Jesus often spoke about Himself in metaphorical and absolute language throughout the Gospel of John. A few examples of this:
- “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6).
- “I am the door” (John 10:9).
- “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25)
- “I am the bread of life” (6:35)
But there is only one instance in the gospels in which Jesus describes Himself personally, only one instance in which He uses two–the only two–adjectives to self-describe His character: gentle and humble (lowly in other translations).
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 (Matthew 11:29)
There is no more encouraging verse than this. It is the first passage I first point new believers or people experiencing crises in their faith towards. We have a God who became eye-level with us because God understood our pain and inclinations to turn away from His ways. He became perfect so we didn’t have to, yet He doesn’t call Himself that because of the humanity He took on to forgive us of our sins and be near to us. Though I have read this verse countless times, it remains the most emotionally evocative one for me. As a kid, I knew about Jesus but it wasn’t until I really digested this verse that I understood who He actually was. As such, I believe going from knowledge to relationship is a rite of passage believers must experience in order to fully grasp the goodness of God. The Son of Man, the only-begotten son of the Almighty God conveys himself as gentle and lowly. To sit with this is to acknowledge just how accessible and approachable our God is and how He truly lived what he preached.
In the Beatitudes, Jesus tells us the meek will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5), echoing sentiments shared by a multitude of verses in the Old and New Testaments:
- Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering[.] (Colossians 3:12)
- Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. (Titus 3:1-2)
- But the meek shall inherit the earth, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. (Psalm 37:11)
- I will leave in your midst a meek and humble people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD. (Zephaniah 3:12)
Jesus says that we must take His yoke upon us, meaning we are to do His will with humility and allow Him to intercede in our lives. As God continues to pour Himself into us, we have the responsibility to heed His messaging. Christ, a teacher at heart, implores us to learn from Him. He communicates His gentleness to ward off any discomfort or fear of approaching a perfect God. Further, this verse communicates just how relational Jesus is and His desire to be in relationship with us. A God who wanted to perpetuate distance from His followers and assert His power would not describe Himself as gentle and lowly.
The Bible does not mince words about the character Christians should exemplify. Over and over again, we are reminded that the Word became flesh (John 1:14) and Jesus as the Word embodied exactly how God instructs us to live and act in accordance with His laws. The adjectives He uses parallel those used to describe a servant, as is echoed in Paul’s letter of joy:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:6-8 NIV)
I really want to draw attention to–and sit with–exactly what Paul says: “[H]e made himself nothing.” What other religious tradition has a God that so willingly chose subservience and death to save us from an eternity apart from Him? He came with no ego, no desire to be above those He ministered to and came to rescue. Jesus was able to heal the sick, resurrect the dead, and perform a host of miracles that confirmed his deity. He was all-powerful, though he expressed Himself in sobering humility. He did not weaponize His gifts or instill fear in the minds of his followers. He was aware of his awe-inspiring nature and wanted His followers, past and present, to feel secure in being in His presence. So in the one instance in scripture where He uses adjectives to describe His characteristics, He chooses to communicate Himself as a humble servant who welcomes us to His table with open arms. We shouldn’t ever hesitate to serve God because Jesus never did.
Father, I thank you for showing your character to us through your Son. I ask that you unburden me from a prideful heart that prevents my becoming meek, humble, and gentle-spirited. I ask that you work in me to better reflect an image of Christ who showed by example, who exemplified leadership through His service to you.
For further reading:
Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers by Dane Ortlund
One of my very favorite books (that you gave to me 😉) is Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund. I love the countless examples of Jesus walking humbly regardless of the immense power that He has. I think being able to humble oneself and lead with compassion for others is the sign of a true leader. Thank you for this reminder!
Tristan, I love that you brought attention to Matthew 11:29. I had never realized that Jesus was describing himself here! How beautiful to see Jesus describing himself as gentle and and humble.
Love the prayer. Pride is so dangerous and a problem for many of us. I stand in agreement with the prayer. I think there is a scripture that says to humble yourself and pray. That implies humility is a decision and an action, like prayer. Holy Spirit, teach us.