--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Christ did not descend from the cross…" description: "\"“Christ did not descend from the cross except into the grave. And why not otherwise? Wouldn’t it have put fine comical expressions on the faces of the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1e/wendell-berry-236_christ_christ-did-not-descend-from-the-cross-ex_1400726.jpg" --- # Christ did not descend from the cross except into the… ![“Christ did not descend from the cross except into the grave. And why not otherwise? Wouldn’t it have put fine comical expressions on the faces of the scribes and chief priests and the soldiers if at that moment He had come down in power and glory? Why didn’t He do it? Why hasn’t He done it at any…” quote by Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1e/wendell-berry-236_christ_christ-did-not-descend-from-the-cross-ex_1400726.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1e/wendell-berry-236_christ_christ-did-not-descend-from-the-cross-ex_1400726.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1e/wendell-berry-236_christ_christ-did-not-descend-from-the-cross-ex_1400726.jpg) > ““Christ did not descend from the cross except into the grave. And why not otherwise? Wouldn’t it have put fine comical expressions on the faces of the scribes and chief priests and the soldiers if at that moment He had come down in power and glory? Why didn’t He do it? Why hasn’t He done it at any one of a thousand good times between then and now? I knew the answer. I knew it a long time before I could admit it, for all the suffering of the world is in it. He didn’t, He hasn’t, because from the moment He did, He would be the absolute tyrant of the world and we would be His slaves. Even those who hated Him and hated one another and hated their own souls would have to believe in Him then. From that moment the possibility that we might be bound to Him and He to us and us to one another by love forever would be ended. And so, I thought, He must forebear to reveal His power and glory by presenting Himself as Himself, and must be present only in the ordinary miracle of the existence of His creatures. Those who wish to see Him must see Him in the poor, the hungry, the hurt, the wordless creatures, the groaning and travailing beautiful world.”” [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Berry argues that Christ chose a humble, suffering existence over overt divine power to avoid becoming a tyrant and to keep love and humanity possible. **In simple terms:** Christ stayed humble to let love and humanity Key Takeaway . Themes Choose humility over domination. Mood contemplative somber Type theological philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - theology - existentialism - ethics Key Concepts humility spirituality love humanity sacrifice Practical Applications - poverty relief - social justice - community building - personal reflection Questions to Reflect On - How does humility preserve love? - What would a world look like if power ruled? A Different Perspective If power is displayed, it may crush freedom and love. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beautiful world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful-world/) [Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Christ Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ-did-684674/) [Descend Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/descend-cross-4907703/) [Good times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-times/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Love forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-forever/) [Problem-of-pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-of-pain-149658/) [Souls Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/souls-believe-370986/) [Suffering World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering-world-247743/) [Theodicy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theodicy/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Some words we use all the time are difficult to define when we actually have to think about them. We use the word “evil”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-morrison/some-words-we-use-all-the-time-are-difficult-to-define-when-we/) [Jon Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-morrison/) > [I believe humans have souls, and I believe in the conservation of souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-believe-humans-have-souls-and-i-believe-in-the-conservation-of-souls/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Spiritual stagnation is the real hell. As long as souls believe they are a human body, they will continue to imprison themselves in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-buhlman/spiritual-stagnation-is-the-real-hell-as-long-as-souls-believe-they/) [William Buhlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-buhlman/) > [I refuse the oration of all churches. I ask a prayer of all souls. I believe in God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/i-refuse-the-oration-of-all-churches-i-ask-a-prayer-of-all-souls-i/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [One of the reasons I write about religion is due to my own envy of people who truly feel the presence of god in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/one-of-the-reasons-i-write-about-religion-is-due-to-my-own-envy-of/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [Messengers(of allah) have been derided before thee, but that whereat they scoffed surrounded such of them as did deride(10)say (unto the disbelievers): travel in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quran/messengers-of-allah-have-been-derided-before-thee-but-that-whereat/) [Quran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quran/) > [“but I believe humans have souls, and I believe in the conservation of souls. The oblivion fear is something else, fear that I won’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/but-i-believe-humans-have-souls-and-i-believe-in-the-conservation-of/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“If God made everything, did He make the Devil?' This is the kind of embarrassing question which any child can ask before breakfast, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/if-god-made-everything-did-he-make-the-devil-this-is-the-kind-of/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [“Thus do the gods justify the life of man: they themselves live it--the only satisfactory theodicy!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/thus-do-the-gods-justify-the-life-of-man-they-themselves-live-it-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“The problem of vindicating an omnipotent and omniscient God in the face of evil (this is traditionally called the problem of theodicy) is insurmountable.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/the-problem-of-vindicating-an-omnipotent-and-omniscient-god-in-the-2/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [“You might think that, by now, people would have become accustomed to the idea of natural catastrophes. We live on a planet that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/you-might-think-that-by-now-people-would-have-become-accustomed-to/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Why, the whole world of knowledge is not worth that child's prayer to 'dear, kind God'! I say nothing of the sufferings of grown-up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/why-the-whole-world-of-knowledge-is-not-worth-that-child-s-prayer-to/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“If there is a "problem of evil" there is also a "problem of good." Wherever we look we see not only confusion but beauty.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kallistos-ware/if-there-is-a-problem-of-evil-there-is-also-a-problem-of-good/) [Kallistos Ware](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kallistos-ware/) > [“Odakle dolazi dojam da je Crkva lakše izlazila na kraj s krivcima-počiniteljima negoli s nedužnim žrtvama? Nije li naša kristologija toliko pretjerano determinirana soteriološki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-baptist-metz/odakle-dolazi-dojam-da-je-crkva-lak-e-izlazila-na-kraj-s-krivcima-po/) [Johann Baptist Metz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-baptist-metz/) > [“Elder Maxwell on Wintry Doctrines Elder Maxwell said that “if we are serious about our discipleship Jesus will eventually request each of us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/elder-maxwell-on-wintry-doctrines-elder-maxwell-said-that-if-we-are/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) ## More by Wendell Berry > [During the last 17 years... I have been working at the restoration of a once exhausted hillside. Its scars are now healed over, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/during-the-last-17-years-i-have-been-working-at-the-restoration-of-a/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Like the water of a deep stream, love is always too much. We did not make it. Though we drink till we burst, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/like-the-water-of-a-deep-stream-love-is-always-too-much-we-did-not/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [To husband is to use with care, to keep, to save, to make last, to conserve. Old usage tells us that there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/to-husband-is-to-use-with-care-to-keep-to-save-to-make-last-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“The two families, sundered in the ruin of a friendship, were united again first in new friendship and then in mariage. My grandfather made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-two-families-sundered-in-the-ruin-of-a-friendship-were-united/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The living can't quit living because the world has turned terrible and people they love and need are killed. They can't because they don't.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-living-can-t-quit-living-because-the-world-has-turned-terrible/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“I knew a man who, in the age of chain-saws, went right on cutting his wood with a handsaw and an axe. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/i-knew-a-man-who-in-the-age-of-chain-saws-went-right-on-cutting-his/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“The concept of country, homeland, dwelling place becomes simplified as "the environment" -- that is, what surrounds us, we have already made a profound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-concept-of-country-homeland-dwelling-place-becomes-simplified-as/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [A community is the mental and spiritual condition of knowing that the place is shared, and that the people who share the place define…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/a-community-is-the-mental-and-spiritual-condition-of-knowing-that-the/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“That we can prescribe the terms of our own success, that we can live outside or in ignorance of the Great Economy are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/that-we-can-prescribe-the-terms-of-our-own-success-that-we-can-live/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“The mind that comes to rest is tended In ways that it cannot intend: Is borne, preserved, and comprehended By what it cannot comprehend.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-mind-that-comes-to-rest-is-tended-in-ways-that-it-cannot-intend/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The mercy of the world is time. Time does not stop for love, but it does not stop for death and grief, either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-mercy-of-the-world-is-time-time-does-not-stop-for-love-but-it/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The soil is the great connector of our lives, the source and destination of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-soil-is-the-great-connector-of-our-lives-the-source-and/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [I dislike the thought that some animal has been made miserable to feed me. If I am going to eat meat, I want it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/i-dislike-the-thought-that-some-animal-has-been-made-miserable-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/laughter-is-immeasurable-be-joyful/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [These are people who are capable of devotion, public devotion, to justice. They meant what they said and every day that passes, they mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/these-are-people-who-are-capable-of-devotion-public-devotion-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) [Explore all 847 Wendell Berry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## More Beautiful world quotes > [One change of attitude would change everything. If everyone realized that it could be a beautiful world and said, 'let's not do these things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/one-change-of-attitude-would-change-everything-if-everyone-realized/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [“We should think only beautiful things, as much as we can. There is so much beautiful in the world if you look around. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/we-should-think-only-beautiful-things-as-much-as-we-can-there-is-so/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [That's what it feels like when I write, like I have this beautiful world in my head, but when I try to remember it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-ozeki/that-s-what-it-feels-like-when-i-write-like-i-have-this-beautiful/) [Ruth Ozeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-ozeki/) > [Beautiful was this world, looking at it thus, without searching, thus simply, thus childlike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/beautiful-was-this-world-looking-at-it-thus-without-searching-thus/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“Allow yourself to let go, surrender, and breathe in the beautiful world that is waiting for you just outside of your comfort zone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-hershkovich/allow-yourself-to-let-go-surrender-and-breathe-in-the-beautiful-world/) [Leigh Hershkovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-hershkovich/) > [“Each and Everyone is Beautiful in this World. You just have to choose the right person for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/3xcuse-me/each-and-everyone-is-beautiful-in-this-world-you-just-have-to-choose/) [3xcuse\_Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/3xcuse-me/) > [If God had sufficient wisdom and power to construct such a beautiful world as this, then we must admit that his wisdom and power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-pratt/if-god-had-sufficient-wisdom-and-power-to-construct-such-a-beautiful/) [Orson Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-pratt/) > [A beautiful soul always dwells in a beautiful world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-beautiful-soul-always-dwells-in-a-beautiful-world/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A woman is more beautiful than the world in which I live; and so I close my eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-eluard/a-woman-is-more-beautiful-than-the-world-in-which-i-live-and-so-i/) [Paul Eluard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-eluard/) > [We live in a world filled with language. Language imparts identity, meaning, and perspective to our human community. Writers are either polluters or part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-pipher/we-live-in-a-world-filled-with-language-language-imparts-identity/) [Mary Pipher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-pipher/) > [You've got to look at yourself as what I call a lifer. You're going to be out there playing music your whole life, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-farrell/you-ve-got-to-look-at-yourself-as-what-i-call-a-lifer-you-re-going-to/) [Perry Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-farrell/) > [Be yourself beautiful, and you will find the world full of beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anas/be-yourself-beautiful-and-you-will-find-the-world-full-of-beauty/) [Anas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anas/) > [Life isn't long enough to do all you could accomplish. And what a privilege even to be alive. In spite of all the pollutions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasha-tudor/life-isn-t-long-enough-to-do-all-you-could-accomplish-and-what-a/) [Tasha Tudor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasha-tudor/) > [“in this beautiful world.. in our paradise.. our Eden.. our Valhalla.. our Heaven.. though of high doctorate.. even in the caves of alcohol alleys..…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-capper/in-this-beautiful-world-in-our-paradise-our-eden-our-valhalla-our/) [Tony Capper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-capper/) > [See yourself and others through the eyes of an angel and you will see a beautiful world that is light, bright, and hopeful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/see-yourself-and-others-through-the-eyes-of-an-angel-and-you-will-see/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) [Browse all 209 Beautiful world quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful-world/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Christ did not descend from the cross except into the grave. And why not otherwise? Wouldn’t it have put fine comical expressions on the faces of the scribes and chief priests and the soldiers if at that moment He had come down in power and glory? Why didn’t He do it? Why hasn’t He done it at any one of a thousand good times between then and now? I knew the answer. I knew it a long time before I could admit it, for all the suffering of the world is in it. He didn’t, He hasn’t, because from the moment He did, He would be the absolute tyrant of the world and we would be His slaves. Even those who hated Him and hated one another and hated their own souls would have to believe in Him then. From that moment the possibility that we might be bound to Him and He to us and us to one another by love forever would be ended. And so, I thought, He must forebear to reveal His power and glory by presenting Himself as Himself, and must be present only in the ordinary miracle of the existence of His creatures. Those who wish to see Him must see Him in the poor, the hungry, the hurt, the wordless creatures, the groaning and travailing beautiful world.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Wendell Berry" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/christ-did-not-descend-from-the-cross-except-into-the-grave-and-why/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beautiful world" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/christ-did-not-descend-from-the-cross-except-into-the-grave-and-why/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1e/wendell-berry-236_christ_christ-did-not-descend-from-the-cross-ex_1400726.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1e/wendell-berry-236_christ_christ-did-not-descend-from-the-cross-ex_1400726.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1e/wendell-berry-236_christ_christ-did-not-descend-from-the-cross-ex_1400726.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Christ did not descend from the cross except into the grave. And why not otherwise? Wouldn’t it have put…” — Wendell Berry", "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": "Wendell Berry", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Christ did not descend from the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/christ-did-not-descend-from-the-cross-except-into-the-grave-and-why/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/christ-did-not-descend-from-the-cross-except-into-the-grave-and-why/#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 } } ] } ```