Jesus as a Stand-up Comedian?
Well, not quite.
But he’s not entirely humorless either as some would have him portrayed. I’m afraid there is more than a little misunderstanding and misinterpretation of scripture because people tend to miss it when Jesus has his tongue planted firmly in his cheek.
Should it be a surprise? He was accused of being a glutton and a drunkard. He connected with people of all backgrounds. That tells me Jesus has as rich a sense of humor as he does love, compassion, and understanding. And if you read scripture with that in mind, some of the passages that may have left you scratching your head will suddenly make more sense.
Those passages stand out because they seem to be in such complete opposition to what Jesus says and does (and apparently believes) in other parts of the gospels. Some have suggested these passages were later additions, not things Jesus actually said. Others have offered explanations so convoluted they truly boggle the mind. And some just skip over them entirely. If only they would recognize that Jesus had a sense of humor.
For instance, there is the story of the Gentile woman—a Canaanite—related in Mark 7:25-30 and Matthew 15:22-28. Throughout the rest of the gospels, Jesus showed no hesitation to help anyone who asked and he certainly elevated women’s status in that society by the way he treated them. And he obviously had plans to spread the Gospel beyond just the Jews. (Otherwise he wouldn’t have said “first,” which implies at least a “second.”) So why is he so nasty to this woman? It’s just plain out of character.
Unless we allow for the possibility that there was a twinkle in his eye and perhaps a smile on his face when he said it would be wrong to take food from his children to feed “dogs.” Whether those “dogs” were household pets or—as they were often referred to by the Jews—Gentiles. A humorous expression not reflected in his words—we’ve all done that and seen it done—would explain the immediate rejoinder by the woman about scraps from the table. For which Jesus immediately “rewarded” her by healing her daughter.
I have trouble believing that a woman, a Gentile woman, would respond the way she did if Jesus had been as serious and harsh as his words sound. I have even more trouble believing that a harsh Jesus could be so easily swayed by a simple, clever remark.
But I have no trouble believing that Jesus admired her courage for coming forward and asking, responded with a bit of sarcastic humor, and was pleased that the woman was not only courageous, but clever enough to pick up on it. That’s the Jesus I know and love. The one who loves me.
Please stay tuned for more humor of Jesus.
–Joe Vigliano