The Olympics has come and gone. The Paralympics is about to begin; which I always think is the more extraordinary of the two competitions. Athletes disadvantaged by the loss of an eye or a limb, performing high-level feats, is incredibly inspiring. But is there a place in competition for people who have physical advantage beyond the normal human range, like one of the descendants of Rapha (not the tennis player)?

The Bible records a battle at Gath, ‘where there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot… He was also descended from Rapha.’ Imagine that man competing in wrestling, or javelin, or climbing, or any number of sports. The extra grip and extra strength would give him huge advantage. And would it be fair for him to compete against athletes in the range of normal physicality?

Some have wondered if the same question ought to be asked in theology, concerning the earthly life of Jesus – whether he fairly represented the human race, or whether his divinity compromised the competition. He certainly expressed his divine power in healing, forgiving and raising the dead, but never to avoid the moral responsibilities of standing fairly and redemptively in our place. The Book of Hebrews includes this: That he was made ‘fully human in every way’, and for the express purposes of representation and atonement. Jesus Christ is a super Saviour, who came to save broken people with sinful hearts, but he did it as no Superman.