---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: His hands had been reddened, as all men's…"
description: "\"“His hands had been reddened, as all men's hands have been, in the slaying before the foundation of the world; now, if he chose, he would dip them agai..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/c-s-lewis-121_inspirational_his-hands-had-been-reddened-as-all-men-s_2579664.jpg"
---

#  His hands had been reddened, as all men's hands have been…

![“His hands had been reddened, as all men's hands have been, in the slaying before the foundation of the world; now, if he chose, he would dip them again in the same blood. 'Mercy,' he groaned...” quote by C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/c-s-lewis-121_inspirational_his-hands-had-been-reddened-as-all-men-s_2579664.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/c-s-lewis-121_inspirational_his-hands-had-been-reddened-as-all-men-s_2579664.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/c-s-lewis-121_inspirational_his-hands-had-been-reddened-as-all-men-s_2579664.jpg)

> ““His hands had been reddened, as all men's hands have been, in the slaying before the foundation of the world; now, if he chose, he would dip them again in the same blood. 'Mercy,' he groaned...””

[C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/)

## About This Quote

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

Even divine beings can choose to repeat past violence, yet they plead for mercy.

**In simple terms:** Divine beings may repeat violence, seeking mercy.

Key Takeaway

Reflect on the tension between power and compassion.

Themes

divine violence mercy

Mood

reflective somber

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

- theological discussions
- ethical debates
- personal reflection

Key Concepts

choice redemption human nature

Questions to Reflect On

- Can true mercy exist without accountability?
- What drives repeated cycles of violence?

A Different Perspective

Mercy may be insufficient without genuine change.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Hands Reddened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands-reddened-1766760/) [Hands Slaying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands-slaying-1766759/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Mercy Groaned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercy-groaned-1766762/) [Reddened Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reddened-men-1766761/) [Slaying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slaying/) [Theological](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theological/)

## Related quotes

> [“There's nothing wrong with Sam," I said again. "He's...nice." Mercy groaned. "You mean he was too nice, don't you?" "I'm not used to people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-gray/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-sam-i-said-again-he-s-nice-mercy-groaned/)

[C. Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-gray/)

> [Be grateful. By slaying you now, I spare you an eternity of torment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian/be-grateful-by-slaying-you-now-i-spare-you-an-eternity-of-torment/)

[Lucian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian/)

> [This is something that, as artists, we constantly deal with-throwing away the past, slaying the father, and creating the new. This desire to throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/this-is-something-that-as-artists-we-constantly-deal-with-throwing/)

[Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/)

> [Slaying the dragon of delay is no sport for the short-winded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/slaying-the-dragon-of-delay-is-no-sport-for-the-short-winded/)

[Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/)

> [Julie Chen. She's my ultimate celebrity idol. I think she's one of the most amazing interviewers and hosts ever - and would kill to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-oakley/julie-chen-she-s-my-ultimate-celebrity-idol-i-think-she-s-one-of-the/)

[Tyler Oakley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-oakley/)

> [Wha-what?" Her eyes fluttered open. "Nothing," I shouted. "We're being followed by a slaying machine. Go back to sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/wha-what-her-eyes-fluttered-open-nothing-i-shouted-we-re-being/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [Where's the point in fighting and slaying if you can make a friend out of anybeast instead of a foe?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-jacques/where-s-the-point-in-fighting-and-slaying-if-you-can-make-a-friend/)

[Brian Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-jacques/)

> [We should be wary what persecution we raise against the living labors of public men, how we spill that seasoned life of man, preserved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/we-should-be-wary-what-persecution-we-raise-against-the-living-labors/)

[John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/)

> [Chang Tzu tells us of a persevering man who after three laborious years mastered the art of dragon-slaying. For the rest of his days,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/chang-tzu-tells-us-of-a-persevering-man-who-after-three-laborious/)

[Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/)

> [Life is too short to occupy oneself with the slaying of the slain more than once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/life-is-too-short-to-occupy-oneself-with-the-slaying-of-the-slain/)

[Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/)

> [The warrior who had gone out from the lake to save his people by slaying the evil one was now just a boy sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/the-warrior-who-had-gone-out-from-the-lake-to-save-his-people-by/)

[Michael Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-grant/)

> [Ma'am," Magnus said, advancing. "I must counsel you not to exit the carriage while a demon-slaying is in progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/ma-am-magnus-said-advancing-i-must-counsel-you-not-to-exit-the/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [Everything I try to do is about slaying that dragon of shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-amstell/everything-i-try-to-do-is-about-slaying-that-dragon-of-shame/)

[Simon Amstell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-amstell/)

> [What is pure Bill? Or excellent or admirable? The death of a million people in a flood? God evidently through so. He is incapable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dekker/what-is-pure-bill-or-excellent-or-admirable-the-death-of-a-million/)

[Ted Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dekker/)

> [THE ART OF PEACE is not easy. It is a fight to the finish, the slaying of evil desires and all falsehood within. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/the-art-of-peace-is-not-easy-it-is-a-fight-to-the-finish-the-slaying/)

[Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/)

## More by C.S. Lewis

> [“At the moment, then, of Man’s victory over Nature, we find the whole human race subjected to some individual men, and those individuals subjected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/at-the-moment-then-of-man-s-victory-over-nature-we-find-the-whole/)

[C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/)

> [“Isn’t it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified of the other?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a-fierce-left-and-a-fierce/)

[C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/)

> [“All Hell is smaller than one pebble of your earthly world: but it is smaller than one atom of this world, the Real World.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/all-hell-is-smaller-than-one-pebble-of-your-earthly-world-but-it-is/)

[C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/)

> [“the greatest service we can do to education today is to teach fewer subjects. No one has time to do more than a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/the-greatest-service-we-can-do-to-education-today-is-to-teach-fewer/)

[C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/)

> [“If the Divine call does not make us better, it will make us very much worse. Of all bad men religious bad men are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/if-the-divine-call-does-not-make-us-better-it-will-make-us-very-much/)

[C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/)

> [“The husband is the head of the wife just in so far as he is to her what Christ is to the Church -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/the-husband-is-the-head-of-the-wife-just-in-so-far-as-he-is-to-her/)

[C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/)

> [“We use a most unfortunate idiom when we say, of a lustful man prowling the streets, that he "wants a woman". Strictly speaking, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/we-use-a-most-unfortunate-idiom-when-we-say-of-a-lustful-man-prowling/)

[C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/)

> [“Después de cada fracaso, pedid perdón, levantaos del suelo y volved a intentarlo. Muy a menudo, lo que Dios nos otorga primero no es…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/despu-s-de-cada-fracaso-pedid-perd-n-levantaos-del-suelo-y-volved-a/)

[C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/)

> [“Then two wonders happened at the same moment. One was that the voice was suddenly joined by other voices; more voices than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/then-two-wonders-happened-at-the-same-moment-one-was-that-the-voice/)

[C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/)

> [“Because free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/because-free-will-though-it-makes-evil-possible-is-also-the-only/)

[C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/)

> [“Laugh and fear not, creatures. Now that you are no longer dumb and witless, you need not always be grave. For jokes as well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/laugh-and-fear-not-creatures-now-that-you-are-no-longer-dumb-and/)

[C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/)

> [“When two humans have lived together for many years it usually happens that each has tones of voice and expressions of face which are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/when-two-humans-have-lived-together-for-many-years-it-usually-happens/)

[C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/)

> [“He sees as well as you do that courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/he-sees-as-well-as-you-do-that-courage-is-not-simply-one-of-the/)

[C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/)

> [“If you do not take the distinction between good and bad very seriously, then it is easy to say that anything you find in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/if-you-do-not-take-the-distinction-between-good-and-bad-very/)

[C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/)

> [“Now the whole offer which Christianity makes is this: that we can, if we let God have His way, come to share in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/now-the-whole-offer-which-christianity-makes-is-this-that-we-can-if/)

[C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/)

[Explore all 1,165 C.S. Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/)

## More Inspirational quotes

> [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/)

[H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/)

> [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/)

[Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/)

> [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Just understand that the good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/just-understand-that-the-good-that-you-want-is-already-here-all-you/)

[Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/)

> [“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-want-to-build-a-ship-don-t-drum-up-the-men-to-gather-wood/)

[Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/)

> [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/)

[Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/)

> [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/)

[Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/)

> [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/)

[Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/)

> [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [We never really perceive what color is physically!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-albers/we-never-really-perceive-what-color-is-physically/)

[Josef Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-albers/)

> [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/)

[Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/)

> [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/)

[Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/)

[Browse all 114,561 Inspirational quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“His hands had been reddened, as all men's hands have been, in the slaying before the foundation of the world; now, if he chose, he would dip them again in the same blood. 'Mercy,' he groaned...”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "C.S. Lewis"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/his-hands-had-been-reddened-as-all-men-s-hands-have-been-in-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Inspirational"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/his-hands-had-been-reddened-as-all-men-s-hands-have-been-in-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/c-s-lewis-121_inspirational_his-hands-had-been-reddened-as-all-men-s_2579664.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/c-s-lewis-121_inspirational_his-hands-had-been-reddened-as-all-men-s_2579664.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/c-s-lewis-121_inspirational_his-hands-had-been-reddened-as-all-men-s_2579664.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“His hands had been reddened, as all men's hands have been, in the slaying before the foundation of the…” — C.S. Lewis",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "C.S. Lewis",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“His hands had been reddened, as...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/his-hands-had-been-reddened-as-all-men-s-hands-have-been-in-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/his-hands-had-been-reddened-as-all-men-s-hands-have-been-in-the/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
