This quote is a provocative statement that challenges the essence of Christianity. It suggests that the only true Christian was Jesus Christ himself, and that his death on the cross was the ultimate demonstration of Christian values such as self-sacrifice, unconditional love, and forgiveness. The implication is that no one since Jesus has fully lived up to these ideals.

In this perspective, Nietzsche is not necessarily criticizing individuals, but rather highlighting the immense difficulty, or perhaps even the impossibility, of truly embodying the ideals that Jesus represented. It’s a call to recognize the gap between the ideals that we profess and the reality of our actions.

Applying this quote to today’s world, it can be seen as a critique of hypocrisy, particularly in religious or moral contexts. It’s a reminder that professing a set of beliefs is not the same as living them out. It encourages introspection about whether we truly embody the values we claim to hold.

In terms of personal development, this quote can serve as a reminder of the importance of authenticity and integrity. It encourages us to strive not just to profess certain ideals, but to live them out in our daily actions. It’s a call to self-reflection, to examine whether our actions align with our beliefs and to strive for congruence between the two.

However, it’s also a reminder of the inherent difficulty of this task. Living up to high ideals is a challenge, and we are likely to fall short at times. This is not a call to despair, but rather a call to humility, understanding, and continual striving for improvement.