Irony in James

James sought to impart his passionate concern for the poor to

his readership in a forceful way.  Rhetoric is the art of giving

life to lifeless words, and irony is a powerful rhetorical skill.

Irony usually deals in unlikely comparisons, unlikely

contrasts, and unlikely coincidences.  And James appears to

use irony more frequently than any other book in Scripture.

Consider the following eight examples of irony in James.

James 1:9-10   Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that

he is exalted:  But the rich, in that he is

made low.

It is ironic that one who is lowly should rejoice in his

exaltation, but one who is rich should rejoice in that he is

made low.  These are unlikely contrasts.

James 2:10    For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and

yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

It is ironic that one should keep the entire law, save for one

offense, and be found guilty of violating the entire law.

James 2:13    For he shall have judgment without mercy,

 That hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

In the jungle, the first to attack is most likely to survive.  All

too often, this is true in the jungle of humanity.  And so, it is

ironic that, by biblical standards, one who shows no mercy

will work to his own destruction, but one who shows mercy

shall triumph over judgment.

James 3:3-4     Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths,

that they may obey us; and we turn about

their whole body.  Behold also the ships,

which though they be so great, and are

driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned

about with a very small helm, whithersoever

the governor listeth.

It is ironic that tiny devices, such as a horses bridal, or a

rudder, can control such massive and powerful objects, even

when driven by fierce winds.

James 3:5-6     Even so the tongue is a little member, and

boasteth great things. Behold, how great a

matter a little fire kindleth!

And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity:

so is the tongue among our members, that it

defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

It is ironic that the tongue is such a tiny member, and yet

boasts great things, accomplishes great destruction, and

defiles the entire body.

James 3:7-8     For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of

serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed,

and hath been tamed of mankind:  But the

tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil,

full of deadly poison.

It is ironic that man can control the great and powerful

things, such as horses, or ships driven by fierce winds, but

cannot control something as tiny as a tongue.

James 3:9         Therewith bless we God, even the Father;

and therewith curse we men, which are

made after the similitude of God.

It is ironic that the instrument by which we bless God is the

same instrument with which we curse men, when men are

made in the very similitude of God.

James 3:10-12   Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing

and cursing.  My brethren, these things

ought not so to be.  Doth a fountain send

forth at the same place sweet water and

bitter?  Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear

olive berries? either a vine, figs?  So can no

 fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

It is ironic that fountains cannot bring forth two kinds of

water, and plants cannot bring forth two kinds of fruit, and

yet, the tongue can bring forth speech of opposing natures.

James 4:4      Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not

 that the friendship of the world is enmity with

God?

Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the

world is the enemy of God.

It is ironic that we are physical beings living in a physical

world created by God, and yet, if we are a friend of this

 world, we become the enemy of God.

James 4:9-10   Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your

laughter  be turned to mourning, and your joy

to heaviness.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord,

and he shall lift you up.

It is ironic that laughter and joy should be turned into

mourning and heaviness, but that those who humble

themselves will be lifted up.

And so,

when addressing the subject of poverty in James 2:14-26,

James cloaks his discussion in rather ironic terms.

And it is indeed the ultimate irony that one is eternally saved

by faith alone, apart from any works of charity or obedience

to God's laws, and yet, in virtually every other aspect of life,

one saves their own life, or the lives of others, by their works.

And it is a further irony that one is justified before God by

honoring His Son, believing on Him alone as the Savior of

the world, and yet, before his fellow man, one is justified by

works alone, and apart from faith.  Who among us could not

be held captive by such rich irony?  Least of all, could we

expect James, the master of irony, to fail to draw upon this

ironic contrast?   Indeed, it would have been odd (dare we

say . . . even a bit ironic?) if James, the master of irony,

had failed to do so.

Irony is a sophisticated literary device that requires not only a

Highly intelligent writer, but a readership that is both

intelligent and literate.  And, as we have noted, James uses

irony as a literary device more frequently than any other

book in the Bible!

Because of this, those unskilled in such biblical literature

should not imagine themselves to be teachers of passages.

Perhaps this is one reason why James 2:14-26 is the most

abused text in Scripture, used by simple minded teachers to

defend a preconceived commitment to salvation-by-works.

Perhaps this is also why James exhorts that not every one is

fit to be a teacher of God's Word, and if the unfit suppose

themselves fit, and pervert God's Word, they will answer for

it (James 3:1). 

Chapter 11 - Irony in the Epistle of James