ταπεινώσει ἑαυτὸν : the most difficult thing in the world for saint as for sinner. Raphel (Annot. in S. S.) distinguishes three forms of self-humiliation: in mind (Philippians 2:3), by words, and by acts, giving classical examples of the latter two. It is easy to humble oneself by self-disparaging words, or by symbolic acts, as when the Egyptian monks wore hoods, like children's caps (Elsner), but to be humble in spirit, and so child-like! ὁ μείζων. The really humble man is as great in the moral world as he is rare.

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Old Testament