ANGER
G. has a disastrous effect on a person’s spiritual life, which is why it is considered one of the most destructive vices; all ascetic writers include G. among the 8 main vices (Zarin. 1996. pp. 274-275). St. Evagrius gives the passions of G. 1st place among the passions (Evagr. De octo vit. 6 // PG. 40. Col. 1273; Greg. Nyss. De virgin. 4); St. John Cassian the Roman places G. in 4th place, after gluttony, fornication and greed (love of money) (Ioan. Cassian. Collat. V 2, 10), Mark the Hermit - after love of money, vanity and voluptuousness (Marc. Erem. Or. 1. 101-104), as well as St. John Climacus (Ioan. Climacus. 8. 29). St. John of Damascus puts G. after sadness: “... being insulted or thinking that we are being insulted, we become upset: and then a mixed feeling occurs - from desire and anger” (Ioan. Damasc. De fide orth. II 16). St. John Chrysostom advises to find the cause of G.’s passionate illness, and, having destroyed the cause, we will destroy the illness itself; The saint considers pride to be the cause of G. (Ioan. Chrysost. In Act. 32.3). And St. Tikhon of Zadonsky teaches that G. is born from pride (pride), for the self-lover seeks self-interest, glory, honor in everything, but when he encounters obstacles, he becomes angry and “strives to put his anger to work, that is, to take revenge, which is characteristic of anger.” (Vol. 2. P. 178). St. Theophan the Recluse also believes that G. comes from pride: suppress pride and G. “will fall behind” (Letter 833). St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov), speaking about the “affinity” of vices, believes that “from hatred and remembrance comes hardening of the heart. Due to the hardening of the heart, carnal sensations and carnal wisdom begin to prevail in a person, and from this a lustful passion is kindled... there is a desire for greed and human glory...” (Vol. 5, pp. 351-352).
An angel pours out one of the bowls of Wrath onto the earth. Miniature from the Apocalypse. XVI century (RGB. F. 98. No. 1844. L. 66) An angel pours out one of the bowls of Wrath onto the earth. Miniature from the Apocalypse. XVI century (RGB. F. 98. No. 1844. L. 66)
One of the reasons for G. is impatience, with which a person places blame for his condition on another (Ioan. Cassian. De inst. coenob. VIII 15, 18). G., being stormy, impetuous, easily excited, each time shakes mental stability, upsets mental balance, and introduces disorder and instability into spiritual life. If G.’s passion rejects the suggestions of reason and takes possession of a person’s soul, then he ceases to be a human being, says St. Basil the Great, but becomes a beast, “they rage like dogs, rush like scorpions, bite like snakes” (Basil. Magn. Hom. 10. 1 // PG. 31. Col. 353; cf.: Isa. 56. 10; Matthew 23.33). From irritability and G. a person commits murder; from G. brothers do not recognize each other, parents and children forget the bonds of nature; a soul infuriated by G. is almost as difficult to restrain as a person possessed by a demon; G. excites a quarrel, a quarrel - a fight, a fight - wounds, which often leads to death (Basil. Magn. Hom. 10. 1 // PG. 31. Col. 356; cf.: Greg. Nazianz. Carmina moral. 25: Adv. iram.). St. Tikhon Zadonsky considers G. a “tormenting and fierce passion” that “cannot be hidden.” Unlike other passions, which have the ability to remain hidden, passion, having filled the heart, erupts outward (T. 2. P. 177). The extreme limit of G. is when a person gets angry in private (Ioan. Climacus. 29.10; 8.13).
The desire to take revenge on the offender, to make him feel the pain of the insult inflicted by him, is recognized as the main reason for the occurrence of G. (Basil. Magn. Hom. 10. 1 // PG. 31. Col. 356; Greg. Nazianz. Carmina moral. // PG. 37 . Col. 816; Greg. Nyss. De anima et resurr. // PG. 46. Col. 56; Evagr. De octo vit. 6 // PG. 40. Col. 1273). G. is a perversion of the natural power of the soul (θυμός). G. - belonging to non-nature, explains St. Theophan the Recluse, and a consequence of his depravity; the victorious G. “does not conquer nature, but destroys the corruption of nature and elevates it to its natural rank” (Letter 565). G. is the memory of hatred, memory of malice, ill-will. Accordingly, freedom from anger is a victory over nature and insensitivity to all kinds of annoyances (Ioan. Climacus. 8.2; 8.5).
G. often gives rise to sadness (Ioan. Cassian. De inst. coenob. IX 4; Collat. V 11). It arises due to dissatisfaction or incomplete satisfaction of passionate desire. Another reason may be that the sensual egoism of a person in G. reaches its highest intensity, after which a reaction follows: weakening, loss of mental energy, expressed in sadness and despondency. In this case, it is more consistent to place sadness after G., which is what many people do. St. fathers. G., some Church Fathers believe, leads to covetousness, love of money (Greg. Nyss. De virgin. 4 // PG. 46. Col. 344).
The preservation of the passion of G. in a person, according to St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov), deprives him of the opportunity for spiritual success (T. 1. P. 510). God does not listen to the prayer of an angry person (Vol. 5, p. 92). The saint repeats the words of St. Isaac the Syrian that “the prayer of the vindictive is sowing on a stone” (Isaac. Syr. Sermo 89). And St. John Chrysostom (Ioan. Chrysost. In Act. 17. 3). G.'s passion removes the most important Christ from the heart. virtues: love for God and neighbors, patience, meekness, mercy, etc. “The Holy Spirit does not dwell where there is anger” (Ibidem; cf.: Ioan. Climacus. 8.14). According to the expression of Rev. Ephraem Syr., who does not easily accept the spirit of irascibility, becomes the abode of the Holy Spirit (Ephraem Syr. Sermo de virtut. et vit. 9).
“... Pure, but confused by anger, the mind is unable to indulge in contemplation, since things are, as it were, obscured by certain clouds enveloping them” (Evagr. Capita cognoscitiva. 28). True knowledge is given only to the meek, to the angry - false (cf.: Idem. Cap. cogn. (= Skemmata). 57; cf.: Macar. Aeg. I 3. 4). “Anger destroys even the wise” (Proverbs 15:1).
A Christian should not have G., which manifests itself not only in action, but also in thought. This is prohibited by the Old Law: “You shall not be hostile to your brother in your heart” (Lev 19:17); “Cease being angry and abandon rage... for those who do evil will be destroyed...” (Ps 36.8-9); “Let the angry one suffer punishment, for if you spare him, you will have to punish him even more” (Proverbs 19:19). Moreover, G. is prohibited by the Gospel commandments: “...everyone who is angry with his brother without cause is subject to judgment” (Matthew 5.22), and the teachings of the Apostle to the members of the Body of Christ: “All irritation and rage, and anger, and shouting, and slander with Let all evil be removed from you (Eph 4:31; cf. Gal 5:20-21). St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov) notes that in the Gospel commandments “The Lord directed his first words against anger, as the main sinful ulcer, the main passion, opposite to the two main virtues: love for one’s neighbor and humility. The entire edifice of Christian activity is based on these two virtues” (Vol. 1, p. 510).
Anger is defined as “an emotional reaction to perceived wrong or injustice,” often replaced by synonyms such as “rage,” “indignation,” “annoyance,” or “irritation.” Both people and God express anger. But there is a huge difference between the wrath of God and the wrath of man. The wrath of God is holy and always justified; human anger is never holy and rarely justified.
In the Old Testament, God's wrath is His response to human sin and disobedience. The most common cause of divine wrath was idolatry. Psalm 77:56–66 describes Israel's idolatry. God's wrath is consistently directed toward those who do not do His will (Deuteronomy 1:26–46; Joshua 7:1; Psalm 2:1–6). The Old Testament prophets often wrote about the coming day, the “day of wrath” (Zephaniah 1:14–15). God's wrath against sin and disobedience is justified because His plan is for mankind to be holy and perfect as He Himself is. God has revealed to us a way to obtain His favor—repentance—which turns away the wrath of God from the sinner. To reject this ideal plan is to reject God's love, grace, and mercy and to suffer His righteous wrath.
In the New Testament, Jesus' teaching supports the idea of God as a God of wrath who condemns sin. The story of the rich man and Lazarus speaks of God's judgment and the serious consequences for unrepentant sinners (Luke 16:19–31). Jesus says in John 3:36, “He who believes in the Son has obtained eternal life, but he who does not obey the Son will never see life: God’s wrath will be upon him forever.” Those who believe in the Son will not suffer the wrath of God for their sins, because the Son took that wrath upon Himself by dying on the cross for us (Romans 5:6–11). Those who do not believe in the Son, who do not accept Him as Savior, will be condemned on the day of wrath (Romans 2:5–6).
Conversely, Romans 12:19, Ephesians 4:26, and Colossians 3:8–10 warn us about human wrath. Only God can take vengeance because His vengeance is perfect and holy, while man's wrath is sinful, opening the way to demonic influence. For the Christian, anger and rage are incompatible with his new nature, which is the nature of Christ Himself (2 Corinthians 5:17). To be freed from the power of anger, a believer needs the Holy Spirit to sanctify and cleanse his heart from feelings of anger and rage. Romans chapter 8 demonstrates victory over sin in the life of one who walks in the Spirit (Romans 8:5–8). Philippians 4:4–7 tells us that a mind controlled by the Spirit is filled with peace.
The wrath of God is terrible and terrifying. Only those who have been washed by the blood of Christ shed for us on the cross can be sure that the wrath of God will never fall on them. “Much more now, having been justified by the blood of Christ, we will be saved from wrath through him” (Romans 5:9).
Human anger
Anger is a negatively colored reaction, expressed in dissatisfaction with some phenomenon or indignation, which arose in a person as a result of the actions of the object of his anger with the subsequent desire to eliminate this object.
In Christianity, it is one of the mortal (major) sins (Latin ira; Greek Ὀργή).
In Christianity, anger is understood as “a strong, excited state of mind against one’s neighbor,” the sinfulness or sinlessness of which depends on its causes, purpose and degree.
The anger of pious people is believed to represent their extreme aversion and indignation against sin, and is sinless and not alien even to God. At the same time, unrighteous anger (anger that gives rise to sin), especially against one’s neighbor, and especially if prolonged, is considered sinful, capable of developing into anger and a desire for revenge. Thomas Aquinas defines anger (ira) as the “thirst for revenge” (appetitus vindictae).
Anger in Christianity
In Christianity, anger is understood as “a strong, excited state of mind against one’s neighbor,” the sinfulness or sinlessness of which depends on its causes, purpose and degree.
The anger of pious people is believed to represent their extreme aversion and indignation against sin, and is sinless and not alien even to God. At the same time, anger against one’s neighbor, especially prolonged anger, is considered sinful, capable of developing into anger and a desire for revenge.
Excerpt on anger:
16 A fool immediately shows his anger, but a prudent man hides his insult. (Prov. 12:16)
1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up rage. 2 The tongue of the wise communicates good knowledge, but the mouth of fools spews out foolishness. 3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place: they see the evil and the good. 4 A meek tongue is a tree of life, but an unbridled tongue is a brokenness of spirit. (Prov.15:1-4)
11 Prudence makes a man slow to anger, and it is his glory to be lenient toward wrongdoing. (Prov. 19:11)
24 Do not make friends with an angry person and do not associate with a hot-tempered person, 25 lest you learn his ways and bring snares on your soul. (Prov.22:24,25)
3 Heavy is stone, weight and sand; but the wrath of a fool is greater than both of them. 4 Anger is cruel, rage is uncontrollable; but who can resist jealousy? (Prov.27:3,4)
22 An angry man starts a quarrel, and a quick-tempered man commits many sins. 23 A man's pride humbles him, but he who is humble in spirit gains honor. (Prov.29:22,23)
33 For just as churning milk produces butter, and pushing the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces quarrels. (Prov.30:33)
5. The wrath of God and us.
God's anger at man's sin reveals His love. His anger shows that God takes sinners seriously, that He does not ignore us, even in our rebellion against Him. In other words, He takes our actions so seriously that by reacting to them with His anger, He shows His desire to interact with us. Ignoring people shows disrespect and lack of love. When God responds to our sin, He tells us clearly that we are important to Him, that He does not leave us easily, that the relationship is not over. God's love and His wrath are not incompatible.
2.The wrath of God and sin.
The wrath of God is not a permanent property of God, that is, it is not something that by nature constantly characterizes Him and His actions. Since His wrath is rational, there is always a reason for God's wrath or something that causes it (Deut. 4:24). The wrath of God is caused by sin, and it is primarily God's response to the irrational presence of sin and evil in the lives of His creatures and in the world (Rom. 1:18). Therefore His wrath is temporary, it ceases when its purpose is achieved. Contrast this with the love of God, which lasts forever (Isa. 54:8).
