Divine Humility: ταπεινόω (Strong’s G5013: tapeinoō) Leads to Glory

Strong’s G5013: A verb meaning “to humble, make low,” ταπεινόω represents both voluntary self-humbling and divine humbling. In the New Testament, it reveals the paradoxical principle that those who humble themselves will be exalted, perfectly modeled by the Messiah.

U- Unveiling the Word

ταπεινόω embodies the profound spiritual principle of humbling that leads to exaltation. This verb captures both voluntary self-humbling and divine humbling of the proud, revealing a core dynamic of God’s kingdom. In its New Testament usage, it appears prominently in the Messiah’s teachings about spiritual greatness and in descriptions of His own example. The early church recognized this term as expressing a fundamental pattern of spiritual life – the path to true exaltation passes through voluntary humility. Today, it continues to challenge believers to embrace the counterintuitive truth that the way up is down in God’s kingdom.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: ταπεινόω, tapeinoō, /ta-pei-NO-o/
• Phonetic Guide: “ta” as in “father,” “pei” as in “pay,” “no” as in “no,” “o” as in “go”
• Part of Speech: Verb

Etymology:

• From ταπεινός (tapeinos) – adjective meaning “humble, lowly”
• -όω (-oō) – verbal suffix indicating making or causing to be

D – Defining Meanings

• To make low
• To humble
• To bring down

For compound words:
Not a compound word, but derived from ταπεινός with causative suffix -όω

Translation Options:

• Humble – emphasizes moral aspect
• Make low – captures physical and spiritual meaning
• Bring down – highlights active lowering

E – Exploring Similar Words

• ταπεινός (tapeinos) /ta-pei-NOS/ – “humble” as adjective
  See G5011
• ταπεινοφροσύνη (tapeinophrosunē) /ta-pei-no-fro-SOO-nay/ – “humility” as quality
  See G5012

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Morphological Features:

• Tense: Present/Future/Aorist/Perfect
• Voice: Active/Passive
• Mood: Indicative/Subjunctive/Imperative
• Person: First/Second/Third
• Number: Singular/Plural
• Aspect: Imperfective/Perfective/Stative

Examples:

• ταπεινῶ – I humble
• ταπεινώσει – he/she/it will humble
• ταπεινώθητι – be humbled!
• Cross-references: ταπείνωσις (tapeinōsis) – “humiliation”

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes ταπεινόω’s dual significance in expressing both voluntary self-humbling and divine humbling of the proud. Thayer’s traces its development from physical lowering to spiritual humility. LSJ documents its use in classical Greek for both literal and metaphorical lowering. Vine’s highlights its prominence in teachings about spiritual greatness. Strong’s connects it to the foundational concept of making low or humbling. Moulton and Milligan provide evidence of its use in both religious and secular contexts, showing its broad application to human experience.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First Appearance:
Matthew 18:4: “Whosoever therefore shall [ταπεινώσῃ] humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Additional References:
Matthew 23:12
Luke 14:11
Luke 18:14
2 Corinthians 11:7
Philippians 2:8
James 4:10
1 Peter 5:6

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

ταπεινόω powerfully illustrates the divine paradox that true exaltation comes through humility. This word appears throughout the New Testament, revealing that the path to spiritual greatness runs counter to worldly wisdom. The good news shines through as we see the Messiah Himself model this principle, humbling Himself unto death yet being highly exalted by God. It reminds us that when we humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand, He will lift us up in due time.

D – Did You Know?

1. The term appears in all four Gospel accounts of Jesus’ teaching about humility.
2. Paul uses this word to describe Christ’s incarnation in Philippians 2.
3. Ancient Greek philosophers generally viewed voluntary humbling as weakness rather than virtue.

Strong’s G5013: A verb meaning “to humble, make low,” ταπεινόω represents both voluntary self-humbling and divine humbling. In the New Testament, it reveals the paradoxical principle that those who humble themselves will be exalted, perfectly modeled by the Messiah.

Part of speech: Verb

Tags: humility, self-humbling, divine exaltation, spiritual greatness, Christ’s example, kingdom principles, voluntary submission, spiritual transformation, divine paradox, godly character​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​