Skip to content

Indeed, to sacrifice seems as natural to man as to pray…

“Indeed, to sacrifice seems as natural to man as to pray; the one indicates what he feels about himself, the other what he feels about God. The one means a felt need of propitiation, the other a felt sense of dependence.” quote by Alfred Edersheim
Download Open image
““Indeed, to sacrifice seems as natural to man as to pray; the one indicates what he feels about himself, the other what he feels about God. The one means a felt need of propitiation, the other a felt sense of dependence.””

Alfred Edersheim

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Sacrifice and prayer are parallel human responses: one seeks to atone, the other to connect with the divine.

In simple terms: Sacrifice appeases; prayer shows dependence.

Key Takeaway

Balance actions with humility.

Themes

spirituality human nature religion

Mood

reflective philosophical

Type

theological contemplative

When to use this quote

  • personal crisis
  • ritual worship
  • ethical decision‑making

Key Concepts

atonitiation dependence self‑reflection

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does true dependence on the divine look like?
  • How do we differentiate genuine sacrifice from ritual?
A Different Perspective

Risk of reducing complex faith to simple exchange.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Alfred Edersheim

Explore all 18 Alfred Edersheim quotes

More Sacrifice quotes

Browse all 5,851 Sacrifice quotes