Author: Longenecker, Bruce W.

Source: Biblical Interpretation: A Journal of Contemporary Approaches, Volume 16, Number 2, 2008 , pp. 179-204(26)

Publisher: BRILL

Abstract:

If humour is uncharacteristic of the texts of the early Christian movement, sensitivity to rhetorical patterning in oral/aural contexts permits the recognition of innocuous sexual humour in one of the parables attributed to Jesus. Whether or not the humour originates with Jesus, it is suggestive of the way that Jesus was remembered by some of his earliest followers, and lays down a guidepost as to how he might profitably be rendered in modern portraiture or characterised in modern narrative. To that end, this study closes with an assessment of four Jesus novels of the past decade in relation to their depiction of Jesus and humour.

Keywords: HUMOUR; ORALITY; STRUCTURE; JESUS; CHARACTERISATION; NOVEL

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156851508X262966

Affiliations: 1: University of St Andrews

Publication date: 2008-02-01

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