--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...The Devil would not have begun by an…" description: "\"“...The Devil would not have begun by an open and obvious sin to tempt man into doing something which God had forbidden, had not man already begun to s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b4/augustine-of-hippo-2589_adam-and-eve_the-devil-would-not-have-begun-by-an-ope_1200573.jpg" --- # ...The Devil would not have begun by an open and obvious… ![“...The Devil would not have begun by an open and obvious sin to tempt man into doing something which God had forbidden, had not man already begun to seek satisfaction in himself and, consequently, to take pleasure in the words: 'You shall be as Gods.' The promise of these words, however, would…” quote by Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b4/augustine-of-hippo-2589_adam-and-eve_the-devil-would-not-have-begun-by-an-ope_1200573.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b4/augustine-of-hippo-2589_adam-and-eve_the-devil-would-not-have-begun-by-an-ope_1200573.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b4/augustine-of-hippo-2589_adam-and-eve_the-devil-would-not-have-begun-by-an-ope_1200573.jpg) > ““...The Devil would not have begun by an open and obvious sin to tempt man into doing something which God had forbidden, had not man already begun to seek satisfaction in himself and, consequently, to take pleasure in the words: 'You shall be as Gods.' The promise of these words, however, would much more truly have come to pass if, by obedience, Adam and Eve had kept close to the ultimate and true Source of their being and had not, by pride imagined that they were themselves the source of their being. For, created gods are gods not in virtue of their own being but by a participation in the being of the true God. For, whoever seeks to be more than he is becomes less, and while he aspires to be self-sufficing he retires from Him who is truly sufficient for him.”” [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human pride leads to seeking self‑sufficiency, separating from divine source, causing loss of true being. **In simple terms:** Pride makes us think we are self‑sufficient, but we lose true purpose. Key Takeaway Recognize dependence on the divine source. Themes pride spirituality human nature Mood contemplative serious Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - personal reflection - religious study - ethical decision making Key Concepts theology philosophy self‑identity Questions to Reflect On - How does pride affect your sense of purpose? - What does true sufficiency mean to you? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on divine dependence can diminish human agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adam and eve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adam-and-eve/) [Created Gods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/created-gods-316424/) [Doing God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-god-279789/) [God Forbidden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-forbidden-352199/) [Gods Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gods-virtue-606282/) [Obedience Adam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obedience-adam-3598322/) [True god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-god/) ## Related quotes > [Power makes gods. Virtue makes martyrs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/power-makes-gods-virtue-makes-martyrs/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [Baby, I can't say how the gods of virtue will judge you. But, I do know if I meet you again, in another life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/km-ii/baby-i-can-t-say-how-the-gods-of-virtue-will-judge-you-but-i-do-know/) [KM II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/km-ii/) > [How rich a God our God is! He gives enough, but we don't notice it. He gave the whole world to Adam, but this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/how-rich-a-god-our-god-is-he-gives-enough-but-we-don-t-notice-it-he/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [The Church is the house of God. It is forbidden for men to enter with bare arms or in shorts. It is forbidden for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/the-church-is-the-house-of-god-it-is-forbidden-for-men-to-enter-with/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [We ought first to know that there are no good works except those which God has commanded, even as there is no sin except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/we-ought-first-to-know-that-there-are-no-good-works-except-those/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“The fascinating thing about the dream of the sailcloth let down from heaven, containing creatures forbidden to a Jew, was that it represented a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-fascinating-thing-about-the-dream-of-the-sailcloth-let-down-from/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ “The earthly \[city\] has made for herself, according to her heart's desire, false gods out of any sources at all, even out of human… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/the-earthly-city-has-made-for-herself-according-to-her-heart-s-desire/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) > [If we go back to the beginnings of things, we shall always find that ignorance and fear created the gods; that imagination, rapture and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-d-holbach/if-we-go-back-to-the-beginnings-of-things-we-shall-always-find-that/) [Baron d'Holbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-d-holbach/) > [During the youthful period of mankind's spiritual evolution human fantasy created gods in man's own image, who, by the operations of their will were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/during-the-youthful-period-of-mankind-s-spiritual-evolution-human/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“The belief of an infinity of creative and created Gods, each more eminently requiring an intelligent author of his being than the foregoing, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-belief-of-an-infinity-of-creative-and-created-gods-each-more/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“If we go back to the beginning we shall find that ignorance and fear created the gods; that fancy, enthusiasm, or deceit adorned or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-d-holbach-2/if-we-go-back-to-the-beginning-we-shall-find-that-ignorance-and-fear/) [Baron D. Holbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-d-holbach-2/) > [“It was suffering and incapacity that created all afterworlds - this, and that brief madness of bliss which is experienced only by those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-was-suffering-and-incapacity-that-created-all-afterworlds-this-and/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [In the beginning of their end, people created their gods and their after-lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-miller/in-the-beginning-of-their-end-people-created-their-gods-and-their/) [Ryan Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-miller/) > [“One of Richard Dawkins’s main God Delusion arguments is that, if God created everything, we would have to ask who created God. But the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-lennox/one-of-richard-dawkins-s-main-god-delusion-arguments-is-that-if-god/) [John C. Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-lennox/) > [Fear first created the gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/fear-first-created-the-gods/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) ## More by Augustine of Hippo > [“We are inflamed, by Thy Gift we are kindled; and are carried upwards; we glow inwardly, and go forwards. We ascend Thy ways that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/we-are-inflamed-by-thy-gift-we-are-kindled-and-are-carried-upwards-we/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) > [“Faith seeks, understanding finds. This is why the prophet says, ‘Unless you believe, you will not understand”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/faith-seeks-understanding-finds-this-is-why-the-prophet-says-unless/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) > [“Time takes no holiday. It does not roll idly by, but through our senses works its own wonders in the mind. Time came and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/time-takes-no-holiday-it-does-not-roll-idly-by-but-through-our-senses/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) > [“So it falls out that in this world, in evil days like these, the Church walks onward like a wayfarer stricken by the world's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/so-it-falls-out-that-in-this-world-in-evil-days-like-these-the-church/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) > [“Pride is the beginning of sin. And what is pride but the craving for undue exaltation? And this is undue exaltation - when the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/pride-is-the-beginning-of-sin-and-what-is-pride-but-the-craving-for/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) > [“Variation on the middle sentence: A thing is not necessarily false because it is badly expressed, nor true because it is expressed magnificently.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/variation-on-the-middle-sentence-a-thing-is-not-necessarily-false/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) > [“Run to and fro everywhere, holy fires, beautiful fires; for you are the light of the world, nor are you put under a bushel.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/run-to-and-fro-everywhere-holy-fires-beautiful-fires-for-you-are-the/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) > [“Let Him do what pleases Him; let Him disclose Himself when it pleases Him! I now commit myself wholly to His care and clemency.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/let-him-do-what-pleases-him-let-him-disclose-himself-when-it-pleases/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) > [“and even now we labor in our residual gloom, until in your only Son we become your righteousness; for that righteousness is like God's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/and-even-now-we-labor-in-our-residual-gloom-until-in-your-only-son-we/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) > [“Thus, every entity, even if it is a defective one, in so far as it is an entity, is good. In so far as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/thus-every-entity-even-if-it-is-a-defective-one-in-so-far-as-it-is-an/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) > [“But unscrupulous ambition has nothing to work upon, save in a nation corrupted by avarice and luxury. Moreover, a people becomes avaricious and luxurious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/but-unscrupulous-ambition-has-nothing-to-work-upon-save-in-a-nation/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) > [“Faith is to believe what we do not see; and the reward of the faith is to see what we believe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/faith-is-to-believe-what-we-do-not-see-and-the-reward-of-the-faith-is/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) > [“For instantly, as the sentence ended, there was infused in my heart something like the light of full certainty and all the gloom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/for-instantly-as-the-sentence-ended-there-was-infused-in-my-heart/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) > [“And yet, will we ever come to an end of discussion and talk if we think we must always reply to replies? For replies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/and-yet-will-we-ever-come-to-an-end-of-discussion-and-talk-if-we/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) > [“If, on the contrary, they hear from you about themselves, they will be in no position to say, “The Lord is lying.” Is hearing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/if-on-the-contrary-they-hear-from-you-about-themselves-they-will-be/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) [Explore all 153 Augustine of Hippo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) ## More Adam and eve quotes > [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/) [Daniel K Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-k-judd/) > [“Milton argued, in 1649, after the execution of Charles I, that a people 'free by nature' had a right to overthrow a tyrant; a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-carter/milton-argued-in-1649-after-the-execution-of-charles-i-that-a-people/) [Ronald Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-carter/) > [And as regards Adam and Eve we must maintain that before the fall they were virgins in Paradise: but after they sinned, and were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-jerome/and-as-regards-adam-and-eve-we-must-maintain-that-before-the-fall/) [St. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-jerome/) > [Adam became so proud that he wished to become God and died for his pride; the Son of God humbled Himself unto death, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-kronstadt/adam-became-so-proud-that-he-wished-to-become-god-and-died-for-his/) [John of Kronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-kronstadt/) > [The most devastating thing though that biology did to Christianity was the discovery of biological evolution. Now that we know that Adam and Eve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zindler/the-most-devastating-thing-though-that-biology-did-to-christianity/) [Frank Zindler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zindler/) > [“Ô, Wanderess, Wanderess When did you feel your most euphoric kiss? Was I the source of your greatest bliss?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/wanderess-wanderess-when-did-you-feel-your-most-euphoric-kiss-was-i/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [“The story of Adam and Eve has less to do with evil than the cosmic human sadness that relationships are never straightforward, never pure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darcey-steinke/the-story-of-adam-and-eve-has-less-to-do-with-evil-than-the-cosmic/) [Darcey Steinke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darcey-steinke/) > [It doesn't embarrass me one bit to let you know that I believe Adam and Eve were real people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/it-doesn-t-embarrass-me-one-bit-to-let-you-know-that-i-believe-adam/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) > [“Arrogant worship is an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms. Yet we see it throughout Scripture. The gospel was given to Adam and Eve. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/arrogant-worship-is-an-oxymoron-a-contradiction-in-terms-yet-we-see/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [The way we think may be completely different, but you and I are an ancient, archetypal couple, the original man and woman. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banana-yoshimoto/the-way-we-think-may-be-completely-different-but-you-and-i-are-an/) [Banana Yoshimoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banana-yoshimoto/) > [“Adam and Eve used to walk with Me in the garden, before their expulsion from Eden. I want you to walk with Me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-young/adam-and-eve-used-to-walk-with-me-in-the-garden-before-their/) [Sarah Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-young/) > [And I, the former mystic, was thinking: Yes, man is stronger, greater than God. When Adam and Eve deceived You, You chased them from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/and-i-the-former-mystic-was-thinking-yes-man-is-stronger-greater-than/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“we have authority in the earth to decree God's judgments (Gen. 1:28; Ps. 115:15-16). Adam and Eve may have fallen into sin, but we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-trimm/we-have-authority-in-the-earth-to-decree-god-s-judgments-gen-1-28-ps/) [Cindy Trimm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-trimm/) > [“No more peeping through keyholes! No more mas turbating in the dark! No more public confessions! Unscrew the doors from their jambs! I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/no-more-peeping-through-keyholes-no-more-mas-turbating-in-the-dark-no/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“Ten thousand men had come to attend solemn service, heads of the blocks, Kapos,functionaries of death. "Bless the Eternal. " The voice of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/ten-thousand-men-had-come-to-attend-solemn-service-heads-of-the/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) [Browse all 328 Adam and eve quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adam-and-eve/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“...The Devil would not have begun by an open and obvious sin to tempt man into doing something which God had forbidden, had not man already begun to seek satisfaction in himself and, consequently, to take pleasure in the words: 'You shall be as Gods.' The promise of these words, however, would much more truly have come to pass if, by obedience, Adam and Eve had kept close to the ultimate and true Source of their being and had not, by pride imagined that they were themselves the source of their being. For, created gods are gods not in virtue of their own being but by a participation in the being of the true God. 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