[Legolas]

Thanks!

All the signs we're given point to Gandalf as the greatest of the Istari without competition. From Letter No 156:

Gandalf alone fully passes the tests, on a moral plane anyway (he makes mistakes of judgement). For in his condition it was for him a sacrifice to perish on the Bridge in defence of his companions, less perhaps than for a mortal Man or Hobbit, since he had a far greater inner power than they; but also more, since it was a humbling and abnegation of himself in conformity to 'the Rules': for all he could know at that moment he was the only person who could direct the resistance to Sauron successfully, and all his mission was vain. He was handing over to the Authority that ordained the Rules, and giving up personal hope of success.

That quote points out that Gandalf was greater than Saruman, but observed him as leader of the Istari because the Valar designed it that way. He acknowledged their wisdom, and in that, obeyed them. Gandalf had faith in the restrictions placed upon him. The point is that the mission would've failed had Gandalf not followed these restrictions, and he knew that. The Valar were wise enough to place such a mission and conditions upon him to know that if he stuck to them, he would succeed. I believe Gandalf knew this, though he feared otherwise because of his humility.

The following are from Unfinished Tales.

And Curunír 'Lân, Saruman the White, fell from his high errand, and becoming proud and impatient and enamoured of power sought to have his own will by force, and to oust Sauron; but he was ensnared by that dark spirit, mightier than he.

This says Sauron was greater than Saruman. If Sauron is greater than Saruman and Gandalf is (at the least) equal to Sauron, he too is greater than Saruman.

Gandalf is equal to Sauron at the least, since they were equal in their beginnings and Sauron had presumably weakened as he spread out his power in his various evil projects:

To the overthrow of Morgoth he [Manwë] sent his herald Eönwë. To the defeat of Sauron would he not then send some lesser (but mighty) spirit of the angelic people, one coëval and equal, doubtless, with Sauron in their beginnings, but not more? Olórin was his name. But of Olórin we shall never know more than he revealed in Gandalf.

There are more explicit quotes that acknowledge that Gandalf was greater than Saruman.

But Círdan from their first meeting at the Grey Havens divined in him the greatest spirit and the wisest; and he welcomed him with reverence, and he gave to his keeping the Third Ring, Narya the Red.
In his heart Saruman recognized the great power and the strange "good fortune" that went with Gandalf.

Saruman soon became jealous of Gandalf, and this rivalry turned at last to a hatred, the deeper for being concealed, and the more bitter in that Saruman knew in his heart that the Grey Wanderer had the greater strength, and the greater influence upon the dwellers in Middle-earth, even though he hid his power and desired neither fear nor reverence.

At the council of the Valar when they picked the Istari, Manwë asks where Olórin (Gandalf) is. After the matter is settled, Varda hints at Gandalf's greatness.

Then Manwë asked, where was Olórin ? And Olórin, who was clad in grey, and having just entered from a journey had seated himself at the edge of the council, asked what Manwë would have of him. Manwë replied that he wished Olórin to go as the third messenger to Middle-earth (and it is remarked in parentheses that "Olórin was a lover of the Eldar that remained," apparently to explain Manwë's choice). But Olórin declared that he was too weak for such a task, and that he feared Sauron. Then Manwë said that that was all the more reason why he should go, and that he commanded Olórin (illegible words follow that seems to contain word "third"). But at that Varda looked up and said: "Not as the third;" and Curumo remembered it.

Even without these quotes, we can see that Gandalf is greater. Gandalf knew trying to get hold of the Ring and using it was a terrible plan whereas Saruman is deceived in thinking that he could use it and defeat Sauron.

This has been discussed a few times, including these two threads:
http://forum.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin...c&f=1&t=001982
http://forum.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin...c&f=1&t=000780

[ March 26, 2003: Message edited by: Legolas ]