Psalm 2:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The wrath and indignation of the Lord God should not be understood as an emotional response, but rather as a force through which He carries out ultimate judgment, as all creation submits to and serves Him. We ought to reflect on the words found in the book of the Wisdom of Solomon: But having power, Thou judgest with leniency, and governest us with great mercy (Prem 12:18). Thus, the anger of God manifests in the soul that recognizes His law when it witnesses a transgressor disregarding that law. This emotion often brings about retribution within the hearts of the righteous. Furthermore, the anger of God can be perceived as a clouded mind that envelops those who violate His commandments.

What does the term ‘then’ signify? Does it not refer to the moment when they proclaimed, ‘Let us break their bonds’? And what was communicated to them in divine displeasure? Was it not this: ‘Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees’ (Matt. 23:13); and, “The kingdom of God shall be taken away from you” (Matt. 21:43); and again, “Woe unto you, law experts” (Luke 11:52); as the Roman army had conquered them? Rage and anger differ in that rage is an intense and ongoing anger, while anger expresses a desire to reciprocate pain with pain. Thus, rage signifies an incompleteness of anger, whereas wrath embodies its fullness. Such an understanding of these words is illustrated by the ultimate outcomes.

The initial verses convey the inquiry of a prophet or angel, questioning why human pride rises in opposition to the children of God. Beginning with the fifth verse, the Lord Himself responds, encouraging the Gentile nations and the faithful among the Jews to release themselves from the constraints of the law, shedding its oppressive weight that their ancestors could not endure. He invites them to follow Him, assuring that His yoke is gentle and His burden is easy.

The very realization of these prophetic words is evident in their actual occurrence, as the Roman forces assaulted the Jewish people, laying waste to the city, incinerating the temple, slaughtering many, and enslaving the survivors who eluded death or capture. It is important to note that the Prophet sequentially mentions two distinct Persons, beginning with the Lord and His Messiah, as indicated by the phrase, “upon the Lord, and upon His Christ.” Then, he refers to the One who resides in heaven, as well as the Lord, stating, “He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh at them,” and “the Lord shall scorn them.” Indeed, the Prophet continues this same pattern of representation throughout.

Then He will address them with His anger. Indeed, the Lord had previously spoken to them when Christ openly revealed the unrighteousness of the Jews and warned them of the impending disasters that awaited them, reiterating with each mention of these wrongdoings and their consequences the cry: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites,” and ultimately declaring: “For this cause the kingdom of God will be taken away from you” (Mt. 21:43, Mt. 23:13). In His outrage at their profound wickedness, He exposed the disastrous outcomes that would inevitably be theirs, leading them into confusion and trepidation amidst various interpretations, as many considered Him a prophet.

Moreover, David prophesies in the Psalms concerning the future, stating, ‘Then shall Christ speak unto them with his wrath, and with his fury shall I be crushed.’

God, in His love, judges with serenity, and even if He allows confusion, His love remains. He does not elevate Himself in anger towards the wicked, but rather withholds His grace from them. Therefore, the wrath of God serves as the consequence for sinners, yet His divine goodness remains unchanged, eternal, and steadfast. In contrast, human nature experiences fluctuations: after a period of joy, one may face sorrow, after peace, anger, and after favor, displeasure. The expressions of wrath and fury are apt for the moment when He returns to judge the world, rewarding persistent sinners according to their deeds.

Then what will occur? It will be at the moment when rulers and leaders come to realize that their efforts to dismantle the Kingdom of the Messiah are genuine and their means are formidable. This will happen when God's tolerance has reached its limit, and the hardness of human hearts has hit its peak. In their indulgence, they may succumb to a misguided sense of freedom and abandon, casting off any restraints and loosening their bonds.

In this passage, the manner in which God caused those who persecuted Christ to be mocked is revealed. How did this unfold? Rather than addressing them verbally, He communicated through afflictions, specifically through the harshest forms of suffering. This is illustrated by the cases of Herod, who was struck down by an angel of the Lord, and Maximin, who was consumed by worms, among others.

At the Final Judgment, the unfaithful Jews and others deemed unrighteous will be overwhelmed upon hearing the stern decree of the just Judge, Christ, the true God: ‘Depart from Me, cursed, into everlasting fire’ (Matt. 25:41).