Tuesday, August 29, 2006

A parable...of sorts

This, um, parable was left on my desk by one of my youth last Sunday. It's got a surprise ending, so be ready. :)

One day, the devil challenged Jesus to a boxing match. Everyone placed bets on Jesus, then Satan appeared. He was muscular and 300 pounds. Everyone except one changed their bets. Fight night, Jesus wouldn't fight, then two boys inspired him to punch and once he did, Satan fell over and lost the match, and said "I was the one who bet on Jesus, so I get all your money." The End.

At first, I thought, maybe, he had heard that Carman song called The Champion (is that right?), but he definitely took it in a different direction. Is it a parable against gambling? Does he like to picture his Jesus as a boxer with white gloves, shorts, and boots? Or maybe Jesus did his boxing in his traditional off white garment. Anyway, I thought I'd throw it out there and see what everyone thinks.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think it means that sometimes the Devil really wins, even when on the surface it doesn't seem that way.
Jesus won the fight in the audience's eyes, but the Devil got the last laugh...

Anonymous said...

I think the parable is silly. Jesus wouldn't have thrown a punch. Not his style. He can be tempted in the desert for 40 days and not give in, but two boys can convince him to throw one punch at Satan? Not buying it.

Alan Bancroft said...

Oh yeah, the "parable" is totally silly. I mean, Jesus in a boxing match? Come on. And, even if Jesus did climb in the ring, I'm with you, that Jesus wouldn't have thrown a punch. Keep in mind that a 5th grader wrote this. I just thought it was funny to share.

Anonymous said...

(Anonymous #2)One of your youth actually wrote it himself? There's something to be said for a child who writes a parable rather than a dirty joke. You must be doing something right.

Unknown said...

You don't think that the resurrection was a big punch at Satan? Why are we so sure that Jesus wouldn't punch? I don't think Jesus would punch people, but I don't think that his punching Satan (or evil, or death, or the devil--whatever you want to call it)is so silly--or so bad.

However, I don't think that Jesus would have been fooled by Satan.

Maybe the parable has a "lost ending" that pulls it together. :)