IRONY IN THE BIBLE

[choir loft]

knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. - 2 Peter 1:20

While doing a study of 2 Peter I came upon a commentary that said there were at least four different interpretations of the above quoted verse.    Irony or idiocy?  Let the reader decide.  

I am currently engaged in writing a piece that involves an ironic ending.  I'd like to do it with a Biblical flavor.   As there are a number of ironic passages in the Bible as well as human interpretations (like the one above) I'd like to invite readers to make any suggestions - as long as they have Biblical relevance.

For instance, Genesis 1:28 says "God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground."  Yet later in chapter 3 verses 1-6 a scene is described in which the authority of humans over "every living creature that moves upon the ground" is usurped by Adam and Eve and given to that which they had authority upon.   The irony of this situation is that those who had authority over a creature ended up subjecting themselves to its authority instead.

If the reader has other suggestions of Biblical irony either by direct scripture reference as above or the initial example of scholarly obfuscation of a Bible verse as in my first example, I'd love to read it.

I wish to thank the readers in advance for their suggestions.

that's me, hollering from the choir loft...

 

Edited April 27, 2019 by choir loft

[turtletwo]

@choir loft What an interesting idea! My suggestion is King David's son, Absalom. He's the one that popped into my head right away. "In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom, From the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him." (2 Samuel 14:25)

Thing is... this rotten kid had an ego problem coming off his good looks and particularly his hair. "At the end of every year, he used to cut his hair because it became heavy for him. When he cut the hair on his head and weighed it, it weighed five pounds according to the royal standard." (2 Samuel 14:26) 

In his conceit, he let his hair 'go to his head' lol... But it turned out to be no laughing matter in the end. "Now Absalom happened to meet David's men. He was riding his mule, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom's hair got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in midair, while the mule he was riding kept on going." (2 Samuel 18:9)

The story picks up in verse 14- Joab said, “I’m not going to wait like this for you.” So he took three javelins in his hand and plunged them into Absalom’s heart while Absalom was still alive in the oak tree. And ten of Joab’s armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him and killed him. Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and the troops stopped pursuing Israel, for Joab halted them. They took Absalom, threw him into a big pit in the forest and piled up a large heap rocks over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled to their homes. 

18 During his lifetime Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it in the King’s Valley as a monument to himself, for he thought, “I have no son to carry on the memory of my name.” He named the pillar after himself, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day.

So he was proud of his long hair, but it was his undoing when it got him caught in a tree. I see irony in that. Also ironic- it was his own brother, King Solomon who wrote under inspiration of the Holy Spirit "Pride leads to destruction, and arrogance to a fall."

NOTE TO CHOIR LOFT:

Some versions don't specifically say it was his hair, but rather his head. I'm not sure what you personally think. But in light of 2 Samuel 14:26, hair is a possibility. (The versions I know of that say hair rather than head are NIV and NLT. There may be others. Not sure.) Hope this is kind of what you were looking for?

 

 

 

 

 

[choir loft]

On 4/28/2019 at 5:19 AM, Betha said:

why does it have to be Hair  OR  Head ?

seems to me to have been a combination of both. All human thoughts and actions are intricately interwoven.

Human thoughts and actions have multiple sources such as bodily urges, emotional passions, logical assumptions and spiritual motivations.  Human thoughts and actions are indeed intricately interwoven, but references to hair or head are matters of observation by others, not something integral in the personality.

Hair is traditionally representative of strength and virility in a man - femininity and fertility in a woman.

Head is representative of community approval or attractiveness approved of by society.

Betha's question raises interesting possibilities.

King Saul was tall and attractive in his youth, but ended up being rejected by God because of disobedience.   King David was likewise attractive, being described as ruddy and handsome.  David pleased God and was blessed. 

A difference is that in the eyes of the public both were attractive men.   In the eyes of God, their blessing or curse  was based on obedience not appearance.

Might this result in a sort of spiritual irony?

that's me, hollering from the choir loft...

Edited May 8, 2019 by choir loft
spelling correction