This analogy is helpful:

in imperative lang, their people are often proud and wonder at the
power of their eval() function. For example, Perl, PHP, Python all
have eval(). I explain, in pratical ways, that lisp's inherent symbol
system,
basically makes the entire language a eval system. (see What is
Expressiveness in a Computer Language
http://xahlee.org/perl-python/what_is_expresiveness.html )

Sometimes few months ago, i was studying lisp macros, and realized a
similar analogy. One often hear Lisper wonder and marvel about lisp's
macro system, which gives the lisp touting right as a meta-programing
language.  But in Mathematica, in practical sense, almost every line
of code functions as lisp's macro; the entire language is just one
giant macro system! It is not a wonder, that one line of Mathematica
is like 10 to 100 lines of Common Lisp. (not considering the
mathematical function in mathematica, like derivative, integral,
differential equation, transcendental (math) functions... etc. If we
consider these, then one line of mathematica is pratically like one
thousand lines of Common Lisp, Allah!)