Bryan Magee on Jesus

Last updated on: October 11, 2015 at 2:26 pm by Andrew

Bryan Magee on Jesus 2015-10-11T14:26:01-05:00 Andrew

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A surprising quote from Bryan Magee, one of my favorite historians and commentators of philosophy. His writing is clear and eloquent, and in his Confessions of a Philosopher, also very humble, personal, and autobiographical. His love of the big questions and metaphysics is loaded in every page. As he’s an atheist with a lean towards Kantian metaphysics, we’re quite far off on theology and metaphysics, but as truth-seekers and metaphysicians with an interest in morality, we stand together on the radical message of Christ:

“What came through to me most strongly was the radically ‘different’ character of Jesus’ moral teaching. So different is it, indeed, that it borders incomprehensible. Other moralists put forward rules of behavior; other revolutionists in morals try to overthrow whatever are the existing rules and establish different ones in their stead; but Jesus is saying that rules, any rules are not what morality is about. God, he says, is not in the business of awarding prizes to people who live in accordance with moral rules. You will not win any special favors from him by being virtuous, but are only too likely to find – to your great chagrin, no doubt, as well as your incomprehension – that he loves sinners just as much as he loves you. Just as he loves the underserving, so you also should love those who are underserving of your love, including those who deserve it least, namely your enemies. Love is what matters, not deserving, and least of all rules. In fact, love matters about everything else. It is the ultimate reality, the true nature of existence, God… If we had enough love and concern for one another there would be no need for rules. We need them only because we are selfish. They are not, in themselves, good. These are only a few of the teachings of Jesus, but they are central to his message; and the fact that there was anyone at all going around preaching things like this two thousand years ago in a desert area of the Middle East is, to say the least of it, surprising… Jesus was also, although for the some reason this is scarcely ever said, a profound psychologist. When, in addition to all this, one considers the audacity with which his views are expressed, and the poetically striking quality of many of his illustrations, he appears perhaps the most remarkable moralist there has ever been… When it comes to tellingness of moral insight, a question like ‘What will a man gain by winning the whole world at the cost of his true self’ is unsurpassed’.”

Magee, Bryan. 1999. Confessions of a philosopher: a personal journey through Western philosophy from Plato to Popper. New York: Modern Library. 277-278

Quote Bank

Previous Post

August 9, 2015

Augustine on Concealed Revelation

Next Post

November 16, 2015 Copleston on Knowledge of God

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Book Reviews Deep Scene Breakdown Deep Song Breakdown Events with Adam Lee Iron Heart Musings Podcast Quote Bank

Select a Month January 2026 September 2025 August 2025 June 2025 March 2025 February 2025 November 2024 August 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 September 2023 August 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 December 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 August 2020 June 2020 March 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 June 2019 May 2019 March 2019 November 2018 October 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 September 2017 August 2017 May 2016 April 2016 November 2015 October 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 March 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who anointed David as king as a boy?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Samuel Nathan Saul Moses