Scoffers, Scorners, and Snark

Tim Keller, from a 2009 meditation on "Scoffers, Scorners, and Snark," writes:

Among orthodox Christians there are many people and churches that issue warnings against unbelief and error.

Indeed this often needs to be done, and Proverbs 26:28 says that a "flattering tongue," unwilling to criticize those in power, is destructive to the church. But many believers, even when they flag teaching and practices that should be identified, do it with the attitude of the scoffer in the book of Proverbs.

In response to this charge, some of them point out that some biblical speakers and writers used sarcasm. That is true—you can see it in Elijah's debate with the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18, or especially in Paul's critique of his critics in 2 Corinthians 10-13. Sarcasm and irony can be effective ways to drive a point home, but derision and contempt cannot be the settled, main way that sinners talk to other sinners.

Paul described his communication approach among the Corinthians. He says,

"I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom. . . . I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling." (1 Corinthians 2:1, 3)

These two phrases, "eloquence" and "superior wisdom," referred to practices that often marked public orators in Greco-Roman culture.

Anthony Thiselton, in his commentary on 1 Corinthians, defines them.

First, there was "verbal bullying," using force of personality, witty and cutting disdain, and super-confident demagoguery to beat the listeners into wanting to be on the speaker's side.

Second, there was applause-generating, consumer-oriented rhetoric, playing to a crowd's prejudices, pride, and fears.

Though they were effective in his culture (and ours!) for garnering popular support, Paul refused these rhetorical strategies, both of which were practices of the scoffer or mocker.

According to Proverbs, what happens to the scoffer, the man or woman who always has to be right, who derides rather than engages opposing views? Proverbs says that the first result is loneliness (Prov. 9:12). Scoffers impress the impressionable if they are allowed to hold forth (Prov. 19:25; 21:11) but as time goes on, the scoffer not only destroys relationships but is listened to less and less by the public (Prov. 24:9.)

Often the scorner has valid points, but because of his or her dogmatic and proud attitude, no peace is possible inside a community. This is because scoffers don't know how to affirm and live in harmony with people who don't agree with them on everything. The problem is, as Kidner says, "the mischief he does is not the random mischief of the ordinary fool, but the deeper damage of the 'debunker'" (Proverbs, p. 42) Therefore, mockers may be actually driven out of some communities (Prov. 22:10.)

You can read the whole post here.

A personal temptation of mine is to be (inwardly) contemptuous of those who are (outwardly) contemptuous. And so a recent blog post from Keller was a good reminder not to be become what I disdain:

All leaders, and especially Christian leaders, must be on guard against this inevitable temptation and this terrible sin. It is natural, when under criticism, to shield your heart from pain by belittling the critics in your mind. "You stupid idiots." Even if you don't speak outwardly to people like Moses did, you do so inwardly.  That will lead to self-absorption, self-pity, maybe even delusions of grandeur, but the great sin is that the growth of inner disdain leads to pride and a loss of humble reliance on God's grace. Moses treated God with contempt when he became contemptuous toward his people.

You can read that whole post here.