2009-09-29
Explanation
This comic depicts Jesus punching an older man, with a "BAM!" sound effect. Jesus, identifiable by his halo, robes, and long red hair, is shown throwing a punch that connects with the other man's face. The caption below reads: "Fun fact: When Jesus said 'let he who is without sin cast the first stone,' he was talking about himself."
The joke reinterprets one of Jesus's most famous teachings from the Gospel of John. In the biblical story, a crowd is about to stone a woman for adultery, and Jesus says "let he who is without sin cast the first stone," shaming the crowd into dispersing because none of them are sinless. The traditional reading is that this is a lesson in mercy and humility. But the comic takes the statement literally: since Jesus, being divine, is the only person actually without sin, he was essentially calling dibs on throwing the first stone (or in this case, the first punch). The pacifist teaching becomes a declaration of righteous violence.
The votey panel continues the biblical violence theme, showing Jesus menacingly saying "Now... turn the other cheek" -- reinterpreting another famous teaching about nonviolent response to aggression as a threat, essentially telling his victim to present the other side of his face so Jesus can hit that one too.