Messianic allusions

By Lee Burleson

My kids and I love “Superman: The Movie” – the original from 1978.

Apart from the popular and engaging story that came out of the Superman comic, it has music by John Williams, convincing performances, and fun elements of humor.

But what is so impactful to me is the messianic story woven throughout.

Just look at these lines:

[Bidding his son farewell, as Lara looks on …]

Jor-El: All that I have, all that I’ve learned, everything I feel… all this, and more, I… I bequeath you, my son. You will carry me inside you, all the days of your life. You will make my strength your own, and see my life through your eyes, as your life will be seen through mine. The son becomes the father, and the father the son. This is all I… all I can send you, Kal-El.

[As Clark discovers his heritage, this is his father’s final message to him …]

Jor-El: Live as one of them, Kal-El, to discover where your strength and your power are needed. Always hold in your heart the pride of your special heritage. They can be a great people, Kal-El, they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all, their capacity for good, I have sent them you… my only son.

This isn’t by any stretch the only movie with a messianic hero. Even someone with a cursory knowledge of comic books and rare watching of movies would lose count of all the heroes that have delivered society or Earth itself from certain doom and destruction. We seem to create them constantly. It’s like we need a savior and our very DNA is programmed to look for one. Even those devoid of faith still seek out and enjoy messianic stories. This can be seen across all faiths and cultures spanning back through known history.

While I wouldn’t rest a proof of God’s existence on this theory, it certainly lines up well.

People need a savior.

Who is your savior?

[Thanks to Lee Burleson for his submission.]