Who is Gandalf Really?

Gandalf remains the mystery in The Hobbit, and embodies the complexity of Middle-Earth, which is more immense and cryptic than Bilbo imagined. Gandalf prefers to keep his powers on the down-low and tries not to reveal his true motives. He never divulges why he chooses to help Thorin in his quest (although he doesn’t need the money).  Gandalf is inspiring and daring, with unshakable mission to vanquish evil.

If you did a poll and asked people what they imagined God to look like, then you will get an overwhelming reply of people him imagining him to look like Gandalf. Some would say that Tolkein used the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings trilogy as an allegory for God. God has three characteristics: omnipotent, omniscient, and benevolent. Gandalf resembles these characteristics as well since he is powerful and knowledgeable and good. Gandalf is “the superlative wizard--white-bearded, clever, speaker of profound adages, the Dumbledore-meets-Morgan-Freeman of Middle-earth.”

However, if Gandalf is supposed to be God, then why does he need the dwarves and Bilbo? They resemble us in a way, because they are small, weak, and not very smart. When Galadriel asks Gandalf, why the Halfling (referring to Bilbo), he gives an odd reply. Gandalf says, “Why Bilbo Baggins? Perhaps it is because I'm afraid, and he gives me courage.”

What does that even mean? How can Gandalf be afraid? If Gandalf was designed to resemble God, wouldn’t he know the future? Why does he choose to assist the dwarves? Aren’t they just going to return to their greedy corrupt ways, so why help them return to temptation? God would not enable our temptations.

However, Gandalf does not set out to encourage more bad habits. On the contrary he often corrects character flaws on the way. He also doesn’t cast a spell and restore everything with a flick of his staff; instead he aids when needed and works on the character of the characters. In the beginning, Bilbo asks Gandalf if the adventure will change him, and Gandalf replies that it will. Gandalf allows Bilbo to choose whether to go or not. Gandalf doesn’t force change, but he allows for them to make choices, hoping that they will make smart ones and knowing that they will grow from these decisions.

Although we may crave the easy immediate fix, God does not work that way. When we ask for wisdom, God will put us through challenges so that we will gain wisdom. When we ask for more patience, God gives us something we need to be patient about. It is a difficult truth that Tolkien was communicating that God will let us make mistakes, so that we can grow from them. Consider the verse below:

 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4 ESV