Tag: suggestive

“Coarse Jesting”: Jokes That Cross The Line

Neal Pollard

The word εὐτρᾰπελία (eutrapelia) is only found in a single New Testament verse, where Paul says, “But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks” (Ephesians 5:3-4). Notice that Paul’s warnings are against immoral behavior in verse three (immorality, impurity, and greed) and immoral speech in verse four (obscenity, foolish talk, and “coarse jesting”).

In classic Greek literature, especially Aristotle and Plutarch praise clever wit as a social grace. It seems εὐτρᾰπελία indicated a quick witted and charming conversationalist. It was predominantly a positive trait in the ancient world. Yet, in the New Testament, it is speech “involving vulgar expressions and indecent content” (Louw-Nida, 392). Many lexicons define it as “ribaldry” (referring to sexual matters in an amusingly coarse or irreverent way). So, what is Paul’s point?

In essence, Paul seems to be warning about misusing that gift of intelligent and clever speech. Given the verbal vices Paul includes with this word, it seems that coarse jesting points to jokes that contain sexual innuendo or suggestiveness–especially what will cause others to laugh or be amused. There are comedians and actors who are associated with this kind of humor. Perhaps we think of classmates, coworkers, or friends who come to mind, too. But Paul says that this is going too far to get a laugh or impress the people we are speaking to. In fact, he calls it improper and not fitting!

So what does that mean for you and me? Watch those words and phrases with double meanings, that are open to two interpretations one of which is risqué or indecent. Avoid jokes where you depict ideas and thoughts which cross the line of decency. If in doubt, don’t say it. Such words and conversations are unnecessary to have a good time. Laughing and humor are extremely enjoyable, but never should we resort to ungodliness to generate it. As His ambassadors, God wants our speech to be decent, pure, and wholesome. No one should ever leave our company feeling any further from Christ, and jokes and sentences that rely on sexual suggestiveness will not accomplish righteous representation of our Redeemer!

Is It Clever Or Just Coarse?

Neal Pollard

What do a fantasy football service and a seafood restaurant have in common?  Maybe the advertisement firms they both hired and they felt proud of their play on words that made the commercial viewers hear one word but think of another, extremely vulgar and profane word.  Is this perhaps part of a linguistic trend in our current culture that seems to love to give a good shock to anyone who might still have sensitivity toward foul language?  Hopefully it isn’t, but it seems like a trend to twist speech in the apparent interest of the salty and salacious. Is it imaginative or just plain impure?

You hear it with these pun-like, substitute words that are like euphemisms only more edgy.  You hear it in drug references, referring to behavior, good or bad, as likened to one smoking, inhaling, or intravenously taking something illegal (or in the case of marijuana in Washington and Colorado, now legal). You hear it in crass references to body parts. You hear it in sexually suggestive and charged words, anywhere from “hot” and “sexy” to the more vulgar in an attempt to describe a project, product, or person.  How many of these cross the line of being sinful is difficult to assess, but so many of them flirt with crossing into inappropriate territory.

In Ephesians 5, Paul is in the middle of telling Christians how to “walk.”  Apparently, the walk includes the “talk.”  The chapter begins with his commanding us to imitate God and walking in the footsteps of Jesus. Then, Paul deals negatively by saying how we should not walk. He begins with actions of the mind and the body, then in verse four says, “…Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.” To put an exclamation point on the discussion, he says that those practicing such things have no inheritance in the kingdom.  That’s pretty serious!  Bratcher and Nida sees all three nouns as referring to indecent, inappropriate speech, from sexually suggestive words to “shameful, shameless talk of every kind” (A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians, np). At least the second two, “foolish talking” and “coarse jesting,” should cause us to give closer examination both to what we say and how we say it.

Our speech is powerful.  One wise word may result in a soul’s salvation.  As death and life are in the power of the tongue (Prov. 18:21), let’s heed the advice of the children’s song—”Be careful little mouths what you say!”