Aristotle is well-known for defining virtues as the middle between two vices. This is known as the golden mean between excess and deficiency. One interesting and important virtue that Aristotle defines this way is “eutrapelia” which is Greek for “well-turned” and is often translated as “wittiness”. Through this concept, Aristotle seeks to define a balance of humor whereas a man is not boorish nor a buffoon. To me, this is a fascinating concept as I often see people criticized for being too serious or not serious enough based on their use of humor in their life. This is a conversation I see happen often in Christian circles as we decide what we can and cannot joke about and when we can make those jokes. So, through Aristotle and later Aquinas, I am going to try and set out guidelines for humor in our lives.
Aristotle talks about this topic most heavily in Chapter 8 of Book IV of Nichomachean Ethics,
Those who carry humour to excess are thought to be vulgar buffoons, striving after humour at all costs, and aiming rather at raising a laugh than at saying what is becoming and at avoiding pain to the object of their fun; while those who can neither make a joke themselves nor put up with those who do are thought to be boorish and unpolished. But those who joke in a tasteful way are called ready-witted, which implies a sort of readiness to turn this way and that; for such sallies are thought to be movements of the character, and as bodies are discriminated by their movements, so too are characters.1
Here he defines humor and amusement as a type of leisure and an important one at that. First, it is important to acknowledge the importance of rest and leisure in life to both Aristotle and Aquinas. Both men see relaxation in moderation as important to resting the body and the mind which allows us to reenergize and better focus on virtue and work. Aquinas states his position in the Summa,
Just as man needs bodily rest for the body’s refreshment, because he cannot always be at work, since his power is finite and equal to a certain fixed amount of labour, so too is it with his soul, whose power is also finite and equal to a fixed amount of work. Consequently when he goes beyond his measure in a certain work, he is oppressed and becomes weary, and all the more since when the soul works the body is at work likewise, in so far as the intellective soul employs forces that operate through bodily organs. Now just as weariness of the body is dispelled by resting the body, so weariness of the soul must needs be remedied by resting the soul: and the soul’s rest is pleasure2
This is very much a Christian idea as it is the reason the Israelites were given a sabbath day, and why Christians today still practice Sabbath time. Part of that relaxation is humor, and it can be hugely beneficial when used properly, but as with most things it can also be used improperly.
One end of Aristotle’s scale of humor is for those that do not use humor at all or even look down upon it. These people he would call borrish. These individuals can be see as boring, dull, and unpleasant to be around. They often would take themselves too seriously which becomes a detriment to personal relationships and a barrier to a lot of the enjoyment of life. It is rare to find someone so opposed to humor, but there are definately Christians who can take themselves much too seriously or who can be legalistic around humor. Perhaps they look down on teasing friends or making jokes at times they find improper such as church or a bible study. There are reasons to be concerned about where and when jokes should be made, but many people have a tendency to overreact and set harsh rules to protect themselves.
Being legalistic in this way can end up depriving us of many of the pleasures God intended for us to enjoy. Therefore, the sin of deficiency is just as real as that of excess and it is important to see that and avoid it. Aristotle identifies insensibility or deficiency as a vice just as he does excess, and Aquinas further elaborates on this point in the Summa,
Whatever is contrary to the natural order is vicious. Now nature has introduced pleasure into the operations that are necessary for man’s life. Wherefore the natural order requires that man should make use of these pleasures, in so far as they are necessary for man’s well-being, as regards the preservation either of the individual or of the species. Accordingly if anyone were to reject pleasure to the extent of omitting things that are necessary for nature’s preservation, he would sin, as acting counter to the order of nature. And this pertains to the vice of insensibility.3
And as we say above, Aquinas sees rest and further humor as necessary to our nature, meaning that complete abstinence from such things could be sinful.
The other end of Aristotles’s scale is that of the buffoons who overuse humor and often in the wrong situations. Many people including myself can easily fall into this category. So, it is important to discern what we can and cannot make jokes about. Aquinas defines his rules based on that of Tully,
The first and chief is that the pleasure in question should not be sought in indecent or injurious deeds or words. Wherefore Tully says (De Offic. i.) under the heading ‘Concerning scurrility and jokes’, that ‘one kind of joke is discourteous, insolent, scandalous, obscene.’4
Let us expound on these guidelines with the use of scripture.
First and foremost, humor should not compromise moral seriousness which means that we should refrain from jokes that belittle sin or any aspect of the Gospel or of holy things. The doctrines of Christianity are of the utmost importance and we should not make fun or reduce these things to a joke. There are certain things that should remain holy and protected.
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness…
As seen above, 2 Timothy 2:15-16 guides us to be careful how we handle the Word of God and to avoid irreverent babble in regards to it. These truths of God are of utmost importance and we should never say anything that could detract or distract from their importance.
However, humor can also play a critical role in creating an environment where people are comfortable being open about sin and their spirtual life. These are serious topics that can often be awkward and sometimes shameful, and tasteful humor can go a long way in relieving that discomfort. For example, sometimes when we confess sin I think we see just how ridiculous we can all act sometimes. So using some light, self-directed humor when discussing those sins is a way we can feel more comfortable sharing. Thus using humor in religious contexts is not inherently wrong, but we should not use humor at the expense of holy things.
Another way that humor can often go wrong is when we use it as a weapon to tear others down. I believe that there is a place for teasing friends as a way to build relationship, but maliciously making fun of people is also an effective way to tear people down and destroy relationships. Ephesians 4:29 clearly lays guidelines for this type of speech,
29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Thus, we should be careful who we tease and to what extent we do so to always ensure that that it is a welcome joke received in good faith.
Finally, I think as Christians we have a responsibility to be careful how we speak and that means avoiding crude humor and speech. Ephesians 5:4 provides a warning to such speech,
4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.
We should never tells jokes that lead us or others into sin such as lust or anger.
This leaves the middle, the zone for temperance, as the place where we should seek to be. The temperate man is careful, tactful, and vigilant to decide when and how it is appropriate and necessary to use humor. He does not belittle what is important nor tear others down in his words. His humor is a tool to build up, to comfort, and create an evironment of relaxation. Aristotle puts it this way,
The refined and well-bred man, therefore, will be as we have described, being as it were a law to himself.
Such, then, is the man who observes the mean, whether he be called tactful or ready-witted.5
The temperate man bridles his tongue to utilize it and his humor as a virtuous tool and not a vicious weapon.
- Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics 1128a4–17, trans. W.D. Ross, The Internet Classics Archive, accessed August 27, 2025, https://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/nicomachaen.html.
- Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica I-II, Q. 4, Art. 1, ad 2, trans. Fathers of the English Dominican Province (New York: Benziger Bros., 1947), accessed August 27, 2025, Logos Bible Software.
- ibid, II-II, Q. 153, Art. 3.
- ibid, II-II, Q.168, Art. 2.
- Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics 1128b10–13, trans. W.D. Ross, The Internet Classics Archive, accessed August 27, 2025, https://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/nicomachaen.html.
Leave a Reply