Humility

VIEW:42 DATA:01-04-2020

HUMILITY.—Trench defines ‘humility’ as the esteeming of ourselves small, inasmuch as we are so; the thinking truly, and because truly, therefore lowlily, of ourselves. Alford, Ellicott, Salmond, Vincent, and many others agree. It is an inadequate and faulty definition. A man may be small and may realize his smallness, and yet be far from being humble. His spirit may be full of envy instead of humility. He may be depressed in spirit because he sees his own meanness and general worthlessness, and yet he may be as rebellious against his lot or his constitutional proclivities as he is clearly cognizant of them. Low-mindedness is not lowly-mindedness. The exhortation of Php_2:3 does not mean that every man ought to think that everybody else is better than himself in moral character, or in outward conduct, or in natural or inherited powers. That would be impossible in some cases and untruthful in many others. It is not an exhortation to either an impossibility or an untruthfulness. A better definition of the Christian grace of humility is found in the union of highest self-respect with uttermost abandon of sacrifice in service. A man who knows his own superior worth and yet is willing to serve his inferiors in Christian love is a humble man. The classic example in the NT is Joh_13:3-15. The Lord, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He came forth from God and would go again unto God, knowing His incomparable superiority to every one in that company, was yet so meek and lowly in heart, so humble in spirit and ready for service, that He girded Himself with a towel and washed the disciples’ feet. The consciousness of His own transcendent worth was in no respect inconsistent with His humility. Genuine humility leads the strong to serve the weak. It never underestimates its own worth, but in utter unselfishness it is ready to sacrifice its own claims at any moment for the general good. Genuine humility loses all its self-conceit but never loses its self-respect. It is consistent with the highest dignity of character and life. Hence we may rightly call the Incarnation the Humiliation of Christ. He stood at the head of the heavenly hierarchies. He was equal with God. There was no dignity in the universe like unto His. Yet He humbled Himself to become a man. He made Himself of no reputation. He came not to be ministered unto, but to minister. He was the servant of all. There was no humility in the universe like unto His. He never forgot His dignity. When Pilate asked Him if He were a king, He answered that He was. He stood in kingly majesty before the mob, in kingly serenity before the magistrates; He hung as King upon the cross. Yet He never forgot His humility. Being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. St. Paul exhorts, ‘Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus’ (Php_2:5-11). God giveth grace to all who are thus humble (Jam_4:6).
When Augustine was asked, ‘What is the first article in the Christian religion?’ he answered, ‘Humility.’ And they said, ‘What is the second?’ and he said, ‘Humility.’ And they said, ‘What is the third?’ and he said the third time, ‘Humility.’ Pascal said: ‘Vanity has taken so firm a hold on the heart of man, that a porter, a hodman, a turn-spit, can talk greatly of himself, and is for having his admirers. Philosophers who write of the contempt of glory do yet desire the glory of writing well, and those who read their compositions would not lose the glory of having read them. We are so presumptuous as that we desire to be known to all the world; and even to those who are not to come into the world till we have left it. And at the same time we are so little and vain as that the esteem of five or six persons about us is enough to content and amuse us.’
D. A. Hayes.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
Edited by James Hastings, D.D. Published in 1909

The words ‘humility’ and ‘humble’, which are from the same basic word, have a variety of meanings. In some cases they are associated with ideas of poverty or affliction (1Sa_2:8; Psa_37:11; Psa_37:14; Isa_29:19; Php_4:12; Jam_1:9), in others with ideas of embarrassment or shame (Isa_53:3; Isa_53:8; Act_8:33; 2Co_9:4; 2Co_11:7; 2Co_12:21; Php_3:21; Jam_1:10). Their most common usage, however, is in relation to attitudes of modesty, selflessness, gentleness, grace, meekness and forbearance. Humility in this sense is one of the virtues most pleasing to God. Its opposite, pride, is one of the evils most hateful to him (Num_12:3; Pro_6:16-17; Dan_5:22-23; Mic_6:8; Jam_4:6; 1Pe_5:5; see PRIDE).
Jesus Christ is the great example of humility. In an act of total self-denial, the eternal Son of God humbled himself to the extent of taking human form and in the end dying to save sinners (Php_2:5-11). He was never boastful and never acted in a way that advanced his own interests. Always he submitted to his Father’s will, so that he not only served God but also served those among whom he lived (Mat_12:19-20; Mat_20:28; Joh_5:30-32).
Just as Jesus humbled himself in living and dying for sinners, so sinners must humble themselves in repenting of their sins if they are to receive God’s forgiveness. God gives sinners no cause to boast in anything they might achieve. They can do nothing but acknowledge how helpless they are before God and humbly accept God’s mercy (2Ch_7:14; 2Ch_12:6-7; 2Ch_34:27; Luk_18:9-14; Rom_3:27; Rom_10:3). Humility characterized Christ’s kingship (Mat_21:5), and only through humility can anyone enter his kingdom (Mat_18:1-4).
Christians have a responsibility to develop humility in their lives. It is part of the life to which God has called them (Eph_4:1-2; Col_3:12), it is a characteristic of life in God’s kingdom (Mat_20:20-27) and it is the product of the Spirit’s work in the life of the individual (Gal_5:23). If they are to learn humility, they must be willing to take the lowest place and serve others (Luk_22:24-27; Joh_13:3-17). Such humility will help produce genuine fellowship in the church. It will prevent Christians from competing with each other to see who is the greatest among them (Mar_9:33-37; Rom_12:16; 2Co_10:12; Gal_6:3; Eph_4:2; Php_2:3).
Those who look for status and praise may gain what they seek, but their reward will be short-lived (Mat_6:1-5; Mat_6:16). God exalts those who humble themselves, but humbles those who exalt themselves (Pro_3:34; Pro_15:33; Pro_18:12; Isa_2:11; Isa_5:15; Mat_23:12; Luk_1:48-53 : Jam_4:10; 1Pe_5:6).
Bridgeway Bible Dictionary by Don Fleming
PRINTER 1990.

hū̇-mil?i-ti (ענוה, ‛ănāwāh; ταπεινοφροσύνη, tapeinophrosúnē):
(1) The noun occurs in the Old Testament only in Pro_15:33; Pro_18:12; Pro_22:4, but the adjective ?humble? appears frequently as the translation of ‛ānı̄, ‛ānāw, shāphāl, meaning also ?poor,? ?afflicted?; the verb, as the translation of ‛ānāh, ?to afflict,? ?to humble,? and of kāna‛, ?to be or become humbled?; cānā‛, ?to be lowly,? occurs in Mic_6:8. For ?humble? (Psa_9:12; Psa_10:12) the Revised Version (British and American) has ?poor?; Psa_10:17; Psa_34:2; Psa_69:32, ?meek?; for ?humbled? (Psa_35:13), ?afflicted? (Isa_2:11; Isa_10:33), ?brought low?; for ?He humbleth himself? (Isa_2:9) ?is brought low,? margin ?humbleth himself?; Psa_10:10, ?boweth down?; tapeinophrosunē is translated ?humility? (Col_2:18, Col_2:23; 1Pe_5:5); in several other places it is translated ?lowliness? and ?lowliness of mind?; tapeinós is translated ?humble? (Jam_4:6; 1Pe_5:5; elsewhere ?lowly,? etc.; 1Pe_3:8, tapeinóphrōn), the Revised Version (British and American) ?humble-minded?; tapeinóō, ?to humble,? occurs frequently (Mat_18:4; Mat_23:12, etc.); tapeı́nōsis is ?humiliation? (Act_8:33); for ?vile body? (Phi_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 (Deu_8:2, Deu_8:3, 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 Psa_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 (shāphēl) himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth? (Psa_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 tapeinophrosunē 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? (Mat_11:29). The first of the Beatitudes was to ?the poor in spirit? (Mat_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? (Mat_18:4; Mat_23:12; Luk_14:11; Luk_18:14). To the humble mind truth is revealed (Mat_11:25; Luk_10:21). Jesus set a touching example of humility in His washing His disciples' feet (Jn 13:1-17).
(d) Paul, therefore, makes an earnest appeal to Christians (Phi_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 (kénōsis) of Christ: ?Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus,? etc. The rendering of heautō̇n ekénōsen (Phi_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, Col_2:23). 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.?

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
PRINTER 1915.

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