Is Sarcasm in the Bible?

[Neighbor]

12 hours ago, AlexDofTX said:

In general, I don't like sarcasm, although I know I have been sarcastic.  My wife thinks it is one of the spiritual gifts

The only sarcastic comment I can think of was from Elisha.  When the priests of Baal could not produce their god, Elisha cracks the joke that maybe their god is still on the toilet, or something to that effect.  Did Jesus ever say anything sarcastic?  I think when he said, "Behold an Israelite in whom there is no guile," I think he was being sincere.  What do you think?

 

I think sarcasm is wit's poor cousin.  That said  is there sarcasm in the Bible? I think so. Some proverbs point out the deficiency of much sarcasm, yet seem to be witty or sarcastic in tone too. I guess it is more witty if it seems to pertain to others and not self, for then if it pertains to oneself it becomes sarcasm to an unrepentant heart and an uncontrolled tongue.

Is there sarcasm or wit  within Galatians 5:6-12? Depending upon the English transliteration within the NIV ESV JKV there is either wit or blunt sarcasm.

Same with  Paul's greeting to the men of Athens at the Aperpagus; See Acts 17:22. Is that clever wit, a compliment, or sarcasm? Perhaps all three! A triple whammy-

Was Jesus sarcastic in his responses to the Pharisees? Perhaps, perhaps clever, perhaps with parables so that they gain no knowledge. One example is His response at Luke 13 when He tells the pharisees to go tell that fox ( Herod).... Calling Herod a fox may not be complimentary to start with, but if Jesus used the feminine for fox as it is said He did by others studying the original language, He has hurled a great insult by way of sarcasm, it seems to me.

But; it is not especially productive for a follower of Jesus to hurt another follower with sarcasm, nor is it especially  productive to share of the gospel with  a nonbeliever while using sarcasm as a tool  for stating the nonbeliever's unsaved condition.

 

 In general you ( I, We ) can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

Edited August 23, 2017 by Neighbor

[Neighbor]

Regardless of whether one sees sarcasm in the Bible or not, what is the reward to the follower of Jesus in the expression of sarcasm? How may sarcasm by a saint bring glory to God today?

At what price is the victory over another through grand sarcasm? Is any profit to be found in it, anything that spreads the gospel and invites the unsaved to hear the specific call to them from the Holy Spirit of God?

 I suggest there is no merit in it, and that it turns away the unsaved, even as it pierces the saved with it's disdain. The fruit of the tree of sarcasm is pride; pride expressed by raising self over another by lowering of the other, and therefore no one is lifted up, nor is God glorified in it.

Edited August 23, 2017 by Neighbor

[AlexDofTX]

16 hours ago, MorningGlory said:

I don't believe Jesus was ever sarcastic because that is a form of hostility.  But those other things that are quoted here just might be.

This is why I have asked the question.  I lean in your direction, and with the other quotes, the Bible is simply being honest in what people say. 

[AlexDofTX]

16 hours ago, missmuffet said:

We are probably all guilty of sarcasm at one time or another. It definitely is not one of the spiritual gifts in the Bible and as a Christian it is not looked on highly.

Question: "What does the Bible say about satire and/or sarcasm?"

Therefore, we can say that irony is fine; irony is a figure of speech that can bring attention and clarity to a situation. Sometimes, irony can be painful because the truth it reveals is convicting. Satire, which uses irony to gently deride and prompt needful change, can be appropriate on occasion; we have examples of satire in Scripture.

Sarcasm, on the other hand, is not appropriate. Sarcasm has at its core the intent to insult or to be hurtful with no corresponding love or wish for well-being. Instead, the goal of sarcasm is to belittle the victim and elevate the speaker. Jesus warned against such harsh, unloving words in Matthew 5:22. Our words should be helpful and edifying, even if they are uncomfortable to the hearer.

We should speak the truth with loving intent (Ephesians 4:15), avoiding “foolish talk or coarse joking” (Ephesians 5:4). We should speak in such a way that the hearer will understand our motivation. And we should never be malicious or cruel. Carefully worded irony may be fitting, but malicious sarcasm is not.

https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-sarcasm.html

Very well said.  This is how I feel, too.  Although, I am human and I say sarcastic things, too.

[AlexDofTX]

I posted this yesterday and read it when I first posted it to my wife.  [I made a statement out of confusion and deleted my statement. I posed this question on two forums. My bad.] My wife's favorite example of sarcasm in the Bible is when Jesus tells his disciples they have to go to Jerusalem, and they discourage him because they know the Pharisees planned to kill him.  Thomas responds"

Joh_11:16  Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

The Bible does have many examples of sarcasm, and as was pointed out by Yowm and Neighbor the God of the Old Testament is the same God of the New Testament.  

I think friendnuff thaylorde is right: the pattern of sarcasm in the Bible is directed at the unrepentant wicked, whereas MissMuffett is right that it is a form a veiled hostility an should not be used against the brethren or the lost that are not trying to be wicked.   And as Neighbor pointed out it is a low form of humor not the same as true wit.  

Years ago when I first came to Christ, my grandfather said that using four letter words simply shows a lack of intelligence. There are more witty ways to insult someone.   I think Jesus calling Herod a fox was an intended insult, an insult that was true. 

The Bible is a book for adults, not children.  God lays it all bare in truth.  It takes adult understanding to know what God is saying.  Recognizing sarcasm in the Bible is one of those things.

Edited August 23, 2017 by AlexDofTX

[The_Patriot21]

I can think of at least 2 instances...

At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath.” But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he became hungry …” – Matthew 12:1–3

The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him.Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” – John 10:31–32

 

[Reinitin]

On 8/22/2017 at 2:36 PM, AlexDofTX said:

In general, I don't like sarcasm, although I know I have been sarcastic.  My wife thinks it is one of the spiritual gifts

The only sarcastic comment I can think of was from Elisha.  When the priests of Baal could not produce their god, Elisha cracks the joke that maybe their god is still on the toilet, or something to that effect.  Did Jesus ever say anything sarcastic?  I think when he said, "Behold an Israelite in whom there is no guile," I think he was being sincere.  What do you think?

Of course he did. He asked "Pharasee's"(proud of their knowledge of scripture) if they had even read the scriptures before he explained them. One of many examples of him doing this was when His diciples ate the wheat. He said "have you not read how David?"

He also used sarcasm in a mocking form when he said,  "It is not possible for a prophet to die out side Jerusalem." 

Those are just sarcastic quotes off the Top of my head but there were quite a few instances where he chose sarcasam  (irony ), (mocking), (ridicule) to let them know He is the Lord and they were not.

 

Edited August 24, 2017 by Reinitin

[Reinitin]

20 hours ago, Yowm said:

 

And in what God/Jesus is actually saying.

We have to study and pray to know God. We can't just make him into something we want him to be. Eziekel spoke the Words God gave him and the prophets Words of correction in a blunt and straight foward manner exposed the uglyness in peoples true action and intention. Today we call that blunt, straight forward honest exposure of hearts and actions sarcasm. When it comes from God it is called truth.

Jesus addressed People that consider themselves such experts in their knowledge of scriptures they had usurped the authority to judge by scripture, if people should be shunned by Israel, or arrested or killed by the Roman Courts according to Jewish Scripture and law..

Asking them if they read the scripture is to us pure sarcasm. Like a kid asking a college professor explaing something, "Did you even go to school? " It is pure sarcasm and rude and disrespectful to us. But pure light exposure of their ignorance of scripture from Christ is not sarcasm it's blunt, bold, truth.

When people think Jesus would never hurt anyones feelings with the truth they have created a God of their own image. Jesus will judge this World by truth and condemn souls to everlasting hell. I promise he is not going to risk a soul to hell because he will not hurt peoples feelings and stab the painfull sword of truth at people with puffed up pridfull hearts on the broad path to hell. 

[frienduff thaylorde]

3 hours ago, Reinitin said:

We have to study and pray to know God. We can't just make him into something we want him to be. Eziekel spoke the Words God gave him and the prophets Words of correction in a blunt and straight foward manner exposed the uglyness in peoples true action and intention. Today we call that blunt, straight forward honest exposure of hearts and actions sarcasm. When it comes from God it is called truth.

Jesus addressed People that consider themselves such experts in their knowledge of scriptures they had usurped the authority to judge by scripture, if people should be shunned by Israel, or arrested or killed by the Roman Courts according to Jewish Scripture and law..

Asking them if they read the scripture is to us pure sarcasm. Like a kid asking a college professor explaing something, "Did you even go to school? " It is pure sarcasm and rude and disrespectful to us. But pure light exposure of their ignorance of scripture from Christ is not sarcasm it's blunt, bold, truth.

When people think Jesus would never hurt anyones feelings with the truth they have created a God of their own image. Jesus will judge this World by truth and condemn souls to everlasting hell. I promise he is not going to risk a soul to hell because he will not hurt peoples feelings and stab the painfull sword of truth at people with puffed up pridfull hearts on the broad path to hell. 

And its more true brethren like our sister reinitin that is needed today.   As I said a few times before................I love ya.  

IF they think JESUS was worried about offending...........I guess they forgot the part where he took a whip in the temple and cleaned house.

[Reinitin]

2 hours ago, frienduff thaylorde said:

And its more true brethren like our sister reinitin that is needed today.   As I said a few times before................I love ya.  

IF they think JESUS was worried about offending...........I guess they forgot the part where he took a whip in the temple and cleaned house.

love you too and not because you agree with me. But because I know I can count on my true brothern in Christ to tag me if I step off the rock of our salvation.  Because we do love one another.