The Humor Of Scripture

MON., DEC. 17, 1990, 6:59 AM
FARM, STUDY

One of the truths that I have shared with you that is not generally accepted among Christians is that I, the Triune God, have a sense of humor. This leads to the corollary that Holy Scripture has a humorous side, and I encourage you to be aware of this. In fact, since the Ruminations you and I wrote on this theme was dated 1984 I will suggest that your first one in 1991 be an update of this theme. You know you have one to write in the next two weeks, however, and this must be done.

This is the Christmas season, and it is the season of joy. A boy child is born of a virgin, in lowly “splendor.” As the story is told, shepherds come, because they have been visited by angels and told to see this thing which has come to pass. No one else is mentioned as having visited. Were there no other relatives, especially kin of Mary’s? This is rather sad humor – that Mary has a baby Who is to be the Christ, the Messiah, and no one is aware of this but a few shepherds who were especially invited. And you Christians repeat this, in this season, as a beautiful, familiar Scriptural story.

Then comes the wonderfully bizarre account of the wise men, who come from afar in the East. This is a vivid example of timelessness in the story for the practical question is, “When did this encounter happen?” Did they start way before Jesus was born, or did the holy family stay in Bethlehem for months, patiently awaiting them? It is humorous that in a culture that is as time and date conscious as yours this rather obvious “time warp” is just accepted, without question.

Joseph doesn’t get much “press” in the Scriptures, which is odd, isn’t it, because it is through him that Jesus has his lineage to David and, finally, back to Abraham… even back to Adam. Was Joseph a very wise carpenter, who had a wonderful vision of his privilege in being the earthly dad for God’s only son? Or was he a rather bumbling man, easily influenced by dreams? Did he tell anyone his pregnant wife was a virgin? How did he explain the long trip to Egypt? Was this necessary only to fulfill a prophesy? I’m not belittling the story, for it is Holy Scripture. I just want you to see that it is one full of various kinds of humor.

You, in the Bible class, discussed another account that qualifies as high humor as well as a symbolic story of the power that I, as Almighty God, can wield. In his dream Ezekiel was led into a valley of old skeletons that were now separate, dry bones. And then he saw the bones reuniting, flesh suddenly appearing, and then a host of Israelites returning to life. This is a great and marvelous act of God. At the same time it is the action of a madcap God, showing forth a bizarre sense of fun. Each is a truth.

Moses is a great character in the history of My chosen people. The Moses story is a serious one, but it begins with his mother floating him in a basket in the river, so he can be rescued by Egyptian royalty. That story has all kinds of humorous possibilities. Moses is portrayed as wholly serious, a man I was using, mostly against his will. Did he have fun doing all he bizarre things I had him do? Did he realize, in some way, what a strange story he was creating? When I wouldn’t let him go into the promised land did he smile and say, “Well, I expected as much”?