Locke may have called him a Pharisee (which is something different from a later era, more like a lawyer), but really Ben is Pharoah. He kept Jack, Kate and Sawyer in slavery, he keeps everyone else against their will under a grand illusion. Locke and Sayid enter the camp to get Ben to "let my people go". Locke is like Moses, showing Ben all the miracles he can perform through the power of the island (God) including the regaining of the use of his legs. Ben on the other hand is more of a magician. Like Pharoah's sorcerers he can create the illusion of miracles, he's a better con man than Sawyer, he can cause things to appear any way he wants, but he has no real magic and he knows it. He can't cure himself and that's the proof.

Another parallel, Ben promises to let the people go but then changes his mind, goes back on his word or gets himself out of the deal. According to Juliet, he has done this to her time and again, just like Pharoah did. Will Moses lead the people out of Egypt?

In the end, the only thing that finally convinced Pharoah to let the people go was -- the death of the first born. Aaron? Alex? or Ben himself? Biblical sources say that Pharoah himself was a first born child and he was concerned not only for his child, but for himself.

I can't want to see Locke part the sea of Reeds. ;)

Excellent parallels. I'm waiting for the plague of toads.

We had a tree frog. No cattle disease but we've seen cows. ;)

... and it was Ecko's staff, not Aaron's rod, but it did sort of "bloom" for Locke...

Interesting idea. I was starting to think along similar lines. Not Pharoah but simple power. Ben seems to have it. He can make Locke's Dad appear. He evidently can do other "magical" thinkgs and that may be Ben's power. But we've seen similar things happen since the beginning. Kate's horse, smokey, Jack's Dad, but most importantly Locke's healing himself. Even Ben is very impressed telling Locke that he has a strong attachment to the island. So I'm starting to consider that the island offers some level of ability to people and some people are better at using it than others. Ben is good, Walt was good, Desmond is getting better. Locke may be very good and this may have Ben worried. As Locke says at the end of the episode, that is why Ben is in the wheelchair and Locke is not. If this pans out we may see a Locke/Ben showdown like a classic battle of sorcerers throwing lightening bolts at each other. How cool would that be!

I think this "magic" is really a metaphor for faith. Moses seemed to possess it because he had faith in God. Pharoah didn't, Pharoah thought he himself was a god. I think those on the island with a stronger faith can tap into its power and appear magical. Locke clearly has it. Jack had faith that Charlie would be okay, refused to believe he was dead from the hanging and Charlie came back. Hurley really believed he could start the van. He had faith and it worked. The reason Desmond is saving Charlie over and over is because he has no faith. He believes in the course correction so it exists.

I think this gives us hope for Charlie. If he regains his faith and FAST, he could save himself.

Didn't we hear one time that Amazing Grace was a perfect metaphor for what's happening on the show?

But I digress...back to Pharoah.

We have seen birds that flew. Maybe with flu

Locke can't be Moses, since he is trying to keep the Losties/Israelites in Egypt/Island. He isn't trying to get the Losties rescued at all.

Locke can't be Moses, since he is trying to keep the Losties/Israelites in Egypt/Island. He isn't trying to get the Losties rescued at all.

"People are saved in different ways Bernard".

Locke isn't saving them by getting them off the island, Locke as Moses is giving the people faith. He is saving them by showing everyone that faith will be their guide and unlock the powers of the island. He is their spiritual leader. Their Moses. The Egypt story wasn't about just physically leading the people out of slavery. It was about spiritual freedom.

ETA: Look at it this way: Locke has always been a spiritual leader, trying to free the others from the physical things that tie them down and give them faith. He got Boone to get over Shannon, got Charlie away from his drugs, got Walt to believe in himself. Moses was giving the Israelites the freedom to have faith and serve God, something they were prevented from doing in Egypt. In the story, Egypt and Pharoah represented spiritual death. The Egyptians even worshipped the dead. Pharoah had faith only in himself. Ben represents this spiritual death and Locke is the Moses that will lead the people to faith and true freedom.

Locke may have called him a Pharisee (which is something different from a later era, more like a lawyer), but really Ben is Pharoah.

I like your analogy, but somehow we need to figure out why the writers specifically chose
"Pharisee." Pharisees have a long history. If you are interested, see Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharisees

The early Christian writers of the New Testament had Jesus criticizing the Pharisees, calling them hypocrites: "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in..." (Matthew 23). The words meant that the particular Pharisees Jesus encountered were keeping themselves and others out of heaven by their actions - they were righteous-appearing on the outside but self-righteous inside.

Jesus did not call all Pharisees hypocrites, but that's generally what Christian Bible folk link to when they think of Pharisees. "hypocrite"

It's back to that "everyone has a good side and an evil side" - black/white backgammon pieces - light/dark - etc.

"People are saved in different ways Bernard".

Locke isn't saving them by getting them off the island, Locke as Moses is giving the people faith. ....

by not making the analogy to a mobile group, such as the Exodus, your example becomes vague beyond sensible recognition. If they move, then the Moses analogy is real, if they don't then it is simple leadership which could be reflective of many many stories that make more sense than Moses.

The only Losties truly enslaved by Ben were J/K/S, so we don't see parting of the waters then it's coincidental and not convincing.

Don

Pharisies are real. Locke ment exactly what he said when he called Ben a Pharise. The big parrelle to pharises would be the time of Christ. Back then the Pharises believed that Christ was lying and that they were the true followers of God and that anyone else was not as worthy as them. They acted all high and mighty as if they were selected from God to be the choosen people but the thing was what they were doing was not honoring God. In fact it was blasphamus. Where as the true followers of God were worshipping him correctly and not putting themselfs up on a huge pedistal and acting superior than everyone.


So the parrallel is that the Other's believe they are the truely rightous ones and only they are good enough for the island. Except what they are doing with the living in houses, having electricity, coming and going as they choose, having contact with the outside world and so on are not honoring the island the correct way. Where as John is like a good follower to God. He is worshipping the island properly and correctly and doing all the right things and that is why the island is giving John the things he wants. Where as Ben is doing all the worng things and that is why he is still stuck in a wheelchair.


The christian parralles are incredible here. Good pick up.

I understand the Pharisee analogy and I didn't say it wasn't appropriate, but I guess I look at things through more of a Hebrew bible lens, and to me the Exodus story, on a pure spiritual level if you understand the real meaning of the literal story, was an apt parallel. I still think so, but of course is doesn't take away from other allusions.

I like the analogy, lots of connections fit.

Like Pharoah's sorcerers he can create the illusion of miracles, he's a better con man than Sawyer, he can cause things to appear any way he wants, but he has no real magic and he knows it. He can't cure himself and that's the proof.

Fits with the Wizard of Oz analogy too.

So if Ben was conjured by the island, he would have been born there and that might be why it can't, or at least isn't, curing him. It also fits the Pharoah analogy of him being descended from the gods.

Pharisies are real. Locke ment exactly what he said when he called Ben a Pharise. The big parrelle to pharises would be the time of Christ. Back then the Pharises believed that Christ was lying and that they were the true followers of God and that anyone else was not as worthy as them. They acted all high and mighty as if they were selected from God to be the choosen people but the thing was what they were doing was not honoring God. In fact it was blasphamus. Where as the true followers of God were worshipping him correctly and not putting themselfs up on a huge pedistal and acting superior than everyone.


So the parrallel is that the Other's believe they are the truely rightous ones and only they are good enough for the island. Except what they are doing with the living in houses, having electricity, coming and going as they choose, having contact with the outside world and so on are not honoring the island the correct way. Where as John is like a good follower to God. He is worshipping the island properly and correctly and doing all the right things and that is why the island is giving John the things he wants. Where as Ben is doing all the worng things and that is why he is still stuck in a wheelchair.


The christian parralles are incredible here. Good pick up.

awesome post !

thats exactly how i see it
the others have become misguided, power corrupts.
john Locke - the savior ?

Fits with the Wizard of Oz analogy too.

That's because The Wizard of Oz itself is a parable about faith. I'm just taking it back to the source. ;)

pacejunkie and havoc, your posts here are very insightful and I agree whole-heartedly. The writers did a good job tying all of this together too. So any predictions on who will eventually gain some island faith? It would be nice to see the man of science become the faithful man of science, but I guess it wouldn't be because he's pleased with Locke;)

So any predictions on who will eventually gain some island faith?

It had better be Charlie or he's screwed. I think this is where the story is heading. Desmond could use some too.

Nice parallel. I really enjoyed reading that.