Lyrics Page
Man Of No Reputation
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Sep 27, 2026 updated
Verified editorial review
Song Meaning
Rich Mullins opens with a title that reads like an insult until the second line reframes it: "it was said this man was of no reputation, yet He could stop the rising storm with a gesture of His hand." The song keeps that tension throughout — real power, deliberately unclaimed.
"By the wise considered a fool, when He spoke about faith and forgiveness in a time when the strongest arms ruled" borrows the exact King James phrase Paul uses for Christ emptying himself of status to take on human form, and Mullins builds the whole song around that one borrowed phrase.
"He loved all those poor in spirit just as they were" lifts language straight from the Beatitudes, and "one day soon the gates of heaven will open wide, and the Prince of Peace will come back for His bride" pushes the song's timeline past the crucifixion into a promised return. The closing line changes just one word from the rest of the song — "come as you are" replacing "just as they were" — turning a description of who Christ loved into a direct invitation.
Lyrics Verified by Editorial Team
It was said this man was of no reputation
Yet He could stop the rising storm
With a gesture of His hand
But He chose to use His hands to heal
Hearts of darkness hearts of stone
Just like mine would be revealed
He was a man of no reputation
And by the wise considered a fool
When He spoke about faith and forgiveness
In a time when the strongest arms ruled
But this man of no reputation
Loved the weak with relentless affection
And He loved all those poor in spirit just as they were
He was a man of no reputation
It was said this man brought only confusion
That He'd achieve his ends by any means
And the truth that it brings revolution
And for once they were right
The truth set us free
The hearts of the captive were his only concern
And the powerful knew their days were ending
He was a man of no reputation
And by the wise considered a fool
When He spoke about faith and forgiveness
In a time when the strongest arms ruled
But this man of no reputation
Loved the weak with relentless affection
And He loved all those poor in spirit just as they were
He was a man of no reputation
One day soon the gates of heaven will open wide
And the Prince of Peace will come back for His bride
But for now we live on these streets
Forbidding and tough
Where push always comes to shove
And it's said love's never enough
Where a prophet in rags gives hope to a fearful world
No injustice no heart of darkness
Will keep this voice from being heard
He was a man of no reputation
And by the wise considered a fool
When He spoke about faith and forgiveness
In a time when the strongest arms ruled
But this man of no reputation
Loves us all with relentless affection
And He loves all those poor in spirit come as you are
To the man of no reputation