Jesus? Hmm... I Don't Know

There are indeed several similarities between Meursault and Jesus. For example, they both accept the inevitability of death. Meursault discovers this while shouting at the chaplain. Jesus acknowledges he is the chosen one and that he must be the one to sacrifice his life when he goes to pray in the garden at Gethsemane. In addition, they both spend a considerable amount of time hoping that they will not be executed. Meursault contemplates how he could reform the penal code so that there might be a chance of escaping death. Jesus goes to the garden and prays to God. It states in the New Testament in Mark 14:35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. However, in the end, they both accept the fact that they must face death.

Although Albert Camus stated that “Meursault is the only Christ we deserve”, I believe that these two figures are quite different. I think that he said this not for it to literally mean that Meursault is a Christ-like figure but just to propose that Jesus may not be the perfect and forgiving man that people/society makes him out to be.

The deaths of Meursault and Jesus symbolize something drastically different from one another. Jesus died for our sins. God created him to save the human population. According to the Christian faith, by sacrificing himself, Jesus washed away our sins so we may live in heaven with our Creator. Meursault on the other hand, dies because he murders a man and feels no remorse. Meursault’s only explanation for the vicious act is that the sun was hot, which isn’t an explanation at all.

While I was researching about this topic, I came across an interesting site. The blogger talks about issues similar to those we discussed in class. He points out the differences between Meursault and Jesus.

“Christ taught his disciples and had them go and teach others, yet Meursault has no disciples and chooses to say little. Meursault murders while Christ brings a man back from the dead. Most drastically, Christ ”died for our sins” in order to make all those who follow free from original sin. Meursault just dies.”

If you look at the specific characteristics and actions of these two figures, they are completely different. However, I would not go as far to say that Meursault is the anti-Christ (even though he is called that in the actual book) because in the New Testament in Revelations, it states that the role of the anti-Christ is to convey similar qualities as Christ but deny the world salvation. The anti-Christ is supposed to possess characteristics that convince people that he is Jesus and make them want to follow him. Meursault does not do this.