St. Benedict’s 12 Degrees of HumilitySt. Benedict’s 12 Degrees of Humility

1.1. Fear God, remember his commandsFear God, remember his commands

2.2. Love God’s will, not your own willLove God’s will, not your own will

3.3. Subject yourself to a superiorSubject yourself to a superior

4.4. Accept hard times with patience and Accept hard times with patience and even tempereven temper

5.5. Confess to someone your sinsConfess to someone your sins

6.6. Be Content, know that you fail GodBe Content, know that you fail God

St. Benedict’s 12 Degrees of HumilitySt. Benedict’s 12 Degrees of Humility

7.7. Declare and believe you are the worstDeclare and believe you are the worst

8.8. Only do what you are toldOnly do what you are told

9.9. Do not speak until spoken toDo not speak until spoken to

10.10. Keep emotions in check.Keep emotions in check.

11.11. Speak with quiet voice and few Speak with quiet voice and few words.words.

12.12. Outward actions reflect inward realityOutward actions reflect inward reality

Matthew 23:3b (ESV)Matthew 23:3b (ESV) — — For they preach, but For they preach, but do not practice.do not practice.

““Take heed, therefore, to yourselves first, that Take heed, therefore, to yourselves first, that you be that which you persuade your you be that which you persuade your hearers to be, and believe that which you hearers to be, and believe that which you persuade them to believe. . . . It is a persuade them to believe. . . . It is a palpable error of some ministers, who make palpable error of some ministers, who make such a disproportion between their teaching such a disproportion between their teaching and their living; who study hard to preach and their living; who study hard to preach exactly, and study little or not at all to live exactly, and study little or not at all to live exactly. . . . We must study as hard how to exactly. . . . We must study as hard how to live well, as how to preach well.live well, as how to preach well.

——Richard Baxter, The Reformed PastorRichard Baxter, The Reformed Pastor

Matthew 23:1–3 (ESV) — Matthew 23:1–3 (ESV) — 11 Then Jesus said Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, to the crowds and to his disciples, 22 “The “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, seat, 33 so practice and observe whatever so practice and observe whatever they tell you—but not what they do. For they they tell you—but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice. preach, but do not practice.

Matthew 23:4 (ESV)Matthew 23:4 (ESV) — — They tie up heavy They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.not willing to move them with their finger.

Galatians 6:2 (ESV)Galatians 6:2 (ESV) — — Bear one another’s Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Hosea 6:6 (ESV)Hosea 6:6 (ESV) — — For I desire steadfast For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.rather than burnt offerings.

Matthew 9:13 (ESV)Matthew 9:13 (ESV) — — Go and learn what Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” righteous, but sinners.”

Matthew 12:7 (ESV)Matthew 12:7 (ESV) — — And if you had known And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.the guiltless.

Matthew 11:28–30 (ESV) — Matthew 11:28–30 (ESV) — 2828 Come to me, Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. give you rest. 2929 Take my yoke upon you, Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 3030 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”light.”

Matthew 5:17–20 (ESV)Matthew 5:17–20 (ESV) — — 1717 “Do not think “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. but to fulfill them. 1818 For truly, I say to you, For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. all is accomplished. 1919 Therefore whoever Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. kingdom of heaven.

2020 For I tell you, unless your righteousness For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Philippians 2:8 (ESV)Philippians 2:8 (ESV) — — And being found in And being found in human form, he humbled himself by human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.even death on a cross.

Matthew 23:5–12 (ESV) — 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, 6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. 8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ.

11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Matthew 6:1 (ESV)Matthew 6:1 (ESV) — — “Beware of practicing “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. heaven.

Matthew 23:12 (ESV)Matthew 23:12 (ESV) — — Whoever exalts Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. humbles himself will be exalted.

““There is but one way in which God should be There is but one way in which God should be loved, and that is to take no step except with loved, and that is to take no step except with Him and for Him, and to follow, with a Him and for Him, and to follow, with a generous self-abandonment, everything generous self-abandonment, everything which He requires.”which He requires.”

—— Francois Fenelon, Francois Fenelon, Catholic TheologianCatholic Theologian