Edmund's Gift

Arielle Fayre

Arielle Fayre

Member
I'm currently re-reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (you don't really want to know how many times I've read it), and just reached the part where Father Christmas is handing out the children's gifts. As he was giving Peter his present, it dawned on me that out of all of the Pevensie children, Edmund receives the best gift. Now, you may be thinking that I've gone off my rocker, but hold on for a moment and hear me out. Peter is given a sword and a shield; Susan, a bow and arrows and a horn, and Lucy, a small dagger and the crystal bottle of healing cordial. Edmund was not there and got nothing from Father Christmas as he was in the clutches of the White Witch at the time. But does that mean he was giftless?

Not in my opinion. Though he received neither a sword nor any other physical gift, he was the recipient of the greatest gift of all: Aslan's life. It's staggering to think about whether you believe that Narnia is full of Christian symbolism or not. When someone gives their life for someone else, it boggles the mind. Most people only think about themselves, their wants, their needs, and they (myself very much included) look out for number one.

Edmund got himself into the mess he was in; it would have been just for Aslan to write him off, let him reap what he had sown. But Aslan doesn't do that; instead he gives his life for a traitor. His actions remind me of Romans 5:7 "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (NKJV)

Just something to think about.
 
This was why Edmund became the founding member of a separate order of knighthood.

In real life, although there is only one Lord Jesus Christ, He is experienced by mortals in differing ways. There are believers who have been raised in faith from childhood, and there are those who have a definite "COMING to Jesus" moment after they have grown up to understand things. I did not begin a conscious relationship with Jesus until I was in college; so I probably belong to the Order of the Stone Table.
 
I said "founding member," but now it occurs to me that Narnia had a history BEFORE Jadis invaded. So it may be that, in this earlier history, someone else might have undergone a redemptive experience OTHER THAN being a traitor who got saved, and THAT person (or animal) could have been the founding member of the order Edmund later joined. I really should have thought of this before, considering my own story "Southward the Tigers."
 
Arielle Fayre said:
Edmund got himself into the mess he was in; it would have been just for Aslan to write him off, let him reap what he had sown. But Aslan doesn't do that; instead he gives his life for a traitor. His actions remind me of Romans 5:7 "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (NKJV)
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What a great observation, Arielle! Although Edmund wasn't there for Christmas gifts, he received the greatest gift. Well said!
 
I like where your head is. And whilst Edmund was personally saved from literal death with the substitutionary death of Aslan, everyone was saved from the White Witch's reign by Aslan. So Edmund did indeed receive the greatest personal gift, but Aslan's coming was a gift to everyone.

Further, when they come back in PC, it is pointed out when the children gather their Christmas gift from the derelict castle, that Edmund didn't get one and had to use some random sword and shield from the treasure room instead of an enchanted, never-dulling sword like Peter or a fresh, magically un-rotted bow like Susan, and it's a small point of loss on his part.

It puts me in the mind of the things we lose out on because of our sin, rebellion, and disobedience. We are saved from our sin by Christ's gracious, loving sacrifice, but we sometimes lose things too which can never be replaced or undone. Father Christmas never came back and gave him his possible gift, though they remained in Narnia for many years. That was simply something he missed out on.
 
I wonder if Edmund's gift would be discernment? I think the other Pevensies gifts represent something. For Peter, it's leadership. For Susan, it's prayer (the horn calling for help). For Lucy, healing (the healing cordial). So I would say that Edmund's gift would be good judgment, given his title as King Edmund the Just.
 
Edmund's lack of a gift was made up for with his epithet of "the Just". His turning away from his siblings, return, talk with Aslan, death sentence, and finally Aslan's heroic sacrifice in his stead all contributed to how he turned out as a king. He was one who most understood those who rehabilitation and the character of those who could follow in that path.
 
Perhaps Edmund's lack of a gift WAS his gift. A subtle reminder that each moment, when gone, does not return.
 
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