Some people collect coins, – others collect stamps, bobbleheads, or bumper stickers. I collect quotations. I don’t really know why, but (ever since college) when I hear a great quotation, it sticks to my brain like dog hair on flannel sheets.
A good quotation is magical. The cadence of syllables, the rhythm and rhyme of words produce a sentiment that sings. It's as if great quotations are made of crisp Velcro – all the hooks and loops are fully functional, ready to stick to my frontal lobe.
It is universally known that, like wine and cheese, quotations get even better with age. For example, did you know that American patriot Patrick Henry actually said, “I want freedom and a ham sandwich.” Some patriotic wordsmith came along later and gave us “Give me liberty, or give me death.” Yep, that sings better.*
Perhaps that's why I love good quotes – they sing. Ever since college, as a rhetoric major at UW, my passion has been taking words and making them sing. Because, if you’ve got great ideas but can’t make them sing, no one wants to come to your concert.
7 Quotations About Jesus
If you're going to leverage a quotation, is there any subject greater than Jesus? Nope. Below I've accumulated quotations (several I can't document) that cast a beautiful light on the One and Only, the King of Kings, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and End, the Good Shepherd, the Great I Am, the Son of Man and Son of God, the Messiah, the Lord of all: Jesus.
“I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ was no mere man. Between him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne and I have founded our empires -- but upon what did we rest the creation of our genius? Upon force. Jesus founded his empire on love, and at this moment, millions of men would die for him." – Napoleon Bonaparte (attributed)
“When Christ came into my life, I came about like a well-handled ship.” – Robert Louis Stevenson, author of Treasure Island (attributed)
“If ever a man were God or God man, Jesus Christ was both.” – Lord Byron
“If Shakespeare were to walk into this room, we would all rise. But if Jesus were to walk into this room, we would all kneel.” – Charles Lamb, expert on Shakespearean literature.
“There is a god-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man, that cannot be be filled by any created thing, but only by God the Creator, made known through Jesus Christ. – Blaise Pascal (attributed). (Which is why a friend of mine says, “maybe that’s why life without him sucks?”).
“[Jesus] went around saying he was the Messiah. That's why he was crucified. He was crucified because he said he was the Son of God. So, he either, in my view, was the Son of God or he was nuts. Forget rock-and-roll messianic complexes, I mean Charlie Manson-type delirium. And I find it hard to accept that whole millions and millions of lives, half the Earth, for 2,000 years have been touched, have felt their lives touched and inspired by some nutter. I just ... I don't believe it.” – Bono
"Keep your eye on the Ball ... Jesus is the Ball!" – Me
There you go. Seven good quotations about Jesus for you to mull. Jesus is nearly indescribable in His beauty, power, love, and holiness. Why not try to put your admiration for Him into words of your own? Maybe someday you'll be quoted. ☺
By the way, does anyone have a ham sandwich I could have? I forgot my lunch.
*(I was just kidding about the Patrick Henry ham sandwich quotation. It was peanut butter and jelly☺).