Is God the Father Humble?

That question was recently posted on Facebook by a guy I graduated high school with. Usually I just keep my mouth shut because things like this tend to get ugly, but I really couldn't resist getting into this one. It's an interesting thought, and probably one that really hasn't been thought about much. In nearly twenty-seven years this is the first time that question has ever been presented to me. And while I'm hearing and seeing what people who have the opposite opinion of me are saying, I don't think this is a characteristic we can attribute to God the Father.

The question was posted after a small group discussion on Philippians 2, the chapter which gives us what is perhaps the best explanation of both what Christ did, and how we should live and respond, in Scripture. Those who were saying that yes, the Father is humble point to the humility displayed in the life of Jesus, and how Jesus, who is God, reflects and displays the character and nature of the Father to the world. And while that is the case, I don't believe humility is an aspect of divinity.

Philippians 2.5-8 says, "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."

We see that Jesus humbled Himself, and became a man, who was obedient to death on the cross. But for some Jesus' statement in John 10.30, "I and the Father are one" posses an issue if we say that the Father is not humble. For this let's look at what humility is. In the English dictionary humble is defined, "1. not proud or arrogant; modest 2. having a feeling of insignificance, inferiority, subservience, etc. 3. low in rank, importance, status, quality, etc. 4. courteously respectful 5. low in height, level, etc."

"Not proud or arrogant; modest," read the end of Job and show me this about God the Father. It isn't a pride thing, but more a statement and declaration of His greatness. "Having a feeling of insignificance, inferiority, subservience," this could never be said of God. Psalms tells us that "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands." God's very being demands worship, simply because of His holiness, and if we fail to praise Him the rocks will cry out (Luke 19). "Low in rank, importance, status, quality," The Ten Commandments tell us, "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me." (Exodus 20.2-3). "Courteously respectful" He is loving but He is also holy and perfect and cannot overlook wrong doing or tolerate sin. "Low in height, level," God is above all, there is no one higher than Him. Simply based on an present day English definition we cannot say that the Father is humble. But we also must look at the original text so see what the Biblical author thought.

In Philippians 2, Paul uses the word tapeinao (ta-pie-na-oh) which means "to make low; bring low". It can refer to leveling something to a plain topographically, but in the case of Jesus means, "to bring into a humble condition, reduce to meaner circumstances: 1) to assign a lower rank or place to 2) to abase 3) to be ranked below others who are honored or rewarded 4) to humble or abase myself by humble living".

This is what we see in Jesus. He humbles Himself, He gives Himself a lower rank as a man, a peasant, a working class carpenter. He sets aside aspects of His divinity, immortality, omnipresence, glory, and possibly some omniscience, and walks the earth as a man. He is still God. He is still Holy, Righteous, perfect, all powerful, and possessing all command and authority, but He is also fully man, which demands certain aspects of divinity to be set aside. And so Jesus humbled Himself, and walked in humility through Israel.

We see Him as a man, totally dependent upon God. He is constantly in prayer, alone seeking the Father. He says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner" (John 5.19b). As a man He is humble, a servant of God and man. But His humility comes to an end. Philippians 2.9-11, "For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Jesus is restored to His place at the right hand of the Father. Every knee bows before Him and every tongue declares Him as Lord. His humility is at an end and He is now exalted on high. And so we come back to the question "Is God the Father Humble?" We clearly see that Jesus, while on earth, was the example of humility. And because Jesus while on earth showed us what God is like, there might be a natural tendency to attribute humility to God. But I think it is a characteristic that has now place in the Heavenly realm.

Humility is an attribute of a worshiper and a servant, thus why we see it in Jesus, the ultimate servant who showed us how to truly worship the Father. It is the response of creation towards it's Creator. But it is not something that God the Father possesses. He is the object of worship. Everything is done so that He may be glorified. All of creation declares His praise, and even with Jesus, every knee bows and every tongue confesses to the glory of God the Father.

I think the issue arises, partly, because humility is such an admirable human quality; it is only natural to attribute it to God the Father. We see it in Jesus because we see God living life as a man, showing how God would live life as a human. We see God as the servant of all, humbled and then highly exalted. We see how God desires for all of us to live life. "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others" (Philippians 2.3-4).

Humility exists as a human quality, but I don't believe God has any reason to be humble. He is to be worshiped, praised and glorified. Everything is to be done for His glory. Jesus the Son, humbled Himself in order to save us, and model for us how we are to live. And once the mission was accomplished He is restored to His place of honor, the place the Father always maintained. So I am willing to say that God the Father has no need for humility.

"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."

To God alone be the Glory!

Peace be with you