--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We might already have figured this out…" description: "\"“We might already have figured this out from the careful placing of Philippians 2.8b, thanatou de staurou, “even the death of the cross,” at the dead c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aef/n-t-wright-1173_absolute-power_we-might-already-have-figured-this-out-f_766820.png" --- # We might already have figured this out from the careful… ![“We might already have figured this out from the careful placing of Philippians 2.8b, thanatou de staurou, “even the death of the cross,” at the dead center of the poem that some think antedates Paul himself. As we shall see later, the first half of that poem is a downward journey, down to the…” quote by N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aef/n-t-wright-1173_absolute-power_we-might-already-have-figured-this-out-f_766820.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aef/n-t-wright-1173_absolute-power_we-might-already-have-figured-this-out-f_766820.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aef/n-t-wright-1173_absolute-power_we-might-already-have-figured-this-out-f_766820.png) > ““We might already have figured this out from the careful placing of Philippians 2.8b, thanatou de staurou, “even the death of the cross,” at the dead center of the poem that some think antedates Paul himself. As we shall see later, the first half of that poem is a downward journey, down to the lowest place to which a human being could sink with regard to pain or shame, personal fate or public perception. This was precisely the point. Those who crucified people did so because it was the sharpest and nastiest way of asserting their own absolute power and guaranteeing their victim’s absolute degradation.”” [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage argues that the crucifixion narrative is placed centrally to highlight the extreme suffering and humiliation inflicted by those seeking power. **In simple terms:** Crucifixion shows how power can cause deep suffering. Key Takeaway Recognize and resist abusive power. Themes power humiliation justice religion history Mood somber reflective Type theological analytical When to use this quote - church teaching - ethical debates - social justice activism - personal reflection Key Concepts theology political power human dignity Questions to Reflect On - How does power manifest in modern institutions? - Can suffering be transformed into resistance? A Different Perspective The analysis may overemphasize symbolism at the expense of historical nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absolute power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolute-power/) [Antedates Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antedates-paul-5936177/) [Crucified](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crucified/) [Crucified People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crucified-people-5922845/) [Placing Philippians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/placing-philippians-5936176/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Point Crucified](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-crucified-5936175/) ## Related quotes > [Don't be surprised if one day people you thought you were so close to, abandon you and talk bad about you, because sometimes, its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carniel-dunlop/don-t-be-surprised-if-one-day-people-you-thought-you-were-so-close-to/) [Carniel Dunlop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carniel-dunlop/) > [“When they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him. – Luke 23:33”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-morgan/when-they-had-come-to-the-place-called-calvary-there-they-crucified/) [Robert J. 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The same crowd who spread palm branches for Jesus to ride upon, was the same crowd who crucified Him three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-h-fowler/adoration-can-be-misleading-the-same-crowd-who-spread-palm-branches/) [H.H. Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-h-fowler/) ## More by N.T. Wright > [“This means that the church, the followers of Jesus Christ, live in the bright interval between Easter and the final great consummation. Let's make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/this-means-that-the-church-the-followers-of-jesus-christ-live-in-the/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [“The very mention of crucifixion was taboo in polite Roman circles, since it was the lowest form of capital punishment, reserved for slaves and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/the-very-mention-of-crucifixion-was-taboo-in-polite-roman-circles/) [N.T. 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Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [“The “goal” is not “heaven,” but a renewed human vocation within God’s renewed creation. This is what every biblical book from Genesis on is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/the-goal-is-not-heaven-but-a-renewed-human-vocation-within-god-s/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [“having a hard enough time explaining to his disciples that he had to die; they never really grasped that at all, and they certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/having-a-hard-enough-time-explaining-to-his-disciples-that-he-had-to/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [“If we are talking about the victory over evil and the launch of new creation, it won’t make much sense unless we are working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/if-we-are-talking-about-the-victory-over-evil-and-the-launch-of-new/) [N.T. 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Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [“pre-Christian Judaism, including the disciples during Jesus’s lifetime, never envisaged the death of the Messiah. That is why they never thought of his resurrection,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/pre-christian-judaism-including-the-disciples-during-jesus-s-lifetime/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) [Explore all 278 N.T. Wright quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) ## More Absolute power quotes > [“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. 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