The Grand Inquisitor Rejects Jesus - Essay Example

The grand inquisitor is a poem by Ivan which he recites after the rebellion. It is a story of Jesus returning to earth during the Spanish inquisition. He as referred to him by Ivan performs miracles just like in the gospel and the people recognize him and adore him. He is later arrested by the inquisition leaders and sentenced to be burnt to death the following day. The Grand inquisitor then visits him and tells him that his return will interfere with the mission of the church and that the church no longer needs him (Fyodor 25).

The Grand inquisitor rejects Jesus based on the three temptations that Satan used to tempt Christ during the temptation of Christ. The temptations were turning stones into bread, casting himself from the temple and the angels of God would come and save him before getting to the ground and being given the authority and power to rule all the kingdoms of the earth (Fyodor 29). The inquisitor says that Jesus rejected all this in favor of freedom. He believes that the majority of humans cannot handle this freedom given to them and that giving human’s freedom to choose prevents them from redemption, hence living them to suffer.