What Irony; an igloo made from "igloos" (a brand of ice-cooler)!!! One can only wonder how this was made! My best guess is that they made a frame of wood and then attached the coolers to it somehow.
I picked this picture after seeing several posts on Facebook from Gary Larson's "Far Side". To me, he is the king of irony and his cartoons (and yes, I still look at cartoons) reflect this.
The Bible contains irony too, some lighthearted and some quite serious. Here are some Scriptures, that when put together reveal an irony that is worth remembering.
Read on...
Matthew 27 (World English Bible)
11 Now Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
Jesus said to him, “So you say.”
14 He gave him no answer, not even one word, so that the governor marveled greatly. 15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the multitude one prisoner, whom they desired. 16 They had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. 17 When therefore they were gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus, who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that because of envy they had delivered him up.
19 While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.” 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes to ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. (emphasis added)21 But the governor answered them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?”
They said, “Barabbas!”
They all said to him, “Let him be crucified!”
But they cried out exceedingly, saying, “Let him be crucified!”
24 So when Pilate saw that nothing was being gained, but rather that a disturbance was starting, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this righteous person. You see to it.”
25 All the people answered, “May his blood be on us, and on our children!”
26 Then he released to them Barabbas, but Jesus he flogged and delivered to be crucified. 27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, and gathered the whole garrison together against him. 28 They stripped him, and put a scarlet robe on him. 29 They braided a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they kneeled down before him, and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 When they had mocked him, they took the robe off of him, and put his clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.
32 As they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, and they compelled him to go with them, that he might carry his cross. 33 They came to a place called “Golgotha”, that is to say, “The place of a skull.” 34 They gave him sour wine to drink mixed with gall. When he had tasted it, he would not drink. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided his clothing among them, casting lots, 36 and they sat and watched him there. 37 They set up over his head the accusation against him written, “THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” (emphasis added)
Mark 15 (WEB)
24 Crucifying him, they parted his garments among them, casting lots on them, what each should take. 25 It was the third hour, and they crucified him. 26 The superscription of his accusation was written over him, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.” (emphasis added) 27 With him they crucified two robbers; one on his right hand, and one on his left. 28 The Scripture was fulfilled, which says, “He was numbered with transgressors.”
Luke 23 (WEB)
38 An inscription was also written over him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” (emphasis added)
Hebrews 4 (WEB)
14 Having then a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold tightly to our confession. (emphasis added) 15 For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need. (emphasis added)
Romans 1 (WEB)
14 I am debtor both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So, as much as is in me, I am eager to preach the Good News to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes; for the Jew first, and also for the Greek. (emphasis added)17 For in it is revealed God’s righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.”
The passages from Matthew, Mark and Luke point to the circumstances leading up to and ending with the crucifixion of Jesus. The chief priests and the elders persuaded the people to have Barabbas released instead of Jesus and called for him to be crucified even though he was an innocent man.
Of special note is the information about his crucifixion placed on his cross. Although each of the Gospel accounts words it slightly differently , the message JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS comes through loud and clear. Whether it is referred to as an accusation, and inscription it was meant to be a title of derision. Not only that, but it was meant to be read by everyone (because it was written in Greek, Latin and Hebrew) and cause as much humiliation as possible .
The irony of this was: Jesus really was a king, he really was a priest and he did in fact pave the way for all humans to be saved from sin. Hebrews 4 and Romans 1 above. The chief priests had Jesus killed to retain their power, but unwittingly released the power of salvation for all men, everywhere.
Irony, pure and simple.