A Humorous Life
April 11th, 2008
When referencing the Bible, most people think it is a serious matter and cannot get past that concept in order to understand the comic relief in some scriptures. Some meanings are lost in translation, so one may need a basic understanding of the Hebrew language in order to fully grasp the nature of the Word.
The bible is full of humor. The authors many times were openly witty. Other times they were slyly crafty. Even Jesus made jokes and God laughed. Here are a few passages I find particularly hilarious:
I Samuel 21:15
Why did you bring this lunatic to me? Does it look like I have a shortage of lunatics in my entourage?
I Samuel 15:13-15
Saul – You will be so happy! I just finished doing every single thing that the Lord commanded me. Samuel – Is that so? Then why, pray tell, do I hear the bleating of sheep and the lowing of cattle in the background? Saul – Sheep, what sheep? Oh, you mean those sheep. Well, uh, I can explain that.
I Kings 18:27
And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.”
These examples are just a very tiny sampling of the funny antics you can find in the bible if you read with an open mind. There are puns, satire, slapstick and wordplays just to name a few. Sarcasm is also a prevalent form of humor. One of my favorite sarcastic passages is Exodus 14:11: “Was there a lack of graves in Egypt, that you took us away to die in the wilderness?” One would think the Israelites would be asking for help with only the sea in front and the Pharaoh’s army in back. Instead they give Moses a hard time.
Brighten someone’s day today. Show them that God meant for humor to be a part of our lives. Christianity is not all seriousness. Laugh at the small stuff, leave the worrying for bigger issues.