The journey within itself is not even the crux of Frodo’s story, however, just as Christ’s walk to his death on Golgotha, while horrifying and traumatic, was not the extent of his great sacrifice. It is true that at the peak of the journey, Frodo’s mind is overtaken by the Ring and he refuses to give it up. “‘I have come,’ he said. ‘But I do not choose now to do what I came to do. I will not do this deed. The Ring is mine!’” (Lord 945). Frodo’s temptation and weakness here may be seen as a distinguishing factor between himself and Christ, but Colin Gunton points out that “if we recall Jesus’ temptation by the devil to worship him and gain power over all the cities of the world, we shall see the point of Frodo’s behavior” (131).

While Jesus did not give into the temptation, he was still tempted by the great power, just as Frodo is on Mount Doom. And there was a moment on the cross when Jesus gave into his despair and torment, just as Frodo gives in here. Matthew 27:46 says, “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Jesus’ surrender to his burden (the cross) is very much like Frodo’s surrender to his own burden (the Ring).

Indeed, Frodo does not fail at his task, even though he does have a moment of weakness. As with the story of Jesus, Frodo’s success is dependent upon the actions of a betrayer. Frodo’s pity on Gollum, the mercy that he shows to the creature in the beginning of the journey, comes into play at the climax of the quest. Because of Frodo’s hope that he might be able to save Gollum from the Ring’s power somehow, and because he allowed Gollum to stay with them, the Ring is able to be destroyed. Similarly, Judas’s betrayal of Jesus was what caused Jesus to be identified as the Messiah and to be arrested. It is true that “Gollum serves Frodo until the bitter end much as Judas remains in Jesus’ company; because his hate, his violence, plays a crucial role in the outcome” (McGrath 181).

Furthermore, Tolkien says in one of his letters that if Gollum had not arrived and fallen into the fires of Mount Doom with the Ring, Frodo would “have had to take the same way [as Gollum]: cast himself with the Ring into the abyss. If not he would of course have completely failed” (Letters 330). If Gollum had not attacked, Tolkien says that Frodo would still have enough of himself left to complete his quest. He would not, however, be able to separate himself from the Ring, and so he would throw the himself into the fires along with the Ring. Either way, Frodo’s sacrificial actions make him very much a Christ figure. In any case, Frodo does suffer lasting injuries from his quest: the Morgul blade wound, and the loss of not only his finger, but his innocence and peace as well. In many ways, Frodo is very much a Christ figure, even more so than Gandalf, because of the great burden he shoulders voluntarily and the march to his death for the rest of Middle-earth.