Peter Jackson’s adaptation of The Lord of the Rings is quite good. But sometimes he skips key details which reveal the Christian vision behind Tolkien’s work. One of these is the climatic episode of Aragorn’s coronation. In Jackson’s film, it rightly shows Gandalf placing the crown on Aragorn’s head, but it removes Frodo’s participation in the coronation.
In the book, Aragorn approaches the city Minis Tirth, and its steward, Faramir, comes out to meet him. Faramir explains to the assembled people that in olden days the king would crown his own successor before he died. But since things must be different now, Aragorn may place the crown on his own head.
Unlike Napolean, Aragorn refuses to crown himself. Instead, he recognizes that he was only able to regain his kingdom by the help of many, especially Frodo, who carried the ring to Mordor, and Gandalf, who organized the Fellowship and led them in the fight against Sauron. Therefore, Aragorn requests that “the Ring-bearer bring the crown to me, and let [Gandalf] set it upon my head” (Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, VI.5).
Why is Frodo’s part essential?
Tolkien himself once approved the interpretation of the roles of Aragorn, Gandalf, and Frodo as representing the three-fold office of Christ as king, prophet, and priest (Clyde Kilby, Tolkien & The Silmarillion, ch. 4). Aragorn is the king who rules and brings peace to the land. Gandalf is the wise prophet who counsels and encourages others. Frodo is a priestly figure who, like Christ, sacrifices himself (as both priest and victim) for the sake of others. Aragorn understands that he is only able to enter into his rightful kingship thanks to the previous work of the prophet and priest. Kingship requires knowledge (the prophet) and righteousness (the priest).
In the New Testament, Christ’s baptism is a form of kingly crowning which maintains this order. Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist in the river Jordan. John is famously the greatest prophet, the forerunner of the Christ who “if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah” (Matthew 11:14).
What is often overlooked is that John the Baptist is also a priestly character. The Jewish priesthood was passed down father to son by bloodlines. John’s father, Zechariah, was a priest who served in the temple (Luke 1:5-10). Thus, John the Baptist also had a priesthood; he was both priest and prophet. To be a king, one needs to be in union with the prophet and priest.
Christ’s kingship is the direct result of His priestly work. By offering the sacrifice of Himself on the cross, Christ enters into His kingship. St. Paul says:
In putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for every one. (Hebrews 2:8-9)
The acts of His priesthood precede His reigning in glory; they merit for Christ His kingship (Christ is both priest and king in His human nature). Aragorn’s kingship likewise only follows the priestly act of Frodo carrying the ring to Mount Doom. Aragorn recognizes this and will not accept his kingship without acknowledging its dependence on the priestly work of Frodo and the prophetic leadership of Gandalf.
To rule well, one must have prophetic insight and priestly sacrifice—one must be united to the priest and the prophet.
Image from The Return of the King (2003)
