Volume 34: Not Biblical Quotes or Sayings
Popular Cultural Sayings Commonly Mistaken for Scripture
Not Biblical Quotes or Sayings identifies widely quoted aphorisms that secular culture mistakenly attributes to the Bible. It traces each quote's true historical origin—from Aesop and Benjamin Franklin to Shakespeare and Victorian proverbs—contrasting them with authentic biblical truth.
Debunking famous cultural aphorisms often misattributed to the Bible: 'God helps those who help themselves,' 'This too shall pass,' and 'Cleanliness is next to godliness.'
Key facts
- 'God helps those who help themselves' originated in Aesop's Fables and was popularized by Benjamin Franklin; the Bible teaches God helps the helpless.
- 1 Timothy 6:10 states that 'the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil,' not that money itself is evil.
- 'God will not give you more than you can handle' is a misapplication of 1 Corinthians 10:13 (concerning temptation), whereas life often overwhelms our self-sufficiency so we rely on God.
- 'Cleanliness is next to godliness' originated in an 18th-century sermon by Methodist founder John Wesley.
Frequently asked questions
Is 'This too shall pass' in the Bible?
No; 'This too shall pass' is an ancient Persian proverb popularized in Western literature by Abraham Lincoln, not a verse found in Scripture.
Does the Bible say 'To thine own self be true'?
No; that famous quote is spoken by Polonius in William Shakespeare's play Hamlet; Scripture teaches that the human heart is deceptive and urges following Christ's truth.
What does the Bible actually say about money being evil?
1 Timothy 6:10 clarifies: 'For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.' Money is a neutral resource; the idolatrous love of money corrupts the heart.
Why is 'God helps those who help themselves' spiritually dangerous?
It promotes self-righteous moralism and legalism; the Gospel proclaims that God justifies the ungodly who cannot save themselves (Romans 5:6-8).