Humility in the Old Testament

Abstract

This thesis begins from the observation that in both Jewish and'' Christian ethics humility has an accepted place among the virtues, despite the fact that not everyone would accept a positive evaluation of humility. Humility as a virtue can be defined as that, disposition which is the opposite of, pride, and which has three mutually interacting aspects. "Towards God it is a recognition of one's dependence upon him and a subjection of oneself to him. Towards oneself it is a realistic assessment of one's place and a curbing of undue ambition. ' Towards"others"it is a 'regard for them and a willingness to give oneself'in'"service'to them. This positive understanding of humility can be illustrated from early Jewish literature, including the Apocrypha, the documents from Qumran, the Talmud and the Midrash and from the New Testament.