Language Studies

Greek Thoughts

TAPEINOPHROSUNE* - Part 1 - εχηγεομαι (Strong's #1834)
Humbleness, lowliness, humbleness of mind

Please note that all Biblical quotes are presented from the Literal Translation.

This week we begin a study of ταπεινοφροσὺνη (Strong's #5012), a word compounded from the adjective ταπεινὸς (Strong's #5011) describing a lowly or humble person, and the noun φρὴν (Strong's #5424) describing the faculty of perceiving and judging. Φρὴν is the root word for φρονὲω (Strong's #5426), which describes the thought patterns comprising a person's attitude or frame of mind. (See our four-part series on ταπεινὸς and our seven-part series on φρονὲω in the archives).

To date, we have studied two of the three phases of humbleness. The first phase we considered was revealed in our study of the verb form ταπεινὸω (Strong's #5013). We saw that this verb is expressed, in James 4:10 and 1 Peter 5:6, as an imperative or command in the passive voice. Because of this passive voice, we understand that the believer is to be receptive to God's administration of the humbling process.

The second phase was revealed as it is expressed in the adjective ταπεινὸς (Strong's #5011), which is presented in James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5. Both James and Peter quote Proverbs 3:34, which says, "God sets Himself against proud ones, but gives grace to humble ones." The adjective describes the condition of the one who has been positioned to receive grace from the Lord.

The third phase of humbleness is the focus of our study today. Our text is found, once again, in the fifth chapter of I Peter, since all three phases of humbleness are treated here. The Greek word ταπεινοφροσὺνη (Strong's #5012) is the noun that describes the goal or end result of submitting to the Lord's humbling process and it is the word of focus today.

1 Peter 5:5-6

5)

Likewise, younger ones, be submitted to your elders; and everyone be clothed in humble mindedness (ταπεινοφροσὺνη) while being submitted to one another; because, "God sets Himself against proud ones, but gives grace to humble (ταπεινὸς) ones."

After instructing the under-shepherds (verses 1-4), Peter addresses the entire fellowship of believers telling the younger Christians to be submitted to the older believers. He then commands: "be clothed in humble mindedness while being submitted to one another;" The command is "to be clothed." The Greek word used in the command is ἐγκομβὸομαι (Strong's #1463), which is a word compounded from the preposition ἐν (Strong's #1722), meaning "in," and κομβὸω, meaning "to tie in a knot." The noun form, ἐγκὸμβωμα is the word for a white apron with strings, which was worn by slaves. The verb form, in the imperative, as it exists here, is used to command that believers be clothed in—or put on—the servant's apron. This servant's apron is a figurative representation of our study word ταπεινοφροσὺνη, "humble mindedness."

Ταπεινοφροσὺνη, humble mindedness, is the end result of a process. It denotes a humble frame of mind or humble mindset that has been formed through submitting to God's humbling process. In this verse, Peter is commanding that believers put on a humble mindset—or humble mindedness—just as a slave would submit to putting on a coat or slave's apron.

Peter next states the reason why a Christian should submit to putting on the slave's apron: "because God is setting Himself against proud ones, but is giving grace to humble ones."

6)

Be humbled (ταπεινὸω) therefore under the mighty hand of God, in order that He may exalt you in time;

Peter then calls on believers to "be humbled" under God's mighty hand. This verb form is an imperative in the passive voice indicating that believers are to submit to God who will humble them, rather than attempting to produce humility in themselves.

In summary, Scripture teaches that believers are to submit to God's mighty hand as He brings us low, positioning us to receive His grace. The text indicates that man, as he exists without the Holy Spirit, is incapable of humbling himself. The goal or end result of submitting to God's humbling process is that He develops within us an attitude or mindset of lowliness. It is important to realize that this mindset is the result of a development process. This humble mindset affects our attitudes and approach to the material world in which we live, as well as our associations with other believers, as we will learn in the next two studies from Ephesians 4:2 and Philippians 2:3.

* TAPEINOPHROSUNE is the English font spelling of the Greek word ταπεινοφροσὺνη.

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