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The Humor of Christ: A Bold Challenge to the Traditional Stereotype of a Somber, Gloomy Christ
The Humor of Christ inspires Christians to redraw their pictures of Christ and to add a persistent biblical detail, the note of humor. Throughout the Gospels, Christ employed humor for the sake of truth and many of his teachings, when seen in this light, become brilliantly clear for the first time. Irony, satire, paradox, even laughter itself help clarify Christ's famous parables, His brief sayings, and important events in His life. In a valuable appendix 30 humorous Gospel passages are listed for further study.
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1964
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
July 7, 2017
I was really excited to read this book when I discovered it at our church library. Being a rather jokey person myself, I tend to see the humor in the Bible more than the average Joe, so I enjoyed finding someone who agreed with me and had done a lot of research. It reads something like a long essay, split into chapters, but was still very interesting and easy to read, when I wasn't distracted. What I found best about the book was that it made Jesus seem more like a real person, not just an idea floating around out there. He was real. He is real. And he's got a vibrant sense of humor.
June 10, 2014
Elton Trueblood has tackled a difficult, neglected, but vital topic for understanding the Bible in general and Jesus in particular. Humor does not always survive intact from one culture to another. When you’re pouring over a printed text translated from an ancient dialect, enshrined as Sacred Scripture, the chances of ever getting the punch line are slim indeed. Small wonder that so many people are left with the impression that the Bible is a dull, humorless book, and that Jesus is a dull, humorless man.
Trueblood knows a different Jesus—one who often had a wry smile and a twinkle in his eye, one who laughed out loud with full-hearted, infectious laughter, who got invited to parties, who was the life of the party, who joked with his friends and lampooned his adversaries, inviting us all to laugh at ourselves—at the way we take ourselves so seriously.
Trueblood knows a different Jesus—one who often had a wry smile and a twinkle in his eye, one who laughed out loud with full-hearted, infectious laughter, who got invited to parties, who was the life of the party, who joked with his friends and lampooned his adversaries, inviting us all to laugh at ourselves—at the way we take ourselves so seriously.
May 28, 2010
It took me a while to get through this book because it's very scholarly, but I'm glad I read it. It's an analysis of Jesus' wit and humor in the Gospels. Like the author, I feel that this side of His personality (for lack of a better word) is seriously under-studied. The prevailing attitude is that every word Jesus said was completely serious and intense, and that just isn't the case! It's encouraging to be reminded that He laughed too.
May 18, 2025
A pretty good book that highlights the humor of Christ (even his sometimes slightly rough personality, which is contrary to the gentle image we usually portray). It offers some fresh interpretations of scriptures, using Christ's jokes or banter to resolve many difficult problems.
However, there are some points I find hard to agree with, such as the author's interpretation of the Matthew effect – "For whoever has will be given more." The author believes this is worldly wisdom, and Christ asks us to be cautious when hearing these words. This interpretation might need more support from traditional exegesis to be convincing (but perhaps because of the author's Quaker background, he doesn't quite trust tradition, and even the authors of the Gospels, believing they didn't understand the original meaning of Christ's words, or even deliberately made Christ more serious. I can't quite digest this view yet and need to think about it more).
But overall, considering that Christ might have been joking during interpretation can indeed bring a lot of new insights. From a purely philosophical standpoint, the author definitely adds an important Christian perspective to the topic of "laughter"/ "humor."
However, there are some points I find hard to agree with, such as the author's interpretation of the Matthew effect – "For whoever has will be given more." The author believes this is worldly wisdom, and Christ asks us to be cautious when hearing these words. This interpretation might need more support from traditional exegesis to be convincing (but perhaps because of the author's Quaker background, he doesn't quite trust tradition, and even the authors of the Gospels, believing they didn't understand the original meaning of Christ's words, or even deliberately made Christ more serious. I can't quite digest this view yet and need to think about it more).
But overall, considering that Christ might have been joking during interpretation can indeed bring a lot of new insights. From a purely philosophical standpoint, the author definitely adds an important Christian perspective to the topic of "laughter"/ "humor."
June 23, 2014
Here is another book I rescued from a stack of donations to the SPU Library that were on their way to be discarded or destroyed (and before anyone protests, this is usually done only because one or more copies of the donated book are already held in SPU's general collection). I grabbed this slim volume from the stack because it was free, because the title intrigued me and because I recognized the author, Elton Trueblood, as a well-known 20th century Quaker theologian.
Although I enjoyed the book, I did not find it particularly profound. Trueblood's stated goal is to get Christians moving away from the notion that the historical figure of Jesus was a somber, gloomy figure focused on carefully creating a new orthodoxy. He calls the humor of Christ a "neglected aspect" of his human incarnation. Perhaps this gloomy, serious Jesus was a significant obstacle in 1964 when this book was first published - and perhaps it still is a problem in some circles. But since those that I associate with do not make this error, I found Trueblood's points easily won and not hard to defense; he is preaching to the choir.
Trueblood does walk through a number of examples of Jesus' use of humor, pointing out irony, satire and ridicule. This is all very credible and helpful, especially to those who have not perhaps considered in full how funny Jesus really was. The most helpful thing for me personally was Trueblood's alternate explanations for a couple of parables that have troubled translators and scholars for many years (e.g. the parable of the unjust steward). Trueblood shows that many of the theological problems with these parables are cleared up if we begin with the assumption that Jesus was joking - and he goes on to suggest why there may be textual and contextual evidence for such an explanation.
My biggest criticism of this book is that it is not very funny. That may sound strange when critiquing a piece of theological scholarship, but to my way of thinking, if you're going to write about God being a funny guy, perhaps you should consider lightening up a little yourself. A few wry asides or author's examples of humor in his own faith-walk might have added some emotional heft to his intellectual argument.
Nonetheless, this book is clear, lucid and somewhat interesting. It is not perhaps as ground-breaking as it once was nor as funny as it could (should?) have been.
Although I enjoyed the book, I did not find it particularly profound. Trueblood's stated goal is to get Christians moving away from the notion that the historical figure of Jesus was a somber, gloomy figure focused on carefully creating a new orthodoxy. He calls the humor of Christ a "neglected aspect" of his human incarnation. Perhaps this gloomy, serious Jesus was a significant obstacle in 1964 when this book was first published - and perhaps it still is a problem in some circles. But since those that I associate with do not make this error, I found Trueblood's points easily won and not hard to defense; he is preaching to the choir.
Trueblood does walk through a number of examples of Jesus' use of humor, pointing out irony, satire and ridicule. This is all very credible and helpful, especially to those who have not perhaps considered in full how funny Jesus really was. The most helpful thing for me personally was Trueblood's alternate explanations for a couple of parables that have troubled translators and scholars for many years (e.g. the parable of the unjust steward). Trueblood shows that many of the theological problems with these parables are cleared up if we begin with the assumption that Jesus was joking - and he goes on to suggest why there may be textual and contextual evidence for such an explanation.
My biggest criticism of this book is that it is not very funny. That may sound strange when critiquing a piece of theological scholarship, but to my way of thinking, if you're going to write about God being a funny guy, perhaps you should consider lightening up a little yourself. A few wry asides or author's examples of humor in his own faith-walk might have added some emotional heft to his intellectual argument.
Nonetheless, this book is clear, lucid and somewhat interesting. It is not perhaps as ground-breaking as it once was nor as funny as it could (should?) have been.
February 1, 2019
This book was hard work at first. The style of writing appears, ironically, rather dry and academic for a book of this title, and uses language from the early 60s which today appears archaic. But if you can get past that, it is well worth persevering, as Trueblood shows real insight, vigorous scholarship and asks many pertinent and appropriate questions on some of the most difficult passages about Christ found in the Gospels. His line of enquiry yields rather abundant fruit, in terms of throwing up hyptheses that suggest on many occasions what is more likely is that Christ engaged in "banter" with his listeners, shedding new light on passages that were dourly interpreted via a humorless, literal approach, as is so often found in churches and religious circles.
There is so much nuance and intonation so often completely missed by religious scholars and preachers, who seem to imagine Christ as a constantly dour High Priest who seldom, if ever, smiled or laughed. Trueblood's investigation reveals that this was most likely very far from the case, but Christ showed "a form of banter which is consistent with deep compassion", as in the case of His encounter with the Syrophoenician woman when he said "It is not fair to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs".
Passages are looked at in context, with preceeding and following stories told and events analysed to draw out the true meaning of what Christ said. One example is when Christ says "use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings" (Luke 16:9), a notoriously difficult passage to understand for many. He sets this in context with the following statement "You cannot serve both God and mammon." (Luke 16:12-13), a contrastingly uncompromising message. Insightfully he remarks, "If the paradox is seriously intended, it is unbearable, but if it has a humorous intent, it makes the teaching all the more vivid.".
Trueblood correctly approaches this topic not from the viewpoint of seeking examples of Christ acting as some sort of comedian or entertainer (or twisting passages to make it seem so), but from searching for a deeper type of wit and irony that only the Son of God, the Master of Humour, could so effectively employ in his fully Divine yet fully human form - and he does so with considerable success.
There is so much nuance and intonation so often completely missed by religious scholars and preachers, who seem to imagine Christ as a constantly dour High Priest who seldom, if ever, smiled or laughed. Trueblood's investigation reveals that this was most likely very far from the case, but Christ showed "a form of banter which is consistent with deep compassion", as in the case of His encounter with the Syrophoenician woman when he said "It is not fair to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs".
Passages are looked at in context, with preceeding and following stories told and events analysed to draw out the true meaning of what Christ said. One example is when Christ says "use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings" (Luke 16:9), a notoriously difficult passage to understand for many. He sets this in context with the following statement "You cannot serve both God and mammon." (Luke 16:12-13), a contrastingly uncompromising message. Insightfully he remarks, "If the paradox is seriously intended, it is unbearable, but if it has a humorous intent, it makes the teaching all the more vivid.".
Trueblood correctly approaches this topic not from the viewpoint of seeking examples of Christ acting as some sort of comedian or entertainer (or twisting passages to make it seem so), but from searching for a deeper type of wit and irony that only the Son of God, the Master of Humour, could so effectively employ in his fully Divine yet fully human form - and he does so with considerable success.
January 28, 2021
I had high hopes for this book but didn't end up finding what I was looking for. Trueblood makes the case that Jesus is often using humor in his gospel accounts, which may be true enough, but so much of his argument felt more like a matter of opinion or chance than cultural context or translation of the original Aramaic that Jesus was speaking that I'm not confident in his interpretation or my own in deciding in which accounts humor can be taken into consideration. Some of his cases were strong and will change the way I look at specific scripture, but others I can't defend.
May 12, 2025
Loved this look at perhaps the most overlooked aspect of Jesus Christ - his humor! This is literally the only book I can find on the topic.
Jesus used all kinds of humor: wit, banter, irony, metaphor, paradox, hyperbole.
And he did so for numerous reasons. Humor is attractive, engaging, and kind of a sneak-attack to getting people to self-examine or admit difficult truths. Humor is winsome and creates shared experiences. It can also be quite perplexing, making Jesus' conclusions and lessons understandable only to those who will take the time to think deeply. Humor also encourages us to approach Jesus (and thus God the Father) with the demeanor of a child - always present in the moment at hand, with minimal presuppositions, ready to learn and connect.
Favorite quotes:
"If Christ laughed a great deal, as the evidence shows, and if He is what He claimed to be, we cannot avoid the logical conclusion that there is laughter and gaiety in the heart of God."
"The well-known humor of the Christian is not a way of denying the tears, but rather a way of affirming something which is deeper than tears."
Jesus used all kinds of humor: wit, banter, irony, metaphor, paradox, hyperbole.
And he did so for numerous reasons. Humor is attractive, engaging, and kind of a sneak-attack to getting people to self-examine or admit difficult truths. Humor is winsome and creates shared experiences. It can also be quite perplexing, making Jesus' conclusions and lessons understandable only to those who will take the time to think deeply. Humor also encourages us to approach Jesus (and thus God the Father) with the demeanor of a child - always present in the moment at hand, with minimal presuppositions, ready to learn and connect.
Favorite quotes:
"If Christ laughed a great deal, as the evidence shows, and if He is what He claimed to be, we cannot avoid the logical conclusion that there is laughter and gaiety in the heart of God."
"The well-known humor of the Christian is not a way of denying the tears, but rather a way of affirming something which is deeper than tears."
October 27, 2025
This book was recommended to me by John Mark Comer on an episode about Joy on his teachings podcast.
The main idea is that Jesus was incredibly funny and used humor all throughout his teachings, but most people (and most Christians) view him as only very serious and solemn. When we read the Bible, we cast that image onto his words and this results in us coming away with the wrong meaning of his teaching or being dismayed at what appears to be his inconsistent character.
I’ve struggled with seeing Jesus as rude and cruel when I read the Bible, and I’ve always wanted to know more about how the Bible was written - the book helped so much on both fronts. Trueblood goes through all the alternative interpretations of each story to show that the humorous option is by far the likeliest.
My understanding of Jesus’ teachings has taken such a leap thanks to this book. I felt very heard and seen for my misgivings, and so many were but to rest and addressed in a satisfying way. Cannot recommend more.
The main idea is that Jesus was incredibly funny and used humor all throughout his teachings, but most people (and most Christians) view him as only very serious and solemn. When we read the Bible, we cast that image onto his words and this results in us coming away with the wrong meaning of his teaching or being dismayed at what appears to be his inconsistent character.
I’ve struggled with seeing Jesus as rude and cruel when I read the Bible, and I’ve always wanted to know more about how the Bible was written - the book helped so much on both fronts. Trueblood goes through all the alternative interpretations of each story to show that the humorous option is by far the likeliest.
My understanding of Jesus’ teachings has taken such a leap thanks to this book. I felt very heard and seen for my misgivings, and so many were but to rest and addressed in a satisfying way. Cannot recommend more.
November 30, 2017
Although this is a fairly short book, it wasn't the easiest read. But like other reviewers have stated, I'm glad I finished it. The author sought to show Christ's humor which is often lost in Christendom these days. Overall, I think the author succeeded in his objective. There were a couple of places where I thought the author read humor into stories and the words of Christ where it wasn't present but at the same time, he did open my eyes to see Christ's humor in places I had missed. Jesus did use humor more than many today probably realize. I also appreciated the many insights the author offered about the nature of humor and its importance in life. 3 stars!
January 23, 2025
Trueblood produces a much different view of an often stiff and stoic Christ. He frames the idea of a humorous Christ by reminding the reading that humor does not often travel across historical or cultural borders. The intended audience of Jesus would have likely seen many of His most prominent sayings as ludicrous in their cultural context. Understanding this, Trueblood paints a picture of Jesus that allows the modern reader to find a Christ who is passionate for their soul, but gentle and kind.
September 5, 2019
I enjoy Trueblood’s work. This book is good but it takes fortitude to stick with. His points of Jesus’ humor are well articulated and founded.
It’s a bit of a struggle because we tend to think of Christ being “above” humor.
It’s a bit of a struggle because we tend to think of Christ being “above” humor.
January 6, 2023
This is such a fantastic book. It is so solid in the theological approach. At the end of it, I wanted more examples of Christ's humor, but the quotes and thoroughness with which Trueblood addresses the subject with more than makes up for what I wanted. I highly recommend this read.
May 17, 2025
Citing many older theologians, Trueblood, points out the humor of Jesus-humor that modern people rarely see or understand, often due to not being familiar with the particular humor of the Jewish people or the times.
September 9, 2017
Oddly, this book has the best description of Pharisees that I have ever read. I was impressed.
October 30, 2019
This perspective is essential in some of the readings of the gospels.
The book is better than was my reading of it.
The book is better than was my reading of it.
October 15, 2021
Helpful in reminding us that Jesus was not only a pious and somber caricature, has some stretches on what I call humor, but nonetheless interesting.
June 2, 2023
Interesting subject with a few gems. Overall it was hard to read and follow.
September 2, 2016
Loved the concept of Jesus being more than a stoic, never-smiling bore. It is eye-opening to consider how some of the passages that we try to read as serious statements (and struggle with) may be better understood as Jesus making a joke to make his point. It is a tough position to defend or discredit given that the gospel writers could not include inflection in their writings.
I really did enjoy thinking of Christ's humor and found certain sections of the book enlightening and challenging. The reason for only three stars is that the structure of the book felt lacking to me -- the author jumps from topic to topic without a very even flow. And although he convinced me of his interpretation in several parts, most of his evidence is conjecture. It gives me pause to consider how one might misuse this idea of humor in Christ's teaching (for example, "Jesus was only joking when he said that no one comes to the Father except through him!"). My takeaway is that while it would behoove us to see a more light-hearted, joking Jesus, we must also be careful to not simply impose our own ideas onto his sometimes difficult words.
I really did enjoy thinking of Christ's humor and found certain sections of the book enlightening and challenging. The reason for only three stars is that the structure of the book felt lacking to me -- the author jumps from topic to topic without a very even flow. And although he convinced me of his interpretation in several parts, most of his evidence is conjecture. It gives me pause to consider how one might misuse this idea of humor in Christ's teaching (for example, "Jesus was only joking when he said that no one comes to the Father except through him!"). My takeaway is that while it would behoove us to see a more light-hearted, joking Jesus, we must also be careful to not simply impose our own ideas onto his sometimes difficult words.
January 30, 2014
"I'm the way the truth and the life." Just kidding!
Several months ago a friend of mine talked me into reading the books Anne Rice wrote about Jesus’s early life. One of the best things about those books was how it got me thinking. I've never considered that Jesus has a personality!
In The Humor of Christ, Elton Trueblood issues another challenge. Might Christ have had a sense of humor? Full disclosure - I don't usually read the Gospels that way. By default, I've always imagined Him as the severe, serious type. Maybe something like the God of the OT that others seem to think is so much different. It has been a good exercise considering that Jesus may have been being ironic, sarcastic, or playful.
There is a pitfall, however. It's the reason for my first sentence. If I say something tongue-in-cheek, then the exact opposite of my expressed words are meant. We should be very careful using this as an interpretive tool when reading the Bible.
On the other hand, we've overcome this before. Realizing something is an idiom that we once interpreted in a wooden, literal way.
Several months ago a friend of mine talked me into reading the books Anne Rice wrote about Jesus’s early life. One of the best things about those books was how it got me thinking. I've never considered that Jesus has a personality!
In The Humor of Christ, Elton Trueblood issues another challenge. Might Christ have had a sense of humor? Full disclosure - I don't usually read the Gospels that way. By default, I've always imagined Him as the severe, serious type. Maybe something like the God of the OT that others seem to think is so much different. It has been a good exercise considering that Jesus may have been being ironic, sarcastic, or playful.
There is a pitfall, however. It's the reason for my first sentence. If I say something tongue-in-cheek, then the exact opposite of my expressed words are meant. We should be very careful using this as an interpretive tool when reading the Bible.
On the other hand, we've overcome this before. Realizing something is an idiom that we once interpreted in a wooden, literal way.
July 27, 2015
Would you believe I have had this book on my shelf since 1978 (my college years) and had not read it? Well, I finally got to it and this thin book is packed with all kinds of wisdom about humor. Trueblood invites us to see how Jesus uses irony and other tools of humor to make a point. He also invites us to consider some of the harder sayings of Jesus and understand them as Jesus employing humor (often stating the absurd to make a point). Recommended to all students of Jesus and Scripture.
May 4, 2009
Great book. I read it a while ago during grad school. I subsequently gave my copy away, and I'd love to read it again. Trueblood challenges the picture of a "humor-less" Jesus, and he brings out the irony and humor in Christ's words and parables.
September 18, 2012
Would be more aptly named "The Whit of Christ", or "Jesus had a wry sense of humor, maybe." The author had some good points and interesting alternative readings of some texts, but was stretching it in some places as well. Worth a read since it is so short, but not the best book ever.
October 15, 2007
awesome book!
Want to read
July 1, 2009The Humor of Christ. by Elton. Trueblood (1964)
December 5, 2014
Jesus was constantly hilarious and the fact that this is missed accounts for so much drab in the church. Trueblood does a good job showing Jesus' strategic use of humor and irony.
March 14, 2020
Solid research and thought-provoking, but a bit dry. There are many passages I tagged to re-read again.
February 27, 2023
Short exploration of Jesus' use of humor, and what we miss if we do not have a category for humor when we interpret Scripture.
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