Do we really know the Bible characters – or ourselves?  

We like to divide people, including those in the Bible, into heroes and villains, good people and evil ones. Yet this is an oversimplification: let's hold a more integrated view of others - and ourselves, writes Jeannie Kendall.

For as we do that, I believe we will find ourselves held in the love of our remarkable God, as he continues his work of transformation in us.

I wonder, as you read this, who is your favourite Bible character and why? What is it that draws you to them? A few favourites spring to mind, such as Peter, with his story of desperate failure and loving restoration, reminding us that even when we desert God and disappoint ourselves we are still loved.

Perhaps Abraham, with his extraordinary faith, setting out into the unknown, encouraging us to take risks we believe are in God’s plan? Or Elijah, with his fearless confrontation of the evils of his day, a quality which seems so necessary in our time as well? In contrast, who are the characters who you feel free to despise, who can be comfortably written off as very different from us, not resembling us in any way?

Our difficulty, I would suggest, is that it is simply not that straightforward. We like to divide people, including those in the Bible, into heroes and villains, good people and evil ones. Yet even a cursory look at the biblical narrative reminds us that even those we would love to emulate are flawed. Abraham demonstrated cowardice in the face of the Pharoah, being economical with the truth and allowing Sarah his wife to be taken into Pharoah’s household – in other words his harem. David famously committed not only adultery but murder, yet is still described as ‘a man after God’s own heart’ (1 Samuel 13:14)

The work of a number of psychologists has alerted us to our tendency to oversimplify in this way. Referred to as ‘splitting,’ the theory suggests that in early childhood we cannot reconcile the aspects of our parents which satisfy us (feeding us on time, for example) and those which don’t (when we are left to cry too long or feel abandoned). So the child formulates internally a ‘good’ and ‘bad’ parent. Even as we grow, it can be hard to accept the less admirable qualities or behaviours as part of those we love.

Equally, we can refuse to own the parts of ourselves which we dislike, recognising them in others but not in ourselves. Yet unless we can hold a more integrated view of others, we can easily reject them when they disappoint us. For ourselves, if we cannot, or will not, look at the darker aspects of our nature, bring them into the light, how can we allow the Holy Spirit to begin to change them?

A while ago, I was talking about a cartoon series with my grandson. Without thinking, I asked if a cartoon character he named was a ‘goodie’ or a ‘baddie’. Even as I said the words, it sparked off a train of thought from which my third book, Heroes or Villains? emerged. What fascinated me, as I researched, was that although we are divided from those in the Bible by millennia, there was so much that I recognised in myself, and in the world around us.

The book begins, for example, with looking at Adam and Eve. Whether we take the story literally or not, surrounded by so much beauty and bounty, every need met, yet still their dissatisfaction led to their downfall and we remain plagued by the same problem. ‘If only I had…’ or ‘If only I was…’ are the mantras of our age.

Whatever led Pilate, a man usually characterised by intransigence and violence, to cave in so rapidly, and are there times we too are tempted to compromise? I had to look honestly at my own failings as I wrote about some of these ‘villains’ and recognise that they were, surely, more complex than it might appear: not caricatures but real, and therefore complex, people. One of the biggest surprises was how much I enjoyed writing about Jezebel, a wielder of such destructive power, but surely also a victim of a political marriage wrenching her from her homeland?

There are of course also wonderful qualities to be celebrated, some of which I also explored. One of my favourites was Rizpah, a stunning example of non-violent protest which shamed a king. And the patience of Simeon, who waited a long time for the word he had received from God to be fulfilled.

Heroes or Villains? has a simple format and is very accessible in style. Each chapter has some imaginative writing from the perspective of that character, the text of part of their story, and an exploration of a quality we may (or may not) associate with them, and the relevance for our lives. As each chapter has questions for reflection, it is ideal for small group or individual use, use in R.E lessons or even as a sermon series.

My hope for the book is that as we encounter these characters, perhaps in fresh ways, we are able to take an honest look at ourselves and those same qualities – good or undesirable – residing in us too. As we do that, I believe we will find ourselves held in the love of our remarkable God, as he continues his work of transformation in us.
 

Jeannie Kendall was a teacher and then director of a counselling service before serving as a minister in two local churches. Now ‘retired’, she is a tutor on the Pastoral Supervision course at Spurgeon’s College, is involved in training and interviewing, speaks at a number of local churches and can be contacted via heroesorvillainsbook@gmail.com

Heroes or Villains? is out on 14 July published by Authentic and is priced at £10.99. The book launch on 15 July in Christchurch, is available to watch below:

Copies of the book are available to purchase from our online shop.
 

Do you have a view? Share your thoughts via our letters' page.