--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One has said that Christ excelled all…" description: "\"One has said that Christ excelled all other moralists in this, that He puts the padlock not upon the hand, but upon the heart. But He does not use the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdd/edward-thomson-33920_christ_one-has-said-that-christ-excelled-all-ot_2547271.jpg" --- # One has said that Christ excelled all other moralists in… ![“One has said that Christ excelled all other moralists in this, that He puts the padlock not upon the hand, but upon the heart. But He does not use the padlock at all, He renders such a thing unnecessary. He takes the tiger from the heart, and replaces it with the lamb.” quote by Edward Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdd/edward-thomson-33920_christ_one-has-said-that-christ-excelled-all-ot_2547271.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdd/edward-thomson-33920_christ_one-has-said-that-christ-excelled-all-ot_2547271.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdd/edward-thomson-33920_christ_one-has-said-that-christ-excelled-all-ot_2547271.jpg) > “One has said that Christ excelled all other moralists in this, that He puts the padlock not upon the hand, but upon the heart. But He does not use the padlock at all, He renders such a thing unnecessary. He takes the tiger from the heart, and replaces it with the lamb.” [Edward Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-thomson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Christ’s moral influence works by transforming inner desire rather than imposing external restraints. **In simple terms:** He changes the heart, not just the hand. Key Takeaway Seek inner transformation over external control. Themes morality spirituality transformation Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - personal growth - leadership - conflict resolution - ethical decision making Key Concepts Christian ethics inner change freedom Questions to Reflect On - How can you nurture inner change instead of imposing rules? - What heart habits prevent moral growth? A Different Perspective External rules cannot replace genuine inner change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Christ Excelled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ-excelled-1487921/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Excelled Moralists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excelled-moralists-1487920/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Lambs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lambs/) [Moralist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moralist/) [Moralists Puts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moralists-puts-1487922/) [Padlocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/padlocks/) [Regeneration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regeneration/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Said Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-christ-622979/) [Tigers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tigers/) [Unnecessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unnecessary/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) ## Related quotes > [Gandhi said it; Frederick Douglass said it. 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Maybe he has been hooked before and her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/he-can-t-have-gone-he-said-christ-know-he-can-t-have-gone-he-s-making/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [ \[During the Renaissance\] the Italians said, "We are one in the Father: we will go back." The Northern races said, "We are one in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/during-the-renaissance-the-italians-said-we-are-one-in-the-father-we/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [Place a padlock on your throat and hide the key.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/place-a-padlock-on-your-throat-and-hide-the-key/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Faith is a padlock of the mind, and few keys can open it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-a-coyne/faith-is-a-padlock-of-the-mind-and-few-keys-can-open-it/) [Jerry A. Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/) > [Whate'er the talents, or howe'er designed, We hang one jingling padlock on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/whate-er-the-talents-or-howe-er-designed-we-hang-one-jingling-padlock/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Yale men do not like to be told anything by people who didn't go to Yale. The closest I came to Yale was once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-burns/yale-men-do-not-like-to-be-told-anything-by-people-who-didn-t-go-to/) [George Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-burns/) > [Wedlock is a padlock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ray/wedlock-is-a-padlock/) [John Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ray/) > [Mickey is a secret journal chained closed with a padlock, slammed inside a vault and dropped into the middle of the Pacific Ocean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-fisher/mickey-is-a-secret-journal-chained-closed-with-a-padlock-slammed/) [Noel Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-fisher/) > [The padlock clicked open. A voice soundingoddly like South Parks's Cartman echoed through my quivering brain. Goddammit!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-rardin/the-padlock-clicked-open-a-voice-soundingoddly-like-south-parks-s/) [Jennifer Rardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-rardin/) ## More by Edward Thomson > [What are the sciences but maps of universal laws, and universal laws but the channels of universal power; and universal power but the outgoings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-thomson/what-are-the-sciences-but-maps-of-universal-laws-and-universal-laws/) [Edward Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-thomson/) > [The world cannot bury Christ. 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