August 2, 2009 Pastor David King Part 11 Biblical Sarcasm and Rebuke 1 Cor. 4:6-21 First Corinthians Sinners Yet Saints 8 You are already full! You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us and indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you! 9 For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! 11 To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. 12 And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; 13 being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now. 1 Corinthians 4:8-13 What Is Paul Saying Here: v. 6 Paul uses himself and Apollos as the human examples and chooses not to list the offenders by name, but rather describes their activities through the use of hard, sarcastic words. v. 7 He calls them to remember that they are all on equal standing before God who makes you differ from one another and then reminds them that any gift, talent, etc. is a gift from God not a product of one s one ability. Sarcastic Comparision #1 Kings vs. Captives v. 8 Paul now sarcastically calls them full, rich and kings and then says how he wishes this were true and then Paul and Apollos might be able to reign with them. v. 9-13 Paul now describes himself and Apollos as men displayed us last as men condemned to death as captives of battle who are being brought behind the conquering general, paraded through the street for their eventually execution or what may be at play here is the practice of bringing the Christians before the King in the coliseum for their deaths as a spectacle of pleasure for the King and those watching. Either way, the world was looking in at Paul and Apollos and other sent ones as men who are condemned to death and scorn. Comparision #2 Fools and Wise v. 10 Paul and Apollos are fools, yet they are wise in Christ! Comparison #3 Weak and Strong v. 10 Paul and Apollos are weak yet they are strong
Comparison #4 Dishonered and Distinguished v. 10 Paul and Apollos are dishonored and they are distinguished v. 11-13 Paul then goes on to describe the elevation of servanthood --Paul hungers and thirsts, is clothed poorly, is beaten, is homeless, works 2 jobs in order to preach the gospel. --Paul though reviled...he blesses --Paul being persecuted He endures --Paul being defamed He entreats (not attacks) --Paul has been made the filth and offscouring Both of these terms describe a deep filth that is literally scraped off of a thing. The Christian life is not glamorous to those that are truly walking in the footsteps of servanthood like Christ! Up to this point Paul has been exceedingly gentle with an exceedingly sinful church, but at this point he deems it wise to notch up the indictment against these brothers through the use of biting sarcasm aimed at their prideful and self-righteous puffed up hearts. I want to explain this passage today by describing a Godly, Biblical use of Sarcasm as illustrated vividly in this passage. Before we go into these descriptions of a Godly, biblical sarcasm let me urge you that sarcasm is not the norm for Christian confrontation. In fact, in Paul s writing we see sarcasm just a few times and in each time it is directed at exceedingly sinful, repetitive activities among believers or false teachers. Also, in the Bible, sarcasm seems to be used more to accomplish ungodly means rather than Godly means. Instances of Ungodly sarcasm Genesis 4:9 Caan says, Am I my brother s keeper to God Himself Exodus 14:11 the Israelites say to Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Numbers 16:13, " 13 Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you should keep acting like a prince over us?" 1 Samuel 17:28, " 28 Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab s anger was aroused against David, and he said, Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle. " Nehemiah 4:2-3, " 2 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones
from the heaps of rubbish stones that are burned? 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall. " Job 11:12, " 12 For an empty-headed man will be wise, When a wild donkey s colt is born a man." Since God is so wise, Zophar reasoned, certainly He knows the difference between deceitful and honest people, though Job did not seem to think so (cf. 9:22). Zophar called Job a nitwit (a witless man, lit., a man who is hollowed out, i.e., empty in the head). The chances of Job s becoming wise were no greater than the possibility of a wild donkey, considered the most stupid animal, giving birth to a man! This was another insensitive barb. 1 Job 12:2, " 2 No doubt you are the people, And wisdom will die with you!" 2 Kings 18:23-27, 27 But the Rabshakeh said to them, Has my master sent me to your master and to you to speak these words, and not to the men who sit on the wall, who will eat and drink their own waste with you? " Rabshakeh was sent as a messenger by the Assyrians to King Hezekiah. King Hezekiah s officials asked him to speak Aramaic, not Hebrew (the language of the common man) so that those hearing on the wall would not understand the threats being delivered by the Assyrian army. Rabshakeh, rather than complying with the request responds sarcastically and says, this message is not for you leaders, but it is for these common men who will be eating and drinking their own excrement when they are under siege. 1 Samuel 21:15-16, " 15 Have I need of madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house? " This was spoken by the Philistine King when the exiled David came before him and pretended to be insane so as not to be executed! Matthew 27:29, " 29 When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! " With this warning in place, I urge each of us to examine this text so that we understand how Paul used sarcasm to help people see their sin and drive them to repent. Description of Godly Sarcasm #1-- 1) SARCASM TO ILLUSTRATE THE SINFULNESS OF ONE S ATTITUDES AND LIFESTYLE (8-10) 1 Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-c1985). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (1:733). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
Paul s words to the Corinthians is deep and thick in sarcasm and irony towards these sinful, fleshy, carnal believers in Corinth who were actually standing in a place of judgment and superiority over the Godly leaders that had been given to them. They were indeed so puffed that they saw themselves as being rich, full and reigning in comparison to their humbled and dishonored leaders, Paul and Apollos. What a Joke! These believers were exceedingly self-deceived! To illustrate the use of hard and I believe a bit sarcastic words used to illustrate a person or in this case person s sinfulness I want to turn our attention to Jesus, the Psalmist, God the Father and Isaiah. Biblical Sarcasm Part #1 Matthew 23:2-33, " 2 saying: The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses seat. 3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. 4 For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5 But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. 6 They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, Rabbi, Rabbi. 8 But you, do not be called Rabbi ; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. 11 But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. 13 But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. 16 Woe to you, blind guides, who say, Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it. 17 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? 18 And, Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it. 19 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? 20 Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it. 21 He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it. 23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice
and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! 25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men s bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30 and say, If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 31 Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers guilt. 33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?" Jesus s words were hard full of irony and sarcasm so that the hearers of His message would see their utter depravity and fall on their faces and repent! The Psalmist writes in ironic, not necessarily sarcastic words the following Psalm Psalm 115:4-8, " 4 Their idols are silver and gold, The work of men s hands. 5 They have mouths, but they do not speak; Eyes they have, but they do not see; 6 They have ears, but they do not hear; Noses they have, but they do not smell; 7 They have hands, but they do not handle; Feet they have, but they do not walk; Nor do they mutter through their throat. 8 Those who make them are like them; So is everyone who trusts in them." God the Father in response to Job s questioning and complaining Job 38:4, " 4 Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding." Isaiah 44:14-20, " 14 He cuts down cedars for himself, And takes the cypress and the oak; He secures it for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a pine, and the rain nourishes it. 15 Then it shall be for a man to burn, For he will take some of it and warm himself; Yes, he kindles it and bakes bread; Indeed he makes a god and worships it; He makes it a carved image, and falls down to it. 16 He burns half of it in the fire; With this half he eats meat; He roasts a roast, and is satisfied. He even warms himself and says, Ah! I am warm, I have seen the fire. 17 And the rest of it he makes into a god, His carved image. He falls down before it and worships it, Prays to it and says, Deliver me, for you are my god! 18 They do not know nor understand; For He has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, And their hearts, so that they cannot understand. 19 And no one considers in his heart, Nor is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned half of it in the fire, Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals; I have roasted meat and eaten it; And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I
fall down before a block of wood? 20 He feeds on ashes; A deceived heart has turned him aside; And he cannot deliver his soul, Nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand? " Sarcasm can be used to illustrate the sinfulness of One s Attitudes and Lifestyles. DESCRIPTION OF BIBLICAL SARCASM #2 2) SARCASM TO ARREST THE ATTENTION OF THE HEARERS (8-14) Paul used sarcasm here to arrest the attention of the Corinthian believers. It is possible that some of the readers to this point may have been so cold hearted, that they did not see themselves in Paul s rebuke, but this sarcastic all-inclusive rebuke would have definitely raised they temperature of each one of the Corinthian believers. It would have caused each of them to bristle a bit and maybe even get a little defensive and mad. It was intended to get them to stop dead in their sinful tracks and examine the claims of Paul s rebuke. Other Biblical Examples of Sarcasm Judges 10:14, " 14 Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in your time of distress. " Joshua 17:15, " 15 So Joshua answered them, If you are a great people, then go up to the forest country and clear a place for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and the giants, since the mountains of Ephraim are too confined for you. " Proverbs 26:16, " 16 The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes Than seven men who can answer sensibly." Galatians 5:7-13, " 7 You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is. 11 And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. 12 I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off! 13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." Paul used his sarcastic rebuke
1) Illustrate their sinful attitudes and lifestyles, 2) Arrest the Attention of the Hearers The final point this morning is 3) SARCASM TO SET THE HEART AND MIND FOR THE GRAVITY OF THE REBUKE BEING GIVEN (11-21) Once Paul had laid the framework of his rebuke through the use of sarcasm he lays out the reality of how Paul and others that have been sent to minister to the Corinthians are being mistreated, abused, maligned and the like and the Corinthians rather than sharing in the shame that the cross brings, they are adding to the shame of the cross by their attitudes and actions towards the ministers of the cross. Paul ends his address to the Corinthians in this chapter not with further sarcasm and harsher address (like he might have with unbelievers or false teachers) but he urges them to consider him as their spiritual Father who birthed them through the gospel and who wants the best for their life. He urges them to imitate him and to give up their pride and practice humility so that when he comes back in person he will be able to praise them and not further rebuke and chasten them. He reminds them that he didn t come to shame them, but to warn them. 14 I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. 15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. 18 Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. 20 For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. 21 What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness? 1 Corinthians 4:14-21