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Human, All Too Human, Part 143 summary

Part 143 of 152 · 2 min to read the part

In 143, the argument locates the saint’s historical power in the false beliefs of his observers rather than his actual character. It extends this criticism to the saint’s own self-understanding and argues that belief in saints persists even among thinkers who reject belief in god.

What happens

  1. The saint gains historical importance through how people outside sainthood understand him, not through what he actually is.
  2. Observers falsely separate him from humanity and treat him as supernatural, giving him influence over nations and ages.
  3. The saint also misunderstands himself through an exaggerated framework that conceals his ignorance, illness, and strained nerves.
  4. His reputation for exceptional wisdom and goodness supports belief in divine power, miracles, religious meaning, and approaching judgment.
  5. The closing image presents his influence as a magnified shadow that persists among thinkers without belief in god.

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In this part

The saint

What to notice

The sentence separates the saint’s actual character from what he represents to others. That gap explains the historical power attributed to him.

Quick check

What gives the saint his historical importance?

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