Josh Benner

Tag: Les Miserables

  • The gospel in Les Miserables

    Caught.

    Jean Valjean had stolen silver from the Bishop and the local authorities had caught him red handed. On his own merits, there was nothing Valjean could do to rectify the situation. He didn’t have the money to pay for it. He was guilty. But then something amazing happened. The Bishop tells the officers that the silver was a gift. He reminds Valjean that the ex-convict had even forgotten to take two silver candlesticks with him. The sacrifice for Valjean was not made by himself but by the Bishop .

    He let him go.

    Once the officers leave, it would be completely reasonable for the Bishop to say, “Ok, I got you off the hook. Now give me my stuff back.” But he doesn’t. He gives it to Valjean but with the expectation that he use those stolen items to restart his life as an honest man.

    This is a life changing event for Valjean. And it’s a great metaphor for grace. Merely canceling the debt of the condemned man would have been mercy. But the bishop rewards him. That is grace.

    In the book, over 70 pages are spent developing the Bishop’s character and describing his devotion and piety. In film and musical adaptations, he is always portrayed as a minor character but he profoundly impacts the life of the book’s protagonist. For Valjean, there is his life before encountgering the and everything changes after he experiences true love and grace. In the musical, with limited time, I feel that they do the best job they can to show the Bishop’s grace but it is tough to truly capture the full weight of the transformation that the encounter has on Valjean.

    There are so many great themes in Les Miserables which have led to the popularity of this story over the past 150 years. And the Bishop’s grace to Valjean is not the only example of sacrificial love we see in this story. It’s seen in how Fantine desperately tries to do everything she can to support Cosette. It’s seen in how Eponine helps Marius find Cosette despite the fact that Eponine is in love with Marius and she’s sacrificing her own joy (it’s not exactly the same in the book).

    But the most moving example of sacrifice is seen in the Bishop. I feel that part of the appeal to this story is the way in which it depicts the gospel. Because we are all condemned with a debt that we cannot possibly pay. While we deserve exile and punishment, a priest has personally sacrificed and taken are debt for us. And for people who know this truth, just as it is with the Bishop and Valjean, this grace is meant to transform our lives. It’s not the end in itself. There is a reason behind it.

    But remember this, my brother, see in this some higher plan. You must use this precious silver to become an honest man. By the witness of the martyrs, by the Passion and the Blood, God has raised you out of darkness; I have bought your soul for God!

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    Originally published December 24, 2014.

  • Law and Grace in Les Miserables

    LesMisLogo

    I am a huge fan of the musical Les Miserables. I saw it on Broadway when I was 11, and I thought it was just about the most amazing thing ever. 

    I’ve always been struck by the relationship between Jean Valjean and Javert. Valjean, the protagonist, spends several years of his life in prison, caught stealing a loaf of bread to feed his starving family. But for Javert, the local police officer, Valjean’s decision isn’t justified and he is nothing more than a thief. After he’s freed from prison, Valjean doesn’t have much of a chance because society isn’t willing to forgive him either. So Valjean acquires forged documents and starts his life over again, as an honest man. The musical flashes foward several years, and he has become successful. But Javert steps back into his life. He eventually realizes that Valjean has taken an alias and he goes on the run.

    And as the musical progresses, we see that Javert is incapable of ever seeing Valjean as more than that. Javert is entirely focused on the law. A person is good or bad based on if they can adhere to the law.

    Javert doesn’t grasp that people can change.

    In an important scene towards the end of the musical, there has been an uprising against the French government. Javert is captured in the insurrection. Valjean is in a position to kill Javert. the man who has pursued him for most of his adult life. Instead of doing what might be expected, Valjean saves his life, he lets Javert go. Not only does he let go, he tells Javert he will turn himself in and let Javert arrest him.

    From Javert’s perspective, the bad man has done something good, he has spared him.

    Does Javert gain a newfound respect for Jean Valjean? No. Javert’s world is shattered. His whole life, he has put his faith in the law and in obedience. It was that which made a person good or bad. And when he discovers that it is actually Valjean who is righteous, everything Javert has ever believed in has been destroyed. People can change. People who have done bad things can have transformed lives, but it’s too much for Javert. He takes his own life.

    I know it’s just a story, but Les Mis shows us powerful insights into people and the world. It deals with redemption, grace, love, and sacrifice. People can change. A person’s past does not have to be their future.

    Originally published October 8, 2015

    Thanks for reading! If you liked this post, please share and subscribe.

  • The Gospel in Les Miserables

    Caught.

    Jean Valjean had stolen silver from the Bishop and the local authorities had caught him red handed. On his own merits, there was nothing Valjean could do to rectify the situation. He didn’t have the money to pay for it. He was guilty. But then something amazing happened. The Bishop tells the officers that the silver was a gift. He reminds Valjean that the ex-convict had even forgotten to take two silver candlesticks with him. The sacrifice for Valjean was not made by himself but by the Bishop .

    He let him go.

    Once the officers leave, it would be completely reasonable for the Bishop to say, “Ok, I got you off the hook. Now give me my stuff back.” But he doesn’t. He gives it to Valjean but with the expectation that he use those stolen items to restart his life as an honest man.

    This is a life changing event for Valjean. And it’s a great metaphor for grace. Merely canceling the debt of the condemned man would have been mercy. But the bishop rewards him. That is grace.

    In the book, over 70 pages are spent developing the Bishop’s character and describing his devotion and piety. In film and musical adaptations, he is always portrayed as a minor character but he profoundly impacts the life of the book’s protagonist. For Valjean, there is his life before encountgering the and everything changes after he experiences true love and grace. In the musical, with limited time, I feel that they do the best job they can to show the Bishop’s grace but it is tough to truly capture the full weight of the transformation that the encounter has on Valjean.

    There are so many great themes in Les Miserables which have led to the popularity of this story over the past 150 years. And the Bishop’s grace to Valjean is not the only example of sacrificial love we see in this story. It’s seen in how Fantine desperately tries to do everything she can to support Cosette. It’s seen in how Eponine helps Marius find Cosette despite the fact that Eponine is in love with Marius and she’s sacrificing her own joy (it’s not exactly the same in the book).

    But the most moving example of sacrifice is seen in the Bishop. I feel that part of the appeal to this story is the way in which it depicts the gospel. Becasuse we are all condemned with a debt that we cannot possibly pay. While we deserve exile and punishment, a priest has personally sacrificed and taken are debt for us. And for people who know this truth, just as it is with the Bishop and Valjean, this grace is meant to transform our lives. It’s not the end in itself. There is a reason behind it.

    BUT REMEMBER THIS, MY BROTHER
    SEE IN THIS SOME HIGHER PLAN
    YOU MUST USE THIS PRECIOUS SILVER
    TO BECOME AN HONEST MAN
    BY THE WITNESS OF THE MARTYRS
    BY THE PASSION AND THE BLOOD
    GOD HAS RAISED YOU OUT OF DARKNESS
    I HAVE BOUGHT YOUR SOUL FOR GOD!

    Originally published December 24, 2012

    Thanks for reading! Don’t forget to like and subscribe!

  • Law and grace in Les Miserables

    LesMisLogoOriginally published October 8, 2015

    I am a huge fan of the musical Les Miserables. I saw it on Broadway when I was 11, and I thought it was just about the most amazing thing ever.  (more…)

  • The gospel in Les Miserables

    Ebcosette

    Originally published as “Jesus in Les Miserables” on December 24, 2012

    Caught.

    Jean Valjean had stolen silver from the Bishop and the local authorities had caught him red handed. On his own merits, there was nothing Valjean could do to rectify the situation. He didn’t have the money to pay for it. He was guilty. But then something amazing happened. The Bishop tells the officers that the silver was a gift. He reminds Valjean that the ex-convict had even forgotten to take two silver candlesticks with him. The sacrifice for Valjean was not made by himself but by the Bishop .

    He let him go. (more…)