Aslan's Representation of Jesus Christ in The Lion, the Witch
C.S. Lewis's depiction of Aslan in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" is often seen as an allegorical representation of Jesus Christ. This interpretation is rooted in the symbolic and theological connections between Aslan and Christ. The name "Aslan" itself means "lion" in Turkish, and the lion is a biblical symbol for Christ, as seen in Revelation 5:5, where Jesus is referred to as "the Lion of the tribe of Judah" [7].
The characterization of Aslan in Lewis's work mirrors several aspects of Christ's nature and mission. Aslan's sacrifice and subsequent resurrection parallel the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This parallel is underscored by the Christian understanding of Christ's sacrifice as a redemptive act, a theme present in Aslan's actions in the story. The idea of a sacrificial lamb is deeply rooted in Christian theology, with Christ often referred to as the "Lamb of God" [7].
Early Christian interpreters also saw Christ symbolized in the Old Testament, particularly in the Psalms. For instance, Psalm 22, which predicts the crucifixion, refers to the psalmist's soul being delivered "from the lion's mouth" (Psalm 22:21), a passage interpreted by early Christians as prefiguring Christ's deliverance [4].
The use of animal imagery to represent Christ is not unique to Lewis; it has roots in biblical and patristic traditions. The lion symbolizes power, courage, and kingship, attributes associated with Christ. In contrast, the lamb represents innocence, purity, and sacrifice, also characteristic of Christ's portrayal in the New Testament [7].
Lewis, a scholar of Christian theology and literature, drew upon these rich symbolic traditions in crafting Aslan as a Christ figure. By doing so, he created a narrative that, while not a direct allegory, conveys Christian themes and motifs through the character of Aslan. The representation of Aslan as a powerful, sacrificial, and redemptive figure underscores the deep connections between Lewis's work and Christian theology.
The theological significance of Aslan's representation is further highlighted by the typological connections between the Old Testament and Christ. The use of imagery like the lion and the lamb to represent Christ reflects a broader Christian hermeneutic that sees the Old Testament as prefiguring the New Testament [1, 4].
Theological Implications
The portrayal of Aslan as a Christ figure has significant theological implications. It underscores the themes of sacrifice, redemption, and the struggle between good and evil, all central to Christian theology. The narrative also explores the nature of sin, forgiveness, and the restoration of creation, echoing Christian doctrines of salvation.
In conclusion, Aslan's representation of Jesus Christ in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" is a thought-provoking example of how Christian themes and motifs can be conveyed through allegorical narrative. By drawing upon biblical and patristic traditions, Lewis crafted a compelling and theologically rich character in Aslan [2, 4].
SOURCES: [1] Hitchcock's Bible Names — TIER 1 (factual/linguistic) [2] Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) — TIER 2 (interpretive) [3] CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) — TIER 2 (interpretive) [4] Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) — TIER 2 (interpretive) [5] Revelation (Nonconformist/Puritan) — TIER 2 (interpretive) [6] Revelation (Methodist/Wesleyan) — TIER 2 (interpretive) [7] Revelation (Baptist/Reformed) — TIER 2 (interpretive) [8] theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) — TIER 2 (interpretive) [9] Revelation (Baptist/Reformed) — TIER 2 (interpretive) [10] Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) — TIER 2 (interpretive) [11] CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) — TIER 2 (interpretive) [12] Revelation (Baptist/Reformed) — TIER 2 (interpretive)
Sources
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Ariel — altar; light or lion of God”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 5: Hippolytus, Cyprian, Caius, Novatian — TREATISE ON CHRIST AND ANTICHRIST.(1) (part 4): 5. But as time now presses for the consideration of the question immediately in hand, and as what has been already said in the introduction with regard to the glory of God, may suffice, it is proper that we take the Holy Scriptures themselves in hand, and find out from them what, and of what manner, the coming of Antichrist is; on what occasion and at what time that implores one shall be revealed; and whence and from what I tribe (he shall come); and what his name is, which is indicated by the num”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 44: the time of Moses until now. The worship of the true God by images, in the eyes of the Hebrews, has ever been considered as much an act of idolatry as the worship of false gods. 3. A third argument on this subject is, that the worship of 293 Jehovah by the use of images is denounced and punished as an act of apostasy from God. When the Hebrews in the wilderness said to Aaron, “Make us gods which shall go before us,” neither they nor Aaron intended to renounce Jehovah as their God; but they desired a visible symbol of God, as the heathen h”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 1: Clement, Polycarp, Ignatius, Barnabas, Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus — CHAP. CV.--THE PSALM ALSO PREDICTS THE CRUCIFIXION AND THE SUBJECT OF THE LAST PRAYERS OF CHRIST ON EARTH. (part 1): "And what follows of the Psalm,--'But Thou, Lord, do not remove Thine assistance from me; give heed to help me. Deliver my soul from the sword, and my(9) only-begotten from the hand of the dog; save me from the lion's mouth, and my humility from the horns of the unicorns,'--was also information and prediction of the events which should befall Him. For I have already proved that He was the only-be”
- Revelation (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Revelation 5:6: Here, I. The apostle beholds this book taken into the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ, in order to its being unsealed and opened by him. Here Christ is described, 1. By his place and station: In the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts, and of the elders. He was on the same throne with the Father; he was nearer to him than either the elders or ministers of the churches. Christ, as man and Mediator, is subordinate to God the Father, but is nearer to him than all the creatures; for in him all the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily. The ministers stand bet”
- Revelation (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Revelation 13:2: And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard - This similitude of the beast to a leopard appears to be an allusion to the third beast of Daniel, which is well known to represent the empire of the Greeks. The Latin empire greatly resembled the modern empire of the Greeks; for that the power of the Greeks was still said to be like a leopard, even after its subjugation by the Romans, is evident from Dan 7:12 : "As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away; yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time." The Latin empire was, ”
- Revelation (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Revelation 5:6: And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts,.... These words, "in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts", are left out in the Syriac version: and in the midst of the elders stood a Lamb; John, upon the intimation given him by the elder, lift up his eyes, and with great earnestness looked about, and saw the person he pointed at, though not in the form of a lion, but in the appearance of a lamb, to which Christ, both in the Old and New Testament, is often compared; and that very aptly, for his innocence and purity of nature; fo”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of the Sacrament of the Eucharist, Art. 6: Article: Whether the Paschal Lamb was the chief figure of this sacrament? I answer that, We can consider three things in this sacrament: namely, that which is sacrament only, and this is the bread and wine; that which is both reality and sacrament, to wit, Christ's true body; and lastly that which is reality only, namely, the effect of this sacrament. Consequently, in relation to what is sacrament only, the chief figure of this sacrament was the oblation of Melchisedech, who offered up bread and wi”
- Revelation (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Revelation 5:5: And one of the elders said unto me,.... The Ethiopic version reads, "one of these elders"; that is, one of the four and twenty elders that were round about the throne; not the first of the four and twenty books of the Old Testament; nor the patriarch Jacob, because of the prophecy concerning Shiloh, Judah's son, which stands in Gen 49:10, nor Moses, who spoke of the Messiah as the great prophet of the church; nor John the Baptist, who pointed out the Lamb of God; these are all fancies and conjectures. It was one of the members of the Christian church, who was near ”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 5: Hippolytus, Cyprian, Caius, Novatian — A DISCOURSE(1) BY THE MOST BLESSED HIPPOLYTUS, BISHOP AND MARTYR, ON THE END OF THE WORLD, AND ON ANTICHRIST, AND ON THE SECOND COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. (part 10): that we must make proof of what is alleged at greater length, we shall not shrink from the task. For it is certain that he is destined to spring from the tribe of Dan,(12) and to range himself in opposition like a princely tyrant, a terrible judge and accuser,(13) as the prophet testifies when he says, "Dan shall judge his people, as one tribe in lsrael."(14) But some one may”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 89: protracted is unrevealed. It has already lasted nearly two thousand years, and, for what we know, may last two thousand more. As this long period, crowded with great events, was presented as a whole to the minds of the prophets, it is not surprising that, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, one should fix on one prominent feature in the scene, and others upon another. Under the divine guidance granted to these holy seers, there could be no error and no contradiction, but there could hardly fail to be great variety. It would not, theref”
- Revelation (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Revelation 5:2: And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice,.... This was not the uncreated angel, Jesus Christ; for he is after spoken of as the lion of the tribe of Judah, and as the Lamb in the midst of the throne, but a created one; though who he was, whether Gabriel, as some say, because his name signifies the strong or mighty One of God, is not material to be known; angels are said to be mighty, and to excel in strength: this is called so here, chiefly with respect to his voice, which he, by reason of his great strength, exerted so loudly, as to be heard by all th”