Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers to the Dressrosa arc. Originally posted on Tumblr on November 26, 2014.

It is no secret that Eiichiro Oda does quite a lot of research for his work. Not only does he tackle world history and ancient mythology, he also touches upon the histories various cultures and religions. Rich in symbolism, the Bible is no exception. Oda has previously made quite a number of references to the Bible throughout One Piece. Two gigantic King Bulls that appeared in the Enies Lobby arc are named after the two biblical cities Sodom and Gomorrah, which were decimated with a rain of fire and brimstone. The Treasure Tree Adam and the Sunshine Tree Eve are named after the first man and woman in the creation myth of Genesis. Usopp even wondered if the two trees are related. The gigantic ark Noah located near Fishman Island also served as a reference to the eponymous Noah. In the Biblical book of Genesis, Noah was commanded by God to build a large ark to save his family as well as various animals from a great flood.

Looking back to the narrative of Law’s flashback, it can be extrapolated that his back story has parallels with the New Testament. As shown in Law’s flashback, the Donquixotes are quite reminiscent of the story of Jesus Christ. Having descended from their godly positions in Mariejois to live with their fellow humans, Doflamingo and his family ended up getting crucified by the masses. Homing’s declaration of being humans may also be an allusion to Jesus Christ, who is considered to be fully God and fully human according to Christianity. When the family was hung on the wall, the scene resembled that of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ where he was crucified along with two thieves, know as the “penitent thief” and the “impenitent thief.” The penitent thief was crucified to the right hand of Jesus Christ, while the impenitent thief, who taunted Jesus, was to his left. Rocinante was hung to the right hand of his father, but became a member of the Navy later on in his life. Doflamingo was hung to the left of his father and went on to threaten the masses of citizens, despite being the one crucified on the wall.

The chapter before Doflamingo’s flashback featured the 13 members of the Donquixote family eating together around a large table. This scene bears some semblance to the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, where Jesus and his twelve disciples came together for a final meal together. Amusingly, the one shown sitting in the middle of the family is Trebol, whereas most portrayals of the Last Supper have Jesus sitting in the center. The Donquixote family were also shown eating Italian food, which included garlic bread and red wine. The Last Supper featured bread and wine, which symbolizes the blood and body of Christ respectively. Red wine was also shown rather prominently throughout the Trafalgar Law flashback.

Further into the flashback, Rocinante made quite an effort to help a kid he barely knew, to the point where he abandoned his mission and betrayed both his brother and the Navy. His altruism towards Law can be compared to the actions of the Samaritan in the parable of the Good Samaritan. To those not familiar with the story, the Samaritan was a man who helped an injured traveler and took care of all his needs. The parable shows that one must be compassionate towards one’s enemies. Law should have been considered Rocinante’s enemy since he was a pirate and a part of the D clan and Corazon was a member of the Donquixote family and a member of the Navy. Despite this, Rocinante decided to save Law when he was dying from the White Lead poisoning. Like the Samaritan who took the injured man to the inn and paid for all his needs during his stay, Rocinante visited hospitals across the North Blue looking for doctors who could cure Law.

Reading the story from a Christian perspective, the relationship between Rocinante , Law, and Doflamingo can be seen as a parallel to God, the sinner, and the Devil respectively. In Christian beliefs, it is taught that God loves humanity and wants to redeem them. Similarly, Rocinante showed unconditional love for Law, even though the latter tried to kill him. On the other hand, the Devil wants to lead humanity to their own ruin, similar to how Doflamingo wants to use Law for his own gain after eating the Op-Op Fruit.

Ironically, the D clan was referred to as the enemies of God, implying that they’re demons. However, Doflamingo’s epithet is translated as Heavenly Demon in the English version, likening him to a fallen angel. However, his epithet in Japanese is 天夜叉 (Ten’yasha), which refers to the Yaksha. Unlike the Christian devil, Yaksha refers to a class of nature spirits in Buddhist, Hindu, and J ain literature. The Yaksha are described as having a dual personality, where it haunts and devours travelers while in its malevolent personality.

As salvation is also the central theme of Christianity, Oda seems to have made use of Christian elements to reinforce this point, giving some depth into flashback. It teaches that even those who are lost can be guided back in the right path, and that an act of kindness can have a big impact on others. While it doesn’t necessarily mean that Law is on the side of good, it does emphasize that he will not become a vile character like Doflamingo.

On that note, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!