Humility - Gentle Jesus, Meek and Mild (pt3)

Lesson Number Three: Humility is willing to go above and beyond what is expected, and follows the leading of the Spirit.

From these humble beginnings, Jesus went on to lead a life in what we would call “humble circumstances.” He didn’t have a home of His own, He depended on the generosity of His friends for the food He ate, and He never appears to have worried at all about money. These things all fit well with what we tend to think of as humble. Yet it’s interesting to consider the leadership of Jesus.

The Bible says that one of the things that amazed the people about Jesus was that He taught with authority, unlike the scribes. (Matt. 7:29.) The custom among rabbis, then and now, was to carry a debate, say about a particular Bible passage, by saying, “Rabbi So-and-So says this, but Rabbi Thus-and-Such says that. Then again, it might mean the other thing.” Through many centuries, the Talmud and other writings have kept a faithful record of this ongoing conversation. The purpose was, in fact, humility. No rabbi wanted to put his own opinion above that of the others, particularly above that of a well-respected sage of days gone by. But he could state his own opinion. So the attempt was to keep all these ideas and insights on as level a ground as possible and give everyone a respectful hearing. This is a good example of humility.

Jesus, however, talked like someone who knew what He was talking about.

He insisted He had come from heaven and knew the Father personally. He said without roundaboutation that He was the Messiah, the Bread of heaven, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. “If you won’t believe me about earthly things, how can you believe me about heavenly ones?” He asked Nicodemus. (John 3:12) If these things had not been true, they certainly could not have been seen as humble in any way, shape, or form! And, by the way, one who does not believe these things has to either believe that Jesus was not at all humble, (was, in fact, insane or criminal) or that His disciples made this all up and He never said any of it.