Re: Summer Challenge Sharing Thread
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 2:01 pm
Chapter 3
Not a tame Lion? Lies about Aslan's character.
I've been thinking a bit more about the reactions of the Narnians in Chapter 3 to Shift's lies. It's quite sad that Narnia had got to such a point that they fall for his lies about the things Aslan says to them. Narnia doesn't seem to have the equivalent of the Bible or a church to teach people the truth about Aslan, but one would assume that it was taught word-of-mouth from generation to generation. And they at least had written history books (which isn't unlike having an Old Testament and Gospels) which gave quite detailed and accurate accounts of Aslan and his dealings with Narnia and the visits by the children from our world.
Yet despite this knowledge at their finger-tips, they had obviously either not understood or else forgotten exactly who Aslan was and how he would behave if he should come among them. The Ape's twisting of the truth and the sight of a Lion-shaped being in the half dark was enough to convince them that "Aslan has come and is not like the Aslan we have believed in and longed for."
The one thing that is constantly repeated about Aslan (both by Shift and by loyal Narnians) is the famous line "He's not a tame Lion". This quote appears throughout The Chronicles as a reminder that Aslan is the King and takes his own council. He will not be dictated upon by his subjects as his will is sovereign and just. The trouble is that they have mistaken this claim about Aslan's wildness to think that he might act against his own character in wrath. Yes, Aslan might do the unexpected, but they think he might go as far as to issue orders that are harmful to them, that he might refuse to see them and make harsh unkind demands. This despite the fact that never in the stories did Aslan ever act so cruelly, even to those who did wrong.
While the description of Aslan as "not tame" is true and important (and is a reminder to us that God is not tame either), his followers have forgotten another, perhaps more important quote about Aslan.
"Then he isn't safe?" asked Lucy.
"Safe?" said Mr Beaver; "don't you hear what Mrs Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."
Aslan might be a wild beast; he might do things that are unexpected. He is not tame and therefore not "safe". But he is always good. His goodness dominates over his wildness. If his followers had remembered this truth they would never have fallen for the Ape's lies. Another truth we know about Aslan from earlier tales, one which even Tirian did not learn from his history lessons, is that despite not being tame, Aslan always obeys his own rules. We see this in VDT when he becomes visible as a result of Lucy reading the spell to make unseen things seen. And a similar point is made when Lune explains that even as King he can't change the laws of succession. If Tirian had remembered this, he would never have entertained the idea that Aslan might have come despite the stars saying otherwise.
It is interesting that none of the Narnians, not even the wise lamb, as far as we know, questions the identity of the Lion they see. There have always been other lions in Narnia, both talking and dumb (like the lion from whom the fleece came). Yet not one of them comes close to questioning whether the lion they see is indeed the real Aslan. They take Shift's word for it, despite everything he says being contrary to Aslan's nature.
I think the important lesson we learn from the Narnians here is to know our "history"; to know the bible and what it says about God and who he is and how he behaves. Only that can keep us from making the mistake the Narnians made when men who seem wise in our eyes come along making false claims about God and what God has told them or what he wants from us.
Not a tame Lion? Lies about Aslan's character.
I've been thinking a bit more about the reactions of the Narnians in Chapter 3 to Shift's lies. It's quite sad that Narnia had got to such a point that they fall for his lies about the things Aslan says to them. Narnia doesn't seem to have the equivalent of the Bible or a church to teach people the truth about Aslan, but one would assume that it was taught word-of-mouth from generation to generation. And they at least had written history books (which isn't unlike having an Old Testament and Gospels) which gave quite detailed and accurate accounts of Aslan and his dealings with Narnia and the visits by the children from our world.
Yet despite this knowledge at their finger-tips, they had obviously either not understood or else forgotten exactly who Aslan was and how he would behave if he should come among them. The Ape's twisting of the truth and the sight of a Lion-shaped being in the half dark was enough to convince them that "Aslan has come and is not like the Aslan we have believed in and longed for."
The one thing that is constantly repeated about Aslan (both by Shift and by loyal Narnians) is the famous line "He's not a tame Lion". This quote appears throughout The Chronicles as a reminder that Aslan is the King and takes his own council. He will not be dictated upon by his subjects as his will is sovereign and just. The trouble is that they have mistaken this claim about Aslan's wildness to think that he might act against his own character in wrath. Yes, Aslan might do the unexpected, but they think he might go as far as to issue orders that are harmful to them, that he might refuse to see them and make harsh unkind demands. This despite the fact that never in the stories did Aslan ever act so cruelly, even to those who did wrong.
While the description of Aslan as "not tame" is true and important (and is a reminder to us that God is not tame either), his followers have forgotten another, perhaps more important quote about Aslan.
"Then he isn't safe?" asked Lucy.
"Safe?" said Mr Beaver; "don't you hear what Mrs Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."
Aslan might be a wild beast; he might do things that are unexpected. He is not tame and therefore not "safe". But he is always good. His goodness dominates over his wildness. If his followers had remembered this truth they would never have fallen for the Ape's lies. Another truth we know about Aslan from earlier tales, one which even Tirian did not learn from his history lessons, is that despite not being tame, Aslan always obeys his own rules. We see this in VDT when he becomes visible as a result of Lucy reading the spell to make unseen things seen. And a similar point is made when Lune explains that even as King he can't change the laws of succession. If Tirian had remembered this, he would never have entertained the idea that Aslan might have come despite the stars saying otherwise.
It is interesting that none of the Narnians, not even the wise lamb, as far as we know, questions the identity of the Lion they see. There have always been other lions in Narnia, both talking and dumb (like the lion from whom the fleece came). Yet not one of them comes close to questioning whether the lion they see is indeed the real Aslan. They take Shift's word for it, despite everything he says being contrary to Aslan's nature.
I think the important lesson we learn from the Narnians here is to know our "history"; to know the bible and what it says about God and who he is and how he behaves. Only that can keep us from making the mistake the Narnians made when men who seem wise in our eyes come along making false claims about God and what God has told them or what he wants from us.