Humble (5011) (tapeinos) means low, not high, not rising far from the ground. It speaks of one's condition as lowly or of low degree. It described what was considered base, common, unfit, and having little value. It pictures one brought low, as for example by grief. Tapeinos is descriptive particularly of attitude and social positions.
Tapeinos is used 8 times in the NAS and KJV (Matt. 11:29; Lk. 1:52; Ro. 12:16; 2Co. 7:6; 10:1; James. 1:9; 4:6; 1 Pet. 5:5) and is translated: depressed, 1; humble, 5; lowly, 1; meek, 1. In the KJV tapeinos is translated: base, 1; cast down, 1; humble, 2; lowly, 1; of low degree, 2; of low estate, 1. There are 44 uses in the Septuagint - Lev. 13:3, 4,, 20, 21, 25, 26; 14:37; 27:8; Jos. 11:16; Jdg. 1:15; 1 Sam. 18:23; Esther 1:1; Job 5:11; 12:21; Ps. 10:18; 18:27; 34:18; 82:3; 102:17; 113:6; 138:6; Prov. 3:34; 11:2; 16:2; 30:14; Eccl. 10:6; Is 2:11; 11:4; 14:32; 25:4; 26:6; 32:7; 49:13; 54:11; 58:4; 66:2; Jer. 22:16; Ezek. 17:24; 21:26; 29:14; Amos 2:7; 8:6; Zeph. 2:3; 3:12
The best "definition" of tapeinos is found in the attitude of our Lord Jesus Christ Who declared...
Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble (tapeinos) in heart; and YOU SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. (Mt 11:29)
The other NT uses of tapeinos include...
He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted those who were humble. (Luke 1:52)
Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. (Ro 12:16 - note)
Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ-- I who am meek (tapeinos) when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent! (2Cor 10:1)
But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus (2Cor 7:6)
But let the brother of humble circumstances glory in his high position (James 1:9-note)
But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. (Jas 4:6-note)
The original sense of low lying soon gave rise to metaphorical uses, NIDNTT listing several...
(a) low socially, poor, of little social position and influence (Hdt., 5th cent. B.C. onwards), powerless, unimportant;
(b) as a result of one’s social standing, with slavish outlook, a synonym of not free;
(c) despondent, downcast (Thuc., 5th cent. B.C. onwards; cf. Eng. “I’m feeling down”);
(d) in Socratic and post-Socratic ethical teaching the word was separated from its social links, but retained a depreciatory connotation. Men should avoid the two extremes of arrogance, provocation and pride (hybris), and of grovelling, servile behaviour and base flattery.
(e) Occasionally the word is used with a good connotation in individual, social, ethical and religious contexts. Where this is so, it does not mean humble, but unassuming (in Xen.), obedient, conforming one’s behaviour to the righteous laws of the gods (Aesch., Plato). In all these uses there remains the memory of the original physical meaning of below, low, in comparison with that which is above or higher. (Brown, Colin, Editor. New International Dictionary of NT Theology. 1986. Zondervan)
Wuest writes that tapeinos...
The word is found in an early secular document where it speaks of the Nile River in its low stage in the words, “It runs low.” The word means “not rising far from the ground.” It describes the Christian who follows in the humble and lowly steps of his Lord. (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Studies in the Vocabulary of the Greek New Testament: Grand Rapids: Eerdmans)
Larry Richards has some excellent comments on tapeinos writing that...
In Greek culture, tapeinos and its derivatives were words of contempt. The Greeks saw man as the measure of all things. Thus, to be low on the social scale, to know poverty, or to be socially powerless was seen as shameful. Only seldom in classical Greek do these words have a positive tone, commending an unassuming or obedient attitude. Scripture, however, sees the universe as measurable only against God. Compared to him, human beings are rightly viewed as humble. Thus in Scripture tapeinos and its derivatives are nearly always used in a positive sense (exceptions are in 2Co 10:1; Col 2:18-note, Col 2:23-note). Tapeinos represents a person's proper estimate of himself in relation to God and to others. In this sense, Jesus himself lived a humble life, depending completely on God and relating appropriately to all around him (Mt 11:29). It is the humble, Jesus says, whom God will exalt in his good time (Lk 14:11; 18:14). While the thought of the OT about humility infuses the NT, we learn more about humility in the Gospels and the Epistles.
Mt 18:1-4 helps us see humility expressed in relationship with God. The disciples asked Jesus who was greatest in the kingdom of heaven. The text tells us that Jesus "called a little child and had him stand among them." Jesus then told them that unless they were to "change and become like little children" they would be unable to enter heaven's kingdom. He explained, "Whoever humbles (tapeinoo - from tapeinos) himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Just before this, Jesus had presented himself to Israel as God's Son and their promised Messiah. Israel refused to respond. But what of the child? When he was called, he came immediately, responding to Jesus' word. Humility in our relationship with God is seen when we refuse to stand in judgment on his Word but instead respond immediately, recognizing God as the ultimate authority in our life. The dependence and responsiveness of the child is to mark our attitude in our personal relationship with the Lord.
The NT often exhorts humility in relationships with other believers (e.g., Eph 4:2). Paul gives the example of Jesus' humility (Php 2:5, 6, 7, 8) to encourage compliance with his exhortation: "In humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others" (Phil 2:3-4).
This attitude is explored further in Ro 12:3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. The introductory instruction goes like this: "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you" (Ro 12:3). That faith is to find expression within the body of Christ, as each member of the body uses his gifts to serve his fellows. Moved by a sincere love, each is told, "Honor one another above yourselves" (Ro 12:10), and "Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited" (Ro 12:16).
It is in seeing others as persons of great worth because they are loved by God and in seeing ourselves as their servants that we find the fulfilling lifestyle of humility. (Richards, L O: Expository Dictionary of Bible Words: Regency) (Bolding added)
Vincent writes that tapeinos
The word has a history. In the classics it is used commonly in a bad and degrading sense, of meanness of condition, lowness of rank, and cringing abjectness and baseness of character. Still, even in classical Greek, this is not its universal usage. It is occasionally employed in a way which foreshadows its higher sense. Plato, for instance, says, “To that law (of God) he would be happy who holds fast, and follows it in all humility and order; but he who is lifted up with pride, or money, or honor, or beauty, who has a soul hot with folly, and youth, and insolence, and thinks that he has no need of a guide or ruler, but is able himself to be the guide of others, he, I say, is left deserted of God” (“Laws,” 716). And Aristotle says: “He who is worthy of small things, and deems himself so, is wise” (“Nich. Ethics,” iv., 3). At best, however, the classical conception is only modesty, absence of assumption. It is an element of wisdom and in no way opposed to self-righteousness (see Aristotle above). The word for the Christian virtue of humility (tapeinophrosune), was not used before the Christian era, and is distinctly an outgrowth of the Gospel. This virtue is based upon a correct estimate of our actual littleness, and is linked with a sense of sinfulness. True greatness is holiness. We are little because sinful. Compare Luke 18:14. It is asked how, in this view of the case, the word can be applied to himself by the sinless Lord? “The answer is,” says Archbishop Trench, “that for the sinner humility involves the confession of sin, inasmuch as it involves the confession of his true condition; while yet for the unfallen creature the grace itself as truly exists, involving for such the acknowledgment, not of sinfulness, which would be untrue, but of creatureliness, of absolute dependence, of having nothing, but receiving all things of God. And thus the grace of humility belongs to the highest angel before the throne, being as he is a creature, yea, even to the Lord of Glory himself. In his human nature he must be the pattern of all humility, of all creaturely dependence; and it is only as a man that Christ thus claims to be lowly; his human life was a constant living on the fulness of his Father’s love; he evermore, as man, took the place which beseemed the creature in the presence of its Creator” (“Synonyms,” p. 145). The Christian virtue regards man not only with reference to God, but to his fellow-man. In lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself (Phil 2:3, Rev.). But this is contrary to the Greek conception of justice or righteousness, which was simply “his own to each one.” It is noteworthy that neither the Septuagint, the Apocrypha, nor the New Testament recognize the ignoble classical sense of the word. (Greek Word Studies)
Trench writing about tapeinos says that...
“The work for which Christ’s gospel came into the world was no less than to put down the mighty from their seat, and to exalt the humble and meek. It was then only in accordance with this its mission that it should dethrone the heathen virtue megalopsuchia (human magnanimity and great souledness), and set up the despised Christian grace tap., in its room, stripping that of the honor it had unjustly assumed, delivering this from the dishonor which as unjustly had clung to it hitherto; and in this direction advancing so far that a Christian writer has called this last not merely a grace, but the casket or treasure house in which all other graces are contained … And indeed not the grace only, but the very word tap., is itself a fruit of the gospel; no Greek writer employed it before the Christian era, nor, apart from the influence of Christian writers, after.” (Trench's Synonyms of the New Testament)
William Barclay writes that
The Greek had an adjective for humble, which is closely connected with this noun—the adjective tapeinos. A word is always known by the company it keeps and this word keeps ignoble company. It is used in company with the Greek adjectives which mean slavish, ignoble, of no repute, cringing (which is the adjective which describes a plant which trails along the ground). In the days before Jesus humility was looked on as a cowering, cringing, servile, ignoble quality; and yet Christianity sets it in the very forefront of the virtues. Whence then comes this Christian humility, and what does it involve?
(a) Christian humility comes from self-knowledge. Bernard said of it,
“It is the virtue by which a man becomes conscious of his own unworthiness, in consequence of the truest knowledge of himself.”
To face oneself is the most humiliating thing in the world. Most of us dramatize ourselves. Somewhere there is a story of a man who before he went to sleep at night dreamed his waking dreams. He would see himself as the hero of some thrilling rescue from the sea or from the flames; he would see himself as an orator holding a vast audience spell-bound; he would see himself walking to the wicket in a Test Match at Lord’s and scoring a century; he would see himself in some international football match dazzling the crowd with his skill; always he was the centre of the picture. Most of us are essentially like that. And true humility comes when we face ourselves and see our weakness, our selfishness, our failure in work and in personal relationships and in achievement.
(b) Christian humility comes from setting life beside the life of Christ and in the light of the demands of God. God is perfection and to satisfy perfection is impossible. So long as we compare ourselves with second bests, we may come out of the comparison well. It is when we compare ourselves with perfection that we see our failure. A girl may think herself a very fine pianist until she hears one of the world’s outstanding performers. A man may think himself a good golfer until he sees one of the world’s masters in action. A man may think himself something of a scholar until he picks up one of the books of the great old scholars of encyclopedic knowledge. A man may think himself a fine preacher until he listens to one of the princes of the pulpit. Self-satisfaction depends on the standard with which we compare ourselves. If we compare ourselves with our neighbour, we may well emerge very satisfactorily from the comparison. But the Christian standard is Jesus Christ and the demands of God’s perfection—and against that standard there is no room for pride.
(c) There is another way of putting this. R. C. Trench said that humility comes from the constant sense of our own creatureliness. We are in absolute dependence on God. As the hymn has it:
“‘Tis Thou preservest me from death
And dangers every hour;
I cannot draw another breath
Unless Thou give me power.
My health, my friends, and parents dear
To me by God are given;
I have not any blessing here
But what is sent from heaven.”
We are creatures, and for the creature there can be nothing but humility in the presence of the creator. Christian humility is based on the sight of self, the vision of Christ, and the realization of God. (W. Barclay: The letters to the Galatians and Ephesians Westminster John Knox Press)
J C Ryle writes that...
that there is no grace which should distinguish the Christian so much as humility. He that would be great in the eyes of Christ, must aim at a totally different mark from that of the Pharisees. His aim must be, not so much to rule, as to serve the Church. Well says Baxter, "church greatness consists in being greatly serviceable." The desire of the Pharisee was to receive honor, and to be called "master." (Mt 23:2, 6,7) The desire of the Christian must be to do good, and to give himself, and all that he has to the service of others. Truly this is a high standard, but a lower one must never content us. The example of our blessed Lord, the direct command of the apostolic Epistles, both alike require us to be "clothed with humility." (1Pe 5:5.) Let us seek that blessed grace day by day. No grace is so beautiful, however much despised by the world. No grace is such an evidence of saving faith, and true conversion to God. No grace is so often commended by our Lord. Of all His sayings, hardly any is so often repeated as that which concludes the passage we have now read, "Whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (Mt 23:12) (J. C. Ryle. Expository Thoughts - Matthew)
The greatest saints of God in every age of the Church have always been men of John the Baptist's spirit. In gifts, and knowledge, and general character they have often differed widely. But in one respect they have always been alike--they have been "clothed with humility." (1 Pet. 5:5.) They have not sought their own honor. They have thought little of themselves. They have been ever willing to decrease if Christ might only increase, to be nothing if Christ might be all. And here has been the secret of the honor God has put upon them. "He that humbles himself shall be exalted." (Luke 14:11.)
If we profess to have any real Christianity, let us strive to be of John the Baptist's spirit. Let us study HUMILITY. This is the grace with which all must begin, who would be saved. We have no true religion about us, until we cast away our high thoughts, and feel ourselves sinners. This is the grace which all saints may follow after, and which none have any excuse for neglecting. All God's children have not gifts, or money, or time to work, or a wide sphere of usefulness; but all may be humble. This is the grace, above all, which will appear most beautiful in our latter end. Never shall we feel the need of humility so deeply, as when we lie on our deathbeds, and stand before the judgment-seat of Christ. Our whole lives will then appear a long catalogue of imperfections, ourselves nothing, and Christ all...
The greatest saint in the sight of God, is the man who is most thoroughly "clothed with humility." (1Pe 5:5.) Would we know the prime secret of being men of the stamp of Abraham, and Moses, and Job, and David, and Daniel, and Paul, and John the Baptist? They were all eminently humble men. Living at different ages, and enjoying very different degrees of light, in this matter at least they were all agreed. In themselves they saw nothing but sin and weakness. To God they gave all the praise of what they were. Let us walk in their steps. Let us covet earnestly the best gifts; but above all, let us covet humility. The way to true honor is to be humble. No man ever was so praised by Christ, as the very man who says here, "I must decrease," the humble John the Baptist. (J. C. Ryle. Expository Thoughts - John)
John Ruskin (1819-1900) wrote that
"The first test of a truly great man is humility."
Spurgeon said that
"Humility is to make a right assessment of oneself." "Do not be proud of race, face, or grace." (Point: everything and anything we have is from God Alone so how can we boast?) The higher a man is in grace, the lower he will be in his own esteem.
Dwight L. Moody declared that...
"Unless you humble yourself before (God) in the dust (Note: tapeinos = not rising far from the ground), and confess before Him your iniquities and sins, the gate of heaven, which is open only for sinners saved by grace, must be shut against you forever."
Puritan William Secker wrote that
"Pride is a sinner's torment, but humility is a saint's ornament."
Puritan William Gurnall said that
"Humility is the necessary veil to all other graces."
Andrew Murray on humility...
Do you want to enter what people call "the higher life"? Then go a step lower down.
As someone once said,
"The ears of barley that bear the richest grain always hang the lowest."
John Flavel had it right declaring
They that know God will be humble, and they that know themselves cannot be proud.
F B Meyer wrote
I used to think that God's gifts were on shelves one above the other, and that the taller we grew in Christian character the easier we could reach them. I now find that God's gifts are on shelves one beneath the other. It is not a question of growing taller, but of stooping down, to get His best gifts.
An unknown saint wrote
"Become nothing if you would become something." In His rules of success, you must stoop to rise, go down to get up, and shrink to grow.
Warren Wiersbe wrote that...
To be poor in spirit means knowing yourself, accepting yourself, and being yourself to the glory of God.
After the memorial service for George Whitefield a staunch supporter of Whitefield accosted John Wesley, who had disagreed on some theological points with Whitefield, asking
"Mr. Wesley, do you think you shall see Mr. Whitefield in heaven?"
"No," retorted Wesley.
"I was afraid you would say that," lamented the lady.
Wesley however went on to say "George Whitefield will be so near to the throne of God, that men like me will never catch a glimpse of him."
Wesley's humility clothed him all his life and at one point he wrote to Francis Asbury, the founder of Methodism in America,
"Oh, beware do not seek to be something! Let me be nothing, and Christ be all in all."
Richard DeHaan, wrote an excellent little book on 1 Peter, in which he gave this test of true humility describing
First, the test of precedence
"Do you feel badly when others are honored, because they outshine you?"
Second, he noted that then comes the test of sincerity
"All too often, people say things about themselves to sound humble, when they really are not."
Third, the test of criticism:
"Do you react unfavorably when someone points out your shortcomings?"
If you gave yourself a perfect score on this test, you failed the test of humility (from Richard DeHaan, Good News for Bad Times).
Humility is the opposite of pride, the sin that has always separated fallen men from God, making them, in effect, their own gods. Genuine humility involves believers’ not thinking too highly of themselves and requires that they regard one another as more important than themselves (see Philippians 2:3-note)
In addition to Dr Barber's notes below see (Torrey's Topic "humility") The humble man realizes that all that he has comes from God and must be given back to God. John the Baptist said:
“A man can receive nothing, unless it have been given him from heaven.” Jn 3:27
Humility is the hallmark of the servant resting in, and sent from, the Father’s presence (contrast false humility translated "self abasement" in Col 2:18) (note). There is a sense in which God’s true servant is always a defeated man. The one who drives on with a sense of his own importance, who is unwilling to appreciate the worthlessness of his own best efforts and is always seeking to justify himself—that one will not be meek, and so will lack the essential enablement by which God’s work must be accomplished. Our brokenness must not be feigned; we must not be content with the mere language and appearance of humility. We, too, must be as conscious of Divine mercy in our being recovered for God’s service as we are of the original mercy which drew us from the dark waters of death.
Humility is quietness of heart. It is to have no trouble. It is never to be fretted or irritated or disappointed. It is to expect nothing, to wonder at nothing that is done to me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me and when I am blamed or despised. It is to have my blessed home in the Lord Jesus, where I can go in and shut the door and be with my Father in secret, and be at peace when all outside is trouble.
The Father may allow His servant to succeed when He has disciplined him to a point where he does not need to succeed to be happy. The man who is elated by success and cast down by failure is still a carnal man. At best his fruit will have a worm in it. True humility does not so much consist in thinking badly of ourselves as in not thinking of ourselves at all. I am too bad to be worth thinking about. What I want is, to forget myself and to look at the Lord Jesus Christ who is indeed worthy of all my thoughts. Doubts are not marks of humility; unbelief is really evidence of pride.
When we are conscious of pride we fancy that humility will meet our need, but the answer to pride is not humility, it is the Lord Jesus, and He is the answer to every need. The Father will not give you humility or patience or love as separate gifts of grace; He has given you the Lord Jesus, and if you simply trust Him to live out His life in you, He will be humble, patient, loving and everything else you need.
When we think we're humble--we're not.
HUMILITY
WAYNE BARBER'S EXPLANATION
In his exposition of Ephesians 4 (Click here), Wayne Barber has a practical discussion of the practical significance of tapeinos/humility...
In Ephesians 4:1, 2, 3 (notes) What does this word "humility" mean?...The word (in Eph 4:2-note) is the Greek word tapeinophrosune (from tapeinos + phren = to think) which means to think less of yourself. The root word tapeinos... means to get down as flat as you can possibly get so nobody can see you at all... to be level with the earth. The Greek verb phren ...speaks of a framed attitude of the mind...an attitude. So what is the attitude we must have towards ourselves? The attitude is that we are not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think (cp Ro 12:16-note). We need to get down where we belong. Listen, the only way up is to bow down before God. Do you want a proper estimate of self? Here it is... Die. Get down, flatten out, so that the Lord through His divine enablement can continue to keep you united with the body of Christ.
There are 3 things that I want you to see about humility. Paul uses it three times in three different books and each teaches us something about humility.
(1) Acts 20:19.
This is an important Scripture because Paul is speaking...with the elders of Ephesus (Ed: He is on his way back to Jerusalem and then on to Rome to be imprisoned and he will never see these men again). He has brought them down to Miletus. In this passage, we see that an attitude of humility is essential to serving the Lord Jesus Christ... Some people think, "God is so glad to have me on His team." That is about as unbiblical as anything you could say. God doesn’t want to use anything about who we are (Ed: That is our flesh nature in which there is no good thing! cp Ro 7:18-note). He wants us to be an empty vessel so He can infuse His power in our life (Ed: cp 2Co 4:7, 2Ti 2:21-note, Jesus referring to Paul in Acts 9:15KJV). Humility is an essential attitude which is necessary for us to carry out effective service for Christ. Let’s back up to Acts 20:18 to catch the context...
And when they came to him [the elders coming down to Miletus from Ephesus], he said to them, ‘You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, 19 serving (douleuo from doulos = conveys idea of one serving another as a slave serves his master and = present tense signifies this was Paul's continual attitude and action toward) the Lord with all (pas = all without exception, speaks of completeness) humility (tapeinophrosune [word study]) and with tears and with trials (peirasmos [word study]) which came upon me through the plots of the Jews
The first point about the essential attitude of humility in serving Christ is that when it is there, everybody else knows it. Paul says "you know...you saw...you experienced." Paul said, "You know that I was serving out of humility." How did they know? Paul didn’t tell them. I like what Ian Thomas said, "I can’t. He never said I could. He can. He always said He would." That is the essence of humility.... When you have that attitude, everybody knows it... You are not aware that they are aware, but they are aware. Paul said, "You know."
Secondly, if humility is real it will provoke those who are "religious" (Ed: Christianity if more about relationship than about "religion".). Look at Acts 20:19: "serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews." Is he talking about all Jews? No. He is talking about the "religious" group... Religion is what man does, and therefore, man has to stand up to do it. Christianity is what God does, and man has to get down in order to allow God to do it. The two cannot peacefully coexist... When you start being humble of mind, it means you are aware totally of what you are not, what He (Christ) is and Who He (Christ) is. You wait until He initiates it (Ed: e.g., a "good work") so that He might anoint it (Ed: And empower it.).
The third thing is in Acts 20:22. If this humility is real, then God’s will will always be preeminent above your will. Acts 20:22 says...
And now, behold, bound in spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.
We know what happened to him... We know he has been in prison for five years because he went to Jerusalem. At this point in Acts 20:22 he doesn’t know. He said, "I don’t have my will." Everyone tried to stop him from going to Jerusalem, but he said, "I have to go. I am chained to His chariot. I am bound to His Spirit. I am a prisoner of Jesus. I am a bond-servant of Christ." (cp Acts 21:12, 13, 14) When humility is a reality in your life, it is not what you wear or don’t wear. It is your attitude towards God which works in your life. You don’t have an agenda which you place before God. You just want His agenda in your life. So we see that humility is the essential attitude in serving Christ (Ed: His will not our will - see same idea inherent in the term doulos [word study] = a bondslave or bond servant).
2 Secondly
In Colossians 3:1,2, (note) humility is the attitude of those seeking a higher calling. The context is Col 3:1...
If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking (present imperative = make this your lifestyle, the desire of your heart above all else to continually, intentionally, diligently seek) the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on present imperative = command to continually have this mindset) the things above, not on the things that are on earth. (Col 3:1-see note, Col 3:2-see note)
With this context now look at Col 3:12
And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved (Ponder your privilege and your position in Christ that it might motivate you to...), put on (aorist imperative - command to do this now, do it effectively. Don't delay!) a heart of compassion, kindness, humility (tapeinophrosune [word study]), gentleness and patience.
Humility is part of the garment of the lifestyle of those who are seeking a higher calling. Who are these humble people? They are not seeking their own calling. They are seeking His calling. They are not looking for the praise of men. They are looking for the glory of God in their life (cp Mt 5:16-note). It is an attitude that originates from their new life in Christ.
3 Then finally
in Philippians 2 we see this attitude of humility once more. This attitude is not only essential to serving Christ, it is not only the attitude of those seeking Christ, but it is also the very attitude of our Savior Himself.
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind (tapeinophrosune [word study]) regard one another as more important than yourselves...5 Have this attitude (present imperative = make this your lifestyle) in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled (tapeinoo) Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name (Php 2:3-note, Php 2:5, 6, 7-note, Php 2:8, 9-note)
Have you ever heard someone preach on this passage but not put it in context? We know what Christ did. We know He emptied Himself of His glory, but Paul says is that you are to have the same attitude in you that He had before He came to this earth to die on a cross. So therefore be strengthened in the inner man with an ability that you don’t normally have (cp Eph 3:16-note). It is an ability He has place within you. Who is in you? It is Christ Himself (Col 1:27b-note; Ro 8:11-note). Let that attitude be released in your life. That is His attitude. What is it? Philippians 2:3 says,
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind (tapeinophrosune [word study]) let each of you regard one another as more important than himself. (Php 2:3-note)
I hope you are beginning to see something... If I truly have a high view of salvation, I will have a proper estimate of myself. Therefore, I am going to be humble in the way I approach the body of Christ. My attitude is, I know that I can’t, but I also know that He can. I want to be strengthened with might in the inner man with His power (cp Eph 3:16-note).
Many think that talking badly of ourselves is the ideal of humility; whereas the simplest and more real humility is to feel unaffectedly that we are too bad to be worth talking about. Only One is worthy of all our thoughts and words and ways, even the Lord Jesus Christ.
For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, Whose name is Holy, "I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite. (Is 57:15)
In his heart there is a little altar where he bows down before himself, and in his eyes there is something which looks at all men with a silent contempt.
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GARBAGE DETAIL - It was once my privilege to preach in a church where love and warmth were especially evident. I was impressed by the members' willingness to pitch in and work. On the Sunday I spoke, three services were scheduled. The women of the church had provided a bountiful meal to be served between the meetings for visitors who had traveled a long distance.
Following the dinner, after most of the people had left, I noticed a distinguished-looking couple clearing the tables and dumping the paper plates into large plastic bags. When I complimented them on what they were doing, they said matter-of-factly, "Oh, we're the 'garbage detail.' We volunteered to clean up after every church function. We consider it a ministry."
How wonderful that this man and woman were not only available to serve the Lord, but they humbly did what others might consider demeaning work. These dear people were glad to be what they cheerfully called the "garbage detail."
Some members of the body of Christ are called to serve in places of prominence; others to labor quietly behind the scenes. Regardless of what the Lord asks us to do, let's be willing to do it by serving one another through love, knowing that ultimately we are serving the Lord. — Richard De Haan (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)
There's surely somewhere a lowly place
In earth's harvest fields so wide
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