Great power

Any superhero fan has heard the quote, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Stan Lee wrote this memorable quote as Spiderman’s motto --the code of ethics by which he lives. In fact, it is used so much in the comics, TV shows, and movies that we take it for granted, and have not let this truly sink in. The question that it causes me to ponder is: is the phrase “with great power comes great responsibility” just for those with great power such as politicians, athletics stars, celebrities, etc., or do we as humans have the duty to be responsible and is it possible to have great power and be responsible? 

The 2002 film Spiderman perfectly showcases the need to be responsible  with what we are given.  Peter Parker is just trying to survive high school when something extraordinary happens. He is on a school field trip and while visiting a lab at a university, he is bitten by a radioactive spider. Initially Peter uses his powers for his own gain, he does not use them responsibly. He uses them to fight with his school rival Flash Thompson and he forgets to paint the kitchen with his Uncle Ben. In the attempt to impress Mary Jane by buying a car, Peter enters a wrestling match that can earn him up to $3,000. When the day of the match happens, he tells his uncle and aunt that he is going to the library to study, and he says he is going to catch the subway. But Ben says, “I will drive you.” Ben wants to see how Peter is doing, what the reason for his sudden change is. Ben tries to have a heart-to-heart conversation with Peter. He tells Peter that this is the age where the type of person you are becoming is determined by the choices Peter makes now. Ben also tells Peter that with great power comes great responsibility. Ben is to make Peter see that when one has abilities, gifts, talent, or whatever else, one must use it for the common good. Peter responds (as he describes later in the movie to Aunt May) by throwing it in his face. Peter then leaves the car to go to the wrestling match, which he wins, but he does not earn the $3,000 because he was supposed to last three minutes with the opponent in the ring. Spiderman knocked him out in 2 minutes. Peter is furious, feeling he has the right to that money. The owner of the wrestling gig does not care and shows no sympathy towards Peter. Likewise, Peter does not show any sympathy once the man is robbed. Peter has the opportunity to stop the robber but chooses not to out of spite, not caring or seeing it as his responsibility to stop the robber. This is Peter’s fatal mistake, because the robber ends up killing Uncle Ben. The robber tries to steal Uncle Ben’s car, and when Ben tries to convince him not to, the robber pulls out a gun and shoots Ben. Peter finds Uncle Ben dead. Not knowing who killed him, he listens to police scanners and finds where the killer is. He discovers that the killer is the robber and realizes what he has done. This event leads Peter to use the power that he received from the radioactive spider for the good of his fellow human beings, to use his gifts responsibly. For the rest of the film we see Peter  grow into a super hero that learns to sacrifice and uses his power to benefit others, not himself.

This is in great contrast to the villain Norman Osborne, also known as the Green Goblin. Norman chooses his powers out of complete selfishness and irresponsibility. His company is going to go under if his superhuman formula is not ready in two weeks. One of his scientists  says that the formula is not ready for human trials. So when the military, to whom he is selling the formula, says they have two weeks, Norman injects the formula into himself instead of listening to his researcher. This leads to him becoming the Green Goblin and being a madman. This one instance of irresponsibility causes a series of misfortunes, murder, kidnapping, and even his own death. Norman even tries to get Spiderman to join him and be allies in the quest for domination of New York. He sees Spiderman and himself as equals, but Spiderman shows that he is different; he does not use his power for personal gain and evil, but he uses it selflessly and for good.

Is there someone else besides good old Spidey who uses power responsibly and for the good of others? Not just in fiction but in reality in the world? What about Jesus Christ? He comes down to earth and chooses to empty himself (Philippians 2). He did consider equality with God to be obtained or grasped but humbled himself by making himself obedient to death on a cross! Christ is the ultimate example of using great power with great responsibility! This is seen most clearly in his temptation in the wilderness (Luke 4). The devil gives Christ three temptations: the need for more, (the temptation to turn stone into bread), the need for power (the temptation to worship the devil), the need for popularity (the temptation of throwing oneself off the temple). In the temptation of turning stones to bread, Satan tells Christ, “ If you are the son  of God tell these stones to become bread.” Scripture tells us that Christ is hungry after 40 days without food, but he refuses to use his power and relies on the word of God as his nourishment. The devil leads Jesus up on a high mountain and says look at the kingdoms of the world. He says, “They are yours if you bow down and worship me.” Once again, Christ is tempted to use his power irresponsibly. This time to gain more power and prestige, to choose the way of glory and not the way of the cross. Instead, he tells the enemy that he will worship God and God alone. The third temptation is a temptation to use the relationship he has with the father to his own advantage to gain popularity with the masses. Jesus is asked to jump from the top of the temple, and as it says in Scripture, God will rescue him. Jesus refuses and says, “Do not put the Lord God to the test.”

We see that in his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus used his power with great responsibility. In his life, he used his power for healing and acts of compassion from curing leprosy to freeing people from demonic oppression; Jesus gave all he had for others. In his death, he used his power to die on a cross for the sins of the world. In his death, Jesus shows us that true power comes from giving oneself away. Finally, in the resurrection we see Jesus choosing to reveal himself only to his disciples! He does not show himself to the Jewish or Roman leaders and say, “Look at me! I am raised from the dead!” No, it was the cross that was public. Jesus chose to show his weakness, not his strength. Power in the kingdom of God is not about gaining; it is about giving away! We may not be Spiderman but we are called to use what God has given us faithfully.