: There are many things which point to Bombadil being a mighty spirit of some kind, over whom even the ring has no power.
: The only reason that the ring has power over the Istari, was that they were "incarnate", and so bound to Arda, and it's pains. Bombadil too is "incarnate" (being quite "real", and not in spirit form), yet the ring has no power over him!
: In History of Middle-Earth, it is recorded that Bombadil was originally intended to be conveyed as a far relation to (Farmer) Maggot. Although this was dropped, it suggests that Tolkien did not have a high lineage planned for him.

The conception of Tom as akin to Maggot was the earliest conception of Tom. At this stage, Tom was to Tolkien the spirit of the vanshing english countryside (Letter 19). However, it didn't take long for Tom to develop into a more significant person. In later drafts, Tom seems to become akin to Gandalf:

"Why did I not think of Bombadil before. If only he were not so far away, I would go straight back now and consult him. We have never had much to do with one another up till now. I don't think he quite approves of me somehow. *He belongs to a much older generation*, and my ways are not his. (HOME Vol VI, pp 213-14)

: Yet after this notion of kinship was dropped, Tolkien did not explicitly state his ancestry. A point to note, is that there in only one Bombadil, and he is unique in the sense that he is of his own "race". He was certainly not Valar, since he has no power over the ring, and also he will fall "las, as he was first". No Valar will fall before the pitiful "might" of Sauron!

Considerations of power get very tricky. Remember Fingolfin was able to wound Morgoth. Elendil and Gil-galad were able to "kill" Sauron while he wielded the One Ring. Glorfindel and Ecthelion were able to kill maia in the form of balrogs. Eonwe, a maia, was considered greatest in arms in all of Arda.

: Bombadil does not appear to be Maia either, for he was first, yet did not participate in the Silmarillion points to him not under the command of the Valar.

Agreed.

: Surely, one so "powerful" (in his own way) would have been commanded by Manwé to participate in the battle to destry Morgoth.

Why? See below. There is no reason that Tom couldn't be an Ainur outside the normal Valar/Maia power structure. In fact, that would be perfectly in keeping with an "enigma"

: Also, no incarnate Maia would be so free from the cares of the world. The enigma exists, I think, because he was first. How could he be first, and eldest? He was there before the first Elf saw the stars, and far before the ents. Thus he is not in the "old lists". So... Bombadil is not Valar, no Maia.

You're assuming that all non-evil Ainur in Arda were under the command of Manwe. Why couldn't Tom be an Aina who was neither Valar nor Maia. He was an angelic spirit of great power who did not take up the governance of Arda.

: Yet he is a spirit incarnate of great power, and very old, and unique. And he is not Eru. (Tolkien stating explicitly that Eru never entered into the story). He is certainly not a creature of Middle Earth. Why would Eru create a unique being, if he had no real function in Middle Earth, neither to populate it, nor to rule it?

Why did God create the duck-billed platypus?

: Everything seems to point to Bombadil being the spirit of Arda. The essence of the Earth. See quotes in some of the other postings. This is not without it's problems. Being the spirit of Earth, why no power over ring?? Ring is incarnate power, shown in it's goal of the domination of Middle Earth!

He could make it disappear. Tom is on a sense the opposite of Sauron. His piercing blue eye that the hobbits saw through the Ring is a strong counterpoint to Sauron's Eye. Sauron sought power, domination and order. Tom sought none of those things. He lived side by side with Old Man Willow. Tom did not destroy Old Man Willow, rather he was content to let him exist.

: If Bombadil was Earth, then he would certainly care a great deal about Sauron, the orcs, and so forth. Care more than even the elves. In the end, I seems to contradict myself even more, and still arrive at no satisfactory conclusion!
: Bombadil simply is.

: I personally believe him to be Middle Earth incarnate, the spirit of Arda. If Goldberry is the river's spirit , then why can't Bombadil be the spirit of Earth?

She's the River womans daughter. Whatever that means.

: This then points to either a maia, and/or a valar. I make a bold statement that all such "spirits" are ainur.

Of course they are. Valar and Maia are simply Ainur who entered Ea and took up the subcreation and governance of Arda.

:e.g össe == water "god" (of course under the command of Ulmo). So, cannot Bombadil be the incarnate of Earth? An Ainur, maybe of less might than Sauron. So he is a Maia, of less stature than Sauron, and is the spirit of the Earth.

I don't see that he would be of lesser stature. It appears he is quite powerful. (Educated opinion follows) He withstood Sauron when he invaded Eriador during the War of the Elves and Sauron. He was able to protect the remnant of the Dunedain of Cardolan who sought refuge in the Old Forest and the Barrow Downs from the Witch King and the evil hill men of Rhudaur.

I don't give Galdor and Erestor's opinions of Tom much weight as they clearly didn't know much about him. Gandalf was the one in the Council who appeared to know him best and Gandlaf never minimized his power.

: Right, having "proven" the Bombadil can be neither Maia, nor spirit of the earth, I now put forward that he is both!

: This only goes to prove the brilliance of Tolkien!

That goes without saying.

Russ