The Imitation of Christ · Chapter
Of Contempt of All Temporal Honour explained
The chapter teaches the disciple to disregard worldly honor and accept contempt and humiliation, recognizing that such trials lead to inner peace and union with God.
What happens
The chapter teaches the disciple to disregard worldly honor and accept contempt and humiliation, recognizing that such trials lead to inner peace and union with God.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Climax.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This is the story’s dramatic climax because the speaker reaches an emotional and psychological peak of total s…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Contempt for the World
The chapter explicitly teaches contempt for temporal honor and acceptance of worldly humiliation.
- Humility and Self-Denial
The disciple embraces being despised and esteemed as nothing, a key aspect of self-denial.
Characters to notice
- Jesus Christ
Speaker of the opening admonition to the disciple.
- The Disciple
Responds to Christ's words, confessing blindness and sin, and accepting contempt as just.
- God the Father
Addressed as 'Thee' in the disciple's prayer and confession.
Key passages
“My Son, make it no matter of thine, if thou see others honoured and exalted, and thyself despised and humbled. Lift up thine heart to Me in heaven, and then the contempt of men upon earth will not make thee sad.”
Do not be troubled when you see others praised while you are looked down on. Focus your heart on Me in heaven, and earthly scorn will not disturb you.
Christ instructs the disciple to disregard social status and find peace in heavenly focus.
“If I look rightly within myself, never was injury done unto me by any creature, and therefore I have nought whereof to complain before Thee.”
When I honestly examine myself, I see that no creature has ever wronged me, so I have no reason to complain to You.
The disciple acknowledges that all perceived injuries are just, due to his own sins.
