Humility:
a prominent Christian grace (Rom 12:3; 15:17,18; 1Cr 3:5-7; 2Cr 3:5; Phl 4:11-13). It is a state of mind well pleasing to God (1Pe 3:4); it preserves the soul in tranquillity (Psa 69:32,33), and makes us patient under trials (Job 1:22).
Christ has set us an example of humility (Phl 2:6-8). We should be led thereto by a remembrance of our sins (Lam 3:39), and by the thought that it is the way to honour (Pro 16:18), and that the greatest promises are made to the humble (Psa 147:6; Isa 57:15; 66:2; 1Pe 5:5). It is a "great paradox in Christianity that it makes humility the avenue to glory."
Humility:
hu-mil'-i-ti (~[anawah]; tapeinophrosune):
(1) The noun occurs in the Old Testament only in Pr 15:33; 18:12; 22:4, but the adjective "humble" appears frequently as the translation of ani, anaw, shaphal, meaning also "poor," "afflicted"; the verb, as the translation of anah, "to afflict," "to humble," and of kana, "to be or become humbled"; tsana, "to be lowly," occurs in Mic 6:8. For "humble" (Ps 9:12; 10:12) the Revised Version (British and American) has "poor"; Ps 10:17; 34:2; 69:32, "meek"; for "humbled" (Ps 35:13), "afflicted" (Isa 2:11; 10:33), "brought low"; for "He humbleth himself" (Isa 2:9) "is brought low," margin "humbleth himself"; Ps 10:10, "boweth down"; tapeinophrosune is translated "humility" (Col 2:18,23; 1Pe 5:5); in several other places it is translated "lowliness" and "lowliness of mind"; tapeinos is translated "humble" (Jas 4:6; 1Pe 5:5; elsewhere "lowly," etc.; 1Pe 3:8, tapeinophron), the Revised Version (British and American) "humble-minded"; tapeinoo, "to humble," occurs frequently (Mt 18:4; 23:12, etc.); tapeinosis is "humiliation" (Ac 8:33); for "vile body" (Php 3:21) the Revised Version (British and American) gives "body of our humiliation."
(2) (a) In the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament, humility is an essential characteristic of true piety, or of the man who is right with God. God humbles men in order to bring them to Himself (De 8:2,3, etc.), and it is when men humble themselves before Him that they are accepted (1Ki 21:29; 2Ch 7:14, etc.); to "walk humbly with thy God" completes the Divine requirements (Mic 6:8). In Ps 18:35 (2Sa 22:36) the quality is ascribed to God Himself, "Thy gentleness (or condescension) hath made me great." Of "him that hath his seat on high" it is said, (Hebrew) "humbleth (shaphel) himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth" (Ps 113:6). It is in the humble heart that "the high and lofty One,.... whose name is Holy" dwells (Isa 57:15; compare Isa 66:2).
(b) The word tapeinophrosune is not found in classical Greek (Lightfoot); in the New Testament (with the exception of 1Pe 5:5) it is Pauline. In Greek pre-Christian writers tapeinos is, with a few exceptions in Plato and Platonic writers, used in a bad or inferior sense-as denoting something evil or unworthy. The prominence it gained in Christian thought indicates the new conception of man in relation to God, to himself, and to his fellows, which is due to Christianity. It by no means implies slavishness or servility; nor is it inconsistent with a right estimate of oneself, one's gifts and calling of God, or with proper self-assertion when called for. But the habitual frame of mind of a child of God is that of one who feels not only that he owes all his natural gifts, etc., to God, but that he has been the object of undeserved redeeming love, and who regards himself as being not his own, but God's in Christ. He cannot exalt himself, for he knows that he has nothing of himself. The humble mind is thus at the root of all other graces and virtues. Self-exaltation spoils everything. There can be no real love without humility. "Love," said Paul, "vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up" (1Co 13:4). As Augustine said, humility is first, second and third in Christianity.
(c) Jesus not only strongly impressed His disciples with the need of humility, but was in Himself its supreme example. He described Himself as "meek and lowly (tapeinos) in heart" (Mt 11:29). The first of the Beatitudes was to "the poor in spirit" (Mt 5:3), and it was "the meek" who should "inherit the earth. Humility is the way to true greatness: he who should "humble himself as this little child" should be "the greatest in the kingdom of heaven"; "Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted" (Mt 18:4; 23:12; Lu 14:11; 18:14). To the humble mind truth is revealed (Mt 11:25; Lu 10:21). Jesus set a touching example of humility in His washing His disciples' feet (Joh 13:1-17).
(d) Paul, therefore, makes an earnest appeal to Christians (Php 2:1-11) that they should cherish and manifest the Spirit of their Lord's humility-"in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself," and adduces the supreme example of the self-emptying (kenosis) of Christ: "Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus," etc. The rendering of heauton ekenosen (Php 2:7 the King James Version) by "he humbled himself" has given rise to the designation of the Incarnation as "the Humiliation of Christ."
(e) There is a false humility which Paul warns against, a self-sought, "voluntary humility" (Col 2:18,23). This still exists in many forms, and has to be guarded against. It is not genuine humility when we humble ourselves with the feeling that we are greater than others, but only when we do not think of self at all. It is not alone the sense of sin that should create the humble spirit: Jesus had no sin. It belongs not merely to the creature, but even to a son in relation to God. There may be much self-satisfaction where sinfulness is confessed. We may be proud of our humility. It is necessary also always to beware of "the pride that apes humility."
Written by W. L. Walker
Humility:
Humility: Necessary to the Service of God
Humility: A Characteristic of Saints
Humility: The Who Have
Regarded by God
Heard by God
Enjoy the presence of God
Delivered by God
Lifted up by God
Exalted by God
Are greatest in Christ's kingdom
Receive more grace
Upheld by honour
Humility: Is before Honour
Humility: Leads to Riches, Honour, and Life
Humility: Saints Should
Put on
Be clothed with
Walk with
Beware of false
Humility: Excellency Of
Humility: Blessedness Of
Humility: Exemplified
Abraham
Jacob
Moses
Joshua
Gideon
David
Hezekiah
Manasseh
Josiah
Job
Isaiah
Jeremiah
John the Baptist
Centurion
Woman of Canaan
Elizabeth
Peter
Paul
The Blue Letter Bible ministry and the BLB Institute hold to the historical, conservative Christian faith, which includes a firm belief in the inerrancy of Scripture. Since the text and audio content provided by BLB represent a range of evangelical traditions, all of the ideas and principles conveyed in the resource materials are not necessarily affirmed, in total, by this ministry.
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