12-13-2020, 11:56 PM
Hence, in Melchisedech we have a reference to a mysterious king-priest who is ‘everlasting’ ~ from whence he comes and where he goes, no one knows. Of interest, Bl. Anne Catherine Emmerich was granted a vision concerning the prophetic appearance of Melchisedech, and that he appeared to Abraham “... in the same way as did the angels at different times.”48 She also notes: “I have often seen Melchisedech, but never as a human being. I have always seen him as a being of another nature, as an angel, as one sent by God.”49 Therefore it is possible Tolkien may have modeled the mysterious arrival of his ‘angelic’ Istari upon that of Melchisedech.
Yet, where is the acceptable ‘sacrifice’ or offering in the Lord of the Rings that the ‘priesthood’ is to make if there is indeed a priesthood? We must examine the offerings of Melchisedech to find the answer: bread and wine. These early offerings were prophetic symbols of the bread and wine that would later be offered by Christ at the Last Supper and transubstantiated by His Divine Power into His Body and Blood that would be given up the next day, the perfect and spotless Eternal Sacrifice to the Father for the sins of mankind.
Focusing on Gandalf, we find he indeed offers an ‘ultimate sacrifice’ like Christ. During their journey in their quest to destroy the Ring, the members of the Fellowship are compelled to take a perilous route through the underground Dwarf kingdom of Moria that in years past had been laid waste by goblins, orcs and other fell beings. However, the mine-kingdom is still inhabited by evil creatures. In addition to hoards of goblins, trolls and orcs, the small band of travellers are suddenly perused by a colossal Balrog, a terrifying fire-demon reawakened from the deepest recesses of the mountains. Described as an “evil of the Ancient World,” and a “Terror” feared almost as much as Lord Sauron by both Elves and Dwarves, it is a creature of shadow and flame that was and continues to be a servant of Morgoth, the Great Enemy of Old. The ferocious power of the Balrog is so mighty that even the other dark creatures of Moria fear it, and Gandalf is the only one of the Fellowship who has the skill and wisdom to battle with the foe. As the travelers escape, Gandalf stays behind and bars the way, preventing the Balrog from pursuing them over a black abyss. He engages in a dramatic sword fight, his white elf-blade smashing the Balrog’s flaming blade to molten pieces declaring imperiously, “You cannot pass!” The Balrog attempts to cross the bridge again, but Gandalf uses the full force of his powers as servant of the ‘Secret Fire’ and wielder of the flame of Anor. Shattering his staff against the land-bridge and raising up a blaze of light, he sends himself and his foe into the chasm, imploring the Fellowship to save itself. The travellers flee as he bids, thinking Gandalf is lost forever, having fallen to his death in a bottomless abyss with the evil Balrog.
However, we discover later we have not heard the last of Gandalf’s adventures with the Balrog in the bowels of Middle-Earth. Gandalf eventually
reunites with Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli in Fangorn forest, and they are astounded at his reappearance, thinking he was dead. Now, he is dressed in a brilliant white and he explains his transformation from the Grey Pilgrim to the bright figure they see before them, destined to become the new leader of the White Council.**
When the bridge collapsed and the Balrog snapped its whip around his legs, dragging him down with him, they fell for what seemed like an eternity down to the very roots of the mountains of Moria and into a great hidden lake. The water doused the evil flames of the Balrog, turning it into a hideous slimly creature, but Gandalf continued to fight his enemy, hewing it with his Elven sword as they struggled in the water. “We fought far under the living earth, where time is not counted.”50 The Balrog then turned and fled, making its way up through hidden stairs and passageways, attempting to reach the sun to reignite its flames and Gandalf followed him up to the very pinnacle of the mountain, engaging in battle once more with the monster, its flames now reignited:
48 The Life of Christ, Vol I, p. 81.
49 Ibid. p. 64.
** Compare Gandalf’s transformation with Bl. Emmerich’s comments about the mysterious angelicpriest Melchisedech: “The impression made by Melchisedech was similar to that produced by the Lord during His teaching life. He was very tall and slight, remarkably mild and earnest. He wore aong garment so white and shining that it reminded me of the white raiment that surrounded the Lord at His Transfiguration.” The Life of Christ, Vol. I (p. 82).
50 Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, p. 523.
51 Ibid. pp. 523-524.
52 Ibid. The Fellowship of the Ring, p. 375.
[size=xx-small]53 Ibid. The Two Towers, p. 607.
54 Ibid. p. 516.
55 Ibid. The Return of the King, p. 861.
Yet, where is the acceptable ‘sacrifice’ or offering in the Lord of the Rings that the ‘priesthood’ is to make if there is indeed a priesthood? We must examine the offerings of Melchisedech to find the answer: bread and wine. These early offerings were prophetic symbols of the bread and wine that would later be offered by Christ at the Last Supper and transubstantiated by His Divine Power into His Body and Blood that would be given up the next day, the perfect and spotless Eternal Sacrifice to the Father for the sins of mankind.
Focusing on Gandalf, we find he indeed offers an ‘ultimate sacrifice’ like Christ. During their journey in their quest to destroy the Ring, the members of the Fellowship are compelled to take a perilous route through the underground Dwarf kingdom of Moria that in years past had been laid waste by goblins, orcs and other fell beings. However, the mine-kingdom is still inhabited by evil creatures. In addition to hoards of goblins, trolls and orcs, the small band of travellers are suddenly perused by a colossal Balrog, a terrifying fire-demon reawakened from the deepest recesses of the mountains. Described as an “evil of the Ancient World,” and a “Terror” feared almost as much as Lord Sauron by both Elves and Dwarves, it is a creature of shadow and flame that was and continues to be a servant of Morgoth, the Great Enemy of Old. The ferocious power of the Balrog is so mighty that even the other dark creatures of Moria fear it, and Gandalf is the only one of the Fellowship who has the skill and wisdom to battle with the foe. As the travelers escape, Gandalf stays behind and bars the way, preventing the Balrog from pursuing them over a black abyss. He engages in a dramatic sword fight, his white elf-blade smashing the Balrog’s flaming blade to molten pieces declaring imperiously, “You cannot pass!” The Balrog attempts to cross the bridge again, but Gandalf uses the full force of his powers as servant of the ‘Secret Fire’ and wielder of the flame of Anor. Shattering his staff against the land-bridge and raising up a blaze of light, he sends himself and his foe into the chasm, imploring the Fellowship to save itself. The travellers flee as he bids, thinking Gandalf is lost forever, having fallen to his death in a bottomless abyss with the evil Balrog.
However, we discover later we have not heard the last of Gandalf’s adventures with the Balrog in the bowels of Middle-Earth. Gandalf eventually
reunites with Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli in Fangorn forest, and they are astounded at his reappearance, thinking he was dead. Now, he is dressed in a brilliant white and he explains his transformation from the Grey Pilgrim to the bright figure they see before them, destined to become the new leader of the White Council.**
When the bridge collapsed and the Balrog snapped its whip around his legs, dragging him down with him, they fell for what seemed like an eternity down to the very roots of the mountains of Moria and into a great hidden lake. The water doused the evil flames of the Balrog, turning it into a hideous slimly creature, but Gandalf continued to fight his enemy, hewing it with his Elven sword as they struggled in the water. “We fought far under the living earth, where time is not counted.”50 The Balrog then turned and fled, making its way up through hidden stairs and passageways, attempting to reach the sun to reignite its flames and Gandalf followed him up to the very pinnacle of the mountain, engaging in battle once more with the monster, its flames now reignited:
“A great smoke rose about us, vapour and steam. Ice fell
like rain. I threw down my enemy, and he fell from the high place
and broke the mountain-side where he smote it in his ruin. Then
darkness took me, and I strayed out of thought and time, and I
wandered far on roads that I will not tell. Naked I was sent back ~
for a brief time, until my task is done.”51
like rain. I threw down my enemy, and he fell from the high place
and broke the mountain-side where he smote it in his ruin. Then
darkness took me, and I strayed out of thought and time, and I
wandered far on roads that I will not tell. Naked I was sent back ~
for a brief time, until my task is done.”51
In the end we find Gandalf did give up his life to destroy the enemy, the coming of death described as the ‘darkness’ taking him. We see he was no longer in the temporal spheres of Middle-Earth for he strayed out of thought and time yet was ‘sent back’ for his mission was not yet accomplished.
Hence, Similar to Christ who gave the ultimate sacrifice of His life to defeat Eternal Death brought into the world by Satan, Gandalf risks his life to save his friends, knowing he may be defeated in the struggle, and eventually does give up his life to destroy a Demon of Death that had been the cause of the decimation of the Dwarf Kingdom in Moria. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep.” (John 10:11) We see Frodo later explains to Lady Galadriel: “Gandalf was our guide, and he led us through Moria; and when our escape seemed beyond hope he saved us and he fell.”52 As Christ said: “Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) Indeed, Gandalf is also presented as a symbolic Christ-like figure rising from the dead for he declares later in the text: “I am Gandalf the White, who has returned from death.”53 In the Elven woods of Lothlórien he is clothed in the victorious colour white and later becomes the new Leader of the White Council, Saruman having proved a traitor and unworthy to hold the noble office. Rather than become a wise protector, looking after the flock so to speak, Saruman became a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He coveted the black magic of the One Ring and in fact, lusts after power, rebelliously flouting the order laid on the Istari that they may not rule over Elves or Men by fear or force, nor go so far as to challenge the Dark Lord Sauron with the powers granted them. In one sense, the expulsion of Saruman and the rise of Gandalf represents the end of the Old Testament Levitical priesthood and the establishment of the new Eternal Priesthood of Christ via his Church in the New Testament for Gandalf remarks: “Yes, I am white now. Indeed I am Saruman, one might almost say, Saruman as he should have been.”54
In fact, this order to guide and instruct yet not vie of power, even against the Evil Sauron in an attempt to defeat him, is remarkably similar to the role of a Catholic priest who may guide and instruct, yet force no one to enter the True Faith against their free will. Indeed, even exorcist priests may not ‘challenge’ Satan, only drive out a demon if called upon to do so by the power invested in him through Christ as it is ultimately God who decides the time of deliverance from a demon. A priest is only the means and simply represents God. Of interest, we find that this is the one of the few ‘priestly’ functions we see Gandalf engage in other than sacrificing his life like Christ, that is, to carry out his duty as a type of exorcist. Gandalf protects others from the powers of dark creatures, and in one instance, drives out the black clouds of oppression possessing the King of Rohan, encouraging him to turn from the evil councils of the traitor Saruman and embrace the light once more.
Throughout the rest of the narrative, this Christ-like image of Gandalf as a regal leader and ‘pontiff’ is firmly established in his new adventures as the White Rider. During his travels Gandalf tames the famed white horse belonging to the King of Rohan, Shadowfax, a distant descendent of the speaking horses that no doubt were brought over from the Undying Lands of the Valar. Only the kings of Rohan are permitted to ride rare horses such as Shadowfax, yet once he is tamed by Gandalf, he will bear no other rider. Gandalf continually rides like the wind to the aid of those who need his help and powerful assistance. He musters armies, dispels evil, gives counsel to kings and captains, comforts the doubtful, protects and saves lives, and dares to confront the leader of the Nazgûl witch-kings as he attempts to enter the hallowed gates of Gondor’s capital city:
Hence, Similar to Christ who gave the ultimate sacrifice of His life to defeat Eternal Death brought into the world by Satan, Gandalf risks his life to save his friends, knowing he may be defeated in the struggle, and eventually does give up his life to destroy a Demon of Death that had been the cause of the decimation of the Dwarf Kingdom in Moria. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep.” (John 10:11) We see Frodo later explains to Lady Galadriel: “Gandalf was our guide, and he led us through Moria; and when our escape seemed beyond hope he saved us and he fell.”52 As Christ said: “Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) Indeed, Gandalf is also presented as a symbolic Christ-like figure rising from the dead for he declares later in the text: “I am Gandalf the White, who has returned from death.”53 In the Elven woods of Lothlórien he is clothed in the victorious colour white and later becomes the new Leader of the White Council, Saruman having proved a traitor and unworthy to hold the noble office. Rather than become a wise protector, looking after the flock so to speak, Saruman became a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He coveted the black magic of the One Ring and in fact, lusts after power, rebelliously flouting the order laid on the Istari that they may not rule over Elves or Men by fear or force, nor go so far as to challenge the Dark Lord Sauron with the powers granted them. In one sense, the expulsion of Saruman and the rise of Gandalf represents the end of the Old Testament Levitical priesthood and the establishment of the new Eternal Priesthood of Christ via his Church in the New Testament for Gandalf remarks: “Yes, I am white now. Indeed I am Saruman, one might almost say, Saruman as he should have been.”54
In fact, this order to guide and instruct yet not vie of power, even against the Evil Sauron in an attempt to defeat him, is remarkably similar to the role of a Catholic priest who may guide and instruct, yet force no one to enter the True Faith against their free will. Indeed, even exorcist priests may not ‘challenge’ Satan, only drive out a demon if called upon to do so by the power invested in him through Christ as it is ultimately God who decides the time of deliverance from a demon. A priest is only the means and simply represents God. Of interest, we find that this is the one of the few ‘priestly’ functions we see Gandalf engage in other than sacrificing his life like Christ, that is, to carry out his duty as a type of exorcist. Gandalf protects others from the powers of dark creatures, and in one instance, drives out the black clouds of oppression possessing the King of Rohan, encouraging him to turn from the evil councils of the traitor Saruman and embrace the light once more.
Throughout the rest of the narrative, this Christ-like image of Gandalf as a regal leader and ‘pontiff’ is firmly established in his new adventures as the White Rider. During his travels Gandalf tames the famed white horse belonging to the King of Rohan, Shadowfax, a distant descendent of the speaking horses that no doubt were brought over from the Undying Lands of the Valar. Only the kings of Rohan are permitted to ride rare horses such as Shadowfax, yet once he is tamed by Gandalf, he will bear no other rider. Gandalf continually rides like the wind to the aid of those who need his help and powerful assistance. He musters armies, dispels evil, gives counsel to kings and captains, comforts the doubtful, protects and saves lives, and dares to confront the leader of the Nazgûl witch-kings as he attempts to enter the hallowed gates of Gondor’s capital city:
“ ‘You cannot enter here,’ said Gandalf, and the huge
shadow halted. ‘Go back to the abyss prepared for you! Go back!
Fall into the nothingness that awaits you and your master! Go!”55
shadow halted. ‘Go back to the abyss prepared for you! Go back!
Fall into the nothingness that awaits you and your master! Go!”55
48 The Life of Christ, Vol I, p. 81.
49 Ibid. p. 64.
** Compare Gandalf’s transformation with Bl. Emmerich’s comments about the mysterious angelicpriest Melchisedech: “The impression made by Melchisedech was similar to that produced by the Lord during His teaching life. He was very tall and slight, remarkably mild and earnest. He wore aong garment so white and shining that it reminded me of the white raiment that surrounded the Lord at His Transfiguration.” The Life of Christ, Vol. I (p. 82).
50 Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, p. 523.
51 Ibid. pp. 523-524.
52 Ibid. The Fellowship of the Ring, p. 375.
[size=xx-small]53 Ibid. The Two Towers, p. 607.
54 Ibid. p. 516.
55 Ibid. The Return of the King, p. 861.