In Mark 11:27-33 when approached and asked by chief priests, scribes, and elders by what authority He did the things He did, Jesus answered with a question:  "I will ask you one question, and you answer Me, and then I will tell you by what authority I do these things.  Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men?  Answer Me."  Of course the scholars were unwilling to answer, since they had rejected John, but feared popular opinion.  In one deft stroke, Jesus masterfully demonstrated how to break through a hostile defense and reach the heart of a lost soul, causing him to not only acknowledge his inconsistencies, but to even expose them himself. These men were probably humiliated by the end of this episode, which causes us to question why Jesus would have held them up to public ridicule.  Was that really what was best for them?  Did Jesus ridicule them in love?  Is that even possible?

The answer, as always, is found in the Bible.  We can look back and see Elijah on Mt. Carmel mocking the prophets of Baal, even euphemistically suggesting that their god might be in the bathroom (1 Kings 18:27).  We can see John the Baptist (Matthew 3:7) and Jesus Himself (Matthew 12:34, 23:33) calling the Pharisees a "brood of vipers."  On the other hand, we see very gentle treatment of the adulterers from John 4 and 8.  Through all of these examples and Biblical teaching in general, we can see the emergence of three points of principle.

The first principle (no particular order) is that the righteous do not mince words with those who know the truth, reject it, and now live in denial, teaching lies.  Jesus speaks of this principle in Matthew 7:6, when He cautions us not to "give what is holy to dogs" or to throw our "pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear [us] to pieces."  Instead, 1 Corinthians 5:1-5 teaches us to let them go and do what they insist on doing.  Verse 5 teaches us that we do not let them go as though we are giving up on them, but instead we let them suffer the consequences of their actions in the hope that they will repent and be saved before it's too late.

The second principle is that the righteous ridicule false teachers in order to save lives.  The prophets of Baal and the Pharisees were working to deceive others and keep them from a saving knowledge of the truth (Matthew 23:13-15).  The righteous ridicule and speak harshly of their false teaching, not to hurt them but to stop the proliferation of their poison.  This is the same principle at work when an active murderer must be killed to stop him from killing more innocent victims.  (I am in no way suggesting that we kill false teachers.)

The third principle is that the righteous do not seek to ridicule people, but ideas.  In 2 Corinthians 10:2-6 and Ephesians 6:12, we are taught that our enemy is not our fellow man, but the deceptive ideas by which he is being taken captive.  These we bring into the light showing them for what they are.

Everything that we do should be done in love (1 Corinthians 13).  And we must always be ready and willing to hold out hope for the repentant soul who just wants to come home.