“It is the hate that is the enemy. Not men. Hate does not die with killing. It only springs up a hundredfold. The only thing stronger than hate is love.”
Daniel loathes the Roman occupiers for the oppressive rule they have imposed on the Jewish people. Vengeance is at the core of the narrative as Daniel feels obligated to avenge his family and other oppressed Jews. His hate is further fueled by joining an army of like-minded individuals out to rebel and resist Roman rule. Under the leadership of Rosh, Daniel is blinded by the hate against the Romans even though their approach is futile. The interaction between Daniel and Jesus gives him a new perspective about the cycle of hate that persists. Jesus teaches that responding to hate with hate will only breed more hatred and the violence will never cease. The Messiah teaches the power of the love of which Daniel embraces and gains insight into his suffering.
“The Messiah is not imagination. It’s the truth. It is promised.”
Both Daniel and Joel await the arrival of the Messiah to lead his people and save the Jews from oppression. However, they are at a fix since they are uncertain what sort of leader the Messiah will come as. Daniel believes Rosh is a potential leader because he leads an army of trained men to resist Roman rule. He doubts that Jesus is the Messiah because his approach is teaching and spreading love rather than fighting. Joel on the other hand believes and imagines the Messiah’s arrival which will be accompanied by men such as him and Daniel.
“Was it possible that only love could bend the bow of bronze?”
The bronze bow implies the hatred that the oppressed Jews have for Roman rule. Daniel and his fellow rebels strive to inflict violence upon the Romans but their endeavors are met with heavy losses. Their strategy is counterproductive; as hatred cannot heal hate therefore the bronze bow is unbendable. Through the teachings of Jesus, they understand that love is the answer to their pain and suffering. Daniel has to learn to forgive and spread love to conquer the violence and hate that afflicts them.
