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Fazeli A, Maghouli M. Comparing Nietzsche’s “On the Three Metamorphoses” Passages with the New Testament. jpt 2025; 5 (1) :63-80
URL: http://jpt.modares.ac.ir/article-34-79527-en.html
URL: http://jpt.modares.ac.ir/article-34-79527-en.html
A. Fazeli *1, M. Maghouli1
1- Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Humanities, Yasouj University, Yasouj, Iran
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Introduction
Though the son of a pastor, Friedrich Nietzsche spent his philosophical career rebelling against Christianity and its foundational tenets. One might argue that Nietzsche’s philosophical project aimed to disrupt the Christian dualistic worldview [Nietzsche, 2014c: 130]—which he considered a vulgar extension of Platonic thought [Nietzsche, 2015c: 25]—and to refocus humanity’s attention on the earth and earthly existence. Nietzsche’s Zarathustra rebels against the Christian moral interpretation of the world; Nietzsche provocatively termed it the "Fifth Gospel" and himself the Antichrist [Young, 2024: 473], a critic of Christianity.
Nietzsche’s unconventional language imbues his writings with linguistic irony and meticulous allusions [Gadamer, 2023: 32; Kaufmann, 2019: 132]. Therefore, a precise understanding of this philosopher's thought necessitates a systematic and holistic reading and an analytical, detail-oriented approach. Consequently, Nietzsche's symbolic language demands accurate intra-textual analysis and comparative, intertextual interpretation. The chapter "On the Three Metamorphoses" is considered one of the most significant in Thus Spoke Zarathustra, often considered a key to unlocking its broader discussions [Suffirn, 2019: 144]. In other words, thoroughly re-examining this chapter is essential for grasping many fundamental concepts within Nietzsche's philosophy. The present essay aims to provide an analytical and meticulous interpretation of this chapter, juxtaposing its ironic phrases with passages from the New Testament.
Nietzsche’s three metamorphoses
"I name for you the three metamorphoses (Verwandlung) of the spirit (Geist): how the spirit becomes a camel (Kameele), the camel a lion (Löwen), and finally the lion a child (Kinde)" [Nietzsche, 2016: 37]. It is worth noting that undergoing these metamorphoses constitutes an active and progressive process, both arduous and exhausting [Vahidmehr, 2018: 296].
The First Stage; Camel-like as the beginning of the path
In the camel stage, the human spirit, to integrate into what is termed "culture," takes on heavy burdens, flaunting its camel-like heroism through endurance. Nietzsche writes: "From the very cradle, we are laden with heavy words and values" [Nietzsche, 2016: 209]. Subsequently, Nietzsche's Zarathustra enumerates these cultural burdens allegorically with great wit. Notably, the phrases in this section are subtle yet striking jabs at passages from the New Testament, constituting an attack on the Christian worldview. Nietzsche's phrases allude to chapters 10, 16, and 17 of the Gospel of John; chapters 4, 6, and 24 of the Gospel of Luke; chapter 13 of the Gospel of Matthew; and the famous letters of Paul, among others—all meticulously examined in this essay based on the original Greek, Latin, and German translations. For example, the phrase "to give room to one's folly (Thorheit) to laugh at one's wisdom (Weisheit)" [Nietzsche, 2016: 37] may allude to Paul's letter to the Corinthians: "For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through its wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of preaching to save (retten) those who believe" [1 Cor 1:21]. Furthermore, in the same letter, we read: "For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men" [1 Cor 1:25]. Similarly, Nietzsche's Zarathustra's phrase, "sitting by the shore so that they do not hear what you desire" [Nietzsche, 2016: 37], references well-known passages from the Gospel of Matthew: "I speak to them in parables because: 'they look but do not see; they listen but do not hear or understand'" [Matt 13:13]. Nietzsche also refers to starving the soul, which may connect to part of the Sermon on the Mount, the same sermon he considers a manifesto of Christian asceticism [Nietzsche, 2015b: 55-6]. The camel-spirit, laden with ancient tablets and conventional societal values, ventures into a barren desert. Yet in that desert, the spirit undergoes its second metamorphosis, transforming from a submissive, burden-bearing camel with an awakening lightning bolt [Osho, 1987: 195], into a defiant and rebellious lion.
The Second Stage; transformation into a lion, rebellion towards liberation
"But in the loneliest desert, the second metamorphosis occurs: here the spirit becomes a lion, seeking to seize freedom and become the master of its desert" [Nietzsche, 2016: 38]. Based on self-autonomy and the "I will," the lion-spirit engages in a fierce battle with the scaly, fearsome dragon of "Thou shalt" and overcomes the commanding dragon. The lion's "no" is a heroic rebellion against the camel-spirit's former identity. The lion stage prepares the ground for the third metamorphosis by seizing freedom. The mission of the rebellious lion concludes with the slaying of the "Thou shalt" dragon, necessitating the human spirit's transition to the third and final metamorphosis. But what task remains that the roaring, rebellious, and victorious lion cannot accomplish after defeating the fearsome dragon? Nietzsche's Zarathustra argues that in the lion stage, the human spirit can only attain the negative aspect of freedom; the "no"-saying lion is still incapable of achieving the positive aspect of freedom. Therefore, the spirit requires a third metamorphosis: the transition from lion to child.
The Final Stage; The Child as the Creator of New Values, which Represent a Place of Abode and Serenity
The child, according to Nietzsche's Zarathustra, embodies innocence and forgetfulness, emerging after the lion's destruction, and will create new values based on a "yes"-saying to life and the earth. "The child is innocence and forgetfulness, a new beginning, a game, a self-propelled wheel, a first movement, a sacred 'yes'" [Nietzsche, 2016: 39]. Notably, the symbol of the child also alludes to chapter 3 of the Gospel of John and chapter 18 of the Gospel of Luke. In these passages, Christ emphasizes rebirth and refers to accepting the kingdom of God like a child. Indeed, this childlikeness provides the foundation for renewal and innocent creation [Nietzsche, 2012: 371]. Of course, the birth that is accompanied by pain and suffering [Badawi, 1975: 16-17], and Nietzsche himself considered every creation to be contingent upon enduring the pain of childbirth [Nietzsche, 2015a: 311]." However, it is noteworthy that in this chapter, Nietzsche's Zarathustra, by describing the pitiable condition of the camel-spirit and linking it to passages from the New Testament, positions himself against Christianity. Yet, after transitioning from the lion to the child, he employs a Christian symbol again. As some scholars have noted, one might argue that Nietzsche rebels against Christianity through Christ. "Christianity, from the beginning, was a complete distortion of what was true in Jesus" [Jaspers, 2009: 87]. Nietzsche's Zarathustra believes that the human spirit can only reclaim its world and dwell in it during childhood. "The lost world is reclaimed as one's own" [Nietzsche, 2016: 39]. The camel-spirit's world was a barren desert that did not belong to it, and the lion's world was a terrifying arena where its mission ended with overcoming the "Thou shalt" dragon. But it is the child—and only the child—who has the power to create its own world; thus, by returning to itself, it can reclaim its lost world.
Correlating the Three Metamorphoses with the Concept of the Will to Power
Moreover, the three metamorphoses can be reinterpreted based on the key concept of the "will to power" [Nietzsche, 2014a: 1067]. The camel's will to power is expressed through a fabricated performance of submissive burden-bearing; the lion's display of power is marked by its struggle with the mighty "Thou shalt" dragon; while the child, by creating new values and actualizing the latent possibilities of the previous stages, proclaims its will to power. These three stages are a journey within oneself, reminiscent of Heraclitus' statement that in a circle, the beginning and the end are one [Darvishi, 2012: 427].
Conclusion
It is demonstrated that, first, a more precise reading of Nietzsche's works can be achieved through a dialectical method, involving a conscious and critical back-and-forth between a holistic system that gathers details and frequent references to the scattered fragments of this philosopher, thus enriching his system. It will also be shown that although Nietzsche viewed his philosophical project as opposing Christianity, his works contain subtle jabs at passages from the Bible, and understanding his symbolic language requires not only an intratextual reading but also an intertextual one. Ultimately, it becomes clear that Nietzsche rises against Pauline-Johannine Christianity through Christ.
Though the son of a pastor, Friedrich Nietzsche spent his philosophical career rebelling against Christianity and its foundational tenets. One might argue that Nietzsche’s philosophical project aimed to disrupt the Christian dualistic worldview [Nietzsche, 2014c: 130]—which he considered a vulgar extension of Platonic thought [Nietzsche, 2015c: 25]—and to refocus humanity’s attention on the earth and earthly existence. Nietzsche’s Zarathustra rebels against the Christian moral interpretation of the world; Nietzsche provocatively termed it the "Fifth Gospel" and himself the Antichrist [Young, 2024: 473], a critic of Christianity.
Nietzsche’s unconventional language imbues his writings with linguistic irony and meticulous allusions [Gadamer, 2023: 32; Kaufmann, 2019: 132]. Therefore, a precise understanding of this philosopher's thought necessitates a systematic and holistic reading and an analytical, detail-oriented approach. Consequently, Nietzsche's symbolic language demands accurate intra-textual analysis and comparative, intertextual interpretation. The chapter "On the Three Metamorphoses" is considered one of the most significant in Thus Spoke Zarathustra, often considered a key to unlocking its broader discussions [Suffirn, 2019: 144]. In other words, thoroughly re-examining this chapter is essential for grasping many fundamental concepts within Nietzsche's philosophy. The present essay aims to provide an analytical and meticulous interpretation of this chapter, juxtaposing its ironic phrases with passages from the New Testament.
Nietzsche’s three metamorphoses
"I name for you the three metamorphoses (Verwandlung) of the spirit (Geist): how the spirit becomes a camel (Kameele), the camel a lion (Löwen), and finally the lion a child (Kinde)" [Nietzsche, 2016: 37]. It is worth noting that undergoing these metamorphoses constitutes an active and progressive process, both arduous and exhausting [Vahidmehr, 2018: 296].
The First Stage; Camel-like as the beginning of the path
In the camel stage, the human spirit, to integrate into what is termed "culture," takes on heavy burdens, flaunting its camel-like heroism through endurance. Nietzsche writes: "From the very cradle, we are laden with heavy words and values" [Nietzsche, 2016: 209]. Subsequently, Nietzsche's Zarathustra enumerates these cultural burdens allegorically with great wit. Notably, the phrases in this section are subtle yet striking jabs at passages from the New Testament, constituting an attack on the Christian worldview. Nietzsche's phrases allude to chapters 10, 16, and 17 of the Gospel of John; chapters 4, 6, and 24 of the Gospel of Luke; chapter 13 of the Gospel of Matthew; and the famous letters of Paul, among others—all meticulously examined in this essay based on the original Greek, Latin, and German translations. For example, the phrase "to give room to one's folly (Thorheit) to laugh at one's wisdom (Weisheit)" [Nietzsche, 2016: 37] may allude to Paul's letter to the Corinthians: "For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through its wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of preaching to save (retten) those who believe" [1 Cor 1:21]. Furthermore, in the same letter, we read: "For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men" [1 Cor 1:25]. Similarly, Nietzsche's Zarathustra's phrase, "sitting by the shore so that they do not hear what you desire" [Nietzsche, 2016: 37], references well-known passages from the Gospel of Matthew: "I speak to them in parables because: 'they look but do not see; they listen but do not hear or understand'" [Matt 13:13]. Nietzsche also refers to starving the soul, which may connect to part of the Sermon on the Mount, the same sermon he considers a manifesto of Christian asceticism [Nietzsche, 2015b: 55-6]. The camel-spirit, laden with ancient tablets and conventional societal values, ventures into a barren desert. Yet in that desert, the spirit undergoes its second metamorphosis, transforming from a submissive, burden-bearing camel with an awakening lightning bolt [Osho, 1987: 195], into a defiant and rebellious lion.
The Second Stage; transformation into a lion, rebellion towards liberation
"But in the loneliest desert, the second metamorphosis occurs: here the spirit becomes a lion, seeking to seize freedom and become the master of its desert" [Nietzsche, 2016: 38]. Based on self-autonomy and the "I will," the lion-spirit engages in a fierce battle with the scaly, fearsome dragon of "Thou shalt" and overcomes the commanding dragon. The lion's "no" is a heroic rebellion against the camel-spirit's former identity. The lion stage prepares the ground for the third metamorphosis by seizing freedom. The mission of the rebellious lion concludes with the slaying of the "Thou shalt" dragon, necessitating the human spirit's transition to the third and final metamorphosis. But what task remains that the roaring, rebellious, and victorious lion cannot accomplish after defeating the fearsome dragon? Nietzsche's Zarathustra argues that in the lion stage, the human spirit can only attain the negative aspect of freedom; the "no"-saying lion is still incapable of achieving the positive aspect of freedom. Therefore, the spirit requires a third metamorphosis: the transition from lion to child.
The Final Stage; The Child as the Creator of New Values, which Represent a Place of Abode and Serenity
The child, according to Nietzsche's Zarathustra, embodies innocence and forgetfulness, emerging after the lion's destruction, and will create new values based on a "yes"-saying to life and the earth. "The child is innocence and forgetfulness, a new beginning, a game, a self-propelled wheel, a first movement, a sacred 'yes'" [Nietzsche, 2016: 39]. Notably, the symbol of the child also alludes to chapter 3 of the Gospel of John and chapter 18 of the Gospel of Luke. In these passages, Christ emphasizes rebirth and refers to accepting the kingdom of God like a child. Indeed, this childlikeness provides the foundation for renewal and innocent creation [Nietzsche, 2012: 371]. Of course, the birth that is accompanied by pain and suffering [Badawi, 1975: 16-17], and Nietzsche himself considered every creation to be contingent upon enduring the pain of childbirth [Nietzsche, 2015a: 311]." However, it is noteworthy that in this chapter, Nietzsche's Zarathustra, by describing the pitiable condition of the camel-spirit and linking it to passages from the New Testament, positions himself against Christianity. Yet, after transitioning from the lion to the child, he employs a Christian symbol again. As some scholars have noted, one might argue that Nietzsche rebels against Christianity through Christ. "Christianity, from the beginning, was a complete distortion of what was true in Jesus" [Jaspers, 2009: 87]. Nietzsche's Zarathustra believes that the human spirit can only reclaim its world and dwell in it during childhood. "The lost world is reclaimed as one's own" [Nietzsche, 2016: 39]. The camel-spirit's world was a barren desert that did not belong to it, and the lion's world was a terrifying arena where its mission ended with overcoming the "Thou shalt" dragon. But it is the child—and only the child—who has the power to create its own world; thus, by returning to itself, it can reclaim its lost world.
Correlating the Three Metamorphoses with the Concept of the Will to Power
Moreover, the three metamorphoses can be reinterpreted based on the key concept of the "will to power" [Nietzsche, 2014a: 1067]. The camel's will to power is expressed through a fabricated performance of submissive burden-bearing; the lion's display of power is marked by its struggle with the mighty "Thou shalt" dragon; while the child, by creating new values and actualizing the latent possibilities of the previous stages, proclaims its will to power. These three stages are a journey within oneself, reminiscent of Heraclitus' statement that in a circle, the beginning and the end are one [Darvishi, 2012: 427].
Conclusion
It is demonstrated that, first, a more precise reading of Nietzsche's works can be achieved through a dialectical method, involving a conscious and critical back-and-forth between a holistic system that gathers details and frequent references to the scattered fragments of this philosopher, thus enriching his system. It will also be shown that although Nietzsche viewed his philosophical project as opposing Christianity, his works contain subtle jabs at passages from the Bible, and understanding his symbolic language requires not only an intratextual reading but also an intertextual one. Ultimately, it becomes clear that Nietzsche rises against Pauline-Johannine Christianity through Christ.
Article Type: Original Research |
Subject:
Philosophy of Ethics (Modern)
Received: 2025/01/25 | Accepted: 2025/03/3 | Published: 2025/03/19
Received: 2025/01/25 | Accepted: 2025/03/3 | Published: 2025/03/19
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