BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » Sherlock as Jesus?

Liberty · July 25, 2014 6:11 am

I know this is glaringly obvious, but it only just struck me! There seems to be some powerful Christian imagery in this episode. I watched it a few days ago, and it's just struck me why the scene in Serbia looked so familiar. It's because we're used to seeing images of a long-haired shirtless man being crucified (I'm not religious myself, but it's a big part of my culture). Then there are the lash marks on his back.

Sherlock is despised and rejected at the end of TRF. He "dies" to save others. He's lashed and crucified. He performs "miracles". People "believe" in him. He comes back from the dead.

Is it just an obvious choice of imagery for a character who rises from the dead? Or does it have any other meanings or parallels? Sherlock does seem a little more Christ-like than usual (which isn't very Christ-like at all, but still) in this episode, and there is a theme of forgiveness?

Last edited by Liberty (July 25, 2014 6:50 am)

Harobed · July 25, 2014 9:22 am

Liberty...what an interesting idea!
Alas, however, methinks 'tis all a coincidence.
From what I've learned about the illustrious writers, producers, et. al. they would shy away from such spiritual metaphors...they go for more unique, rare & unusual situations with brilliant, as well as subtle twists & turns. I have a "spiritual heart" you might say & can see how you arrived at that observation. However, facinating...but improbable.
(In my oh-so humble opinion)!

saturnR · July 25, 2014 1:40 pm

I love that John is being forced into a Judas role - not the betraying Sherlock bit; but the identifying Sherlock bit because he's apparently the only witness to Sherlock's death. And Anderson gets the part of st peter. Everything's topsie turvy.

tonnaree · July 25, 2014 2:12 pm

I just know I find myself gasping "Jesus" a lot when watching Sherlock.

SolarSystem · July 25, 2014 3:02 pm

tonnaree...!

gently69 · July 25, 2014 3:24 pm

tonnaree wrote:
I just know I find myself gasping "Jesus" a lot when watching Sherlock.

I don't think that this is meant here ... LOL

diva · July 25, 2014 3:48 pm

Maybe it's not intentional but Christian imagery is deeply ingrained in our culture and provides powerful images to tell a story of betrayal, forgiveness and salvation.

tonnaree · July 25, 2014 3:52 pm

gently69 wrote:
tonnaree wrote:
I just know I find myself gasping "Jesus" a lot when watching Sherlock.
I don't think that this is meant here ... LOL

Does this mean I'm going to hell?

*searches for large handbasket*

Liberty · July 25, 2014 7:01 pm

@ Tonarree, saying "Jesus" a lot. Actually, you just made me think of one of the lines that made me laugh - in amongst the quickfire conversation in the restaurant;
Mary "Oh, my God!"
Sherlock "Not quite".

Anyway, John as Judas - yes, of course! I'd forgotten about the betrayal theme. Also Sherlock fixes it so John can't "betray" him later (by not telling him he's alive).

I think the themes are probably intentional. They're not saying anything about religion, but referencing the Christian imagery in our culture, as you say. I had another look at the Serbia scene and I think it's clearly filmed to reference crucifixion. It's too obvious to be coincidence. I'm going to think about what it all means. It might be just playing about with the themes, and also a nod to Sherlock's god-like qualities and his becoming a cultural icon in real life.

Harobed · July 25, 2014 11:21 pm

Deep, y'all...Deep!
Gee-whiz, I forgot about that Serbia scene...hmmm!
Deep indeed!

Liberty · July 30, 2014 5:59 am

I just realised that Sherlock is in a crucifixion pose (arms outstretched) just before he jumps in TRF. A bit of a clue that he was coming back! I thought it was also a reference to angels (wings and flying) - he IS one of the angels, whatever he might have told Moriarty.

And he does do rather a lot of saving people. Saving the world, obviously (I know he said he wasn't a hero, but by the time of this episode, he completely is). But he seems to be doing something subtle for John and Molly in particular. At first I thought it was just a general "thank you" to Molly and "sorry" to John, but he seems to be actually trying to do something to help them sort out their own mixed up feelings for him, and their lives in general. Or maybe I'm reading too much into it. It's a bit of a stretch from sort of saving their souls in an emotional way, to Jesus. But I do think the Christian imagery is there in a big way, whatever it means.

besleybean · July 30, 2014 7:02 am

I think there is the obvious imagery like the crucifixion,but no, I don't think the writers are generally setting Sherlock as Jesus...the latter isn't known for mudering people.

SusiGo · July 30, 2014 7:37 am

I also think they are playing with Christian imagery just as they do with other iconical cultural aspects. You have the "pact with the devil" and "the side of the angels" and Sherlock's sort-of resurrections. And allusions to fairytales and legends like Grimm's Tales and dragonslayers.

KeepersPrice · July 30, 2014 10:13 am

I think it was the Time Magazine review of Series 3 (TSoT especially) where the reviewer compares the John/Sherlock relationship to "man" and "god" - how the man loves the god but the god has come to love/need the man, perhaps even more. It was something along those lines anyway......

besleybean · July 30, 2014 10:17 am

I'm trying to remember the quote from the Sherlock team, can anybody else recall it?
Something about it.
The Doctor strives to be god
Sherlock thinks he is god...
No it was so much better than that and I just can't remember it!

SusiGo · July 30, 2014 10:43 am

I think you mean this here:

"They're also sort of opposites. I always think of the doctor oddly enough, strangely enough, as more human. He's like an angel who aspires to be human, whereas Sherlock Holmes is a human being who aspires to be a god. He's rejecting the very things that the Doctor embraces. But they sort of meet in the middle, 'cause neither succeeds in their aspirations."

http://www.blastr.com/2010/07/sherlock_holmes.php

besleybean · July 30, 2014 10:45 am

Cheers Susi, that's the one!

Liberty · July 30, 2014 7:28 pm

Found it, thanks! "(The Doctor's) like an angel who aspires to be human, whereas Sherlock Holmes is a human being who aspires to be a god." And "... they’re a god and a mortal, mutually besotted—the most impossible love affair of all". I was watching again and the little scene were John tells Sherlock he spoke to him and asked for a miracle and Sherlock says he heard him (and implied ... answered him) also makes Sherlock god-like.

And I was thinking of this this part from the Bible too, "And he (the devil) brought Him to Jerusalem, and set Him on a pinnacle of the temple and said unto Him, “If Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down from hence.
For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over thee to keep thee,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone." TRF, anyone? Although Moriarty wasn't tempting Sherlock, was he? I wonder why? I wonder how he knew that Sherlock's weak point would be his need to protect those close to him? I suppose if he had been watching Sherlock, he would have seen it. Protecting Mrs Hudson and John (did he ever protect LeStrade? And ... protection was a theme in SiB; Sherlock protected Irene, and Moriarty must have known that). Anyway, Sherlock was a saviour, and Moriarty knew it and threatened him with harming people, instead of tempting him with power. (Makes you wonder why the devil didn't think of that! ).

besleybean · July 30, 2014 7:33 pm

I'm fairly certain neither Mark nor Steven are biblical scholars, but,like the rest if us, we've been raised in Chrsitian culture.

Liberty · July 30, 2014 8:30 pm

Thanks, Susi - I must have been stuck on page 1 and didn't see you post the quote!

Yes, it's funny how repeating a story (or elements of it) like that has more meaning. I mean, these aren't just stories we've maybe read before (like the ACD ones), but they're alluding to stories from many of our childhoods. (Oh, what a badly written sentence that was. Please excuse me!). It's all so familiar and touching on deep, old memories. And the fairytales, Susi. I had an old book of Grimm's fairytales as a child. It was terrifying!

So maybe that's the point. The writers playing with common childhood memories and subtly manipulating us .