--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even if millions have seen Bonhoeffer’s…" description: "\"“Even if millions have seen Bonhoeffer’s death as tragic and as a prematurely ended life, we can be certain that he did not see it that way at all. In ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/681/eric-metaxas-1651_death_even-if-millions-have-seen-bonhoeffer-s_2437518.jpg" --- # Even if millions have seen Bonhoeffer’s death as tragic… ![“Even if millions have seen Bonhoeffer’s death as tragic and as a prematurely ended life, we can be certain that he did not see it that way at all. In a sermon he preached while a pastor in London, he said: No one has yet believed in God and the kingdom of God, no one has yet heard about the realm…” quote by Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/681/eric-metaxas-1651_death_even-if-millions-have-seen-bonhoeffer-s_2437518.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/681/eric-metaxas-1651_death_even-if-millions-have-seen-bonhoeffer-s_2437518.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/681/eric-metaxas-1651_death_even-if-millions-have-seen-bonhoeffer-s_2437518.jpg) > ““Even if millions have seen Bonhoeffer’s death as tragic and as a prematurely ended life, we can be certain that he did not see it that way at all. In a sermon he preached while a pastor in London, he said: No one has yet believed in God and the kingdom of God, no one has yet heard about the realm of the resurrected, and not been homesick from that hour, waiting and looking forward joyfully to being released from bodily existence. Whether we are young or old makes no difference. What are twenty or thirty or fifty years in the sight of God? And which of us knows how near he or she may already be to the goal? That life only really begins when it ends here on earth, that all that is here is only the prologue before the curtain goes up—that is for young and old alike to think about. Why are we so afraid when we think about death? . . . Death is only dreadful for those who live in dread and fear of it. Death is not wild and terrible, if only we can be still and hold fast to God’s Word. Death is not bitter, if we have not become bitter ourselves. Death is grace, the greatest gift of grace that God gives to people who believe in him. Death is mild, death is sweet and gentle; it beckons to us with heavenly power, if only we realize that it is the gateway to our homeland, the tabernacle of joy, the everlasting kingdom of peace. How do we know that dying is so dreadful? Who knows whether, in our human fear and anguish we are only shivering and shuddering at the most glorious, heavenly, blessed event in the world? Death is hell and night and cold, if it is not transformed by our faith. But that is just what is so marvelous, that we can transform death.”” [Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-metaxas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life’s true beginning is beyond death; death is a transition to divine joy, not something to fear. **In simple terms:** Death is a gateway to God’s peace. Key Takeaway Embrace death as a divine gift. Themes faith mortality grace hope Mood contemplative reverent Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - personal loss - end‑of‑life care - spiritual counseling - grief support Key Concepts theology eschatology spiritual transformation Questions to Reflect On - How does belief reshape the view of death? - What practices help transform fear into peace? A Different Perspective Fear can dominate if faith is weak. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Greatest gift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-gift/) [Hold fast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hold-fast/) [Kingdom of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kingdom-of-god/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [“No one has yet believed in God and the kingdom of God, no one has yet heard about the realm of the resurrected, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-metaxas/no-one-has-yet-believed-in-god-and-the-kingdom-of-god-no-one-has-yet/) [Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-metaxas/) > [“Why are we so afraid when we think about death? Death is only dreadful for those who live in dread and fear of it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/why-are-we-so-afraid-when-we-think-about-death-death-is-only-dreadful/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“Death is only dreadful for those who live in dread and fear of it. Death is not wild and terrible, if only we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-metaxas/death-is-only-dreadful-for-those-who-live-in-dread-and-fear-of-it/) [Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-metaxas/) > [I know it is coming, and I do not fear it, because I believe there is nothing on the other side of death to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/i-know-it-is-coming-and-i-do-not-fear-it-because-i-believe-there-is/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [I do not fear death. I know it is coming, and I do not fear it, because I believe there is nothing on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/i-do-not-fear-death-i-know-it-is-coming-and-i-do-not-fear-it-because/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [I believe in the death penalty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/i-believe-in-the-death-penalty/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [ The only thing that's real in any universe \[is\] that brilliant fire of Love that burns to the exclusion of everything else. As we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/the-only-thing-that-s-real-in-any-universe-is-that-brilliant-fire-of/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [“Do you believe in an afterlife? Do your personal beliefs include a life after death?—no matter how they phrase their snotty test, do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/do-you-believe-in-an-afterlife-do-your-personal-beliefs-include-a/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [It's unnatural to believe death usually has a beauty and a concordance and is usually a coming together of your life's work. It leads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/it-s-unnatural-to-believe-death-usually-has-a-beauty-and-a/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [I don't believe in death, neither in flesh nor in spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-marley/i-don-t-believe-in-death-neither-in-flesh-nor-in-spirit/) [Bob Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-marley/) > [“I will not stand by and let any man believe his death is an act of one of the gods. They don't deserve the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hamstead/i-will-not-stand-by-and-let-any-man-believe-his-death-is-an-act-of/) Katie Hamstead > [I don't believe in death. I think it's just a state of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-kilmer/i-don-t-believe-in-death-i-think-it-s-just-a-state-of-mind/) [Val Kilmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-kilmer/) > [“I believe that when I am dead, I am dead. I believe that with my death I am just as much obliterated as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/i-believe-that-when-i-am-dead-i-am-dead-i-believe-that-with-my-death/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [In youth,' he said, speaking as if from a great distance, 'we believe, and the death of belief forces us to disavow all belief.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-youth-he-said-speaking-as-if-from-a-great-distance-we-believe-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't believe in death. I just don't think all that love and all that energy can just disappear into nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricky/i-don-t-believe-in-death-i-just-don-t-think-all-that-love-and-all/) [Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricky/) ## More by Eric Metaxas > [“If we believe miracles cannot happen today but happened to our distant ancestors, what we really seem to be saying is not that miracles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-metaxas/if-we-believe-miracles-cannot-happen-today-but-happened-to-our/) [Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-metaxas/) > [“(Bonhoeffer's) change was not an ungainly, embarrassing leap from which he would have to retreat slightly when he gained more maturity and perspective. 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Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. Powers > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Even if millions have seen Bonhoeffer’s death as tragic and as a prematurely ended life, we can be certain that he did not see it that way at all. In a sermon he preached while a pastor in London, he said: No one has yet believed in God and the kingdom of God, no one has yet heard about the realm of the resurrected, and not been homesick from that hour, waiting and looking forward joyfully to being released from bodily existence. Whether we are young or old makes no difference. What are twenty or thirty or fifty years in the sight of God? And which of us knows how near he or she may already be to the goal? That life only really begins when it ends here on earth, that all that is here is only the prologue before the curtain goes up—that is for young and old alike to think about. Why are we so afraid when we think about death? . . . Death is only dreadful for those who live in dread and fear of it. Death is not wild and terrible, if only we can be still and hold fast to God’s Word. Death is not bitter, if we have not become bitter ourselves. Death is grace, the greatest gift of grace that God gives to people who believe in him. Death is mild, death is sweet and gentle; it beckons to us with heavenly power, if only we realize that it is the gateway to our homeland, the tabernacle of joy, the everlasting kingdom of peace. How do we know that dying is so dreadful? Who knows whether, in our human fear and anguish we are only shivering and shuddering at the most glorious, heavenly, blessed event in the world? Death is hell and night and cold, if it is not transformed by our faith. 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