A Little More on Humor and Pulpit Dignity

A friend of mine passed these points along from a more-developed version of a lecture I’d heard BJ Seminary’s Dr. Layton Talbert give on humor:

• The biblical record does not reveal a frivolous or slapstick sense of humor.
• “The humor of the Bible is not of the rollicking type but the subtle and intellectual type for which the term wit is often an accurate designation” (DBI).
• The biblical record does not suggest that He employed humor simply for the purpose of making people laugh.
• Humor at its best is inherently observant, profound, and, consequently, instructive in nature.
• Christ’s humor was always didactic in its aim.
• Jesus used humor, wit, and irony for the purpose of pointing out spiritual incongruities and under¬scoring the spiritual truths that he taught.
• “It is very important to understand that the evident purpose of Christ’s humor is to clarify and increase understanding” (source?). He made humor a conscious and effective part of His instructive ministry.