Humor in the Bible

chozometroid

I was listening to the book of Matthew on CD, and this struck me as funny. I never thought much of it before, but this type of analogy/exaggeration is kinda humorous, although it was not intended to make anyone laugh.

Matthew 23:24 (King James Version)
Jesus: Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.



Another example is one of irony: the story of Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his brothers. Jacob/Israel, his father, did not want Benjamin to join his brothers when they went into Egypt, where, unknown to them, Joseph was governor. Joseph would only sell them grain if they proved themselves not to be spies by brining their younger brother, Benjamin. Joseph made a plan to frame Benjamin and captured Benjamin as a slave. One brother, Judah, told the governor/Joseph that if he did not return home with Benjamin, he would have to face his father's wrath, as it was his youngest son, and he had lost his other son(Joseph..the irony) by the same mother. Judah offered himself instead, and Joseph revealed himself to them, and they had a happy reunion. :P

Fanny Cradock

Humm... not sure I would go to the Bible for chuckles, which is surprising when you think that it was written by Jews, the most entertaining people on earth.

chozometroid

Fanny Cradock wrote: »

Humm... not sure I would go to the Bible for chuckles, which is surprising when you think that it was written by Jews, the most entertaining people on earth.

I wouldn't go to the Bible for laughs, either. There is no real humor in it at all, but there are some things that can bring about a laugh.

Mickeroo

chozometroid wrote: »

There is no real humor in it at all, but there are some things that can bring about a laugh.

You said it :P

chozometroid

Mickeroo wrote: »

You said it :P

:P I should've said "intended" as opposed to "real."

PDN

Once you start digging into it you find a lot of humor in the Bible. The Old Testament is full of puns and wordplays in Hebrew, and stories such as Baalam's ass, Jacob getting fooled by marrying the wrong sister etc. are pretty much in line with Jewish humor.

JimiTime

Elijah and the Ba'al worshippers has to be tops for intentional humour??
'Maybe your God is relieving himself'. Sarcasm at its best:D
Unintentional humour? For me, Jonah and Ninevah. Jonah goes to Ninevah, tells them they'll be destroyed due to their sins'. They say 'Ok, we better sort ourselves out'. God tells Jonah, 'Ok, I'll spare them for they heeded the warning'. Jonahs like, 'Awww come on. I told them you'd kill them now'. Classic:D

PDN

And, in the words of the late, great, John Candy: "What about those bears?"

Bougeoir

chozometroid wrote: »

Another example is one of irony: the story of Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his brothers. Jacob/Israel, his father, did not want Benjamin to join his brothers when they went into Egypt, where, unknown to them, Joseph was governor. Joseph would only sell them grain if they proved themselves not to be spies by brining their younger brother, Benjamin. Joseph made a plan to frame Benjamin and captured Benjamin as a slave. One brother, Judah, told the governor/Joseph that if he did not return home with Benjamin, he would have to face his father's wrath, as it was his youngest son, and he had lost his other son(Joseph..the irony) by the same mother. Judah offered himself instead, and Joseph revealed himself to them, and they had a happy reunion. :P

Actually if you ever saw 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat', that scene is actually very dramatised and rather humorous. I saw the 1999 film with Donny Osmond and it was really funny! Then again that's a musical but still I know where you're coming from, there is some irony and humour to be found in the most unlikely of places. I was reading Norse Sagas before and found them also rather funny. Unfortunately the Qu'ran was a sorta disappointment for me!

Phototoxin

Did you find the one where Daniel I think gets enemy leaders to convert to Judiasm and so circumcises them and then kills them when they were sore? Kinda ouchie but funny.

wandatowell

Fanny Cradock wrote: »

which is surprising when you think that it was written by Jews, the most entertaining people on earth.

they are gas alright