Was John Coffey the second Coming?

[Dances_in_Underwear]

Of Christ that is. There is a lot of evidence that shows it:

1. He had healing powers
2. He was executed unjustly
3. His initials were J.C. (Jesus Christ)

However, a major hole in this theory is that he did not rise from the grave. But still, do you think that SK was alluding to the idea that John Coffey was the second coming of the messiah? I mean, if you believe in that sort of thing.

[JohnDalglish]

Hi,

Interesting theory, I'd never thought that before.

Long days and pleasant nights

[~Ally~]

I have considered these things before, but I prefer to believe John Coffey is simply one of Gods angels/miracles.

[skyrow]

Hmm! one to think about...

[GNTLGNT]

See, that's why I love the board! All sorts of theories and ideas I hadn't contemplated. Veeeddyy Inteeeressting-as Arte Johnson would have said. I never thought of Big John as the Second Coming, but as an unlikely Angel. "HE worketh in mysterious ways"

[PatInTheHat]

Perhaps the baby Jesus was the first coming of John Coffey.

[Haunted]

John was a gentle giant who could heal all creatures but not the second coming. With all the evil in this world we need gentle healers and oh didn't he make that story!

[GunslinginMarine]

Interesting comparisons DIU, but the Bible states the 2nd coming of the messiah will be different from the 1st. He will return the way he left...from the sky. And He will return as the King, to rule over his people, not to be unjustly executed again. Not trying to shoot your theory down, just conversing.

[wally wonder]

second coming?...no. john was a conduit, nothing more nothing less, prayed to baby jesus, meek and mild, there at the end w/paul...maybe a kind of echo....john is an orphan child...but sadly, it seems the best that paul comes away with is 'if it happens, god lets it happen, and when we say i don't understand, god replies i don't care'...i guess that is what is meant on the back cover, the blurb, the 'terrible wondrous truth about coffey, a truth that will challenge his most cherished beliefs....and yours.'........but then, paul reasons midway into the story that the only reason j.c. could sleep at night is because he didn't care. which is untrue, because j.c. does care and he's tired of it...'it feels like pieces of glass in my head. i'm tired of all the times i've wanted to help and couldn't. i'm tired of being in the dark...'

or maybe the challenge is to accept the other half of the coin, as paul credits it, that 'there is good in the world, all of it flowing in one way or another from a loving god. [so coffey is the conduit, as paul said in the story] but i believe there's another force as well...that it works consciously to bring all our decent impulses to ruin. not satan, i don't mean satan (although i believe he is real, too), but a kind of demon of discord, a prankish and stupid thing that laughs w/glee...'

the nightmare is never over, john is tired, and he wants paul to get kneebound w/him....paul replies that he can't....john presses him on it and paul worries that he's going to 'splode...and in the end paul is left w/the belief that though others that spent time in the prison have been washed away, 'you can never wash anything completely away, not from this dark glass of a world...'........an image that seems to repeat itself through the conduit, as do the others touched upon.

[michal]

I'm Jewish, so the whole idea of "The Second Coming" is weirder for me to believe in than a man who has positive superpowers and can help people because of them. Of course, Stephen King was raised Christian so I can't say he hasn't taken the idea from there. I would rather say that I'd prefer it if he didn't take the idea from there. Putting christian analogy into teh book will remove a lot of my sympathy and empathy to the characters (and really no meaning to offend anyone. It's just the way I role).