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Originally Posted by Formendacil
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Originally Posted by narfforc
I agree with everything Formendacil says, and he ties up much of the Gandalf/Maiar problem quite nicely. On the question of The Return of Gandalf, I believe Tolkien says, he returned with enhanced sanctity. Was this because the Valar had seen the fall of Saruman into evil, and Radagast become distracted, that they wished Gandalf to have more ability to combat these weakness's, in this case does sanctity mean free from sin?. Doesn't Tolkien say of The Istari: clad in the bodies of Men, real and not feigned, but subject to the fears and pains and weariness of earth, maybe Gandalf the White returned with less of these problems to worry him, giving him more purity to his inherent power.
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There's no reason to believe he came back
less incarnate than he was originally. He still employed Shadowfax for travel rather than shedding his corporeal raiment and traveling on the spiritual plane, even when speed was critical. In fact, there's not even any indication that his mandate had changed: he evidently still was not allowed to throw fireballs at mortals and shrivel them with his eyes. I theorize that the enhancements given consisted of the authority to break Saruman, a revitalizing through rebirth (he had been incarnate for many centuries and was no doubt weary), and the new provision that he could use all power necessary to protect himself from death, so he didn't have to bend over and take it like he did from the Balrog.
Here's some more reference on the topic:
Ëalar and Incarnation
The Ainur and their physical forms
The Powers of the Istari
gandalf and sarumon