First Peter 5:5 “Put On The Apron of Humility”
AND ALL OF YOU CLOTHE YOURSELVES WITH HUMILITY TOWARD ONE ANOTHER:
Several good translations of the verse:
Amplified: Likewise, you who are younger and of lesser rank, be subject to the elders (the ministers and spiritual guides of the church)—[giving them due respect and yielding to their counsel]. Clothe (apron) yourselves, all of you, with humility [as the garb of a servant, so that its covering cannot possibly be stripped from you, with freedom from pride and arrogance] toward one another. For God sets Himself against the proud (the insolent, the overbearing, the disdainful, the presumptuous, the boastful)—[and He opposes, frustrates, and defeats them], but gives grace (favor, blessing) to the humble.
KJV: Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
NLT: You younger men, accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, serve each other in humility, for “God sets himself against the proud, but he shows favor to the humble.”
Phillips: You younger members must also submit to the elders. Indeed all of you should defer to one another and wear the “overall” of humility in serving each other. ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble’.
Wuest: Likewise, younger ones, be in subjection to the elders. Moreover, all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes himself to those who set themselves above others, but gives grace to those who are lowly.
Young’s Literal: In like manner, ye younger, be subject to elders, and all to one another subjecting yourselves; with humble-mindedness clothe yourselves, because God the proud doth resist, but to the humble He doth give grace;
AND ALL OF YOU CLOTHE YOURSELVES WITH HUMILITY TOWARD ONE ANOTHER:
- (1Peter 4:1,5; Therefore, since Christ has 1suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
- Romans 12:10; Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;
- Ephesians 5:21; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.
- Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
- 1Peter 3:3,4; Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.
- 2Chr 6:41; 41 “Now therefore arise, O Lord God, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your might; let Your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation and let Your godly ones rejoice in what is good.
- Job 29:14; “I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe and a turban.
- Psalms 132:9,16; Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, And let Your godly ones sing for joy.
- Isaiah 61:10; I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
- Ro mans13:14; But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.
- Col 3:12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience
Clothe yourself (1463)
an apron a servant wears while working gather or tie in a knot, hence to fasten a garment, to clothe) (found only here in the NT) literally means to tie something on oneself with a knot or a bow and was a term often used to describe a slave putting an apron over his clothes in order to keep his clothes clean.
This verb also refers to the white scarf or apron of slaves, which was fastened to the belt of the vest and distinguished slaves from freemen, hence the idea is “gird yourselves with humility as your servile garb”.
Peter uses the aorist imperative which signifies a command calling for “soldier like” obedience. Calls for a specific, definite, decisive choice. “Do this now, at once “
This is a vitally important command that dare not be dismissed without significant consequences (e.g., pride blunts the Spirit fed stream of God’s amazing grace as in James 4:6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
And which is necessary not just for salvation the first time as in Ephesians 2:8-9, but is also necessary for “salvation” daily = sanctification, present tense salvation
In addition them its in the middle voice: which indicates we are to initiate the action and participate in the results or effect of this action.
This phrase can be translated “Put on the apron of humility” which is an appropriated paraphrase picturing the scarf or apron as the badge of a servant.
How easily the world’s competitive spirit filters into the hearts of Christians and Christian workers who become envious of one another’s success. How seldom we think of ourselves as servants for Christ’s sake
Its a problem in the local church that far too many Christians do not have this attitude of humility toward one another.
The Christian believer is as one put it “tie yourself up in humility” gathering it around us like a coat to shut out the blighting winds of pride.” What this phrase is saying: “it is performing selflessly an task God assigns, and bringing forth spiritual fruit.”
Vincent’s Word Study puts it this way: “Put on and wrap yourselves about with humility, so that the covering of humility cannot possibly be stripped from you.”
Remember as Jesus laid aside His outer garments and put on a towel to become a servant, so each of us should have a servant’s attitude and minister to each other.
Humility is not demeaning ourselves and thinking poorly of ourselves. It is simply not thinking of ourselves at all!
The idea is putting on as it were a coat of humility, and showing a yielding to another, in that you show support for the other person in their work for the Lord in the church.
Too many Christians want to think of themselves higher than others, but here Peter is saying just lie low, be humble. We are to think of ourselves in an attitude of humility, it is the quality of unpretentious behavior, a modest estimation of one’s abilities, without arrogance, even in our own mind we think modesty.
Here is the right attitude: Humility:
Inasmuch as we are small compared to God, this is the correct estimate of ourselves. The word indicates the esteeming one’s self as small or recognizing one’s insufficiency but at the same time recognizing the powerful sufficiency of God!
- Acts 20:19; serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me 1through the plots of the Jews;
- Eph 4:2; with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,
- Phil 2:3; Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
- Col 2:18, 23; Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.
Vine’s (which I have used back in First Baptist Church, Altoona, Kansas) says:
that Humility” indicates, not a merely moral quality, but the subjection of self under the authority of, and in response to, the love of the Lord Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit to conform the believer to the character of Christ. In contrast to the world’s idea of being “poor-spirited” the Lord commends “the poor in spirit” Matthew 5:3
Humility was not thought of very highly in the ancient world (pun intended) and in fact was even considered to be a vice by the pagan moralists. Christ and Christianity elevated humility to the supreme virtue – the antidote for the self-love that poisons relationships.
Humility is not thinking poorly of oneself. Rather, it is having the proper estimate of oneself in the will of God. The person with humility thinks of others first and not of himself.
Humility, when it becomes self-conscious, ceases to have any value.
Jesus modeled the essence of humility which is being able to put others’ needs and desires ahead of one’s own Philippians 2:3-4).
Rivers Of Joy Baptist Church 