The Christmas CarolThe Christmas Carol as Christian Truth as Christian Truth

““Old Marley was dead to begin Old Marley was dead to begin with. . .”with. . .”

Session Three: December 7, 2014

Charles Dickens on his deathbed in 1870

Dickens Annotated 77)

  

The Word to Live By:The Word to Live By:

Romans 7:24 (KJV) 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Romans 8: 1-2 (KJV) 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Luke 4:18 KJVLuke 4:18 KJV

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to head the broken poor; he hath sent me to head the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captive, hearted, to preach deliverance to the captive, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. liberty them that are bruised.

Session Truth:Session Truth:

Jesus’ proclamation of his wonderful Jesus’ proclamation of his wonderful mission on Earth was two-fold:mission on Earth was two-fold: The general redemption of the poor.The general redemption of the poor. The specific redemption of the individualThe specific redemption of the individual

The Wonder of Christmas in both the The Wonder of Christmas in both the Biblical and Dickens Christmas story is Biblical and Dickens Christmas story is centered of the incredible process of centered of the incredible process of going from death to life.going from death to life.

Scripture: Scripture: Ezekiel 37: 3Ezekiel 37: 3  (KJV)  (KJV)     1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried 1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried

me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, the midst of the valley which was full of bones,

    2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, 2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. lo, they were very dry.

    3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones 3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

    4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, 4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. the LORD.

    5 Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, 5 Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:

Chapter OverviewChapter Overview The Quality of Marley and Scrooge being The Quality of Marley and Scrooge being

dead—sterile.dead—sterile. Utterly IsolatedUtterly Isolated Unreachable by human meansUnreachable by human means Only God’s grace can touch the dead.Only God’s grace can touch the dead. God’s Grace is now always pretty.God’s Grace is now always pretty.

The quality of Marley being deadThe quality of Marley being dead

Marley was dead: to begin with . . . There is Marley was dead: to begin with . . . There is no doubt whatever about that . . . Old Marley no doubt whatever about that . . . Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail . . . This must be was as dead as a door-nail . . . This must be distinctly understood, or distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful nothing wonderful can come of the storycan come of the story I am going to relate (1 I am going to relate (1 Emphasis Mine).Emphasis Mine).

The narrator of the The narrator of the Christmas CarolChristmas Carol emphasizes this point overtly because emphasizes this point overtly because the deadness of Marley connects with the deadness of Marley connects with his surviving partner. Scrooge was his surviving partner. Scrooge was Marley’s. . .Marley’s. . . . . . sole executor, his sole administrator, his sole. . . sole executor, his sole administrator, his sole

assign, his sole residuary legatee, his sole friend, andassign, his sole residuary legatee, his sole friend, and

sole mourner. And even Scrooge was not so dreadfullysole mourner. And even Scrooge was not so dreadfully

cut up by the sad event, but that he was an excellentcut up by the sad event, but that he was an excellent

man of business on the very day of the funeral,man of business on the very day of the funeral,

and solemnized it with an undoubted bargain. (1)and solemnized it with an undoubted bargain. (1)

In fact Scrooge and Marley are so In fact Scrooge and Marley are so connected that he answers to his connected that he answers to his partner’s name:partner’s name: Scrooge never painted out Old Marley's name. Scrooge never painted out Old Marley's name.

There it stood, years afterwards, above the There it stood, years afterwards, above the warehouse door: Scrooge and Marley. The firm warehouse door: Scrooge and Marley. The firm was known as Scrooge and Marley. Sometimes was known as Scrooge and Marley. Sometimes people new to the business called Scrooge people new to the business called Scrooge Scrooge, and sometimes Marley, but he answered Scrooge, and sometimes Marley, but he answered to both names. It was all the same to him. (2)to both names. It was all the same to him. (2)

The point? Old Scrooge is like Marley is “as The point? Old Scrooge is like Marley is “as dead as a doornail.”dead as a doornail.”

What does Scrooge’s state of What does Scrooge’s state of death mean?death mean?

Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grind-stone, Scrooge! a squeezing, grind-stone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, covetous, old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. . .Nobody ever stopped solitary as an oyster. . .Nobody ever stopped him in the street to say, with gladsome looks, him in the street to say, with gladsome looks, `My dear Scrooge, how are you? When will `My dear Scrooge, how are you? When will you come to see me?' . . .you come to see me?' . . .

No beggars implored him to bestow a trifle, no No beggars implored him to bestow a trifle, no children asked him what it was o'clock, no man or children asked him what it was o'clock, no man or woman ever once in all his life inquired the way to woman ever once in all his life inquired the way to such and such a place, of Scrooge. Even the blind such and such a place, of Scrooge. Even the blind men's dogs appeared to know him; and when they men's dogs appeared to know him; and when they saw him coming on, would tug their owners into saw him coming on, would tug their owners into doorways and up courts; and then would wag their doorways and up courts; and then would wag their tails as though they said, `No eye at all is better tails as though they said, `No eye at all is better than an evil eye, dark master!’ . . .than an evil eye, dark master!’ . . .

But what did Scrooge care! It was the very thing

he liked. To edge his way along the crowded paths of life, warning all human sympathy to keep its distance, was what the knowing ones call `nuts' to Scrooge.

Being dead means utter isolationBeing dead means utter isolation Utter damnable, isolation; Scrooge does not connect

with any of his fellow beings. And while he may not know it, Scrooge is in a state of separation from God which is, of course, the definition of being damned. He, in fact, describes himself as such when his nephew asks him to supper:

Scrooge said that he would see him -- yes, indeed hedid. He went the whole length of the expression,and said that he would see him in that extremity first. (4)

Note: Those not used to the Victorian sense of nicety which authors like Dickens practiced need to know that seeing “himself in that extremity “ would have been recognized as “I’d see myself damned” or “I’ll see myself in Hell” first.

The Helpless State of Human Beings: Just as humans are unable to reach God on their own,

so The Christmas Carol, shows Scrooge as incapable of escaping death himself or being redeemable by any human effort.

Scrooge functions in an illusion of self-sufficiency. He is described as not relying upon either the grace of God or the kindness of his fellow men, as being "secret and solitary as an oyster" (Christmas Books 8).

Grace is needed for the salvation of any human, and Scrooge demonstrates this.

Scrooge's Need for Grace is beyond Human intervention:

His nephew, Fred, even suggests his need for grace even in his greeting:

"A Merry Christmas Uncle, God save you!" (3)

Scrooge, however, is untouched by the

human expression of God's grace: "Bah!" said Scrooge, "Humbug!" "Christmas a Humbug, uncle! . .

You don't mean that I am sure?" "I do." (3)

Later, the two portly men offer Scrooge the chance of opening his own heart to God's grace by being a minister of help himself, but Scrooge, believing himself to be self-reliant, is unmoved:

"What shall I put you down for?" "Nothing." "You wish to be anonymous?" "I wish to be left alone!" (6) In such a state only the touch of supernatural grace can

reach such a soul, so a terrifying grace, a hell-fire sermon, is what Scrooge gets and can not ignore with the arrival of Marley. It is also during that visitation that he learns that his self-righteous reliance on the law is in fact dragging him towards death.

God’s Grace In such a state only the touch of supernatural grace can reach such a soul, so a terrifying grace, a hell-fire sermon, is what Scrooge gets and one he can not ignore with the arrival of Marley:

Is Grace always pleasant? No! Of all the different film versions I have seen, only the one

staring George C. Scott as Scrooge and Frank Finlay as Marley has gotten it correct. Marley is not a joke; he is a terrifying apparition of one who thought he was living a satisfactory life.

“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” (Hebrews 12:6)

Jacob Marley is a hell-fire sermon: he is also the em-bodiment of the condemning law which although good is also a bringer of death:

The law is the bringing of Death:

As St. Paul writes in Romans 7:4 - 6 4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead

to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

Jacob’s name is a Jewish one connecting him to the Old Testament

The “Jewishness” of Jacob Marley’s name, as noted by several scholars, may represent the law of the Old Testament. Of course Victorian England was the beginning of the rise of Jewish businessmen and so Scrooge’s partner Jacob may have indeed been Jewish. He, like Scrooge, lived under the mandates of the law, and, remember, that neither Scrooge nor Marley had broken any laws. They were respectable men of business.

God’s Grace overcomes all barriers: Still Scrooge tries to maintain his self-centered perspective, even to the

point of claiming at first that the suffering spirit is nothing more than by-product of something he, Scrooge, ate:

"There's more of gravy that of grave about you, whatever you are!" (Christmas Books 18). However, Marley's terrifying scream of a spirit in agony forces Scrooge

to alter his perspective "Mercy!" he said "Dreadful apparition, why do you trouble me?" "Man of the worldly mind. . .do you believe in me or not?! "I do. . .I must!" (Christmas Books 19).

So Scrooge is forced to consider realities beyond those that he can explain and control.

A Contrast Between Self-Righteous Law and Christ’s Dedication to the Source of the Law:

Of course Scrooge attempts to defend himself before this onslaught. He notes that Marley (and therefore also himself) had always been a good man of business. But Marley won't let him:

"Business!. . .Mankind was my business! The common welfare was my business, charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were all my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!" (Christmas Books 20)

Dickens' insight that doing good could actually be one's business is supported in scripture by Jesus' response as a boy to his parents' concerns:

"And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" (Luke 2:49 KJV)

Another Christian echo connected Another Christian echo connected with Christmas: the mother and with Christmas: the mother and child.child.

Stereotypically Ghosts were portrayed in torment and in chains—Dickens takes that cliché concept and makes the torment specifically that of no longer being able to do good, to do the real business of a “Christian soul.”

Scrooge is brought to the bottom of himself:

There also can be no doubt that Marley is a manifestation of grace if an unpleasant one. When Scrooge asks for comfort Marley replies. . . "I have none to give. . .It [comfort]

comes from other regions, Ebenezer Scrooge, and is conveyed by other ministers to other kinds of men" (Christmas Books 19-20).

Why not end the story here?Why not end the story here? Dickens had, in fact, Dickens had, in fact,

already written a story already written a story similar in structure as the similar in structure as the Christmas Carol in his first Christmas Carol in his first work Sketches By Boz: work Sketches By Boz: “The Goblin and the “The Goblin and the Sexton”Sexton”

Gabriel Grub and the Goblin illustrated by Phiz "The Story of the Goblins who stole a Sexton," Dickens's version of Washington Irving's humorous tale of the supernatural "Rip Van Winkle," from The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon (1819), is not merely an enjoyable little Christmas ghost story, but a premonitory treatment of the theme of spiritual and social renewal for a misanthrope found in A Christmas Carol (1843) and The Chimes (1844), which together established the nineteenth-century British vogue for Christmas Books.

Only without any pretense of self reliance can Grace Work:

Notice, here is another often unexplained Christian reference, Notice, here is another often unexplained Christian reference, angels were traditionally thought to be the ministers of grace. angels were traditionally thought to be the ministers of grace. “Angels and ministers of grace defend us!” (“Angels and ministers of grace defend us!” (HamletHamlet I. iv). I. iv).

Thus, although he is not there to give comfort (“I have none to Thus, although he is not there to give comfort (“I have none to

givegive.. . .It [comfort] comes from other regions, Ebenezer Scrooge, . .It [comfort] comes from other regions, Ebenezer Scrooge, and is conveyed by other ministers to other kinds of men" and is conveyed by other ministers to other kinds of men" ((Christmas BooksChristmas Books 19-20) 19-20), Marley does not deny that he is a kind of , Marley does not deny that he is a kind of minister of grace himself. minister of grace himself.

Before Scrooge can receive comfort, he must go through the Before Scrooge can receive comfort, he must go through the conversion processconversion process which will require him to recognize his need which will require him to recognize his need and his guilt. We must come to the bottom of ourselves before God and his guilt. We must come to the bottom of ourselves before God can take us anywhere.can take us anywhere.