The Story of Trapper John
Living in a remote forest at the northern edge of Canada, Trapper John’s closest friend was his faithful German Shepherd, Duke. Every few days, he and Duke would take the overnight trek to check the traps. Selling animal pelts at the trading post in the distant town sustained their simple life.
Trapper John and Duke had shared each other’s company for over ten years, since he had traded a couple of furs for the puppy. The dog loved the man, often protecting him from wild animals when they were out on their all-night treks. Duke even seemed to listen attentively as Trapper John shared his feelings while sitting by the campfire. Although it was a lonely existence, Trapper John had chosen it.
On one trip into town to sell his furs and purchase more goods, he met her. New in town, this young woman immediately caught his attention. She worked at the trading post and seemed anxious to engage him in conversation. They enjoyed dinner together, and after that, John started making more frequent trips into town. That spring, they married, and she moved her things out to the trapper’s cabin in the woods.
Their first child was born the following winter—but tragedy accompanied the birth of their beautiful daughter, for Trapper John’s wife died in childbirth. Broken-hearted, he had no choice but to take his baby girl into town to live with a kind family willing to take care of her until she was old enough to return to the cabin.
She was almost a year old when Trapper John brought her back to his cabin in the woods. Now he was faced with the challenge of raising a child while sustaining their existence with trapping. During his overnight trips, he would leave Duke to guard the sleeping baby, knowing that he would protect her if she were in any danger. On one such trip, tragedy once again visited this small family.
Returning home early in the morning after checking his traps, John came to the top of the hill overlooking his cabin. His heart pounded wildly when he noticed the front door of the cabin pushed open. Throwing down his pelts, he raced to the open door to check on his daughter.
As he entered the cabin, his worst fears were realized. The baby’s little bed was covered with blood. In that moment, he caught sight of Duke cowering in the corner, covered with blood. Enraged, the man cocked his rifle and pointed it directly at Duke.
“You killed my baby! You killed my baby!” John’s anguished roar awoke the child, who started out of sleep with a little cry from underneath the bloodied blanket. John, his finger on the trigger and his dog in the gun sights, turned his head toward that cry—and with a sweep of his hand, uncovered his unharmed baby. It was only then that he saw the dead bobcat behind his daughter’s bed. In a heartbreaking moment of understanding, he realized that he had almost killed the one who had saved his baby’s life.
Reflections of Christ
The story of Trapper John and Duke, while a simple tale of misplaced anger and tragic misunderstanding, offers a faint echo of the far more profound narrative of Jesus Christ. Just as John, in his grief and fear, wrongly accused and nearly killed his loyal protector, Duke, Jesus, the embodiment of perfect innocence and our Author of Salvation, was unjustly accused, mocked, and crucified.
John’s rage, born of desperate loss, clouded his judgment, leading him to condemn the very being who had saved his child. Similarly, the crowds, swayed by fear and misunderstanding, condemned Jesus, the Son of God, to death.
Brett Meador, pastor of Athey Creek, in his sermon on Mark 15:21-47, uses this very narrative as a starting point. He highlights the human tendency to misjudge, to act rashly in moments of intense emotion, and to fail to recognize the true nature of sacrifice. Just as Trapper John’s perception was distorted by grief, so too was the perception of those who condemned Jesus. Meador emphasizes that this story serves as a poignant reminder of our own fallibility and the importance of discerning truth amidst chaos.
However, the significance of Jesus’s sacrifice transcends any earthly tragedy. His death on the cross was not a mere act of injustice, but a deliberate and loving act of redemption. He bore the weight of humanity’s sins, offering forgiveness and reconciliation with God. While Duke’s actions saved a single child from physical harm, Jesus’s sacrifice offered salvation to all humanity, freeing us from the eternal consequences of sin.
The heartbreaking realization that John almost killed his savior mirrors the profound sorrow and regret we should feel for the suffering inflicted upon Jesus, but ultimately, it points to the overwhelming love and grace that motivated his sacrifice. A dog, a sad story, yet nothing compared to Jesus dying on the cross, the ultimate act of love and sacrifice for our sins.