I am a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God, and He answered. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock. Sermons I. IRONY IS TO BE FOUND IN SCRIPTURE. There is great variety in the style of Scripture. Almost every modification of language is to be found in the Bible, consecrated to some holy purpose. Even the faculty of humour is utilized, as in the incident of Balaam's ass (Numbers 22:28-30), and in St. Paul's recommendation that the woman who will not wear a veil had better complete the exposure of her head by being shorn (1 Corinthians 11:6). The prophets abound in irony. Christ used irony in the parable of the rich fool (Luke 12:16-20). II. THERE IS A PLACE FOR IRONY IN DISCOURSE. Some evils can be best met just by being exposed. Now, irony is a method of showing a thing in an unexpected light, so that, while admitting all its claims, we make it apparent that those very claims are absurd. Slight failings will be best castigated with simple ridicule; more serious ones, if they are not great sins, with grave irony. III. PRETENTIOUSNESS ESPECIALLY PROVOKES IRONY. Each of Job's three friends has now spoken. Though they were not alike in attainments nor in natural dispositions, they agreed in their dogmas and in their judgment of Job. A tone of conscious superiority and irritating censoriousness rings through all their speeches. This not only vexes Job; it prompts an ironical retaliation. It is dangerous to make grand pretensions. Humility is a great security, and when humility is lost, we lay ourselves open to attack on the ground of our assumptions. Pretentiousness does not only thus provoke ironical replies; it best meets its merited castigation by these replies, which humilitate it in a most unanswerable manner. IV. IRONY IS A DANGEROUS WEAPON FOR A CHRISTIAN TO WIELD. It may be a lawful weapon- There are times when it can be used in the cause of righteousness with tremendous effect. But there is great danger lest the employment of it should destroy "the greatest thing in the world" - love. There is always a tendency to push it too far, and to go beyond wholesome rebuke in the direction of cruel scorn. This is distinctly unchristian. Moreover, as Job's friends did not understand him, possibly he did not understand them. If so, his irony may have been too severe for justice. We should be careful that we are in no error before we venture to use irony against our brother. Even then, zeal for righteousness should be tempered by brotherly kindness. V. GOD DISPLAYS IRONY IN PROVIDENCE. The Greek tragedians saw irony in fate. Man's greatness was shown to be a very small thing, and his boasted success a mere bubble. The old classical idea was dark and hard, for it did not take into account the Fatherhood of God. But within God's infinite purpose of love there is room for irony. By the slow unrolling of the course of events, the boasting of the pretentious ends in confusion. God humbles his creatures in their pride and vanity, giving them sudden falls, by means of which they cannot but feel their helplessness and littleness. The monarch is choked by a fly. Such things are not done vindictively, or in scorn; but because we are mined by boasting and saved in our humiliation. Thus the ugly weapon of irony may prepare us for the healing grace of the gospel. - W.F.A.
I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and He answereth. The antecedent to "who" seems to be uncertain. It may be Job; it may be the neighbour about whom Job speaks. They who have had experience of God's tenderness to help them and hear their prayers, should be very tender to others, when they call to them, and seek their help. Learn —1. It is the privilege of the saints, when men fail and reject them, to make God their refuge and their recourse to heaven. 2. The repulses which we meet with in the world, should drive us nearer to God. 3. Prayer and seeking unto God are not in vain or fruitless. 4. As it is sinful, so it is extremely dangerous to mock those who have the ear of God, or acceptance with God in prayer. (Joseph Caryl.) People JobPlaces UzTopics Answereth, Blameless, Calleth, Cause, Derided, Derision, Friend, Friends, Innocent, Joke, Laughed, Laughing, Laughingstock, Laughing-stock, Laughter, Makes, Mere, Mocked, Neighbor, Neighbour, Perfect, Prayer, Righteous, Scorn, Seems, Sport, Though, Upright, WrongOutline 1. Job maintains himself against his friends that reprove him7. He acknowledges the doctrine of God's omnipotence Dictionary of Bible Themes Job 12:4 5880 humour Library Whether, for Salvation, it is Necessary to Believe Anything which is Beyond Natural ReasonWhether, for Salvation, it is Necessary to Believe Anything which is Beyond Natural Reason We proceed to the third article thus: 1. It seems that for salvation it is not necessary to believe anything which is beyond natural reason. For it seems that what naturally belongs to a thing is sufficient for its salvation and perfection. Now the things of faith are beyond natural reason, since they are unseen, as was said in Q. 1, Art. 4. To believe in them is therefore unnecessary for salvation. 2. Again, … Aquinas—Nature and Grace Whether the Eternal Law is Known to All? Whether it is Necessary for Salvation to Believe Anything Above the Natural Reason? Whether Prudence is in us by Nature? Whether There is Knowledge [*Scientia]? Whether Derision Can be a Mortal Sin? Whether Craftiness is a Special Sin? Whether Prophecy Pertains to Knowledge? On the Interior Man Tit. 2:06 Thoughts for Young Men Job Links Job 12:4 NIVJob 12:4 NLT Job 12:4 ESV Job 12:4 NASB Job 12:4 KJV Job 12:4 Bible Apps Job 12:4 Parallel Job 12:4 Biblia Paralela Job 12:4 Chinese Bible Job 12:4 French Bible Job 12:4 German Bible Job 12:4 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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