Heard the one about Jesus?

SIR: I wonder if Devorah Baum’s new history of the Jewish joke (May issue) records one any earlier than that in John 1 45-47 – which, incidentally, reminds us that Christ, too, was Jewish. His ribbing of Nathanael in response to his tactless quip, had it come from a Gentile, would not have been funny at all, but simply offensive: ‘Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” And Nathanael said unto him, “Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip saith unto him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him and saith of him, “Behold an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile!” ’ David Culver, London