“Jesus is the God whom we can approach without pride and before whom we can humble ourselves without despair.”
- June 19, 1623 – August 19, 1662
- French
- Mathematician, Physicist, Inventor, Philosopher, Theologian
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Quote
“Jesus is the God whom we can approach without pride and before whom we can humble ourselves without despair.”
Explanation
Pascal presents Jesus Christ as the perfect reconciliation of divine majesty and human compassion—one before whom humility is possible without crushing the soul, and closeness is possible without arrogance. In Jesus, God is revealed in a form that invites neither pride in the approach nor hopelessness in the presence of holiness. He is both infinitely high and infinitely near—worthy of worship yet gentle in mercy, making it possible for even the lowliest to draw near.
This idea reflects one of the central themes of Pensées, where Pascal portrays the human condition as torn between greatness and wretchedness. Without Christ, approaching God might lead to despair—a sense of overwhelming unworthiness before perfect justice. But Jesus, in Pascal’s theology, is the mediator who unites divinity with human suffering, offering forgiveness and grace without compromising God’s holiness. He is God condescended—not to dominate, but to redeem.
In today’s spiritual landscape, where many struggle with either a distant, unapproachable view of God or a view that strips God of awe and reverence, Pascal’s words offer a profound balance. Jesus invites relationship without pride, and repentance without despair. His quote reminds us that true faith lies in a posture of both confidence and humility—knowing that in Christ, we are neither crushed by God’s greatness nor puffed up by false familiarity, but welcomed by a love that is both just and tender.
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