The Sacred Gatsby

Gatsby is Jesus.
Okay, so saying Gatsby is Jesus is a bit of a stretch.
For one, Gatsby is a fictional character and Jesus was an actual man.
Gatsby lived in the 1920's Jesus died 2000 years ago.
Gatsby dealt in shady business affairs and Jesus was an honest carpenter.
And Jesus is Jesus.
It's heretical to state that anyone besides Jesus is Jesus.
So maybe I'll rephrase my claim.
Jay Gatsby portrays many Jesus-like characteristics.
According to "How to Read Literature Like a Professor" a "Christ figure does not need to resemble Christ in every way". Just in some ways.
Ways that Jay Gatsby resembles Jesus Christ:
1.) Age:
Based on the fact that he went to war in 1917 and the book is staged in the roaring twenties we can guess Gatsby is around age 30. Jesus did the majority of his work from age 30-33.
2.) Self-sacrificing:
Jay Gatsby spends a large portion of his life trying to please Daisy and protect Daisy. He even takes the blame when Daisy runs over and kills her husbands mistress. In the end this leads to his death. Jesus sacrificed a large portion of his life healing the poor and the sick and his preaching/healing eventually lead to his crucifixion.
3.) Good with the fishes:
As a young man, Jay Gatsby aids a wealthy yacht man avoid a storm and becomes close friends with him. Jesus also had fisherman friends whom he helps out(The most famous story about them being when Jesus tells them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat.) Coincidence? I think not.
4.) Hope:
"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter--tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther.... And one fine morning-- So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."- Nick Carraway
Nick Carraway often remarked throughout the book on Jay Gatsby's profound ability to hope. Even though the facts stand in his way, Gatsby holds faith in what he believes will be the future: the idea that everything will work out. Although religious scholars and the government threatened Jesus and stood in his way he continued to preach his message and hold faith for the future.
5.) Charisma:
Gatsby had a way of connecting with people.
"He smiled understandingly-much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced--or seemed to face--the whole external world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself." Jesus was charismatic in much of the same way. He connected with people drew crowds to him and support to his message.
6.) The death:
Gatsby was shot in the chest by Tom's mistress' husband who mistakingly thought Gatsby was at fault for the death of the mistress. In the movie Gatsby is shown with his arms outstretched (the shape of the cross) falling backwards into a pool of water. Water symbolizes baptism, cleansing, and rebirth. The next shot shows the water of the pool turning from clear to red(water into wine). Tom then turns the gun onto himself(Judas). Not one of the people who partied at his house show up to his funeral (the disciples who desert Jesus following his death). The only ones who show up are Gatsby's father (Mother Mary) and Nick (Mary Magdalene). 

If all this isn't enough proof that the author had Jesus in mind when he was writing the part of Gatsby, consider the fact that F Scott Fitzgerald was born into a strict Catholic family. 
So Jesus is Jesus.
And Gatsby is Gatsby.
But in a lot of ways Gatsby resembles Jesus.


Cheers.