Theme · ethical
Humility
Moses is called the meekest man on earth, and the Psalms promise that God lifts up the humble while resisting the proud. The prophets consistently link humility with true piety: 'Has not my hand made all these things? This is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit.' Jesus washes his disciples' feet and teaches that the greatest in the kingdom is the servant of all. Paul's hymn in Philippians 2 presents Christ's self-emptying as the supreme pattern of humility — from the form of God to the form of a servant, obedient even to death on a cross.
Related doctrines
Passages expressing this theme
- 1Cor 1:27 — But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
- 1Cor 3:18 — Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
- 1Cor 4:4 — For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
- 1Cor 4:7 — For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
- 1Cor 4:10 — We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.
- 1Cor 9:19 — For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
- 1Kgs 3:7 — And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
- 1Pet 3:4 — But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
- 1Pet 3:8 — Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
- 1Pet 5:5 — Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
- 1Pet 5:6 — Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
- 1Sam 2:3 — Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
- 2Chr 7:14 — If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal
- 2Chr 33:12 — And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
- 2Chr 34:27 — Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and did
- 2Cor 4:7 — But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
- 2Cor 10:1 — Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
- 2Cor 10:18 — For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
- 2Cor 12:7 — And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above mea
- 2Kgs 22:19 — Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desola
- 2Tim 2:25 — In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
- Acts 20:19 — Serving the LORD with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:
- Col 3:12 — Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
- Dan 4:37 — Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
- Dan 9:3 — And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
The Church Fathers on Humility
Be humble, in order that God may rest in you, which he wants to do.
"With all humility of mind." Not simply with humility of mind, but with "all," because there are many kinds of humility: in word, in deed, toward superiors, toward subordinates.
What is humility? It is to bear the insults of others, to accept sins against oneself, to bear punishments. Indeed this is not just humility, but prudence as well.
Because humility is the dwelling place of grace, the grace of the Holy Spirit rests upon the humble alone. Whence Augustine, in the third book of On Christian Doctrine: "For this reason the sins of great men were written down, so that that apostolic saying might everywhere be feared: Wherefore let him who seems to…
Humility is the principle of all virtues: it removes any contrast, division or dissension from human beings and plants into them peace and charity. And through charity it grows and increases.
Celsus, … as one who has heard the subject of humility greatly talked about but who has not been at pains to understand it, would wish to speak evil of that humility that is practiced among us, and imagines that it is borrowed from some words of Plato imperfectly understood, where he expresses himself in the Laws as…