Stronger than Samson

One of the first sermon series I ever preached was on the life of Samson. I was new, at the time, to expository preaching, and I wanted to start with something manageable and familiar. Little did I know, a careful study of Judges 13-16 would radically alter my understanding of not just Samson, but of Christ Himself.

Let me back up, though. Almost everyone knows the story of Samson. He's the guy with the super strength who gets his power from his long hair, right?

Well, not quite. The story beats, however, are familiar to us, despite how misunderstood the story is.

Samson starts off pretty promising. The Angel of the Lord (Jesus, before His incarnation), comes to tell Samson’s parents that though they are childless, they’re about to be blessed by God with a child. This child, however, will be special: He will be a Nazarite from birth. He would not touch wine or strong drink, he would have no contact with unclean things, and no razor would come upon his head.

If they didn’t say it aloud, surely Samson’s parents had to wonder whether or not their son was the seed promised in Genesis 3:15 who would crush the head of Satan. Perhaps, finally, a Savior had been born to deliver the Jews from both sin and their Philistine oppressors.

Instead, Samson falls in love with a Philistine woman, eradicating any hope that he may be the one. There are signs of strength, like when he kills a lion with his bare hands, strikes down thousands of Philistines, and carries away the literal gates of city. But for every feat of miraculous strength, there is a display of foolishness and sin.

The marriage to the Philistine doesn’t last long, and she’s ultimately burned by her countrymen. Later, Samson falls for a prostitute, and then finally the notorious Delilah herself. Eventually, his repetitious sins and foolish decisions catch up with him, and Samson reveals his Nazarite vows to Delilah, who sells him out to the Philistines.

Samson’s first defeat is a massive one. His hair is cut by Delilah and the vow is broken. Saddest of all, Samson has no idea that the Lord has departed him when he goes out to battle his adversaries. The Philistines humiliate him, bind him, blind him, and make him a slave.

Of course, God only chastises those whom He loves, and this defeat is not final. Soon, his hair begins to grow again (Judges 16:22).

Samson’s final victory is an amazing display of God’s grace, but it’s bittersweet. He prays that the Lord would grant him the strength to pull down the pillars of a house where 3,000 Philistine men and women are present to be entertained by him. The Lord answers this request, and Samson defeats his foes but dies in the process.

The Greater Samson

It’s an amazing story, for sure. It’s a warning to us all not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to, and to take heed that we fall not into the great sins that Samson did. But there are several ways in which the story makes us long for a true Savior who will succeed where Samson fell.

Jesus is that Savior. In fact, He is the greater Samson, for while Samson may have been strong, Jesus is stronger still. Consider the parallels of their lives: Jesus’ birth was miraculous like Samson’s, though greater. Samson was born to barren parents (Judges 13:2) but Jesus was born to a virgin (Matt. 1:20-23). While the Angel of the Lord (the preincarnate Christ) appeared to announce this news to Samson’s parents (Judges 13:3), the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and Joseph because Jesus was to be conceived and incarnated in the virgin’s womb (Lk. 1:30-33).

While the blessing of God was on Samson (Judges 13:24), Jesus “increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52). Samson went and found a Philistine woman to marry against his parents’ wishes (Judges 14:1-3), but Jesus’ Bride was chosen by the Father before the foundation of the world (Jn. 6:37). Samson goes to Timnah and falls to lust, but Jesus went into the desert to defeat Satan’s temptations (Matthew 4:1-11).

Whereas Samson viewed marriage as a chance to increase his riches (Judges 14:11-14), Jesus viewed marriage as an opportunity to lay down His life for His Bride, the Church (Eph. 5:22-32). Samson, ultimately, loses his first bride to fire (Judges 15:6), but Jesus has assured His Bride that she will never be condemned in fiery judgement (Rom. 8:1) and He will never lose her (Rom. 8:31-39).

Samson agreed to be bound by his fellow countrymen before miraculously breaking the cords and striking down his foes (Judges 15:9-14). Jesus was led away as a sheep to be slaughtered, and willingly permitted Himself to be nailed to a cross on behalf of His enemies. While Samson was willing to give himself to a prostitute (Judges 16:1-2), Jesus is forever faithful to His Bride (2 Tim. 2:13).

Samson carried away the gates of a town (Judges 16:3), but Jesus possesses the gates of His enemies (Gen. 22:17). While Samson struck down many foes with his hands and various weapons, Jesus strikes down His foes simply with the words of His mouth (Rev. 19:15).  And whereas Samson fell into sin and was blinded by his foes (Judges 16:16-21), Jesus defeated sin so that His foes might receive their sight (Matt. 11:5).

Ironically, Samson, a mortal man, is sold out for 1,100 pieces of silver by Delilah (Judges 16:5) when the Philistines come to her with the deal. But Jesus, the God-man, is betrayed by Judas for a mere 30 pieces of silver (Matt. 26:15) when he seeks out the Pharisees. The Jews of Jesus’ day undervalued Him (perhaps intentionally), and could not see how much greater than Samson He truly is. Let us not make the same mistake.

The end of Samson’s life was marked by tearing a temple down upon himself, killing his foes in the process (Judges 16:26-30). Jesus’ life, however, is marked by building up a temple, into which He invites all His saints to enjoy everlasting life (Eph. 2:19-22).

Samson was not the promised seed of Genesis 3:15, but Jesus was and is. Jesus is, without a doubt, the greater Samson.

Jacob Tanner is the pastor of Christ Keystone Church in Middleburg, PA. He is married to his wife, Kayla, and together they have two sons, Josiah and Owen. He is the author of The Tinker’s Progress: The Life and Times of John Bunyan, Wait and Hope: Puritan Wisdom for Joyful Suffering, and Resist Tyrants, Obey God: Lessons Learned from the Life and Times of John Knox.