A DIVINE PARADOX

 

“a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief . . .” (Isaiah 53:3)

“God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.” (Psalm 45:7)

The Gospels do not record that Jesus laughed. We may assume that he did, but it would be just an assumption. The fact is that God did not inspire the Gospel writers to record moments of laughter or glee on the part of Jesus. Other emotions are recorded. Jesus “marvelled” (or “was amazed”) at the faith of a Roman centurion (Mark 8:10) and at the unbelief of his countrymen in Nazareth (Mark 6:6). Jesus was angry and grieved at the Pharisees’ hardness of heart toward a crippled man (Mark 3:5). Jesus wept with grief over the unbelief in Jerusalem (Luke 19:41) and with compassion at the tomb of his friend Lazarus (John 11:35).

A couple of things come to mind as I ponder the absence of laughter in the Gospel accounts of Jesus's life.

First, the Gospels were not intended to be full biographies of Jesus. John wrote that if all that Jesus said and did were recorded, “I expect that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.” (John 21:25) The Gospels have a redemptive purpose. Events and discourses were selected under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to accomplish that purpose. And that purpose left no room for mirth. It was serious business. That’s why Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.”

The second thing I notice is the important distinction between joy and laughter or mirth. Jesus had joy, as the psalmist said, even in the midst of sorrow and grief. Some Christians confuse these things. They think that if one doesn’t display and “happy” countenance, one lacks joy. That may be an unwarranted judgment. One may have a heavy heart for any number of reasons, including grief on behalf of another, and still have the joy of the Lord abiding in the heart. In fact, the person who can “weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15) is close to the heart of Jesus.

Solomon noted that “a merry heart does good like medicine” (Proverbs 17:22); “But,” he warns, “the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.” For many people, laughter is drug to ease the pain of their empty life. “Even in laughter the heart may sorrow, And the end of mirth may be grief.” (Proverbs 14:13) The “house of mirth” is an attempt to escape reality, which is a vain pursuit. Reality awaits just outside the door of the comedy club!

I have friends who are going through severe trials. And though they may not always display a cheerful countenance, I know they have the joy of the Lord in their hearts. For them, Jesus has encouragement:

"Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11-12)