stolen-purse
Explanation
The Joke
The comic shows a classic superhero rescue scenario: an elderly woman has been robbed, and a caped hero (depicted in red, resembling a generic superhero or possibly Jesus based on the caption) swoops in. The woman exclaims, "Oh thank goodness, you've come to save me!" But instead of chasing the thief, the hero says, "Actually, now that I'm here... I mean, do you really need a purse?"
The caption reads: "Jesus made a lousy superhero." This reframes the hero as Jesus Christ, whose teachings emphasized detachment from material possessions and turning the other cheek rather than pursuing retribution.
The Humor
The joke contrasts the expectations of a superhero story with the actual teachings of Jesus. In a superhero narrative, the hero would chase down the thief and return the stolen property. But Jesus's philosophy, taken literally, would lead to questioning the victim's attachment to material goods rather than punishing the wrongdoer. Teachings like "give to everyone who asks of you" and "do not resist an evil person" would indeed make for a terrible crime-fighting strategy. The humor comes from the absurdity of applying genuinely held spiritual principles to a situation where they are hilariously impractical.
References
The comic references several teachings of Jesus from the New Testament, particularly the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), which includes instructions to turn the other cheek, not resist evil, and not store up treasures on earth. The joke also echoes Matthew 19:21, where Jesus tells a rich man to sell his possessions and give the money to the poor.