Quotes about Reversal

Another suggestion has come from Mark Allan Powell, who believes the first four beatitudes promise reversal for those who are unfortunate (vv. 3—6) while the second four promise eschatological rewards to the virtuous (vv. 7—10), with verses 11—12 functioning as a concluding comment. He believes the second four blessings are addressing those who show mercy to the unfortunate ones in the first four.19

When it was all over, Pitt had overwhelmingly won the House of Commons, and as politically weak as he was before the election, he was now strong. It was an historic and glorious reversal, and little Wilberforce was at the very center of it all.

The truth of the matter is that the whole world has already been turned upside down by the work of Jesus Christ

If we want to participate in this Advent and Christmas event, we cannot simply sit there like spectators in a theater and enjoy all the friendly pictures. Rather, we must join in the action that is taking place and be drawn into this reversal of all things ourselves. Here we too must act on the stage, for here the spectator is always a person acting in the drama. We cannot remove ourselves from the action.

But in the areas that matter most, a burst of energy and activity cannot reverse the consequences that accompany a season of neglect.

Man's insulting God is not reversed by our insulting man.

In other words, God's righteousness involves not only a great reversal ("the first will be last") but also an actual transformation and re-creation.

What boots up must come down.

What goes up must come down. Ask any system administrator.

He would flay the fox, say the ape's paternoster, return to his sheep, and turn the hogs to the hay. He would beat the dogs before the lion, put the plough before the oxen, and claw where it did not itch.

I have learned that faith means trusting in advance what will make sense only in reverse.

salvation is sin turned on its head and used in our favor.