--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is my only and permanent complaint…" description: "\"This is my only and permanent complaint, that vulgar people, empty of the Spirit of God, want to judge solely by their human thinking what they listen ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c2/meister-eckhart-1044_bible_this-is-my-only-and-permanent-complaint_2990844.jpg" --- # This is my only and permanent complaint, that vulgar… ![“This is my only and permanent complaint, that vulgar people, empty of the Spirit of God, want to judge solely by their human thinking what they listen to or read in the Bible, which has been pronounced and written by the Holy Spirit and in the Holy Spirit.” quote by Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c2/meister-eckhart-1044_bible_this-is-my-only-and-permanent-complaint_2990844.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c2/meister-eckhart-1044_bible_this-is-my-only-and-permanent-complaint_2990844.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c2/meister-eckhart-1044_bible_this-is-my-only-and-permanent-complaint_2990844.jpg) > “This is my only and permanent complaint, that vulgar people, empty of the Spirit of God, want to judge solely by their human thinking what they listen to or read in the Bible, which has been pronounced and written by the Holy Spirit and in the Holy Spirit.” [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True understanding of Scripture requires spiritual insight, not merely human reasoning. **In simple terms:** Spiritual insight is needed for true understanding. Key Takeaway Seek the Spirit’s guidance when interpreting sacred texts. Themes spirituality interpretation faith Mood contemplative devotional Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - Bible study - personal meditation - theological education - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts theology mysticism Questions to Reflect On - How can you cultivate spiritual discernment? - What role does faith play in your interpretation? A Different Perspective Relying solely on human intellect may miss deeper meanings. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Complaints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complaints/) [Holy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy/) [Holy spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-spirit/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Spirit of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit-of-god/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Vulgar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vulgar/) ## Related quotes > [Common and vulgar people ascribe all ills that they feel to others; people of little wisdom ascribe to themselves; people of much wisdom, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/common-and-vulgar-people-ascribe-all-ills-that-they-feel-to-others/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Vulgar people take huge delight in the faults and follies of great men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/vulgar-people-take-huge-delight-in-the-faults-and-follies-of-great-men/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [When we accept Christ and His sacrifice for us He then puts His Spirit in us, the Spirit of Love, the Holy Spirit. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goddey-wilson/when-we-accept-christ-and-his-sacrifice-for-us-he-then-puts-his/) [GODDEY WILSON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goddey-wilson/) > [“There is one thing that, more than any other, throws people absolutely off their balance — the thought that you are dependent upon them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/there-is-one-thing-that-more-than-any-other-throws-people-absolutely/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [Men of genius are rarely much annoyed by the company of vulgar people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/men-of-genius-are-rarely-much-annoyed-by-the-company-of-vulgar-people/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [“For the Age has itself become vulgar, and most people have no idea to what extent they are themselves tainted. The bad manners of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-spengler/for-the-age-has-itself-become-vulgar-and-most-people-have-no-idea-to/) [Oswald Spengler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-spengler/) > [Television is not vulgar because people are vulgar; it is vulgar because people are similar in their prurient interests and sharply differentiated in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gilder/television-is-not-vulgar-because-people-are-vulgar-it-is-vulgar/) [George Gilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gilder/) > [“Only vulgar people boast about how happy they are”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/only-vulgar-people-boast-about-how-happy-they-are/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [Men of genius are rarely much annoyed by the company of vulgar people, because they have a power of looking at such persons as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/men-of-genius-are-rarely-much-annoyed-by-the-company-of-vulgar-people-2/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [The fulness of the Spirit is not a question of our getting more of the Holy Spirit, but rather of the Holy Spirit getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-j-smith/the-fulness-of-the-spirit-is-not-a-question-of-our-getting-more-of/) [Oswald J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-j-smith/) > [The Holy Spirit is a healing spirit. When the Holy Spirit is present, anything is possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhard-bonnke/the-holy-spirit-is-a-healing-spirit-when-the-holy-spirit-is-present/) [Reinhard Bonnke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhard-bonnke/) > [“All the good that is ever done in the world is worked by the Holy Spirit and, as the Holy Spirit honors Jesus Christ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-spurgeon/all-the-good-that-is-ever-done-in-the-world-is-worked-by-the-holy/) [Charles H. Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-h-spurgeon/) > [The Spirit of the Holy Ghost is the teacher in the temple. He teaches principles of eternal significance. It is during these instructions that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-lionel-kendrick/the-spirit-of-the-holy-ghost-is-the-teacher-in-the-temple-he-teaches/) [L. Lionel Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-lionel-kendrick/) > [The Holy Spirit alone can do this, the Holy Spirit alone can establish this link with one's neighbor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/the-holy-spirit-alone-can-do-this-the-holy-spirit-alone-can-establish/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [I'll never do anything without your leading spirit...Holy Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-burrell/i-ll-never-do-anything-without-your-leading-spirit-holy-spirit/) [Kim Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-burrell/) ## More by Meister Eckhart > [God holds each of us by a string. When we sin, we cut the string. But God ties it up again, making a knot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/god-holds-each-of-us-by-a-string-when-we-sin-we-cut-the-string-but/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [When I think of God's Kingdom, I am compelled to be silent because of its immensity, because God's Kingdom is none other than God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/when-i-think-of-god-s-kingdom-i-am-compelled-to-be-silent-because-of/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [Action and becoming are one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/action-and-becoming-are-one/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [Whoever wants to receive the body of our Lord does not need to scrutinize what they are feeling at the time or how great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/whoever-wants-to-receive-the-body-of-our-lord-does-not-need-to/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [Nothing will be able to hinder us, if we desire and seek God alone, and take pleasure in nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/nothing-will-be-able-to-hinder-us-if-we-desire-and-seek-god-alone-and/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [ \[W\]e must come into a transformed knowing, an unknowing which comes not from ignorance but from knowledge. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/w-e-must-come-into-a-transformed-knowing-an-unknowing-which-comes-not/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [I need to be silent for awhile, worlds are forming in my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/i-need-to-be-silent-for-awhile-worlds-are-forming-in-my-heart/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [One person who has mastered life is better than a thousand persons who have mastered only the contents of books, but no one can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/one-person-who-has-mastered-life-is-better-than-a-thousand-persons/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [“But where is this true possession of God, whereby we really possess him, to be found? This real possession of God is to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/but-where-is-this-true-possession-of-god-whereby-we-really-possess/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [The most powerful prayer, one well-nigh omnipotent, and the worthiest work of all is the outcome of a quiet mind. The quieter it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/the-most-powerful-prayer-one-well-nigh-omnipotent-and-the-worthiest/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [If we seek God for our own good and profit, we are not seeking God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/if-we-seek-god-for-our-own-good-and-profit-we-are-not-seeking-god/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [Our bodily food is changed into us, but our spiritual food changes us into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/our-bodily-food-is-changed-into-us-but-our-spiritual-food-changes-us/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [“Concerning this desert, Jeremiah writes: ‘I will lead my beloved into the wilderness and will speak to her in her heart’ (Hosea 2:14) .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/concerning-this-desert-jeremiah-writes-i-will-lead-my-beloved-into/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [If the seal is pressed completely through the wax so that no wax remains without being impressed by the seal, then it becomes indistinguishably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/if-the-seal-is-pressed-completely-through-the-wax-so-that-no-wax/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [Be ready at all times for the gifts of God, and always for new ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/be-ready-at-all-times-for-the-gifts-of-god-and-always-for-new-ones/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) [Explore all 301 Meister Eckhart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) Michael Arnold > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) Robert A. Peterson > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) Stephen Taylor > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) Walsham How > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? Heaven is referred to in fifty-four of the Bible's sixty-six books, and the final two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/what-comes-to-mind-when-you-think-of-heaven-heaven-is-referred-to-in/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The definition of a Church is crystal clear in the New Testament. We see the picture of it. They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) [Browse all 8,465 Bible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "This is my only and permanent complaint, that vulgar people, empty of the Spirit of God, want to judge solely by their human thinking what they listen to or read in the Bible, which has been pronounced and written by the Holy Spirit and in the Holy Spirit.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Meister Eckhart" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/this-is-my-only-and-permanent-complaint-that-vulgar-people-empty-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bible" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/this-is-my-only-and-permanent-complaint-that-vulgar-people-empty-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c2/meister-eckhart-1044_bible_this-is-my-only-and-permanent-complaint_2990844.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c2/meister-eckhart-1044_bible_this-is-my-only-and-permanent-complaint_2990844.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c2/meister-eckhart-1044_bible_this-is-my-only-and-permanent-complaint_2990844.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“This is my only and permanent complaint, that vulgar people, empty of the Spirit of God, want to judge…” — Meister Eckhart", "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": "Meister Eckhart", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "This is my only and permanent...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/this-is-my-only-and-permanent-complaint-that-vulgar-people-empty-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/this-is-my-only-and-permanent-complaint-that-vulgar-people-empty-of/#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 } } ] } ```