There’s a proverb that both Peter and James quote in their epistles. It goes like this: “God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5, NET). Here, we see two different reactions that God has to two different human attitudes. On the one hand, He offers grace when we’re humble (the mindset needed to acknowledge that we need His grace). On the other hand, He is in opposition to the proud (a mindset that sets itself in opposition to God).

God cares a great deal about the state of our hearts, how we relate to Him, and the way we behave. Once God opens our eyes to His truth and begins a relationship with us, we still have choices to make. We can live as His friends or we can keep doing things that would make us His enemies. There are many verses addressing this idea, but these provide a particularly succinct summary.

The Proverbs Context

Both Peter and James are quoting Proverbs 3:34. Many proverbs stand on their own, but this one is part of a larger message of instruction that begins, “My son, don’t forget my teaching; but let your heart keep my commandments” (Prov. 3:1, WEB). Readers are admonished to pay careful attention to sound teachings, trust in the Lord rather than themselves, and accept correction from the Lord as required (something only possible with a humble attitude). We’re also told to prioritize wisdom and use it in our dealings with others. The passage ends with some warnings.

Don’t envy the man of violence.
    Choose none of his ways.
For the perverse is an abomination to Yahweh,
    but his friendship is with the upright.
Yahweh’s curse is in the house of the wicked,
    but he blesses the habitation of the righteous.
Surely he mocks the mockers,
    but he gives grace to the humble.
The wise will inherit glory,
    but shame will be the promotion of fools.

Proverbs 3:31-35, WEB

The phrase “he mocks the mockers” is what was translated into Greek as “he opposes the proud.” In Hebrew, “mocks” and “mockers” are from the same word, luts (H3887). The basic meaning is to scorn or mock. By showing it as the opposite of humility, this proverb indicates “that the particular type of wickedness of the scorner is pride” (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, entry 1113). Proverbs 21:24 also bears out this connection: “The proud and arrogant man—“Scoffer” is his name—he works in the arrogance of pride.”

It makes me think of the verse in Hosea that says, “The pride of Israel testifies to his face” (Hos. 5:5, WEB). God’s people had been proud, and haughty, and think they know best but their pride stands testament to their misdeeds. Keep reading in chapter 5, and you’ll see God sounding a battle cry to go out and “pour out my wrath on them like water” (Hos. 5:10, WEB). That imagery of God going out in battle against the proud is what we find in the Greek translations of Proverbs 3:34.

As mentioned earlier, the New Testament quotes of this proverb read, “God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5, NET). In Greek, “oppose” is translated from antitassomai (G498), which means “to range in battle against” (Thayer). That’s also the word used in the Septuagint when they translated Proverbs 3:34 into Greek. It seems to have been well understood that the right way to translate God’s response to pride-filled scorners was as fierce opposition.

Proverbs 3:34 In James

Let’s look at the passage where James quotes this proverb. It’s the verse that inspired me to take a closer look at this topic (interestingly, I’d made myself a note to study grace and pride next, and then the sermon I heard last Sabbath also covered pride). We’ll start reading several verses before the quote for context.

Where do the conflicts and where do the quarrels among you come from? Is it not from this, from your passions that battle inside you? You desire and you do not have; you murder and envy and you cannot obtain; you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask; you ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, so you can spend it on your passions.

Adulterers, do you not know that friendship with the world means hostility toward God? So whoever decides to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy. Or do you think the scripture means nothing when it says, “The spirit that God caused to live within us has an envious yearning”? But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.” So submit to God. But resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and make your hearts pure, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter into mourning and your joy into despair. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.

James 4:1-10, NET (bold italics mark a quote from Prov. 3:34)

The phrase “but he gives greater grace” puzzles me. Why not simply “grace;” isn’t that already great? What is “greater grace,” and why is it contrasted with the human spirit that lives in us? Then, why does that contrast lead into Proverbs 3:34 with a “therefore.” James clearly sees these concepts as both interconnected and very meaningful for us, so it seems like something we’d benefit from puzzling out.

Let’s go through this passage again. First, James calls attention to the source of conflicts among believers (the audience he’s addressing is the “brothers and sisters” in “the twelve tribes dispersed abroad” [Jas. 1:1-2, NET]). The root cause of these issues is wrong passions and desires for things of the world. It is a basic truth that loving and lusting after worldly things makes you God’s enemy. You can’t befriend the world and stay a friend of God.

Though James references scripture when he says, “The spirit that God caused to live within us has an envious yearning,” it doesn’t exactly match any Old Testament verse. The NET translators point out, “No OT verse is worded exactly this way. This is either a statement about the general teaching of scripture or a quotation from an ancient translation of the Hebrew text that no longer exists today” (note on James 3:5). We do know from scripture that God breathed life into man in the garden of Eden, and that there is a big difference between that human spirit and the holy spirit of God (Gen. 2:7; 1 Cor. 2). In Jeremiah, God said, “The heart is deceitful above all things and it is exceedingly corrupt” (Jer. 17:9, WEB). Another translation phrases this line, “The human mind is more deceitful than anything else. It is incurably bad” (Jer. 17:9, NET). Perhaps that verse in Jeremiah was one of the scriptures James had in mind when we wrote his letter.

When you focus in on descriptions like “hostility toward God,” “envious yearning,” “exceedingly corrupt,” and “incurably bad,” it makes more sense why we desperately need grace that stands in sharp contrast to that human spirit inside us. In Greek, the word translated “greater” is meison (G3187), the comparative form of megas (G3187; root of the English word “mega”). It describes something that is “greater, larger, elder, stronger” (Thayer’s dictionary, entry G3187). The grace God gives us is bigger, older, stronger, and so much greater than the problems we face within or outside of ourselves. I think the emphasis here is that while human nature can be terribly wicked and hostile to God, His grace is surpassingly greater. He can fix even the most prideful, quarrelsome person if they are willing to cleanse their hands, purify their hearts, “grieve, mourn, and weep” over their sins, and admit they need His grace.

Proverbs 3:34 In 1 Peter

When Peter quotes this proverb, he also focuses on how people in the church interact with each other. His emphasis is not so much on the depravity of human nature and the necessity of repentant humility, though. He’s urging his readers–particularly those in leadership–to care for others without lording over them. Really, though, submission and humility is a subject that’s relevant for everyone, as supported by the proverbs quote.

 So as your fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings and as one who shares in the glory that will be revealed, I urge the elders among you: Give a shepherd’s care to God’s flock among you, exercising oversight not merely as a duty but willingly under God’s direction, not for shameful profit but eagerly. And do not lord it over those entrusted to you, but be examples to the flock. Then when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that never fades away.

In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. 

1 Peter 5:1-5, NET (bold italics mark quote from Prov. 3:34)

There’s a Rick Warren quote that says, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less” (The Purpose Driven Life, Day 19). Similarly, C.S. Lewis wrote that “if you meet a really humble man … He will not be thinking about humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all” (Mere Christianity, Book 3, Chapter 8). Our focus shouldn’t be on ourselves, but on doing the will of God. We need to realize that pride is a sin, confront it in our lives (identifying it, repenting of it, and asking God to help us change), and move forward with living lives patterned after God’s holiness. That will help us in our relationships with others. It will open us up to God’s grace. And it even helps us in our spiritual battles (which James also mentioned when he said, “resist the devil and he will flee from you”).

And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. And God will exalt you in due time, if you humble yourselves under his mighty hand by casting all your cares on him because he cares for you. Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour. Resist him, strong in your faith, because you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are enduring the same kinds of suffering. And, after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him belongs the power forever. Amen.

1 Peter 5:5-11, NET (bold italics mark quote from Prov. 3:34; italics may be an allusion to Ps 22:13)

I’ve been wrapping up final copyedits this week on the Like An Anchor Study Guide: Armor of God book (which I’d planned to release last month, but I temporarily lost all my editing notes when we moved), so this feels like a particularly relevant passage right now. One of the things we need to realize when approaching spiritual warfare is that we can’t do it on our own. Thinking you can stand up against the roaring lion all by yourself is a recipe for disaster. We need to humble ourselves before the Almighty and entrust Him with all our cares. Then we can stand against His adversary while wearing His armor (Eph. 6:10-18).

Also, notice that Peter once again calls our attention to “the God of all grace” before wrapping up his letter. It is God’s charis–favor within a reciprocal covenant relationship–that enables us to live humble, victorious lives. His “greater grace” makes it possible for us to overcome pride in ourselves and to resist our adversary the devil, who was so proud he thought he could overthrow God. When we give into that same sin of pride, we’re putting ourselves on the wrong side of that battle. But when we humbly admit pride is a problem and ask God for help getting rid of it and keeping it out of our lives, He graciously aids us with all our cares and empowers us to win spiritual battles.

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