Bible Question: Scripture ... 1 Cor 14:51 ... Based on the context, could Paul be sarcastic? |
Bible Answer: My first inclination is to say that no, Paul is not being sarcastic. When written, sarcasm is often misunderstood, even by those readers who are intimately familiar with an author and the situation under consideration. In sarcasm, the meaning is opposite the literal interpretation of the text and is hard to identify without extra-textual information, such as tone of voice, facial expression, gestures, etc. Perhaps it would help to know if there are any cases in which it is generally accepted that a biblical author has used sarcasm. Do you have any other examples? Parable |