The Humility of Jesus

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.”* (Philippians 2:5-9)

Jesus was a perfect pattern in every phase of humanity. His example of humility is the standard for us. We see His example to us corresponds with God’s requirement of us. The Father could not have fulfilled His design in the Son, had He not kept under His mighty hand every moment. Jesus acknowledged that He could of Himself do nothing. It was the Father that dwelt in Him who did the work; but that work could never have been done through Him, had He not humbled Himself to every precept of the Father’s will.

Notice in the text, we are told what He did with Himself. God did not humble Him nor compel Him to take this lowly position. He did it Himself, of His own free will. He “made himself of no reputation,”* (Philippians 2:7) and “humbled himself.” From the highest reputation in heaven He descended to the lowest plane of no reputation on earth. From the exalted position of equality with God in heaven, He descended to the plane of the most humble servant on earth. He truly counted all things of honor and advantage but loss, for the blessed privilege of doing the Father’s will, to redeem us unto God.

Now there is no question about this being a great humiliation to Him. His servant life on earth was one of continual self-denial and hardship. Think of it, the Son of God, the most honored of heaven, taking a place on earth as a homeless mortal, even below the foxes and birds, not having a place to lay his head. When He had accomplished His mission on earth in going about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, He humbled Himself yet more, and took the place of the most dishonored of earth, being numbered with the transgressors, and died on the cross. Greater humiliation cannot be comprehended.

Thank God, we see the exaltation of Jesus was in proportion with His humiliation. He humbled Himself under the mighty hand of God, and was exalted in due time. Now He speaks through His apostle Peter to us, with the command to humble ourselves likewise, and, as in the text, we are admonished to let this same mind be in us—this same humility that can cheerfully follow the footsteps of Jesus into every detail of our Father’s will. As He came to do the will of God, so we must do the same. We may never be called to die as cruel or shameful a death as He did, and it is impossible that God’s purpose in our death could ever be what it was in that of our Redeemer. But is is very clearly set forth in His will concerning us, that our life should be completely yielded up to Him for service or sacrifice, just as He may be the most glorified thereby.

The very least that we possibly can do for Jesus, to be consistent with His great love wherewith He loved us, and our profession of love to Him, is to yield ourselves up to the will of God, as freely for Him as He did for us—to humble ourselves as willingly under the mighty hand of God for Jesus’ sake as He did for our sakes. If we can share with Him in His humility, we may also share with Him proportionately in His exaltation. In His prayer he says, “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me.”* (John 17:24) First, the humiliation, then the exaltation. The one we must do ourselves through grace. The other God does for us.

Oh, let us follow our blessed Example, the meek and lowly One, that we may be able to perfectly represent Him in this sinful world!