Humour in the Bible

Posted on 5 March, 2013 by Jon Gleason

Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

4 … a time to laugh….

I often say God has a sense of humour.  He made us, after all, and we’re rather silly creatures sometimes.  But some people think humour is frivolous and inappropriate, especially when speaking of the things of the Lord.   Certainly, it can be used wrongly, but I’d like to look at some examples of humour in Scripture to show that this is a tool that God Himself uses, and it is certainly fitting for us to use as well.

There are many plays on words in the original languages of the Scripture, and this is probably the most frequent use of humour.  But little of that survives in translation, so I’ll focus on those things that we can see in the English.

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Why I’m in the Ministry

Posted on 4 March, 2013 by Jon Gleason

I hear the Saviour say,
‘Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.’

Chorus:
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

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Wearing Out the Day

Posted on 2 March, 2013 by Jon Gleason

‘Taint worthwhile to wear a day all out before it comes.
– Sarah Orne Jewett

Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:  Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.  For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
– James (James 4:13-15)

 

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Denethor’s Palantir

Posted on 1 March, 2013 by Jon Gleason

Dilbert Generic Newspaper

In 1989, Dilbert (with great perception) gave us “generic news.”  It is as true now as it was then, the news rarely really changes, yet we spend our days and hours constantly looking into “Denethor’s palantir.”

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Translate THAT!

Posted on 28 February, 2013 by Jon Gleason

In the “Just for Fun” category, the following was in my email inbox today, with the introductory sentence, “After trying these verses, a Frenchman said he’d prefer six months of hard labor to reading six lines aloud.”

I was really, really happy to get the new “translate” capability on the sidebar, but I really don’t think it would help with this poem. 🙂

 English Pronunciation

by G. Nolst Trenité

Dearest creature in creation,
Study English pronunciation.
I will teach you in my verse
Sounds like corpse, corps, horse, and worse.

(and yes, it does get worse….)

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What I Answered on Sunday

Posted on 28 February, 2013 by Jon Gleason

Yesterday, in What I was Told on Sunday I told of a remark on a danger of Facebook and other social media, given the Biblical warnings on gossip and idleness.  My friend and brother went on to say maybe he shouldn’t say anything, since “it isn’t my temptation.”

My answer:

Hebrews 3:13

But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

We exhort one another to protect each other from sin’s deceit.  The person who isn’t tempted in a particular way sees through that deceitfulness more easily, and is better equipped to warn his brothers and sisters.  If “it isn’t my temptation,” it is all the more important to speak up, because those for whom it is a temptation may not see the danger.

But as he replied, that requires us to speak in meekness and charity rather than in pride.  It also requires us to hear in humility, willingly considering the warnings of others.  Warning one another:

  • If the speaker is proud, this probably isn’t going to work.
  • If the hearer is proud, this definitely isn’t going to work.

Since God tells us to do it, we know He expects it to work, so we’d better banish pride.

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What I was Told on Sunday

Posted on 27 February, 2013 by Jon Gleason

I Timothy 5:13

And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

What I was told (after our service):  “That verse is talking about Facebook.”

I’m sure he was wrong.  I’m sure people wouldn’t talk about frivolous / idle things, waste time, wander about from house to house profile to profile snooping in others personal lives, spreading stuff that doesn’t need to spread (about themselves or others).  I’m sure they wouldn’t take idleness and gossip to such a level that they do it without even stirring to go from house to house, without even stirring from the chair in front of their computer.  I’m sure people wouldn’t thoughtlessly say things they shouldn’t say.

Would they?

***

Note:

  1. I know Facebook can be used well, just like visiting someone else’s house can.
  2. This post is not intended to exonerate Twitter or other “social networking.” 🙂

Follow-up: What I Answered on Sunday

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