus got angry, and to whom, in the 3 synoptic gospels:

Number of Times Jesus Got Angry
	Matthew	Mark	Luke
Peter	3	1	-
People	2	1	6
Sellers	1	1	-
Disciples	2	6	4
Pharisees	21	5	12

Clearly, Jesus was not afraid, was even justified in calling the religious leaders names; he continuously exposed their wicked traditions, their motives, and their sins. No one knows what Jesus wrote on the ground in Jn 8:6, but all those men left, from the oldest to the youngest; and since he knew their hearts, he revealed enough to make them all leave.

Jesus got very angry with the religious leaders because they were keeping the people from the truth of God, Mt 23:13,14. The Pharisees were always trying to trap Jesus but he, in turn, exposed their evil, “these are the men who take advantage of widows and rob them of their homes,” Mk 12:40. Two verses later Jesus points to “the widow with two little copper coins, worth about a penny.” He was not praising her, he was admonishing the men for her poverty! She was a widow and women were not allowed to own property. Not only did she lose her husband but now her property was taken away from her as well. That is why it was so vital for women to have at least one son. Because the Pharisees were the only ones who could study the law and teach it; the people were at their mercy for legal matters and instruction, plus the rulers made many extra laws which the people could not keep. The ones who would have been affected the most were the women, since they could not study the scriptures themselves and they had no rights, no voice; that is why Jesus made sure Mary of Bethany stayed at his feet.

The most important message Jesus was telling us:

Righteous anger is good; it motivates us to do what is right;

Personal anger is bad; it motivates us to do what is wrong (sin).

The most significant finding in this study was that Jesus was never angry with the women; they were not his enemies; they followed him; they supported him financially; they had great faith; they listened; they worshipped him in truth; they loved Jesus.

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