Shane, a listener to the podcast, writes us to ask this. "Pastor John, with the growing popularity of Christian satire, for example, websites like the Babylon Bee, what are your thoughts on the use of satire to communicate Christian thought?" The dictionary defines satire like this. The use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like in exposing, denouncing, or deriding, vice, folly, et cetera.

And then if you look for a definition of irony, which is used to define satire, the definition it gives is this. The use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning. So satire then is a way of exposing folly, foolishness, or error, or evil by saying the opposite of what the author really thinks in such a way that while claiming to support something, it makes it look ludicrous and therefore undermines the attitude or the activity.

Now, in deciding on whether it is wise to use satire or irony, we should ask, does the Bible use it in a way that commends it? And if so, when might it be appropriate and when not? And are there other biblical exhortations that would put the brakes on it or guide it, minimize it, maximize it?

So the answer to that first question is Job, the prophets, Jesus, Paul, they all used satire. They all used irony to expose the folly of the people they were dealing with. For example, Job 12.2, "Truly then, you are the people and with you wisdom will die." That's exactly the opposite of what he thought.

Or Isaiah 44.14, this one is really, really good. The idolater cuts down cedars and he chooses a cypress tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it. Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself.

He kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it. He makes an idol and falls down before it. Half of it he burns in the fire. Over the half he eats meat. He roasts it and is satisfied. So he warms himself and says, "Aha, I am warm.

I have seen the fire." And the rest of it he turns into a god. His idol and falls down in front of it and worships it. He prays to it and says, "Deliver me. You are my god." That's really powerful. And then Elijah, "And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, 'Oh, cry aloud to your god.'" Either he's musing or he's going to the bathroom or he's on a journey or perhaps he's asleep and must be awakened.

That's just pure irony and satire and sarcasm in his case. And Jesus says to the scribes and Pharisees when they saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, he said, they said, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" And Jesus heard it and said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick." "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners," which was a very pointed indictment of those who were talking to him thinking they were well when they were in fact sick.

And then Paul in 1 Corinthians 4, 8, he says, "Already you have all you want. Already you have become rich. Without us, you have become kings. And would that you did reign so that we might reign with you." Just saying the exact opposite of what he thinks because that's what irony does.

It's not lying because the assumption is everybody knows exactly what I'm doing and they're being indicted by it. Now, in all of those cases, as I look at them, the people who are being exposed by the irony are those who are acting wrongfully in a fairly entrenched way. In other words, these are not poor, weak people who have simply stumbled and made a rare mistake, but are hardened people who go on and on in their error, do not respond to exhortation, which means, I think, that satire and irony are not going to be a Christian's first or main strategy of correction with people.

Not people we're trying to win anyway. We know that Jesus said not to cast our pearls before swine, but we should be very careful before we put someone in the category of swine. We'll be very slow. Similarly, we should be careful before we pull out our sword of satire when dealing with someone's error.

One of the difficulties with satire, and I just say this about myself in particular, one of the difficulties with satire is that it is so difficult to use without sounding arrogant. James Denny said, "It's very hard to show that Christ is magnificent and that I'm clever at the same time." It's been a very powerful word for me over the years.

Some of us are so prone to be clever and biting in our criticism that satire fits our natural sinfulness way too easily. I would put myself in that category. For myself, I find I need to read other sets of scriptures, other passages more often, like these. 2 Timothy 2.24, "The Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome, but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness." Or James 3.17, "The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere, and a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." Or 1 Peter 3.8, "Finally, all of you have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, a humble mind." So that's what John Piper needs to hear over and over again, because I am wired to be sarcastic.

I daydream about how to say things with pointed, ruthless effect. So I need those verses all the time. So my conclusion is that in the rough and tumble of truth speaking in a world of evil and folly, there will always be a place for irony and satire to do its work of exposing error and evil and folly.

Nevertheless, I think the use of it is very limited in bearing the kind of fruit that love longs to see in transformed lives. God grants repentance, it seems to me, and I base this on 2 Timothy 2.25, God grants repentance more often in connection with brokenhearted appeals rather than clever indictments.

Thank you, Pastor John. That's a good word for all of us, and thank you for the question, Shane. If you have a question that you just can't quite figure out or some issue that's confusing you, email us at askpastorjohn@desiringgod.org. Of course, you can find our audio feeds, our episode archive, and everything you need to know about this podcast at our online home, desiringgod.org/askpastorjohn.

Well does the Bible call for musical worship or not? And does it call for musical worship leaders on Sundays? These are questions from a worship leader and it's coming up on Friday. I'm your host, Tony Ranke. Thanks for listening to the Ask Pastor John podcast with longtime author and pastor, John Piper.

We'll see you next time. Bye.