THE ACTION OF ANGER

Hosea 4:1 & 6 says: "Listen to the word of the LORD.
... My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge."

Jesus said: "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves" (Matthew 10:16 NASB).

THE ACTION OF ANGER

Chapter IV

ARE YOU BEING ANGRY? - "STOP SINNING!"

Anger and Travel: As a passenger boarded the Los Angeles-to-New York plane, he told the flight attendant to wake him and make sure he got off in Dallas. The passenger awoke just as the plane was landing in New York. The passenger was furious, and he called the flight attendant and demanded an explanation. The flight attendant mumbled an apology and, in a rage, the passenger stomped off the plane.

"Boy, was he ever mad!" a crew member observed. "If you think he was mad," replied the flight attendant, "you should have seen the guy I put off the plane in Dallas!" ¹Angry cynical people die young. Men who score high for hostility on standard tests are four times more likely to die prematurely than men whose scores are Low. ²

In Chapter III we learned that Jesus Forbids Anger, and that the sins of the thoughts, and the words, and the deeds shall be brought into judgment. Are You Being Angry? Then, "STOP SINNING!"

Ephesians 4:31 (NIV) says: "GET RID OF ALL BITTERNESS, RAGE AND ANGER." And, Colossians 3:8 (NIV) clearly says: "YOU 'MUST' RID YOURSELVES OF ANGER AND RAGE."

"Anger places every cell in your body on red alert. Your stomach churns out acid. Your skin hairs stand upright. Your adrenal glands pour out adrenaline and steroids. Your pupils dilate. Your blood pressure shoots up. Your pulse races. You are ready to run or gun." ³

All human anger, expressed or suppressed, short-circuits the human brain and impairs one's mental and physical ability to choose an appropriate response to a confrontation, or in getting something done that is important. "The Lord dwells in long-suffering, but the devil dwells in Anger." ⁴

Galatians 5:19 (NASB) says: "Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envyings, drunkenness, carousings, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

And, Galatians 5:22-24 (NASB) says: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." So, those that that belong to Christ Jesus have learned that their interests are best served when the events that are designed by Satan to trigger evil thoughts, practices, and sinful reactions, are met with the appropriate, loving, patient, kind, peaceful and self-controlled Christian response.

Jesus forbids anger. In Matthew 5:21-22, Jesus goes back of the murderous act, and forbids the anger and the reproachful words that precede it. And, the early Christian writer Tertullian (A.D. 145-220) said: "the Lord, 'amplifying the Law,' openly adds the prohibition of anger against a brother to that of murder. Not even by an evil word does He permit it to be vented. Ever if we be angry, our anger must not be maintained beyond sunset as the apostle admonishes." ⁵

And, the early Christian writer ORIGEN (A.D. 185-254) said: "The scripture, which tells us not to be angry at all, and which says in the thirty-seventh Psalm, 'Cease from anger, and forsake wrath,' and which commands us by the mouth of Paul to 'put off all these, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication, would not involve God in the same passion from which it would have us to be altogether free." ⁶

If we believe that the Apostle Paul was inspired of God to write Ephesians 4:26-27, we must believe that he selected the appropriate Greek words, of perhaps the most perfect vehicle of expression ever known to man, to express the views that God intended for him to convey. Based on the grammatical analysis of the original Greek words of the earliest texts, the following translation of Ephesians 4:26-27 makes good sense and fits the context, and is a more complete expression of the ideas conveyed in the original words of the Greek texts: "You are being angry" [2nd person plural, present tense, indicative mood and passive or middle voice]. "So, do not continue sinning" [2nd person plural, present tense, active voice, imperative mood plus the negative. In other words "stop sinning"]. "Do not allow the sun to be setting [2nd person plural, present tense, active voice, imperative mood plus the negative] on that which is causing your anger" [the anger trigger, the provocation]. "And, neither be giving the devil any portion of space, place or dwelling" [by ignoring or justifying the sin of being angry].

The Greek text of Ephesians 4:26-27 was not fully translated into English in the King James Version due in part to the poor ability of English words in 1611 to translate the word pictures of the original Greek words; and in part because of the instructions given to the translators of the King James Version; and in part because, in 1611 the KJV was based on the "Textus Receptus" which contained the 12th century interpolation of "eikh" (eike) in Matthew 5:22.

Ephesians 4:26-27 (King James Version) says: "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place to the devil?"

See the footnote for an Interlinear English Translation of the Greek text of Ephesians 4:26 with some important Greek grammatical analysis and a table that lists the singular and plural forms of the present tense, active, middle and passive voice, of the Indicative mood and the Imperative mood of orgizw. ⁷
^Regarding^{Greek Verbs referred to in "The Action of Amger." The Personal E}^{ndings; the Present Tense; the Indicative and Imperative Mood; and the Active, Passive and Middle Voice of the Greek verbs see the}^{ENDNOTES. 8}When one is faced with experiencing The Action of Anger, the Apostle Paul said; kai mh amartanete, transliterated; kai me hamartanete and translated: "do not continue sinning," The word picture that is presented in the original language is the kind of action (continuous action) denoted by the present imperative of the Greek verb. When one permits the action of anger to enter his or her life, the action of anger is sin. The clear injunction is this: "Stop sinning" (See the footnote). ⁹

In the expression, "let not the sun go down on your wrath" of Ephesions 4:26 (KJV), the Greek word parorgismw transliterated parorgismo and translated wrath in the King James Version is, remarkably, in this one place only so translated in the King James Version, and is not the same word of the original language translated wrath in other places in the King James Version. The word is correctly translated: "provoking to anger." ¹⁰ In other words it is the trigger or the cause of the anger. Ephesians 4:27 immediately follows the instructions of Ephesians 4:26 regarding the sin of being angry and the specific requirement to deal quickly with the cause of anger before nightfall.

In Ephesians 4:27, we have a very clear and forceful command to neither be giving the devil, Satan, a place or space in which to dwell by ignoring the sin. Regarding the expression; neither give place to the devil, Robertson's Word Pictures In The New Testament, says: "Present active imperative in prohibition, either stop doing it or do not have the habit." ¹³

So, let's say no to the devil. James 4:7 (NASB) says: "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." See the footnote for the Greek text of Ephesians 4:27 with Greek grammatical analysis and an interlinear English translation. ¹⁴ This is a very serious issue!

As mentioned in Chapter I: "The awful fruits of the action of human anger, being angry, are seen everywhere. The action of human anger, being angry, is a major destroyer of relationships. It is a major cause of broken marriages. We see it in our schools. Children, influenced by anger, are killing and injuring schoolmates. We see it in our churches. We see it in our work places. We see it in the halls of Congress and in our State Legislatures. It is at the very center of wars. We see it almost daily in the international arena. In addition to all of this, it adversely affects the physical health of all."

Those who have identified the cause (the trigger) of a specific event of anger that they have experienced and have subsequently defused it by the process of verbalization and internalization, confession and prayer; and then replaced their anger reaction in wisdom with the fruit of the indwelling Spirit of Christ; know the value that they have experienced as a result of obeying this commandment. Try it! It works!

The Action of Anger of man will embitter and damage the lives of those who permit it. "For anger resides in the bosom of fools" (Ecclesiastes 7:9 NASB).

Because it is common in "biblical" Greek for the negative mh (transliterated me) plus the present imperative to be employed to forbid the continuation of a previously stated act, we should not be surprised that the Apostle Paul would write in Ephesians 4:26-27: "You are being angry (the stated act), so, do not continue sinning (the negative mh plus the present imperative form of the Greek verb amartanete, transliterated: hamartanete is employed to forbid the continuation of the stated act); do not allow the sun to be setting (negative mh plus the present imperative - thus a prohibitive imperative) on that which is causing your anger; and neither be giving (copulative negative mhte plus the present imperative - thus a prohibitive imperative) the devil any portion of space, place or dwelling. And in the very next verse, Ephesians 4:28, following "He that steals" (the stated act), the Greek negative mh, transliterated me, together with the present imperative of the verb is employed to forbid the Stealing.

Galatians 1:6-8 (NASB) says: "I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!"

Unfortunately, as it was in the churches of Galatia, there are some who are disturbing our churches today, and want to distort the gospel of Christ. They are teaching for doctrines the "precepts of men," one of which is the doctrine that human anger is not sin.

And since they say that human anger is not sin, this "precept of men" has become the foundation for the "theory of righteous human anger," that is based primarily on the fallible philological supposition that the Apostle Paul really commanded the Ephesians, in Ephesians 4:26, to be angry and "do not sin." And, therefore, they say that human anger is not sin. Based on the "theory of righteous human anger," they also say, that the command to get rid of "all" anger in Ephesians 4:31, does not apply to righteous human anger. So, based on the "theory of righteous human anger" it is "theorized" that human anger is not sin but can lead to sin. As a result, the "theory of righteous human anger" supposes that the Greek verb orgizesqe (orgizesthe) of Ephesians 4:26 is not in the Greek Indicative Mood (a declarative), that in fact the context requires, but rather they say that it is the Greek Imperative Mood (a command) that the "theory" requires.

The "theory of righteous human anger" ignores the continuous or progressive action of the undisputed present tense of each of the Greek verbs in Ephesians 4:26: orgizesthe (being angry) and hamartanete (sinning). Greek commentators agree that orgizesqe, transliterated orgizesthe, in the Greek text of Ephesians 4:26, is the 2nd person, plural, present tense; and can be either passive or middle voice of the Indicative mood (a declarative) or the Imperative mood (a command). The context must decide.

In Ephesians 4:26, the Apostle Paul did not write the three English words be ye angry or the two English words be angry; rather he wrote the one Greek word orgizesqe, transliterated: orgizesthe. And, in order to understand what the Apostle Paul said, one must understand the meaning of this Greek word picture. In this one word, all of the verbal characteristics, as to person, number, tense, mood and voice are seen.

If the Greek verb orgizesqe, transliterated orgizesthe, is to be understood as an Imperative (a command) as required by the "theory of righteous human anger," it would simply mean that the Apostle Paul would have contradicted himself in Ephesians 4:26-32 by commanding the Ephesians to be angry in Ephesians 4:26 followed by a series of prohibitive commands: "and do not continue sinning;" "do not allow the sun to be setting on the cause of your anger" (the provocation); "neither be giving the devil an opportunity, a dwelling place" (as a result of doing nothing about the sin of being angry). And then, five verses later in Ephesians 4:31 command the Ephesians to "get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger."

Satan is prowling around looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). The gospel of Christ is being distorted as a direct result of the "theory of righteous human anger." We must resist the devil and we must not believe the "theory of righteous human anger" or the devil's lie that human anger is not sin.

The simple truth is that all human "anger" is listed among the sins that the Apostle Paul commanded the Ephesians in Ephesians 4:31 to get rid of; and, all human "anger" is listed among the sins that the Apostle Paul commanded the Colossians in Colossians 3:8 that they 'must' get rid of. And regarding "outbursts of anger," the Apostle Paul in Galatians 5:19 wrote: "I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

So, "all" professing Christians would do well to take heed to what the Bible designates as sins, and not trust in a "theory of righteous human anger" that says human anger is not sin. Even Jesus forbids anger in Matthew 5:21-22. "Not even by an evil word does He permit it to be vented." And, Acts 5:29 (NASB) says: "We must obey God rather than men." Psalm 37:8-9 (KJV) says: "Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth."

The Renaissance New Testament by Randolph O. Yeager says that the Greek verb orgizesqe (orgizesthe) in Ephesians 4:26, is the 2nd person, plural, present tense, middle voice, indicative mood of orgizw (orgizo). ¹⁵

And, in translating Ephesians 4:26-27, The Renaissance New Testament says: "Translation - Although you are provoked, do not go on sinning. The sun must not set while your anger is still burning." And, in the very next paragraph The Renaissance New Testament says: "orgizesqe kai mh amartanete can be treated as the protasis and apodosis of a first-class condition, If you are angry (and I grant that you are) nevertheless do not continue to sin. The rest of the verse means, 'Get rid of your anger before nightfall."

Word Pictures In The New Testament, by Archibald Thomas Robertson says regarding Ephesians 4:26. "26. Be ye angry and sin not (orgizesqe kai mh amartanete). Permissive imperative, not a command to be angry. Prohibition against sinning as the peril in anger." ¹⁶

The Renaissance New Testament, in the "Comment" on Ephesians 4:26, says: "Robertson calls orgizesqe a 'permissive imperative' (Word Pictures, IV, 540), although he does not list it in his discussion of the permissive use of the imperative in Grammar, (948). All this is in strict line with the ancient Greek." And, after citing several illustrations, The Renaissance New Testament goes on to say: "The context must decide. There is nothing in the imperative mode itself to imply consent or permission. orgizesqe [transliterated: orgizesthe] in our verse can be present [tense] middle [voice] indicative [mood]. Taken with concessive kai such a translation makes as good sense and fits the context as well." [The middle voice denotes the subject as participating in the results of the action.]

The Criswell Theological Review 3.2 (1989), by Daniel B. Wallace, 353 says: "Eph 4:26 is arguably the crux interpretum in the NT regarding the validity of man's dikaia orgh (as the Greeks put it)--man's righteous indignation. Why is this so? How can this one verse be regarded as so crucial to the issue? It is simply because we have great difficulty finding explicit statements in the NT in praise of human wrath. . . .Consequently, the imperative orgizesqe, "be angry," in Eph 4:26, if taken as a command, becomes the most explicitly positive statement of human anger in the NT." And then he says: "That orgizesqe is a command is by no means a settled issue among the commentators; in fact, some even doubt that it is an imperative."

A Commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians by Charles Hodge (1797-1878), p. 130-131 says: "The words orgizesqe kai mh amartanete, be ye angry and sin not, are borrowed from the Septuagint version of Ps. 4,5, and admit of different interpretations. 1. As the original text in Ps. 4,5, admits of being rendered Rage and sin not, i. e. do not sin by raging (See Dr. J. A. Alexander's Commentary on the Psalms.) �so the words of the apostle may mean, do not commit the sin of being angry." ¹⁷

Ephesians by C. L. Mitton, on page 168 says concerning orgizesqe: "It is quite wrong to take it as a command or even a permission to be angry"; J. Gnilka, Der Epheserbrief (in HTKNT) 235, asks, "Wird hier der Zorn fur gewisse FaIle konzediert?" ("Is the anger allowed here for particular cases?") He answers in the negative because anger in v 31 is prohibited. ¹⁸

Other Conditional Elements in New Testament Greek by J. L. Boyer, GTJ 4 (1983), 185 states that "in Eph 4:26 it is difficult to understand 'Be angry and sin not' as a command or even a permission, especially in light of the context."

In light of the context, and "the context must decide," the verb orgizesqe, transliterated orgizesthe of Ephesians 4:26 is clearly "not a command to be angry." So, Robertson rightly says that orgizesthe kai me hamartanete in Ephesians 4:26, is not a command to be angry. And he says: "Prohibition against sinning as the peril in anger."

For other translations of the Greek phrase orgizesqe kai mh amartanete of Ephesians 4:26 transliterated: orgizesthe kai me hamartanete that have been suggested, see the footnote. ¹⁹

In Biblical Greek, the connecting conjunction kai can be rendered, based on the context, as and, or also, or then, or but, or so, or therefore. And, in Ephesians 4:26, the Greek phrase "mh amartanete" is a prohibitive imperative as a result of the negative particle me being combined with the 2nd person plural, present tense, active voice and Imperative mood, of the Greek verb hamartano. Thus, me hamartanete is correctly translated as "do not continue sinning" or "stop sinning" or "do not go on sinning."

In fact, the exact Greek phrase kai mh amartanete, transliterated "kai me hamartanete" of Ephesians 4:26 is found in 1 Corinthians 15:34, and, the continual action of the present tense of the verb together with the negative particle is correctly translated as "stop sinning" in the following versions: NASB, NIV and NLT and "and do not go on sinning" in the ESV. 1 Corinthians 15:34 (NASB) says: "Become sober minded as you ought [not angry], and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame."

"Satan is the oldest liar in the records of Eternity." His influence is seen everywhere this subject is written about, discussed or treated. And, many are under the influence of his erroneous views and principles regarding anger and being angry without ever perceiving, designing or intending it."

Question: How wicked is the Action of Anger? Answer: The devil dwells in human anger (Ephesians 4:27) and, we must resist the devil (James 4:7). We must not let the devil dictate our words or actions.

Consider this fact. In the "New Testament," beginning with the first verse of Matthew 1:1 through and including the final verse of Revelation 22:21, there is no record where any of the New Testament writers said, as some do today, that "human anger" is not sin but it could lead to sin. And, no where did the Apostles, whose words were spoken "as the Spirit gave them utterance," ever say that the "Action of Anger" experienced by "human beings" is not sin but it could lead to sin.

And, consider this fact. An examination of the writings of the following "Ante-Nicene Fathers" confirms the fact that there is no reference in their writings where they said that "human anger" is not sin but can lead to sin. Clement of Rome (A.D. 30-100) did not say that "human anger" is not sin but can lead to sin; nor did Mathetes (A.D. 130); nor did Polycarp (A.D. 65-155); nor did Ignatius (A.D. 30-107); nor did Barnabas (A.D. 100); nor did Papias (A.D. 70-155); nor did Justin Martyr (A.D. 110-165); nor did Irenaeus (A.D. 120-202); nor did The Pastor of Hermas (A.D. 160); nor did Tatian (A.D. 110-172); nor did Theophilus of Antioch (A.D. 115-181); nor did Athenagoras (A.D. 177); nor did Clement of Alexandria (A.D. 153-217); nor did Tertullian (A.D. 145-220); nor did Minucius Felix (A.D. 210); nor did Commodian (A.D. 240); and, nor did Origen (A.D. 185-254). The Ante-Nicene Fathers, in the INTRODUCTORY NOTICE of Volume I says: "These writings come down to us as the earliest response of converted nations to the testimony of Jesus. They are primary evidences of the Canon and the credibility of the New Testament."

Regarding Ephesians 4:26, it has been suggested by several commentators that the Apostle Paul was quoting from Psalm 4:4. If true, he was probably quoting from the Septuagint (LXX). The Septuagint is "the earliest version extant of the Old Testament scriptures executed at Alexandria in the third century before the Christian era." For the Greek text of Psalm 4:4 and other comments see the footnote. ²⁰

The anger of man is sin, awful sin, and we must vigorously reject it as having any place in the lives of those in Christ. Being angry, then, as the verbal expression of anger in the passive or middle voice (the subject is receiving the action of anger), is the devil's dwelling place. In the process of putting off the old and putting on the new, one must deny the devil this dwelling place. When one actually feels within one's own body the biochemical correlates of the emotion of anger (which is the "action of anger" acting upon one's own self, as expressed in the passive or middle voice of the Greek verb), the Apostle Paul says: do not allow the sun to set on that which caused it, that which triggered it (that which set-it-off).

In stark contrast to the anger of man, the Bible reveals that the anger of God is the consequence of sin that He has built into the moral framework of the world. It is a matter of cause and effect. Commit sin, and painful consequences follow. Romans 1:18 (NASB) says: "For the wrath [anger - orge] of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. The anger of God is a judgment by which punishment is inflicted upon sin.

Romans 12:18-19 (NASB) says: "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath [anger - orge] of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord. James 1:20, says: "The anger of man doeth not that which is right in the sight of God" according to Alford's Greek Testament ²¹ .

So, the anger of man is not in any way the same as the anger of God. God is not a human being. It is true that God himself is often angry at sin. But this fact in no way supports the "theory of righteous human anger" and/or the false doctrine that human anger is not sin. God is Spirit and even though we necessarily use human words and phrases to attempt to describe the anger of God, we should not suggest that the anger of God is a human passion or a human emotion. Isaiah 55:8-9 (NASB) says: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are my ways higher than your ways, And my thoughts than your thoughts."

Jesus was God incarnate. John 1:1 (NASB) says: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." And, John 1:14 (NASB) says: "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." So, God was in Christ. In spite of this fact, some are saying that Jesus (God in the flesh) became angry during each of His visits to the Temple, suggesting as they do, that His human mind was inflamed and His tranquility was disturbed, but see Chapter IX for what the Bible really says regarding His visits to the Temple. And, some say that Jesus (God in the flesh) got very easily irritated as usual, and became humanly angry in a brief moment during the healing of the man with a withered hand in Mark 3:5, but see Chapter X for the Greek text of that verse with the all important Greek grammatical analysis. And, there are those who would have us believe a devil's lie, a contradiction, that righteous, or justifiable anger is commanded in Ephesians 4:26 (so long as you do not let the sun set on that which caused it), while in Ephesians 4:31 all anger (all means all in every respect) is forbidden.

As we have seen, they are absolutely wrong when they say that Ephesians 4:26 commands righteous anger on the part of human beings as long as they do not let the sun set on that which caused it. There is no such thing as righteous anger in the sense expressed by the Greek verb orgizesthe and practiced by human beings. Furthermore, if it is righteous, why in the world would one want to do away with that which is righteous by day's end. It's a devil's lie, and don't you believe it. What does the Bible say? "For the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God" (James 1:20 NASB). They are right, of course, when they admit that "all anger" in Ephesians 4:31 is clearly forbidden: let all anger be put away from you.

The English expression put away translates the Greek word picture arqhtw, transliterated artheto (see the footnote). ²² The language is absolutely clear. This is a command of the aorist tense and the passive voice and refers to removing and getting rid of all anger. All means all, not some. Getting rid of all anger and rage is critical and necessary to the process of putting off the old self and putting on the new self. It can not be any plainer than that!

Ephesians 6:4 (NASB) says: "And, fathers, do not provoke ²³ your children to anger [That is, by unreasonable commands; by needless severity; by the manifestation of anger, see footnote]; but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." Is this a serious issue? Absolutely!

Ephesians 2:1-3 (NASB) says: "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath" [anger, see footnote ²⁴ ].

The proposition that righteousness is achieved through the anger of man is again very simply a lie. It is a devil's lie and don't you believe it.

So, what did the Apostle Paul really say that was affirmed together with the Lord?

Ephesians 4:17-25 (NASB) says: "This I say therefore, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality, for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth, each one of you, with his neighbor, for we are members of one another."

And, Ephesians 4:26-27 (in the original Greek and more fully translated into English) says: "You are being angry, so; do not continue sinning; do not allow the sun to set on the cause of your 'anger (the trigger or the provocation), nor give the devil any portion of space, place or dwelling."

Thus, it is written in Ephesians 4:28-32 (NASB): "Let him who steals steal no longer;" . . ."Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." Let's do it!

ARE YOU BEING ANGRY? - "STOP SINNING!"

Chapter IV

Questions for Discussion

1. Do you believe that the Apostle was inspired of God to write Ephesians 4:17-32; and, do you believe that he selected the appropriate Greek words, of perhaps the most perfect vehicle of expression ever known to man, to express the views that God intended for him to convey? If not, why not?

2. Do you agree or disagree that "it is absolutely essential that we consider Ephesians 4:26 & 27 in the original Greek language and in its context?" Explain.

3. After having reviewed, as a result of this study, the actual meaning of the four Greek words, transliterated orgizesthe kai me hamartanete, of the original Greek text of Ephesians 4:26, and the context, how would you describe your understanding of what is meant by each of these four words? Discuss the listed possible translations of these four Greek words.

4. Can you describe in some detail how important the ideas are that are conveyed in the original Greek words of Ephesians 4:26-27 to a "biblical" vision of living the Christian life.

5. What do you think of the comment of A. T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament, page 540, regarding Ephesiams 4:26, that says: "Permissive imperative, not a command to be angry. Prohibition against sinning as the peril of Anger?" Do you agree or disagree.

6. Discuss the fact that it is common in "biblical" Greek for the negative mh, transliterated me, plus the present imperative (thus a Prohibitive Imperative) to be employed to forbid the continuation of a previously stated act. Ephesians 4:26-27 says: You are being angry (the stated act), so, do not continue sinning (Prohibitive Imperative). Do not let the sun to be setting (Prohibitive Imperative) on that which caused your anger (anger trigger). Neither be giving (Prohibitive Imperative) the devil a dwelling place. And Ephesians 4:28: "He that steals" (the stated act), the Greek negative mh transliterated me together with a present imperative (thus a Prohibitive Imperative) is employed to forbid the stealing.

7. If the Bible condemns stealing, and it does, would it be all right to steal just a little and still be acceptable to God? If not, why would we treat anger differently?

8. Do you accept the idea, as many claim, that anger is just and right as long as the issues are resolved with whom you are angry before sundown? Is it possible that the Apostle Paul would sanction and allow that which Jesus condemned? Why or why not?

9. What is your understanding of the meaning of the Apostle's instruction: "Do not allow the sun to be setting on that which provoked your anger?" Describe in detail the steps that one must take in order to obey this instruction. The devil dwells in anger. What does it mean to "neither give place to the devil?"

10. Ephesians 6:4 clearly says: "Do not provoke your children to anger." What do you think happens when fathers disobey this command? James 1:20 (NASB) says: "For the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God." Agree? Disagree?

ARE YOU BEING ANGRY? - "STOP SINNING!".

CHAPTER IV FOOTNOTES:¹^{Anger Illustrations by Crosswalk.com. Source unknown.}^{²^{Anger and Death: Anger Illustrations by Crosswalk.com. Source: Bottom Line, quoted in Homemade, Feb 1989.}}³ ^{None of These Diseases by S. I. McMillen, M. D., & David E. Stern, M. D. (Grand Rapids, MI: Fleming H. Revell Company, February 2000), page 205.}^{⁴^{The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume II, Commandment V. CHAP. I and CHAP. II (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, reprinted February, 1975), Page 23.}}⁵^{The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume III (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Reprinted 1976), page 685}^{⁶^{The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Origen Against Celsus, Book IV, (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Reprinted 1976), page 529}}⁷^{4:26 orgizesqe kai mh amartanete o hlioV mh epiduetv parorgismw umwn
you are being angry and, so do not continue sinning the sun let not set upon cause of anger your}

orgizesqe, transliterated orgizesthe, is a verb and is translated: You (2nd person plural) are being angry (in this context it is the stated act of being angry); present tense, indicative (declarative) mood, and passive voice (the subject is being acted upon). Or, middle voice (the subject is participating in the results of the action).

kai mh amartanete. kai transliterated kai, is translated: "and, so, but" (a conjunction that connects the stated the Imperatives of Prohibition). mh, transliterated me (particle of negation) with amartanete, transliterated hamartanete, a verb, is translated: "do not continue sinning" (2nd person plural, present active Prohibitive Imperative).

o hlioV. o, transliterated ho is a particle, and is translated: "the." hlioV, transliterated helios is translated: "sun" (nominative, singular, masculine, subject of epiduetw, transliterated epidueto).

mh epiduetw: mh, transliterated me> (particle of negation) together with epiduetw, transliterated epidueto, is translated: let not set (do not allow it, i.e. the sun to be setting--3rd person, singular, present active Prohibitive Imperative).

epi_parorgismw umwn: epi, transliterated epi is translated "upon" (the preposition "epi" with the dative denotes, according to Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon: "Metaph.; that upon which any action rests as a support."

parorgismw, (dative case, and singular) is transliterated parorgismo, from the noun parorgismoV that is transliterated parorgismos; and translated: "the cause of anger" (the trigger). According to Walter Bauer's A Greek -English Lexicon of the New Testament translated and adapted by William F. Arndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich (Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press, 1957) parorgismoV that is transliterated parorgismos means: "LXX mostly act. 'Provoking to anger' or 'an action that calls forth anger' in someone."

umwn, is transliterated humon, and translated: your, yourselves.

As we can see from the table below, the Greek verb orgizesqe (orgizesthe), found only this one time in the New Testament, is, without question, the 2nd person plural, and Present Tense of the Greek verb orgizw (orgizo). But, based on the form (spelling, so to speak), it could be either in the Indicative mood, and the Middle or Passive voice, or in the Imperative mood, and the Middle or Passive voice. As a result, the context must decide.

Indicative Mood Present Tense	Active Voice	Middle Voice	Passive Voice
1st Person Singular 2nd Person Singular 3rd Person Singular 1st Person Plural 2nd Person Plural 3rd Person Plural	orgizw orgizeiV orgizei orgizomen orgizete orgizousi	orgizomai orgizh orgizetai orgizomeqa orgizesqe orgizontai	orgizomai orgizh orgizetai orgizomeqa orgizesqe orgizontai
Imperative Mood Present Tense	Active Voice	Middle Voice	Passive Voice
2nd Person Singular 3rd Person Singular 2nd Person Plural 3rd Person Plural	orgize orgizetw orgizete orgizetwsan	orgiou orgizesqw orgizesqe orgizesqwsan	orgizou orgizesqw orgizesqe orgizesqwsan

^{8 Regarding Greek Verbs referred to in "The Action of Amger." The Personal Endings; the Present Tense; the Indicative and
Imperative Mood; and the Active, Passive and Middle Voice of the Greek verbs see the ENDNOTES.}

⁹^{kai mh amartanete, transliterated: kai me> hamartanete. This Greek expression that is translated "so, stop sinning" or "do not continue sinning" is a combination of a conjunction and negative together with the verbal expression amartanete, transliterated hamartanete, 2nd person, plural, present tense, active voice imperative mood.}¹⁰^{Bauer, Walter, A GREEK-ENGLISH LEXICON of the NEW TESTAMENT and Other Early Christian Literature by William F. Arndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich, (Chicago Illinois: The University of Chicago Press, 1957, eighteenth printing, 1975), page 635}¹³^{Archibald Thomas Robertson, A.M., D.D., LL.D., Litt. D., WORD PICTURES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT (Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman Press, 1931), Vol IV, page 541}¹⁴^{4:27 mhte didote topon tw diabolw}

neither be giving a dwelling place the devil

mhte didote topon is transliterated mete didote topon, and translated: "neither be giving a dwelling place" (or space in which to dwell). mhte transliterated mete, is a copulative conjunction of negation. didote transliterated didote and translated: "be giving" (give, bestow, present), is the 2nd person, plural, present tense, imperative mood and active voice of the Greek verb didwmi transliterated didomi (Prohibitive Imperative). topon, transliterated topon, translated: "a dwelling place" is accusative, singular, masculine of the noun topoV, transliterated topos; and, according to Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of The New Testament means: "any portion of space marked off as it were from surrounding space." The Analytical Greek Lexicon says: "dwelling place, abode, mansion, place occupied." The accusative case is the case of the direct object. tw diabolw is transliterated to diabolo, and is translated "the devil." tw transliterated to and translated: "the" is the dative, singular, of the indefinite pronoun tini transliterated tini from tiV transliterated tis. And diabolw transliterated diabolo> and translated: "devil" is the dative, singular, masculine of the noun diaboloV, transliterated diabolos; and according to Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of The New Testament means: "prone to slander, slanderous, accusing falsely. In the Bible and in eccl. writ. o diaboloV is applied to the one called . . . Satan, the prince of demons, the author of evil, persecuting good men, estranging mankind from God." The dative case is the case of the indirect object.

¹⁵^{The Renaissance New Testament by Randolph O. Yeager (Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing Company, Inc. 1998), Volume 14, page 306}^{¹⁶^{Archibald Thomas Robertson, A.M., D.D., LL.D., Litt. D., WORD PICTURES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT (Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman Press, 1931), Vol IV, page 540, 541.}}¹⁷^{A Commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians by Charles Hodge (1797-1878), (New York: Robert Carter and Brothers,, 1856, reprint, Grand Rapids MI: Eerdmands, 1950), p. 130-131.}^{¹⁸^{Ephesians by C. L. Mitton (NCB; ed. M. Black; London: Marshall, Morgan and Scott, 1973), p. 168.}}¹⁹^{The following translations of orgizesqe kai mh amartanete, transliterated: orgizesthe kai me> hamartanete have been suggested:}

1. "You are being angry." Declarative Indicative (present tense, passive or middle voice). "And, but" (and, and yet, but, so, thus, then) is a conjunction connecting the stated act with the Prohibitive Imperative "do not continue sinning," or "stop sinning" (as in 1 Corinthians 15:34 NASB).

2. "Do not be angry and do not continue sinning." Prohibitive imperative and prohibitive imperative where mh transliterated me negates both orgizesqe, transliterated orgizesthe and amartanete, transliterated hamartanete.

     3. "Are you being angry?" Interrogative Indicative (present tense, passive voice). "Then stop it! Do not be sinning." Prohibitive Imperative (present tense).
     4. "If you are being angry." Conditional Imperative (present tense, passive voice). "Then stop the sinning that you are presently doing." Probibitive Imperative (present tense).
     5. "Although you may be getting angry." Concessive Imperative (present tense, passive voice). "Do not keep on making this mistake." Prohibitive Imperative (present tense).

²⁰^{The Septuagint (LXX) (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1972).}

Psalm 4:4. orgizesqe kai mh amartanete a legete en taiV kardiaiV umwn, epi taiV koitaiV umwn katanughte diayalma.

It is important to note that orgizesqe kai mh amartanete transliterated orgizesthe kai me hamartanete is exactly the same expression used by the Apostle Paul in the Greek text of Ephesians 4:26.

The Hebrew word transliterated "ragaz" is the root word for the Old Testament Hebrew verb in Psalm 4:4. It is translated "When you are disturbed" in the rather recent translation: "New Revised Standard Version" (NRSV). (Copyright 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.)

The "New American Standard Bible" (NASB) translates the referenced Old Testament Hebrew verb of Psalm 4:4 as: "Tremble."

According to the Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon, the Hebrew word transliterated "ragaz" (Strong's Number: 07264) is defined as follows: tremble, quake, rage, quiver, be agitated, be excited, be perturbed.

a. (Qal) to quake, be disquieted, be excited, be perturbed. b. (Hiphil) to cause to quake, disquiet, enrage, disturb. c. (Hithpael) to excite oneself.

King James Word Usage. Total: 41; tremble 12, move 7, rage 5, shake 3, disquiet 3, troubled 3, quake 2, afraid 1, miscellaneous 5. (The Hebrew and English lexicons are Brown, Driver, and Briggs; and Gesenius' Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon; this is keyed to the "Theological Word Book of the Old Testament." These files are considered public domain). So, the Hebrew word transliterated ragaz is the root word for the Hebrew verb in the text from which the Septuagint Version of Psalm 4:4 is translated, and it is translated by the Greek word picture orgizesqe, transliterated orgizesthe.

orgizesqe, transliterated orgizesthe, is the same Greek verb that is translated as being angry in the English versions of the Greek text of Ephesians 4:26. This inquiry, of course, concerns the ideas conveyed by the words of the Greek text and its translation into English.

²¹^{Alford's Greek Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Guardian Press, 1976), Volume IV, page 285}^{²²^{The Greek word picture arqhtw, transliterated artheto is the 3rd person, singular, aorist 1, imperative, passive of the verb airw, transliterated airo, which means to take away, remove; destroy, kill.}}²³ ^{do not (the Greek negative particle: mh transliterated me) provoke to anger translates the Greek verb parorgizete, 2nd person plural, present tense, imperative mood of parorgizw, transliterated parorgizo and translates as: make angry.}²⁴^{Greek noun is: orghV transliterated orges, genitive singular of orgh, transliterated orge, the fact, topic or theme of anger.}

It is the Word of God!

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The Bible Tells Us To Get Rid Of All Anger!

FOCUS ON THE SCRIPTURES.ORG

THE ACTION OF ANGER

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER I

CHAPTER II

CHAPTER III

CHAPTER IV

CHAPTER V

CHAPTER VI

CHAPTER VII

CHAPTER VIII

CHAPTER IX

CHAPTER X

CHAPTER XI

CHAPTER XII

ENDNOTES

THE ACTION OF ANGER