Divine Exaltation and Humility: A Comparative Religious Perspective
In Judaism and Christianity, different approaches to self-exaltation can be observed, reflecting the distinctive ideological foundations of these traditions.In Judaism, the ideology often emphasizes the exclusive exaltation of God. For example, as noted in one of the sources, “In Jewish literature, God is constantly described as a king. [...] in Judaism, it is very often applied to God” (source: link txt). This indicates that the concept of greatness is directly linked to the divine kingdom, forming a fundamental principle: only God is worthy of an exalted status, and any display of personal pride or self-exaltation on the part of man lacks genuine value.In Christianity, however, this theme is considered through the lens of apostolic teaching, which underscores the need for humility and contrasts self-exaltation with true spiritual significance. Thus, in the First Epistle to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul instructs, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord. For not one who praises himself is worthy, but his praise is bestowed by the Lord” (source: link txt). Moreover, there is even an ironic moment when the apostle, referring to himself as foolish and incapable of self-exaltation, ends up using the phrase “I am greater” (source: link txt). These examples reflect the Christian ideological stance that true superiority is defined not by subjective pride, but by acknowledging the Divine will and majesty.Thus, in Judaism, the emphasis is placed on the exclusive status of God, which precludes the possibility of human self-exaltation, whereas in Christianity, the teaching is aimed at warning believers against pride and reminding them that glory should be directed to the Lord, not to one’s own “self.” This divergence in approaches demonstrates the fundamental ideological bases of both traditions: Judaism is founded on the idea of absolute Divine authority, while Christianity stresses the necessity of humility and recognition of the supremacy of Divine grace.Supporting citation(s):“In the First Epistle to the Corinthians of the Apostle Paul, which we read today, there are such words: ‘Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord. For not one who praises himself is worthy, but his praise is bestowed by the Lord.’ [...]” (source: link txt)“After repeatedly calling himself foolish and senseless, he later barely dares to begin exalting himself... ‘In folly I say: I am greater.’” (source: link txt)“In Jewish literature, God is constantly described as a king. [...] in Judaism it is very often applied to God” (source: link txt)