the white is stronger than the Grey. Why?

[GandaIf The White]

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Re: the white is stronger than the Grey. Why?

<blockquote>Quote:<hr> &quot;One wheeled towards him; but it seemed to Pippin that he raised his hand, and from it a shaft of white light stabbed upwards.&quot;<hr></blockquote>

This is a quote from RoTK when Gandalf is being assailed by the black riders. I only brought it up because Kittle said that Gandalf hadn't used his Maiaric powers to defeat the Balrog because he was prohibited from using his powers openly against Sauron. It seems like he did use his Maiaric powers to ward off the Black Riders in this part of the book.. so why wouldn't he have used them against the Balrog? And, when he battled with the Balrog, do you think that he did use his powers (I mean at the top of Zirik Zhugal)? Or just his sword? It would be a tough match with a Balrog shooting flames at you.. And it also seems like Gandalf used his powers against the Goblin King in The Hobbit.. though just in a small way.

Is this the kind of Maiaric power he had? Or are you all thinking of something much greater that I do not understand?

"Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends."</p>