Saruman - The Greatest Failing of the LOTR Adaptation

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Nikkolas

I'm sure the Catholic Tolkien wouldn't have made this comparison but The Istari kind of make me think of Jesus. Wasn't he God's attempt to lower Himself to that of a human being? To feel all our emotions, our weaknesses? The description of the Wizards in Unfinished Tales is much the same:
"[the Valar] sent members of their own high order, but clad in bodies of as of Men, real and not feigned, but subject to the fears and pains and weariness of earth, able to hunger and thirst and be slain; though because of their noble spirits they did not die, and aged only by the cares and labours of many long years."

The critical difference between the arrival of Jesus and the sending of the Istari lies in the purposes behind the plans.

The Istari were volunteers, recruited from the angelic Maia to go to Middle-earth and work against Sauron. This they would do not by direct confrontation, but by teaching, inspiring, and leading. They had to take the forms of Men so as to better understand the plight of the Children of Ilúvatar, as well as to help ensure they would keep a semblance of humility, and not lord their abilities over those they had come to aid.

Jesus did those things also, but his main accomplishment was to be his self-sacrifice, a one-time expiation of sin for all. This was his destiny, which he well knew.

Also, along the lines of what Mith said, Jesus was not a mere angel, but an embodiment of God Himself. Eru Ilúvatar does not enter Arda, nor is any form of him ever seen.

I've seen it argued that Gandalf's sacrifice on the Bridge of Khazad-dûm was comparable. It is not, for the reason that Gandalf did not know beforehand that his death would be required. He had not arrived in the mortal lands with the purpose of dying. It became necessary to confront the Balrog and save his friends (and more importantly, advance the Ring's destruction), but that was "chance", as Bombadil would say it.

After the death of Jesus on the cross, his task was done. Gandalf's "death" was dissimilar, in that he was re-embodied and sent back temporarily, to see to Sauron's defeat.