The Bronze Bow

The major underlying theme of the text is the concept that love is stronger than hate. From the very beginning, hatred and the desire for vengeance drive Daniel and give him his purpose in life. After his father’s murder at the hands of the Romans, Daniel believes he must vow to fight the Romans until his last breath. What seems to be Daniel’s sole purpose in life is revealed to be an internal conflict between his insistence on keeping the fire of hatred ablaze and the desire for love and acceptance. The love of those closest to Daniel repeatedly pulls him away from his tendency toward hatred. Though Daniel struggles between love and hate until Leah’s near-death, he is finally able to give in to love and give up hatred when Jesus heals Leah. Daniel believes that hatred is a strong enough drive to achieve his goal of freeing Israel from the Romans, but he is proven wrong. Whatever Daniel does with hatred blows up in his face, including when he throws water in the face of a Roman soldier in Capernaum and when he rages in argument with Joel and Malthace’s father.

When Daniel begins to let love in, his mind opens up to wider perceptions of the world and his cause. He no longer sees Rosh’s plundering as moral, nor does he see Rosh’s wholesale looting of Capernaum’s wealthiest as a noble pursuit. He starts to see that strength lies in companionship and love between friends and family. Just as Daniel’s hatred is not enough to fight off the Romans soldiers during Joel’s rescue, Samson’s unconditional love is the only thing that makes their venture successful. Jesus teaches Daniel that the only true way to repay love is with love, and not with vengeance. The love of his father, Samson, and Leah can never be duly repaid by taking up arms against Rome. Where he is paid in love, he must return by himself embracing a life of love and acceptance. Daniel realizes then that the bow of bronze—the impossible—can only be “bent” once he lives with love.