The Humility of God

God is the only One who can truly be humble, because He is the Most High who condescends from His exaltation.

As for man, who is dust and ashes, man who is altogether sin and iniquity, what does humility mean for him? He is not in a height from which he may descend, nor in perfection that he may conceal. Rather, humility for him is to realize his weakness and to know the truth of the lowliness of his state. As one of the saints said:

• The humility of man is man’s knowledge of himself…

But God is perfect in His greatness, perfect in His holiness, unlimited in His perfection. Therefore, He is the only Being to whom the attribute of humility befits. How then was the attribute of humility manifested in God?

• He was humble in the act of creation, in that He did not wish to remain alone in the attribute of existence. So He granted existence to another…

He was alone from eternity. And He did not will to remain alone, so He shared in existence that which had not been…

Many people, if one of them finds himself in greatness or in a position, gathers all authority into his own hand and shares with no one in work or action…!

But God did not do so, nor did He wish to be alone. He granted existence to non-being, gave it life, and shared with it!

• And from the humility of God is that the beings who rebelled against Him, He still preserves until now and allows them to have authority and power!

Take for example Satan: he rebelled against God, and God was able to annihilate him. But from the humility of God, He did not destroy this resisting enemy, but preserved him. Whenever I contemplate how in the world there are people who curse God and blaspheme Him day and night, and people who deny the existence of God and do not acknowledge Him, and people who disobey God and incite others to disobey Him, yet God bears all this cursing and blasphemy and disobedience without annihilating His adversaries… I realize in the depths the measure of the wondrous humility that characterizes God!!

• From the humility of God is that He endured the ظلم of the wicked

Not only during the crucifixion, or during the period of His Incarnation on earth, but at all times and in every age. He endured and did not avenge Himself, but endured and did good to those who offended Him, in silence and without defending Himself.

• And from the humility of God is that He distances Himself from displays of greatness that bring praise and dazzle people. An example of this is His موقف regarding miracles.

God is able to dazzle people every day and every hour and every moment with miracles and signs and wonders, with visions and revelations and holy appearances, causing them to proclaim His glory and bow before His power. Yet He does not do so.

He restricts the working of miracles to rare necessities… He desires to draw people to Himself through love and conviction, not through wonders and miracles.

• God in His humility allows the least of people to address Him.

It is amazing that dust and ashes find their opportunity to speak with God, God before whom stand the angels and archangels, the cherubim and seraphim, and the innumerable host of the heavenly powers…!

A man may often find difficulty speaking with dust like himself, if that dust holds a high position or great rank.

But God—you may speak with Him and converse with Him; it is even possible that you speak with Him though you have broken His commandments minutes or moments ago.

• From the humility of God is that He raises the status of His children, and may at times hide Himself so that they may appear… He glorifies them by His own works…

For example: instead of performing a miracle directly, He performs it through one of His saints, so that this saint is glorified, and God rejoices in that and says, “He who honors you honors Me.” He grants these His children that His churches and altars be built in their names, that candles be lit before them, and that praises and doxologies be chanted to them.

The Law is the Law of God, yet it is called the Law of Moses, or the Law of Moses. He says, “Because of the hardness of your hearts, Moses permitted you to divorce,” while it was God who permitted. Yet there is no objection that the matter be attributed to Moses.

He said, “They have Moses and the prophets,” while what they had was the divine revelation!

• And God, from His humility, would take the position of one who consults His children!

Before burning Sodom, He says, “Shall I hide from My servant Abraham what I am doing?!” God presents the matter to Abraham, gives him the opportunity to discuss and examine the matter with Him, and takes his opinion.

When He wished to destroy the children of Israel, He did not will to do this directly, but spoke with Moses about the matter. Moses objected and said, “Turn from Your fierce wrath, O Lord, and relent from this harm.” And astonishingly, the humble God carried out the word of Moses, turned from His fierce wrath, and relented from the harm.

• From the humility of God is that He allows us to discuss with Him; indeed, He requests it: “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord.”

There are people who do not accept that anyone discuss with them the orders and decisions they issue. They consider that pride from those who discuss with them and a diminishing of their authority. But God accepts argument.

Righteous Job says to Him, “Make me understand my sin. Will You condemn me that You may be justified?”

And the prophet Jeremiah says to Him:

“Righteous are You, O Lord, when I plead with You; yet let me talk with You about Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper…?”

And David discusses with the Lord and reproaches Him: “Why, O Lord?” “Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10).

God allows us to discuss with Him and does not become angry, but in complete humility listens and carries out what He sees as good.

Indeed, in discussion He may allow words that seem severe…

Abraham says to Him concerning Sodom, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? Would You destroy the righteous with the wicked? Far be it from You, O Lord…” And the Lord listens in humility without being distressed by these words, and satisfies Abraham in meekness…

• The humility of the Lord appeared in the Incarnation, in His self-emptying:

He descended from heaven, took the form of a servant, was found in appearance as a man, and was born in a manger. His creation transgressed against Him; He was reviled yet did not revile in return. He gave His cheeks to be struck, and His face He did not hide from the shame of spitting. “As a sheep led to the slaughter, and as a silent lamb before its shearer,” so He did not open His mouth…

• In His dealings with the demons He was humble, and in His dealings with humans He was humble. And in His humility He allowed Himself to speak with the worst of sinners!

He condescended and spoke with Cain, the first murderer on the face of the earth. When Cain said to Him, “You have driven me out this day from the face of the earth… whoever finds me will kill me,” He answered him in justice and compassion, “Whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold” (Gen. 4).

The Lord also condescended and sent an angel to speak with Balaam. This misleading man, who caused the whole people to stumble and to sin, God in His humility allowed the Holy Spirit to speak on his mouth with some of the most famous prophecies about the Incarnation!! (Num. 23, 24).

• And from the humility of the Lord is that He sat with tax collectors and sinners…

He attended their feasts. He even chose one of them (Matthew) to be His disciple. When He saw their chief Zacchaeus in the tree, He stopped for him, spoke with him, and dined in his house in all humility.

From His humility also that He reclined in the houses of His enemies the Pharisees, and from His humility His allowing the sinful woman to touch Him and wipe His feet with her hair, which stirred doubt in the Pharisee against Him. From His humility also that He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons…!

• From the humility of the Lord also that He was simple with all…

He spoke simply with children, with women, and with the common people. He spoke with them simply, without haughtiness or pride, as one of the sons of men… He delighted to call Himself “the Son of Man.” He was simple in His living (“having nowhere to lay His head”).

• The humility of God is not only the humility of the Son in His Incarnation, but also the humility of the Father as we have previously explained, and the humility of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit who acts with wondrous humility: He descends upon the water in Baptism, and upon the oil in the sacrament of Chrism, and works in wondrous silence and power in the rest of the sacraments. He dwells in the earthly man and takes him as a temple, and speaks upon his mouth. Is He not “the One who spoke in the prophets” and “it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father”? Yes, the Spirit of your Father who works in hiddenness: He speaks, and you utter…

• And from the humility of the Spirit is that He endures us, while we quench the Spirit, grieve the Spirit, and reject His work, and yet He works for our salvation.

For all this the Scripture said of Him, “the gentle and quiet Spirit,” the Spirit who grants us humility and contrition of heart.

• The humility of God has been from the beginning, and continues until now and unto the end of generations, and He addresses us saying:

“Learn from Me, for I am meek and humble in heart.”

We take a lesson for ourselves from the humility of God: if He—King of kings, Lord of lords, and God of gods—has taken the form of a servant, what should we servants do?

If God, perfect in power and authority, often refrains from using His authority; if He who is all-knowing, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,” remains silent and does not display this knowledge, what should we do?

Let us be humble, if we love to be in the image and likeness of God, the God who left us an example when He bent down and washed His disciples’ feet, and bowed and accepted Baptism from His servant John.

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An article by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III – Al-Keraza Magazine – Year Seven (Issue Twenty-Four) – 11-6-1976

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