Suffice to say that the key to understanding the paladin is not knowing how to fight, or how to heal, or how to ride a magical horse. The key is understanding the concept of sacrifice. The real-life paladins, and their mythological counterparts, weren't worshipping the god of the sun, or the god of vengeance and justice, or Pelor or Heironeous or any of the other of the dozens and dozens of fantasy gods which have appeared throughout the past few decades. They were Christians, and a major part of their belief system involved the notion that their God allowed himself to be captured, abused, humiliated, tortured and then crucified in order to save those he loved. And it was in willingly repeating that sacrifice, throwing themselves in harm's way in order to protect and serve others, that the paladin truly found his calling, and his place in the world.