From: George Athas (gathas@mail.usyd.edu.au)
Date: Tue Jan 27 1998 - 20:28:25 EST
Cooper Greg wrote:
> Oh, boy...I hesitate to do this...but here goes (and I do so very
> respectfully).
No offence taken in the slightest, Greg!
> Jesus was being "humourous," he was cracking a "joke?"
> That seems so......weird.....so unlikely. What could possibly
> be in the text to suggest that???
Why is it so weird or even unlikely that Jesus was being humurous or sarcastic? I
see no problem with attributing some humour-sarcasm to Jesus. Was he so "unhuman"
that humour was base to him? Did it somehow impugn him and his message? I highly
doubt it. Rather, it often enhanced his message. There is plenty of humour in some
of his sayings (eg Matt 7:4, 9-10, 26; 11:25). We too often attribute "Wet Blanket
Syndrome" to Jesus without cause. Because the gospels have been transmitted as
Scripture, we often miss much of the humour intended by the original authors.
> What leads anyone to think that Mary was "simply overjoyed"
> to see Him? Especially, given the context of the whole experience.
> When He appeared in the upper room to His disciples they were
> plain and simply SCARED. And, given that Jesus was not even
> recognized when He first appeared from the grave, it seems to me
> that none of these reconstructions are possible.
John's gospel actually says that the disciples were glad (ECHARISAN) in 20:20 when
they saw Jesus. There is nothing in the text to suggest fear of Jesus - only of
the Jews (20:19). And why wouldn't Mary be overjoyed to see Jesus alive? What else
would she be? Sombre? Blank? Highly unlikely. Put yourself in her shoes. She
probably felt confusion, yes, but certainly joy at the realisation that Jesus was
alive. Jesus himself says this, too in John 16:21-22.
> Is there ANYTHING in the Greek wording or phraseology that would
> lend credence to humour, joking or being overjoyed???
Yes. See the verses mentioned above. Is there anything in the text to suggest that
Mary "clung to" or "touched" Jesus out of fear or sombreness? Is there anything to
deny that she was NOT overjoyed? An interpretation of Jesus' words as humorous
fits the context very well.
Best Regards!
George Athas
< gathas@mail.usyd.edu.au > Ph: 0414 839 964 (ICQ #5866591)
(PhD Candidate, University of Sydney)
(Tutor of Hebrew, Moore Theological College)
(Visit the Tel Dan Inscription Website at)
(http://www-personal.usyd.edu.au/~gathas/teldan.htm)
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