You can’t go two pages when reading the Gospel Record without finding an example of Jesus being humble. Most people would jump to the example of Jesus washing the feet of His Disciples. And while that is a great example, there are many more. I suppose it’s a fallacy to look for “occasions” or “actions” when Jesus was humble. In truth, Jesus never had to “do” humility; Jesus simply was humble. It wasn’t an action He undertook on occasion; it was a characteristic He exhibited all the time.

We talk a lot about people living a humble life. Jesus certainly did, but He also died a humble death…

  • He humbled Himself before Judas who betrayed Him. He could have stopped the traitor’s heart and killed him on the spot, but instead willingly was taken.
  • He humbled Himself before the Sanhedrin who blasphemed and lied, twisting the laws and any sense of justice in order to convict Him. He could have brought down the room where they were convening but instead allowed Himself to be found guilty.
  • He humbled Himself before Pilate, who knew He was innocent but still bowed to political pressure and sentenced Him to die. He could have wiped the whole Roman Empire off the map but instead He did stood there silently while a cowardly man decided “better you than me,” missing the eternal irony in that decision.
  • He humbled Himself before the Roman scourger, who took The Scorpion Flagellum to His back, ripping it to mangled shreds. He could have sent that pagan sinner straight to Hell to burn unendingly, but instead He took the strikes without a word.
  • He humbled Himself before the grunt that drove the spikes into His body. He could have called (more than) twelve legions of angels, to destroy the world and set Him free. Instead He lowered His hands, lowered His feet, and lowered Himself. He deserved to be lifted up higher than all of us, but the only time He was lifted up was when He humbled Himself to the cross, and was lifted up to be killed.

He lowered Himself beneath every sinner who played a part in His death. Including you and me, for whose sins He came to be killed.

~ Matthew