The irony of death
According to the author, Lazarus' sickness was a test of his faith because he was sure that he would emerge victoriously. Ironically, the same disease that was meant to test his faith led to his death. The author writes, "This sickness is not unto death, and yet Lazarus died; for when the disciples misunderstood the words which Christ adjoined later, "Lazarus our friend is asleep, but I go to wake him out of his sleep, He said plainly that Lazarus is dead.”
The irony of the title
The title of the book ‘The Sickness Unto Death' is ironically used by the author to mimic Jesus's authority. Jesus is the only person who died and was resurrected, and yet he is going to the grave to resurrect Lazarus. The author writes, “But even if Christ had not said these words -- merely the fact that He, who is "the resurrection and the life, comes to the grave, is not this a sufficient sign that this sickness is not unto death, does not the fact that Christ exists means that this sickness is not unto death?”
The Irony of Christians
The ideal perspective of a current Christian is that there is life after death. Ironically, there is no single Christian who wants death to knock at his or her door. The author writes, “But Christianly understood death is by no means the last thing of all; hence it is only a little event within that which is all, and eternal life; and Christianly understood there is in death infinitely much more hope than merely humanly speaking there is when there not only is life but this life exhibits the fullest health and vigor.”
The irony of despair
It is satirical that the followers of Christ believe that it is a significant advantage to be in despair just like Lazarus but again consider it as the greatest misfortune and misery in humanity. The author says, "So then it is an infinite advantage to be able to despair, and yet it is not only the greatest misfortune and misery to be in despair; no, it is perdition. Ordinarily, there is no such relation between possibility and actuality; if it is an advantage to be able to be this or that, it is a still greater advantage to be such a thing.”
The irony of sin
The reader finds it to connect the link between despair and sin because the two are not correlated in any way. However, the author hints that sin is the potentiation of desolation when he writes, "Sin is this: before God, or with the conception of God, to be in despair at not willing to be oneself, or in despair at willing to be oneself. Thus, sin is a potentiated weakness or potentiated defiance: sin is the potentiation of despair."
