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Chapter
160 [Home] [Accept Jesus] [More] [Previous] [Next]
THE CHARACTER OF JESUS:
Meekness and Humility
160.070.000
Torrey: p139, T:VII
Topic 70: The
Meekness of Jesus Christ.
160.070.010
Torrey: p139, T:VII, P:1
POINT 10: In biblical
usage, meekness means gentleness, caring, lack of contentiousness. It is not
mere submission to injustice out of fear, weakness or lack of strength of moral
character.
Matthew
5:5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Many people are bothered by this passage,
because it seems out of character with the rest of the Bible. Would anyone really
want to live forever on an Earth where those in charge lacked
courage, the wisdom to recognize what is just and the strength to stand up for
it? Did Jesus really die so a bunch of "wimps" could be put in charge?
The biblical concept of meekness must not
be confused with "wimpiness," i.e., fear, weakness, lack of strength
of moral character, lack of the courage of one's convictions. Jesus was meek,
and yet He spoke out boldly, even knowing that it would lead to torture and
execution.
1
Corinthians 4:21 What do
you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?
2
Corinthians 10:1 By the
meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you -- I, Paul, who am "timid"
when face to face with you, but "bold" when away!
Galatians
6:1 Brothers, if someone
is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch
yourself, or you also may be tempted.
2
Timothy 2:24-25 [24] And
the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able
to teach, not resentful. [25] Those who oppose him he must gently instruct,
in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge
of the truth,
Titus
3:1-2 [1] Remind the people
to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever
is good, [2] to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show
true humility toward all men.
In biblical usage, meekness is that attitude
of mind that is opposed to harshness and contentiousness, and that shows itself
in gentleness and tenderness in dealing with others. The thought of "meekness"
as "patient submissiveness under injustice and injury," does not seem
to be the prominent thought in the Bible usage of the word. The thought rather
of gentleness in dealing with and correcting the errors of others
seems to be the predominant thought.
Viewed in this light, it is clear why "the
meek ... will inherit the earth" -- God wants people in charge who think
and act as He would.
160.070.020
Torrey: p139, T:VII(1),
P:1
POINT 20: Jesus
Christ was meek.
Matthew
11:29 Take my yoke upon
you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find
rest for your souls.
2
Corinthians 10:1 By the
meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you -- I, Paul, who am "timid"
when face to face with you, but "bold" when away!
Matthew
21:5 Say to the Daughter
of Zion, "See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on
a colt, the foal of a donkey."
160.072.000
Torrey: p140, T:VII(2)
Topic 72: How
the Meekness of Christ was Manifested.
160.072.010
Torrey: p140, T:VII(2),
P:1
POINT 10: The
meekness of Jesus Christ was manifested in His not breaking the bruised reed
or quenching the smoking flax.
Matthew
12:20 A bruised reed he
will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice
to victory.
Christ dealt tenderly with the broken, and
cherished the fire that had well-nigh gone out.
160.072.020
Torrey: p140, T:VII(2),
P:2
POINT 20: The
meekness of Jesus Christ was manifested in His gently telling the outrageous
but penitent sinner that her sins were forgiven and to go in peace.
Luke
7:38, 48, 50 [38] and as
she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her
tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on
them. [48] Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." [50]
Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
160.072.030
Torrey: p140, T:VII(2),
P:3
POINT 30: The
meekness of Jesus Christ was manifested in His tenderly saying to the poor afflicted
one who had tried to steal the blessing unseen by any: "Daughter, your
faith has healed you."
Mark
5:33-34 [33] Then the woman,
knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with
fear, told him the whole truth. [34] He said to her, "Daughter, your faith
has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."
160.072.040
Torrey: p140, T:VII(2),
P:4
POINT 40: The
meekness of Jesus Christ was manifested in the gentleness with which He rebuked
the stubborn unbelief of doubting Thomas.
John
20:29 Then Jesus told him,
"Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have
not seen and yet have believed."
160.072.050
Torrey: p141, T:VII(2),
P:5
POINT 50: The
meekness of Jesus Christ was manifested in the tenderness with which He rebuked
Peter's self-confidence and subsequent unfaithfulness and thrice-repeated and
flagrant denial of his Lord.
John
21:15-17 [15] When they
had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do
you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you
know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." [16] Again
Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?" He answered,
"Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take care
of my sheep." [17] The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John,
do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time,
"Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know
that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.
160.072.060
Torrey: p141, T:VII(2),
P:6
POINT 60: The
meekness of Jesus Christ was manifested in His gentle, tender and pleading reproof
of Judas Iscariot, His betrayer.
John
13:21, 27 [21] After he
had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, "I tell you
the truth, one of you is going to betray me." [27] As soon as Judas took
the bread, Satan entered into him. "What you are about to do, do quickly,"
Jesus told him
160.072.070
Torrey: p141, T:VII(2),
P:7
POINT 70: The
meekness of Jesus Christ was manifested in His praying for His murderers.
Luke
23:34 Jesus said, "Father,
forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided
up his clothes by casting lots.
160.080.000
Torrey: p141, T:VIII
Topic 80: The
Humility of Jesus Christ (Main Topic)
160.080.005
Torrey: no
POINT 5: Humility
defined.
=== DISCUSSION ===
Like "meek", "humble"
is a word that is often misunderstood and a quality that is often viewed as
a weakness. Funk and Wagnalls defines "humble" (in part)
as: free from pride or vanity; modest; unpretentious; respectful.
160.080.010
Torrey: p141, T:VIII,
P:1
POINT 10: Jesus
Christ was humble in heart.
Matthew
11:29 Take my yoke upon
you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find
rest for your souls.
160.082.000
Torrey: p141, T:VIII(2)
Topic 82: How
the Humility of Jesus Manifested Itself.
160.082.010
Torrey: p141, T:VIII(2),
P:1
POINT 10: The
humility of Jesus Christ was manifested in His not seeking His own glory.
John
8:50 I am not seeking glory
for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge.
160.082.020
Torrey: p141, T:VIII(2),
P:2
POINT 20: The
humility of Jesus Christ was manifested in His avoiding publicity and praise.
Isaiah
42:2 He will not shout
or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets.
Many professed followers of Jesus Christ
court publicity. He shunned it. He strictly charged those whom He had benefited
not to make it known. He had no advertising agency.
160.082.030
Torrey: p142, T:VIII(2),
P:3
POINT 30: The
humility of Jesus Christ was manifested in His associating with the despised
and outcast.
Matthew
9:10 While Jesus was having
dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came
and ate with him and his disciples.
Luke
15:1-2 [1] Now the tax
collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. [2]
But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes
sinners and eats with them."
160.082.040
Torrey: p142, T:VIII(2),
P:4
POINT 40: The
humility of Jesus Christ was manifested in His patient submission to outrageous
injury and injustice.
Isaiah
50:5-6 [5] The Sovereign
LORD has opened my ears, and I have not been rebellious; I have not drawn back.
[6] I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out
my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.
160.082.050
Torrey: p142, T:VIII(2),
P:5
POINT 50: The
humility of Jesus Christ was manifested in silence under outrageous injury and
injustice.
Isaiah
53:7 He was oppressed and
afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
160.082.060
Torrey: p143, T:VIII(2),
P:6
POINT 60: The
humility of Jesus Christ was manifested in His silence under false accusations.
1
Peter 2:23 When they hurled
their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.
Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
Matthew
26:60-63 [60] But they
did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came
forward [61] and declared, "This fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the
temple of God and rebuild it in three days.'" [62] Then the high priest
stood up and said to Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this
testimony that these men are bringing against you?" [63] But Jesus remained
silent. The high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living
God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God."
Luke
23:8-10 [8] When Herod
saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting
to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some
miracle. [9] He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer.
[10] The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently
accusing him.
Jesus did not defend His own good name. He
left that to God. He "committed Himself to Him that judges righteously,"
and to the One who has given Him "the name that is above every name."
Philippians
2:9 Therefore God exalted
him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
=== DISCUSSION ===
Reviser's Note: We are often encouraged to
"act like Jesus." Jesus submitted to injustice for a unique
reason -- to open a path to salvation for all men. This is one
instance in which we should not act like Jesus. It has often been
said that "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men
to do nothing." By failing to speak out against false accusations, we become
co-conspirators
160.082.070
Torrey: p143, T:VIII(2),
P:7
POINT 70: The
humility of Jesus Christ was manifested in His coming to minister and not to
be ministered to.
Matthew
20:28 just as the Son of
Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom
for many.
160.082.080
Torrey: p143, T:VIII(2),
P:8
POINT 80: The
humility of Jesus Christ was manifested in His performing the most humble and
menial and repulsive services for others.
John
13:4-5 [4] so he got up
from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.
[5] After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples'
feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
160.082.090
Torrey: p143, T:VIII(2),
P:9
POINT 90: The
humility of Jesus Christ was manifested in His choosing the lowliest place of
service as a slave, instead of the loftiest place of glory as God.
Philippians
2:6-7 [6] Who, being in
very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
[7] but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made
in human likeness.
160.082.100
Torrey: p143, T:VIII(2),
P:10
POINT 100: The
humility of Jesus Christ was manifested in His being "obedient to death,
even death on a cross."
Philippians
2:8 [8] And being found
in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death -- even
death on a cross!
=== DISCUSSION ===
Most Christians incorrectly believe that
crucifixion was the normal Roman method of execution. It is believed
that crucifixion was developed by the Persians about 600 B.C. (which makes the
prophetic description of Christ's crucifixion in Psalm
22 all the more significant, since crucifixion did not exist
when the Psalm was written). Also, cruel as the Romans were, even they
reserved crucifixion mainly for the worst criminals and some political prisoners.
Also, crucifixion was not merely a slow,
brutal, torturous method of execution; it was considered an utterly disgraceful
method of execution. It was viewed as such a disgrace that first-century Jews
usually refused to bury persons who had been crucified, often leaving their
corpses out in the open to rot or be eaten by animals. This is
the manner of death that Jesus freely accepted because the Father willed it.
160.082.112
Torrey: no
POINT 112: The humility
of Jesus Christ was manifested in His becoming man.
Jesus Christ is and always has been God.
He is and always had been omniscient. He is and always had been all-powerful.
Merely by becoming a man He gave up more power than we can even imagine, more
than a man would give up by becoming an amoeba.
160.082.122
Torrey: no
POINT 122: The humility
of Jesus Christ was manifested in His being a respectful son to His earthly
parents.
Note: At one point during the wedding at
Cana, Jesus addresses Mary as "Woman, ...." Although in English it
seems surly and condescending for a son to address his mother as "Woman",
in Aramaic such usage did not have negative connotations.
160.082.132
Torrey: no
POINT 132: The humility
of Jesus Christ was manifested in His being willing to die for people who have
sinned against Him, often repeatedly.
A proud man, an arrogant man, would say "Why
should I suffer for people I cannot trust, people who wrong me, ask my forgiveness,
and then wrong me again?"
160.082.142
Torrey: no
POINT 142: The humility
of Jesus Christ was manifested in His being willing to die for people who He
knew would never accept Him and who would never be thankful for His sacrifice.
=== DISCUSSION ===
Jesus did not die so that all men will
be saved; He died so that each man can be saved. The Bible makes
it clear that those whose names were not written in the book of the living before
the creation of the world will not be saved. Revelation
20:15 Jesus knew this, yet He still died not only for the righteous,
but also for these.
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