Dealing with Insults and Sarcasm in Biblical Perspective
The biblical perspective on dealing with insults and sarcasm emphasizes the importance of responding with restraint and humility. In Psalms, the psalmist prays for protection from those who seek to harm him, asking God to "consume them in wrath" and to "let them be disappointed and confounded" [2, 1]. However, this imprecation is not a call to personal revenge, but rather a desire for God's justice to be manifest.
In fact, the biblical teaching encourages believers to watch their words and to refrain from retaliating with insults or sarcasm. The psalmist resolves to "watch my ways, so that I don’t sin with my tongue" and to "keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me" [3]. This self-control is not just a personal virtue, but a reflection of one's relationship with God.
Torrey's Topical Textbook highlights various biblical passages that address the issue of insults and sarcasm, including the sufferings of Christ, who endured scorn and mocking [4]. The textbook also notes that believers are often the target of insults and slander due to their faith and their zeal for God's house [5, 6].
The Nonconformist/Puritan tradition, as represented by Matthew Henry's commentary on Ecclesiastes, recommends several strategies for dealing with insults and sarcasm, including seriousness, calmness of spirit, and prudence in managing one's affairs [7]. John Gill's Baptist/Reformed commentary on Psalms and Micah emphasizes the importance of bearing indignity and reproach with patience and humility, trusting in God's sovereignty and justice [8, 10].
In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, John Chrysostom's homilies on John and Hebrews encourage believers to respond to insults with meekness and humility, rather than retaliating with anger or pride [9]. Similarly, Calvin's Reformed commentary on Isaiah notes that God's people are called to bear their afflictions with patience, trusting in God's goodness and justice [11].
Sources
- Psalms “Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me. -- Psalms 35:26”
- Psalms “Consume them in wrath. Consume them, and they will be no more. Let them know that God rules in Jacob, to the ends of the earth. Selah. -- Psalms 59:13”
- Psalms “I said, “I will watch my ways, so that I don’t sin with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me.” -- Psalms 39:1”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Scorning and Mocking — The sufferings of Christ by, predicted -- Ps 22:6-8; Isa 53:3; Lu 18:32. Christ endured -- Mt 9:24; 27:29. Saints endure, on account of Being children of God. -- Ge 21:9; Ga 4:29. Their uprightness. -- Job 12:4. Their faith. -- Heb 11:36. Their faithfulness in declaring the word of God. -- Jer 20:7,8. Their zeal for God's house. -- Ne 2:19. The wicked indulge in, against The second coming of Christ. -- 2Pe 3:3,4. The gifts of the Spirit. -- Ac 2:13. God's threatening. -- Isa 5:19; Jer 17:15. God's ministers. -- 2Ch 36:16. God's ordinances. -- L”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Blasphemy — Christ assailed with -- Mt 10:25; Lu 22:64,65; 1Pe 4:14. Charged upon Christ -- Mt 9:2,3; 26:64,65; Joh 10:33,36. Charged upon saints -- Ac 6:11,13. Proceeds from the heart -- Mt 15:19. Forbidden -- Ex 20:7; Col 3:8. The wicked addicted to -- Ps 74:18; Isa 52:5; 2Ti 3:2; Re 18:11,21. Idolatry counted as -- Isa 65:7; Eze 20:27,28. Hypocrisy counted as -- Re 2:9. Saints grieved to hear -- Ps 44:15,16; 74:10,18,22. Gives no occasion for -- 2Sa 12:14; 1Ti 6:1. Against the Holy Spirit, unpardonable -- Mt 12:31,32. Connected with folly and pride -- 2Ki 19:22; P”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Slander — An abomination to God -- Pr 6:16,19. Forbidden -- Ex 23:1; Eph 4:31; Jas 4:11. Includes Whispering. -- Ro 1:29; 2Co 12:20. Backbiting. -- Ro 1:30; 2Co 12:20. Evil surmising. -- 1Ti 6:4. Tale-bearing. -- Le 19:16. Babbling. -- Ec 10:11. Tattling. -- 1Ti 5:13. Evil speaking. -- Ps 41:5; 109:20. Defaming. -- Jer 20:10; 1Co 4:13. Bearing false witness. -- Ex 20:16; De 5:20; Lu 3:14. Judging charitably. -- Jas 4:11,12. Raising false reports. -- Ex 23:1. Repeating matters. -- Pr 17:9. Is a deceitful work -- Ps 52:2. Comes from the evil heart -- Mt 15:19; Lu 6:45.”
- Ecclesiastes (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 7 (introduction): Solomon had given many proofs and instances of the vanity of this world and the things of it; now, in this chapter, I. He recommends to us some good means proper to be used for the redress of these grievances and the arming of ourselves against the mischief we are in danger of from them, that we may make the best of the bad, as 1. Care of our reputation (Ecc 7:1). 2. Seriousness (Ecc 7:2-6). 3. Calmness of spirit (Ecc 7:7-10). 4. Prudence in the management of all our affairs (Ecc 7:11, Ecc 7:12). 5. Submission to the will of God in all events, ac”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 6:1: O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, The Lord sometimes rebukes or reproves men by his spirit, and sometimes by his word and ministers, and sometimes by his providences, and that on account of sin; to bring to a sense and acknowledgment of it; and particularly for remissness in duty, or neglect of it; and for trusting in the creature, or in any outward enjoyment, boasting of it, and loving it too much; and these rebukes of his own people are always in love, and never in wrath, though they sometimes fear they are; see Psa 88:7, Lam 3:1; and therefore deprecate them, as”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on John & Hebrews: you become insolent; and being stung, compel men to think that what hath been said of you is true. Wherefore, tell me, doth a rich man laugh when he is called poor? Is it not because he is conscious that he is not poor? if therefore 1368 1368 al. “so also do ye; if rather.” we will laugh at insults, we shall afford the strongest proof that we are not conscious of the faults alleged. Besides, how long are we to dread the accounts we render to men? how long are we to despise our common Lord, and be nailed to the flesh? “For whereas there is among you ”
- Micah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Micah 7:9: I will bear the indignation of the Lord,.... The Targum prefaces these words with "Jerusalem saith;'' and they are the words of the prophet, in the name of Jerusalem or the church, resolving in the strength of divine grace to bear the present affliction, which had at least some appearance of divine indignation in it; not against the persons of God's people, who are always the objects of his love, and towards whom there is no fury in him; but against their sins, which are displeasing and abominable to him; and this is not in a vindictive way, for such indignation the”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Isaiah, Vol. 2, section 15.17: on my wrath, and did not smite as if I wished to destroy him; and thus I gave abundant evidence that I am not his enemy.” But I prefer another and commonly received interpretation, which leads us to understand that a difference between believers and the reprobate is here declared; for God punishes both indiscriminately, but not in the same manner. When he takes vengeance on the reprobate, he gives loose reins to his anger; because he has no other object in view than to destroy them; for they are “vessels of wrath, appointed to destruction,” ”