The prophet Elisha vs Yoda: who had the highest midi-chlorian count?
Some of us, for whom the first Star Wars movies were a significant aspect of their youth, may have made more than a few furtive efforts during school trying to move objects using the Force. Luke could juggle swamp rocks, and Yoda could lift an X-wing. Surely I could move a pencil, especially during the bleaker moments of study hall, when time had ceased operating? But regrettably, no; I could not. Still, it was preferable to school work.
Yoda didn’t invent these exercises in telekinesis. It’s written in the Old Testament that Elisha, who was a disciple of Elijah, had a similar skill. The story is thus: Elisha was out one day with a guild of prophets, “sons of the prophets”, they were called.
An aside: a ‘guild of prophets’ is a funny organization to consider. Were there unlicensed prophets operating outside of the guild, recklessly forecasting the future without a single credential to their name? I like to imagine this band as a group of young guys for whom ‘I knew you were going to say that’ was their most common retort. Alas, unfortunately the term likely just refers to a group of priests.
Anyways, one of these prophets was chopping on a log and his axehead flew off the handle into the river. He immediately exclaimed, “Oh no, it was borrowed!” One must appreciate that this inconsequential detail (in the long run, at least) has been preserved for almost three thousand years. It suggests that, despite all our progress, loaning your tools to the neighbor has always been, and likely will always be, a fool’s practice. Fortunately Elisha was there, and throwing a stick into the river, he caused the axe to float to the surface. Yoda just needed to stretch out his hand to make Luke’s X-wing rise from the waters, but he was also holding a stick in the scene. I’m sure there is a significance in the conservation of the “stick” motif. For that matter, Yoda was a member of a guild of prophets, and his guild wore robes too. The similarities are striking, though before we declare that Yoda=Elisha we should acknowledge that there does not appear to be a Star Wars mirror to the biblical story of Elisha siccing two bears onto a pack of kids that were mocking his baldness.
Elisha’s miracle was granted via “gratia gratis data”, grace freely given to someone such that they can help others. Yoda explained his power differently, his came from ‘The Force’.
Presumably Elisha did this this miracle (the floating axe, not the one with the angry bears) via the grace of God, specifically through what’s termed in the church as “gratia gratis data”, grace freely given to someone such that they can help others. Yoda explained his power differently, his came from ‘The Force’. What the Force actually was… well that was a mystery. As is grace, for that matter.