--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Are there not thousands who have loved…" description: "\"Are there not thousands who have loved virtue who did not accept Jesus Christ in any supernatural or miraculous fashion, who, if they knew of him at al..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/jenkin-lloyd-jones-29489_abraham_are-there-not-thousands-who-have-loved-v_351498.jpg" --- # Are there not thousands who have loved virtue who did not… ![“Are there not thousands who have loved virtue who did not accept Jesus Christ in any supernatural or miraculous fashion, who, if they knew of him at all, knew of him only as the Nazarene peasant - the man Jesus. Such was Abraham Lincoln, the tender prophet of the gospel of good will upon earth.” quote by Jenkin Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/jenkin-lloyd-jones-29489_abraham_are-there-not-thousands-who-have-loved-v_351498.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/jenkin-lloyd-jones-29489_abraham_are-there-not-thousands-who-have-loved-v_351498.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/jenkin-lloyd-jones-29489_abraham_are-there-not-thousands-who-have-loved-v_351498.jpg) > “Are there not thousands who have loved virtue who did not accept Jesus Christ in any supernatural or miraculous fashion, who, if they knew of him at all, knew of him only as the Nazarene peasant - the man Jesus. Such was Abraham Lincoln, the tender prophet of the gospel of good will upon earth.” [Jenkin Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenkin-lloyd-jones/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that many virtuous people lived without recognizing Jesus as a supernatural figure, yet they embodied moral goodness similar to that of Abraham Lincoln, a compassionate leader. **In simple terms:** Virtuous people can exist without supernatural belief. Key Takeaway Recognize moral goodness regardless of religious belief. Themes morality religion leadership historical figures Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - community building - interfaith dialogue - teaching ethics - public speaking Key Concepts virtue secular ethics humanism Questions to Reflect On - How do we honor moral virtue across different belief systems? - Can secular ethics inspire similar societal impact as religious teachings? A Different Perspective Religious perspectives may view the claim as dismissive of faith. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abraham/) [Abraham lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abraham-lincoln/) [Accepting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting/) [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Christ Supernatural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ-supernatural-2909977/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion/) [Good will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-will/) [He man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he-man/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus/) [Jesus Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus-abraham-3245138/) [Jesus christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus-christ/) [Knew Nazarene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew-nazarene-3245140/) [Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lincoln/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Miraculous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miraculous/) [Nazarene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nazarene/) [Nazarene Peasant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nazarene-peasant-3245139/) [Peasants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peasants/) [Positive atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-atheism/) [Prophet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prophet/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [“Minimizing the importance of transformed feelings makes Christian conversion less supernatural and less radical. It is humanly manageable to make decisions of the will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/minimizing-the-importance-of-transformed-feelings-makes-christian/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [My grandmother made sure that I went to church every Sunday. And she'd come over and pick us boys up, and we would go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/my-grandmother-made-sure-that-i-went-to-church-every-sunday-and-she-d/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [Thrones, dominations, principalities know now with a terrible certainty that mere force of arms has no power which compares with that living word of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-everett-hale/thrones-dominations-principalities-know-now-with-a-terrible-certainty/) [Edward Everett Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-everett-hale/) > [I am an historian, I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells/i-am-an-historian-i-am-not-a-believer-but-i-must-confess-as-a/) [H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells/) > [I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene. Jesus is too colossal for the pen of phrasemongers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-am-a-jew-but-i-am-enthralled-by-the-luminous-figure-of-the-nazarene/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The history of the church has been largely a history of "believers" refusing to believe in the way of the crucified Nazarene and instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/the-history-of-the-church-has-been-largely-a-history-of-believers/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [“The Nazarene tells a parable about a wealthy landowner and his troublesome tenants. The summation is a line stating that the religious leaders will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/the-nazarene-tells-a-parable-about-a-wealthy-landowner-and-his/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [“The message of the Nazarene had been turned into a weapon in some religious power game. 'Look how they love one another' just didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-morrison/the-message-of-the-nazarene-had-been-turned-into-a-weapon-in-some/) [Dylan Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-morrison/) > [ From these Christians who came to \[Avalon\] to escape the bigotry of their own kind I learned something, at last, of the Nazarene, the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-zimmer-bradley/from-these-christians-who-came-to-avalon-to-escape-the-bigotry-of/) [Marion Zimmer Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-zimmer-bradley/) > [Humanity looks upon Jesus the Nazarene as a poor-born Who suffered misery and humiliation with all of the weak. And He is pitied, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/humanity-looks-upon-jesus-the-nazarene-as-a-poor-born-who-suffered/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [Regardless of nationality, all men are brothers. God is "our Father who art in heaven." The commandment "Thou shalt not kill" is unconditional and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-salmon/regardless-of-nationality-all-men-are-brothers-god-is-our-father-who/) [Ben Salmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-salmon/) > [Jesus never called the poor 'lazy,' fought for tax cuts for the wealthiest Nazarenes or asked a leper for a copay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fugelsang/jesus-never-called-the-poor-lazy-fought-for-tax-cuts-for-the/) [John Fugelsang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fugelsang/) > [Men are tending to materialism. Houses, lands, and worldly goods attract their attention, and as a mirage lure them on to death. Christianity, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/men-are-tending-to-materialism-houses-lands-and-worldly-goods-attract/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [I am no longer a divine biped. I am no longer the freest German after Goethe, as Ruge named me in healthier days. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-heine/i-am-no-longer-a-divine-biped-i-am-no-longer-the-freest-german-after/) [Heinrich Heine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-heine/) > [“Things I learned from a man called “The Nazarene” 1- Being poor does not equal being miserable. 2- People will judge you, but their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-suarez/things-i-learned-from-a-man-called-the-nazarene-1-being-poor-does-not/) [Martin Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-suarez/) ## More by Jenkin Lloyd Jones > [Whence, then, did the cathedral derive its power? Clearly here: It took back the family into the confidences of religion. It taught man and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenkin-lloyd-jones/whence-then-did-the-cathedral-derive-its-power-clearly-here-it-took/) [Jenkin Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenkin-lloyd-jones/) > [“There seems to be a superstition among many thousands of our young who hold hands and smooch in the drive-ins that marriage is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenkin-lloyd-jones/there-seems-to-be-a-superstition-among-many-thousands-of-our-young/) [Jenkin Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenkin-lloyd-jones/) > [Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he’s been robbed. The fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenkin-lloyd-jones/anyone-who-imagines-that-bliss-is-normal-is-going-to-waste-a-lot-of/) [Jenkin Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenkin-lloyd-jones/) > [My parents were lured to America by the democracy here promised. In our family, freedom was a word to conjure by. Hoping for larger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenkin-lloyd-jones/my-parents-were-lured-to-america-by-the-democracy-here-promised-in/) [Jenkin Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenkin-lloyd-jones/) > [The human soul finds its saddest imprisonment when it is helpless in the presence of cruelty, when it cannot right a wrong. It finds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenkin-lloyd-jones/the-human-soul-finds-its-saddest-imprisonment-when-it-is-helpless-in/) [Jenkin Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenkin-lloyd-jones/) > [The grandchildren of the kids who used to weep because the Little Match Girl froze to death now feel cheated if she isn't slugged,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenkin-lloyd-jones/the-grandchildren-of-the-kids-who-used-to-weep-because-the-little/) [Jenkin Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenkin-lloyd-jones/) > [Seek the underlying harmonies of love and the overarching rainbow of hope, rather than the surface distinctions of creeds and of sects. Work for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenkin-lloyd-jones/seek-the-underlying-harmonies-of-love-and-the-overarching-rainbow-of/) [Jenkin Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenkin-lloyd-jones/) > [Life is like an old-time rail journey--delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenkin-lloyd-jones/life-is-like-an-old-time-rail-journey-delays-sidetracks-smoke-dust/) [Jenkin Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenkin-lloyd-jones/) > [You have typewriters, presses. And a huge audience. How about raising hell?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenkin-lloyd-jones/you-have-typewriters-presses-and-a-huge-audience-how-about-raising/) [Jenkin Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenkin-lloyd-jones/) > [The story of the decadence of the cathedral as a moral power, a spiritual energizer in civilization, is the sad but inevitable story of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenkin-lloyd-jones/the-story-of-the-decadence-of-the-cathedral-as-a-moral-power-a/) [Jenkin Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenkin-lloyd-jones/) > [Introduced to this world in Llandyssul, Cardiganshire, Wales, November 14, 1843, I celebrated my first anniversary by landing at Castle Garden, in New York City.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenkin-lloyd-jones/introduced-to-this-world-in-llandyssul-cardiganshire-wales-november/) [Jenkin Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenkin-lloyd-jones/) > [I am the third Jenkin Jones to preach that liberal interpretation of Christianity generally known as Unitarianism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenkin-lloyd-jones/i-am-the-third-jenkin-jones-to-preach-that-liberal-interpretation-of/) [Jenkin Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenkin-lloyd-jones/) > [Not until the human heart is stolid to poetry, the human eye blind to beauty, not until the intellect ceases its quest for truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenkin-lloyd-jones/not-until-the-human-heart-is-stolid-to-poetry-the-human-eye-blind-to/) [Jenkin Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenkin-lloyd-jones/) > [The cathedral, at its noblest, is the best outward symbol of the spiritual nature of man, as it is also the most suggestive measure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenkin-lloyd-jones/the-cathedral-at-its-noblest-is-the-best-outward-symbol-of-the/) [Jenkin Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenkin-lloyd-jones/) > [My father was a prosperous hatter-farmer - making hats for the local markets during the winter months, tilling his little ten-acre farm during the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenkin-lloyd-jones/my-father-was-a-prosperous-hatter-farmer-making-hats-for-the-local/) [Jenkin Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenkin-lloyd-jones/) [Explore all 18 Jenkin Lloyd Jones quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenkin-lloyd-jones/) ## More Abraham quotes > [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [Hebron is a bone of contention between Israeli settlers and the Palestinians in part because Abraham is buried there, in the Tomb of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/hebron-is-a-bone-of-contention-between-israeli-settlers-and-the/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [Donald Trump is not going to be the nominee, because we are not going to allow - people will wake up and we're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/donald-trump-is-not-going-to-be-the-nominee-because-we-are-not-going/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [“Never you look down on your Abraham because of your Sarah because the blessing is not in the womb of Sarah but in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ikechukwu-izuakor/never-you-look-down-on-your-abraham-because-of-your-sarah-because-the/) [Ikechukwu Izuakor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ikechukwu-izuakor/) > [“Whatever you are, be a good one.”   Abraham Lincoln”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rriiver-nyile/whatever-you-are-be-a-good-one-abraham-lincoln/) [Rriiver Nyile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rriiver-nyile/) > [Moses was a great leader, right? But he wasn't a great communicator. And so God sent him Aaron so he could, let's say, communicate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-milei/moses-was-a-great-leader-right-but-he-wasn-t-a-great-communicator-and/) [Javier Milei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-milei/) > [“king of Heshbon. 6 b Moses, the servant of the”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/king-of-heshbon-6-b-moses-the-servant-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In the end, thought Sol, past logic and hope, it is dreams and the love of those dearest to us that form Abraham’s answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/in-the-end-thought-sol-past-logic-and-hope-it-is-dreams-and-the-love/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [It was psychobabbler Abraham Maslow who wrote of the phenomena of self-actualization. What Maslow failed to grasp is that reaching true self-actualization can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/it-was-psychobabbler-abraham-maslow-who-wrote-of-the-phenomena-of/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [“Mungu hutumia watu 'wajinga' na 'wapumbavu' kufanya mambo makubwa katika maisha yao na ya watu wengine. Katika Biblia, Musa aliitwa mjinga alipokiuka amri ya…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/mungu-hutumia-watu-wajinga-na-wapumbavu-kufanya-mambo-makubwa-katika/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [“9. Abraham’s death (25:1 – 11) After Sarah’s death, Abraham took another wife, Keturah. Abraham was a rejuvenated old man and continued to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-sailhamer/9-abraham-s-death-25-1-11-after-sarah-s-death-abraham-took-another/) [John H. Sailhamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-sailhamer/) > [“The biblical story of the binding of Isaac shows that human sacrifice was far from unthinkable in the 1st millennium BCE. The Israelites boasted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-biblical-story-of-the-binding-of-isaac-shows-that-human-sacrifice/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Everybody faces obstacles. And I looked to people who had been through many to succeed in life. Abraham Lincoln, born to a poor family,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winfield/everybody-faces-obstacles-and-i-looked-to-people-who-had-been-through/) [Dave Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winfield/) > [Someone asked me...how it felt and I was reminded of a story that a fellow townsman of ours used to tell--Abraham Lincoln. They asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/someone-asked-me-how-it-felt-and-i-was-reminded-of-a-story-that-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [American foreign policy and military might have opened an opportunity for the Gospel in the land of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stanley/american-foreign-policy-and-military-might-have-opened-an-opportunity/) [Charles Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stanley/) [Browse all 484 Abraham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abraham/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Are there not thousands who have loved virtue who did not accept Jesus Christ in any supernatural or miraculous fashion, who, if they knew of him at all, knew of him only as the Nazarene peasant - the man Jesus. 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