by STM student, Kendall Davis
Pastor Eric T. Eichinger wants you to see new dimensions to the story of Jesus in his new book from Concordia Publishing House, Lord of Legends. Library patrons will likely be familiar with how C. S. Lewis discusses how the story of Jesus follows similar patterns to the great myths and stories of the world, though not because the story of Jesus is just another fable based on these stories, but because all these stories in some way point back (or forward), whether knowingly or not, to the story of Jesus. The story of Jesus is indeed the ultimate story, as Eichinger points out. Jesus is the ultimate hero.
In his book Eichinger demonstrates how Jesus’ story, from the Nativity to the Ascension, fulfills the various parts of the hero’s journey. He compares and contrasts the story of Jesus with various stories of other heroes, both ancient and modern, to demonstrate the glory and wonder of Jesus’ story:
"When the threshold has been crossed, it signals the adventure has begun. The hero is committed, regardless of what might happen. The threshold may be a portal of some kind, a vehicle or spaceship, or even a rudimentary looking wall concealing a certain platform 9¾. Regardless, the way to bypass the barrier of separation between the hero’s ordinary world and the extraordinary is revealed. Passage through is finally made possible. An adventurous quest in a new world looms, pregnant with possibilities.
For God to come to earth, no magic wardrobe, secret train, or Millennium Falcon would do. He had a different means of transportation in mind. Gabriel’s angelic announcement to Mary ensured that. Christ crossed the threshold when He took upon Himself human flesh and brought humanity into the Godhead permanently. While Jesus resided in the temporal home of His mother, an eternal reality was taking shape. When Christ passed through the safe vessel of a virgin’s womb, it was a one-way ticket. The dawn of a new era was nearly ready to shine forth, forever."[1]
Eichinger provides a fruitful and compelling framework for preachers and teachers of Jesus’ story to explore as they seek to share this story with others. Surely a fresh approach to this story will be beneficial both for those new to the story and those long familiar with the story.
If you’re interested in seeing more on this subject, here are some related topics you can check out:
[1] Eric T. Eichinger, Lord of Legends: Jesus’ Redemption Quest. (St. Louis: Concordia, 2022), 54