The Humorous and the Biblical

I think that we take life a bit too seriously. Indeed, I think we often take our religion much too seriously. By that I mean, we leave little room for humor in our religion. The preacher cracks a joke and no one laughs -- because you don't do such things in church.

The question has been asked about humor in the bible. Why isn't there any? Or if there is, how do we know? I think biblical humor is a bit like British humor; you have to understand the way it works. Once you do, well you love it.

The problem for us is that humor is culturally relative and conditioned. What may seem to us quite unhumorous, could be to an ancient quite humorous. Indeed, Jesus' parables are full of humor. Years ago Elton Trueblood wrote a book called The Humor of Christ (Harper & Row, 1964), which helps us understand that humor (don't have a copy with me, unfortunately).

So, it may be a bit like "you had to have been there," but there is humor present-- maybe not of the Monte Python variety, but if we're willing to look for it. Indeed, once we start laughing, we might realize that the joke's on us! At least that's usually the way it worked back then.