Justice and power must be brought together, so that whatever is just may be powerful, and whatever is powerful may be just.
Blaise PascalRead
Not only do we know God by Jesus Christ alone, but we know ourselves only by Jesus Christ. We know life and death only through Jesus Christ. Apart from Jesus Christ, we do not know what is our life, nor our death, nor God, nor ourselves.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the importance of Jesus Christ for understanding God and ourselves, as well as the concepts of life and death.
Blaise Pascal's quote suggests that our comprehension of the divine and our own existence is intrinsically linked to Jesus Christ. He posits that without this central figure, we lose clarity not only about our understanding of God but also about our own identity and the fundamental aspects of life and death. This highlights the profound impact of spiritual beliefs on human understanding and purpose.
Themes
JesusGodSelf-KnowledgeLifeDeath
In practice
Example use cases
During a religious service to emphasize the importance of faith in self-discovery.
More from Blaise Pascal
All quotes →If we submit everything to reason our religion will be left with nothing mysterious or supernatural. If we offend the principles of reason our religion will be absurd and ridiculous . . . There are two equally dangerous extremes: to exclude reason, to admit nothing but reason.
Blaise PascalRead
Those are weaklings who know the truth and uphold it as long as it suits their purpose, and then abandon it.
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Jesus is the God whom we can approach without pride and before whom we can humble ourselves without despair.
Blaise PascalRead
If he exalts himself, I humble him. If he humbles himself, I exalt him. And I go on contradicting him Until he understands That he is a monster that passes all understanding.
Blaise PascalRead
What use is it to us to hear it said of a man that he has thrown off the yoke that he does not believe there is a God to watch over his actions, that he reckons himself the sole master of his behavior, and that he does not intend to give an account of it to anyone but himself?
Blaise PascalRead
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