Confusion About Lions

Thanks so much for your article on C.S. Lewis. I'm saddened to see who he really seemed to be. I agree sadly, that even though I believe that he did see himself as a Christian, he was tied up with false doctrines. I must bring up also, when you said God would not like Jesus to be portrayed as an animal....constantly throughout the Bible, Jesus is referred to as the Lion and the Lamb. It also seems to me that in the book of Job God does negotiate with Satan. Any thoughts on this?

Again, thanks for the article.

Answer From Keepers

Yes, Jesus is referred to as a Lion and a Lamb. This is a very common question regarding C. S. Lewis. Perhaps it is because this is one of the most common arguments used by C. S. Lewis proponents. However, it is a subtly crafted argument based on a false parallelism. After a little analysis, I think that you will agree that those references in the Bible do not carry the same connotations as the animal depictions in Lewis’ works. Notice that I capitalized the first letter in the words “Lion” and “Lamb.” This is common practice in the last one hundred years or so to make it an obvious distinction that such words are being used as a direct reference to Jesus, God the Father, or the Holy Spirit. You will notice that Lewis’ use of such words make no direct reference to God. They, instead, reference his own distinct imageries embodied by unnaturally surrealistic creatures with supposed supernatural powers of their own.

In Bible times, language, especially the Israelite language, was very poetic and metaphoric. The psalms were actually sung. In Scripture, people of stature are often referred to as trees or suns, moons or stars; and multitudes are referred to as mountains or seas. When we read these things today, if we are not careful we will miss what is being said when these very descriptive terms are being used. The word “sea” adds a whole new level of understanding when we are trying to relate the idea of a very large group of people.

Hence, as the lion is the indisputable king of his world, the single word “lion” is all that is needed to describe the kingship and strength (yea omnipotence) of Jesus. We might well otherwise spend at least a paragraph trying to convey the completeness of those traits in our Saviour and Creator. But often a scriptural passage is making a larger point, and, thus, uses the single term “lion” to succinctly convey this thought as part of the larger point. The same thing applies to the term “lamb.” Would anyone argue that, based on the rest of Scripture, the single word “lamb” is the most succinct, and still the most complete, way to depict Him Who became the ultimate sacrifice for sin? These are well understood metaphorical images that adroitly shape our perspective on the different roles that Jesus plays in our lives of which God wants us to be cognizant.

However, the Bible is in no way teaching that animals are in any way intellectually, spiritually or otherwise hierarchically superior to humans. Genesis teaches that God placed all animals under the dominion of man. But how many young people are thinking of those verses in Genesis as they read about, or now view, the superiority of animals over humans in Lewis’ works. This is not a fuller understanding of God through an animal metaphor. This is simply viewing an animal as a human-ruling god. This all came from Lewis’ utter, admitted, unabashed fascination with paganism. Is there any question that his animal gods not only play the same role, but, indeed, are the gods of that paganism that he so thoroughly studied and richly enjoyed? Do these “allegorical” works cause people to meditate on the wonders of redemption, or do they cause people to richly enjoy antics of the same animal gods that Lewis enjoyed? To me the answer is clear, but I am happy to leave that to each individual’s conscience.

Thank you for the question,

Jeff Zakula