--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A covenant differs from a contract almost…" description: "\"“A covenant differs from a contract almost as much as marriage differs from prostitution.”\" — Scott Hahn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b8/scott-hahn-12262_covenant_a-covenant-differs-from-a-contract-almos_2287855.jpg" --- # A covenant differs from a contract almost as much as… ![“A covenant differs from a contract almost as much as marriage differs from prostitution.” quote by Scott Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b8/scott-hahn-12262_covenant_a-covenant-differs-from-a-contract-almos_2287855.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b8/scott-hahn-12262_covenant_a-covenant-differs-from-a-contract-almos_2287855.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b8/scott-hahn-12262_covenant_a-covenant-differs-from-a-contract-almos_2287855.jpg) > ““A covenant differs from a contract almost as much as marriage differs from prostitution.”” [Scott Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hahn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A covenant is deeper and more enduring than a contract, akin to marriage versus prostitution. **In simple terms:** Covenants are deeper than contracts. Key Takeaway Seek lasting commitments over temporary deals. Themes commitment relationships values Mood thoughtful serious Type theological ethical When to use this quote - marriage - business agreements - community building - personal vows Key Concepts theology ethics Questions to Reflect On - What distinguishes a covenant in your life? - When might a contract be preferable? A Different Perspective Contracts can be necessary in some contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contract Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contract-marriage-817895/) [Covenant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/covenant/) [Covenant Differs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/covenant-differs-5363736/) [Differs Contract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differs-contract-5363738/) [Differs Prostitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differs-prostitution-5199065/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Marriage Differs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage-differs-5363737/) [Theology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theology/) ## Related quotes > [Many a marriage hardly differs from prostitution, except being harder to escape from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/many-a-marriage-hardly-differs-from-prostitution-except-being-harder/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I often say that if you want to really want to understand the contract of marriage, just ask anyone who has been divorced. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-fierstein/i-often-say-that-if-you-want-to-really-want-to-understand-the/) [Harvey Fierstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-fierstein/) > [There is no exception to this rule: "All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant." They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-is-no-exception-to-this-rule-all-the-paths-of-the-lord-are/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [A group is as healthy as its 'social contract' is clear; a congregation as faithful as its covenant is mutually understood; a pastor as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-group-is-as-healthy-as-its-social-contract-is-clear-a-congregation/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A covenant is an agreement between God and man, an accord whose terms are set by God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-todd-christofferson/a-covenant-is-an-agreement-between-god-and-man-an-accord-whose-terms/) [D. Todd Christofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-todd-christofferson/) > [Modern societies accepted the treasures and the power offered them by science. But they have not accepted - they have scarcely even heard -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/modern-societies-accepted-the-treasures-and-the-power-offered-them-by/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [Peace does not rest in the charters and covenants alone. It lies in the hearts and minds of all people. So let us not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/peace-does-not-rest-in-the-charters-and-covenants-alone-it-lies-in/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins is an essential covenant to make with the Lord. Faith and repentance precede this ordinance. Confirmation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-theodore-tuttle/baptism-by-immersion-for-the-remission-of-sins-is-an-essential/) [A. Theodore Tuttle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-theodore-tuttle/) > [The only compensation, gained through the influence of nongovernmental organizations, consisted in slightly broadening for private individuals the possibility of access and appeal to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-cassin/the-only-compensation-gained-through-the-influence-of-nongovernmental/) [Rene Cassin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-cassin/) > [The average citizen expresses pride in the American Bill of Rights and then seeks to protect his real estate by restrictive covenants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-allen-overstreet/the-average-citizen-expresses-pride-in-the-american-bill-of-rights/) [Harry Allen Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-allen-overstreet/) > [White and shining virgin of all human virtues, ark of the covenant between earth and heaven, tender and strong companion partaking of the lion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/white-and-shining-virgin-of-all-human-virtues-ark-of-the-covenant/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [There is no more blessed way of living, than the life of faith based upon a covenant-keepin g God - to know that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-is-no-more-blessed-way-of-living-than-the-life-of-faith-based/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“God is worming out His and our adversaries, which He will do by little and little, till they be consumed. The covenant is seasonable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/various/god-is-worming-out-his-and-our-adversaries-which-he-will-do-by-little/) [Various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/various/) > [God will keep His promises to you as you honor your covenants with Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-m-stephens/god-will-keep-his-promises-to-you-as-you-honor-your-covenants-with-him/) [Carole M. Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-m-stephens/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) ## More by Scott Hahn > [To go to Mass is to go to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hahn/to-go-to-mass-is-to-go-to-heaven/) [Scott Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hahn/) > [“Remember that Israel's tradition always had men worshiping in imitation of angels. Now, as Revelation shows, both heaven and earth participate together in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hahn/remember-that-israel-s-tradition-always-had-men-worshiping-in/) [Scott Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hahn/) > [The laws of God, like the law of gravity, do not depend upon how I feel about them. They are inexorable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hahn/the-laws-of-god-like-the-law-of-gravity-do-not-depend-upon-how-i-feel/) [Scott Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hahn/) > [ I was steeped in the understanding that if 'something is Roman \[Catholic\], it must be wrong. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hahn/i-was-steeped-in-the-understanding-that-if-something-is-roman/) [Scott Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hahn/) > [“The fact is, there can be no true evangelization without the Eucharist. It’s not simply that the Eucharist is the context in which evangelization…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hahn/the-fact-is-there-can-be-no-true-evangelization-without-the-eucharist/) [Scott Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hahn/) > [The Mass-and I mean every single Mass-is heaven on earth. Literally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hahn/the-mass-and-i-mean-every-single-mass-is-heaven-on-earth-literally/) [Scott Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hahn/) > [Love is something worth suffering for...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hahn/love-is-something-worth-suffering-for/) [Scott Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hahn/) > [As we grow detached from things, we come (with God's help) to master our desires, and we give the mastery over to God. Discipline…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hahn/as-we-grow-detached-from-things-we-come-with-god-s-help-to-master-our/) [Scott Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hahn/) > [“Spiritual exegesis is not an unrestrained flight of the imagination. Rather, it is a sacred science that proceeds according to certain principles and stands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hahn/spiritual-exegesis-is-not-an-unrestrained-flight-of-the-imagination/) [Scott Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hahn/) > [“Inerrancy is our guarantee that the words and deeds of God found in the Bible are unified and true, declaring with one voice the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hahn/inerrancy-is-our-guarantee-that-the-words-and-deeds-of-god-found-in/) [Scott Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hahn/) > [“Both Christ and Scripture, says the Second Vatican Council, are given "for the sake of our salvation" (Dei Verbum 11), and both give us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hahn/both-christ-and-scripture-says-the-second-vatican-council-are-given/) [Scott Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hahn/) > [“The Mass, it seems, is like the Normandy invasion in the spiritual realm.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hahn/the-mass-it-seems-is-like-the-normandy-invasion-in-the-spiritual-realm/) [Scott Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hahn/) > [“If human beings had really tried to invent a god, we would never have invented the God of Christianity. He’s just too terrifying. Our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hahn/if-human-beings-had-really-tried-to-invent-a-god-we-would-never-have/) [Scott Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hahn/) > [“The principle of biblical inerrancy follows logically from this principle of divine authorship. After all, God cannot lie, and he cannot make mistakes. Since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hahn/the-principle-of-biblical-inerrancy-follows-logically-from-this/) [Scott Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hahn/) > [At the root of all misery is unfulfilled desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hahn/at-the-root-of-all-misery-is-unfulfilled-desire/) [Scott Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hahn/) [Explore all 55 Scott Hahn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hahn/) ## More Covenant quotes > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [God will keep His promises to you as you honor your covenants with Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-m-stephens/god-will-keep-his-promises-to-you-as-you-honor-your-covenants-with-him/) [Carole M. Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-m-stephens/) > [“God is worming out His and our adversaries, which He will do by little and little, till they be consumed. The covenant is seasonable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/various/god-is-worming-out-his-and-our-adversaries-which-he-will-do-by-little/) [Various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/various/) > [There is no more blessed way of living, than the life of faith based upon a covenant-keepin g God - to know that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-is-no-more-blessed-way-of-living-than-the-life-of-faith-based/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [White and shining virgin of all human virtues, ark of the covenant between earth and heaven, tender and strong companion partaking of the lion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/white-and-shining-virgin-of-all-human-virtues-ark-of-the-covenant/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [The average citizen expresses pride in the American Bill of Rights and then seeks to protect his real estate by restrictive covenants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-allen-overstreet/the-average-citizen-expresses-pride-in-the-american-bill-of-rights/) [Harry Allen Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-allen-overstreet/) > [The only compensation, gained through the influence of nongovernmental organizations, consisted in slightly broadening for private individuals the possibility of access and appeal to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-cassin/the-only-compensation-gained-through-the-influence-of-nongovernmental/) [Rene Cassin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-cassin/) > [Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins is an essential covenant to make with the Lord. Faith and repentance precede this ordinance. Confirmation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-theodore-tuttle/baptism-by-immersion-for-the-remission-of-sins-is-an-essential/) [A. Theodore Tuttle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-theodore-tuttle/) > [Peace does not rest in the charters and covenants alone. It lies in the hearts and minds of all people. So let us not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/peace-does-not-rest-in-the-charters-and-covenants-alone-it-lies-in/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Modern societies accepted the treasures and the power offered them by science. But they have not accepted - they have scarcely even heard -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/modern-societies-accepted-the-treasures-and-the-power-offered-them-by/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [A covenant is an agreement between God and man, an accord whose terms are set by God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-todd-christofferson/a-covenant-is-an-agreement-between-god-and-man-an-accord-whose-terms/) [D. Todd Christofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-todd-christofferson/) > [A group is as healthy as its 'social contract' is clear; a congregation as faithful as its covenant is mutually understood; a pastor as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-group-is-as-healthy-as-its-social-contract-is-clear-a-congregation/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is no exception to this rule: "All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant." They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-is-no-exception-to-this-rule-all-the-paths-of-the-lord-are/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [What I am trying to teach is that when we keep the temple covenants we have made and when we live righteously in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-scott/what-i-am-trying-to-teach-is-that-when-we-keep-the-temple-covenants/) [Richard G. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-scott/) > [No love can be bound by oath or covenant to secure it against a higher love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-love-can-be-bound-by-oath-or-covenant-to-secure-it-against-a/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) [Browse all 421 Covenant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/covenant/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A covenant differs from a contract almost as much as marriage differs from prostitution.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Scott Hahn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hahn/a-covenant-differs-from-a-contract-almost-as-much-as-marriage-differs/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Covenant" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hahn/a-covenant-differs-from-a-contract-almost-as-much-as-marriage-differs/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b8/scott-hahn-12262_covenant_a-covenant-differs-from-a-contract-almos_2287855.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b8/scott-hahn-12262_covenant_a-covenant-differs-from-a-contract-almos_2287855.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b8/scott-hahn-12262_covenant_a-covenant-differs-from-a-contract-almos_2287855.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A covenant differs from a contract almost as much as marriage differs from prostitution.” — Scott Hahn", "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": "Scott Hahn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hahn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A covenant differs from a contract...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hahn/a-covenant-differs-from-a-contract-almost-as-much-as-marriage-differs/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hahn/a-covenant-differs-from-a-contract-almost-as-much-as-marriage-differs/#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 } } ] } ```