Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647), Westminster Assembly

Question 27

Wherein did Christ’s humiliation consist?

Christ’s humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low conditiona made under the lawb undergoing the miseries of this lifec the wrath of Godd and the cursed death of the crosse in being buriedf and continuing under the power of death for a time.g

Wherein did Christ’s humiliation consist?

Christ’s humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low conditiona made under the lawb undergoing the miseries of this lifec the wrath of Godd and the cursed death of the crosse in being buriedf and continuing under the power of death for a time.g

  1. a. Luke 2:7

    Luke 2:7

    2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

    2:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

    King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

  2. b. Galatians 4:4

    Galatians 4:4

    4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

    4:4 But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

    King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

  3. c. Hebrews 12:2–3; Isaiah 53:2–3

    Hebrews 12:2–3

    12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

    12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 12:3 Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

    Isaiah 53:2–3

    53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

    53:2 He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him. 53:3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

    King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

  4. d. Luke 22:44; Matthew 27:46

    Luke 22:44

    22:44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

    22:44 And in His anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.

    Matthew 27:46

    27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

    27:46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

    King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

  5. e. Philippians 2:8

    Philippians 2:8

    2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

    2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death-even death on a cross.

    King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

  6. f. 1 Corinthians 15:3–4

    1 Corinthians 15:3–4

    15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

    15:3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 15:4 that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

    King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

  7. g. Acts 2:24–27; Acts 2:31

    Acts 2:24–27

    2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. 2:25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: 2:26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: 2:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

    2:24 But God raised Him from the dead, releasing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for Him to be held in its clutches. 2:25 David says about Him: 'I saw the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 2:26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will dwell in hope, 2:27 because You will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.

    Acts 2:31

    2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

    2:31 Foreseeing this, David spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did His body see decay.

    King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

Diff style

Changes in The Baptist Catechism (1695), Question 30

No change, but in spelling and punctuation.

No change, but in spelling and punctuation.

The Baptist Catechism (1695), Question 30

Wherein did Christ’s humiliation consist?

Christ’s humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low condition, made under the law, undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the cross; in being buried, and continuing under the power of death for a time.

Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647), Question 27

Wherein did Christ’s humiliation consist?

Christ’s humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low condition made under the law undergoing the miseries of this life the wrath of God and the cursed death of the cross in being buried and continuing under the power of death for a time.

The Baptist Catechism (1695), Question 30

Wherein did Christ’s humiliation consist?

Christ’s humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low condition, made under the law, undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the cross; in being buried, and continuing under the power of death for a time.

The Baptist Catechism (1695), Question 30

Wherein did Christ’s humiliation consist?

Christ’s humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low condition, made under the law, undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the cross; in being buried, and continuing under the power of death for a time.

Westminster Shorter Catechism (modernized) (1647), Question 27

Wherein did Christ’s humiliation consist?

Christ’s humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low condition made under the law undergoing the miseries of this life the wrath of God and the cursed death of the cross in being buried and continuing under the power of death for a time.

The Baptist Catechism (1695), Question 30

Wherein did Christ’s humiliation consist?

Christ’s humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low condition, made under the law, undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the cross; in being buried, and continuing under the power of death for a time.

Related (5)

Westminster Larger Catechism (1647), parallel to this question

Question 46

What was the estate of Christ’s humiliation?

The estate of Christ’s humiliation was that low condition, wherein he for our sakes, emptying himself of his glory, took upon him the form of a servant, in his conception and birth, life, death, and after his death, until his resurrection.

Question 47

How did Christ humble himself in his conception and birth?

Christ humbled himself in his conception and birth, in that, being from all eternity the Son of God, in the bosom of the Father, he was pleased in the fulness of time to become the son of man, made of a woman of low estate, and to be born of her; with divers circumstances of more than ordinary abasement.

Question 48

How did Christ humble himself in his life?

Christ humbled himself in his life, by subjecting himself to the law, which he perfectly fulfilled; and by conflicting with the indignities of the world, temptations of Satan, and infirmities in his flesh, whether common to the nature of man, or particularly accompanying that his low condition.

Question 49

How did Christ humble himself in his death?

Christ humbled himself in his death, in that having been betrayed by Judas, forsaken by his disciples, scorned and rejected by the world, condemned by Pilate, and tormented by his persecutors; having also conflicted with the terrors of death, and the powers of darkness, felt and borne the weight of God’s wrath, he laid down his life an offering for sin, enduring the painful, shameful, and cursed death of the cross.

Question 50

Wherein consisted Christ’s humiliation after his death?

Christ’s humiliation after his death consisted in his being buried, and continuing in the state of the dead, and under the power of death till the third day; which hath been otherwise expressed in these words, he descended into hell.

Commentaries (9)

  • Joseph Alleine, 1672, A Most Familiar Explanation of the Assemblies Shorter Catechism

    Wherein consists Christs Humiliaiion? Christs Humiliation consists in his being Born, and that in a low Condition, made under the Law, undergoing the miseries of this Life, the…

    Joseph Alleine’s text
  • Thomas Lye, 1672, The Assemblies Shorter Catechism Drawn out into Distinct Propositions

    Wherein did Christs Humiliation consist? Christs Humiliation consisted, in his being born, and that in a low condition, made under the Law, undergoing the miseries of this life,…

    Thomas Lye’s text
  • Thomas Vincent, 1673, An Explicatory Catechism

    Wherein did Christs Humiliation consist? Christs Humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low condition, made under the Law, undergoing the miseries of this Life,…

    Thomas Vincent’s text
  • 1675, An Explicatory Catechism

    Wherein did Christs Humiliation consist? Christs Humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low condition, made under the Law, undergoing the miseries of this life,…

    Its text
  • John Flavel, 1692, An Exposition of the Assembly’s Catechism

    Wherein did Christ’s Humiliation consist? Christ’s Humiliation consists in his being born, and that in a low condition, made under the Law, undergoing the miseries of this life,…

    John Flavel’s text
  • Thomas Watson, 1692, A Body of Practical Divinity

    1 TIM. 3.16. Great is the Mystery of Godliness, God manifest in the flesh. Quest. XVII. Wherein did Christ’s Humiliation consist? Resp. In his being born, and that in a low…

    Thomas Watson’s text
  • Matthew Henry, 1703, A Scripture Catechism

    Wherein did consist Christ’s Humiliation? Christ’s Humiliation consisted in his Being Born, and that in a low Condition, made under the Law, undergoing the Miseries of this Life,…

    Matthew Henry’s text
  • Alexander Whyte, 1883, A Commentary on the Shorter Catechism

    Christ’s humiliation—Lat. humilis, near the ground. From same root also human and homage. This is a Scripture term as applied to our Lord (Acts viii. 33; Phil. ii. 8). And the…

    Alexander Whyte’s text
  • Benjamin Beddome, 1752, A Scriptural Exposition of the Baptist Catechism

    On The Baptist Catechism (1695), Question 30, which adapts this question

    Did Christ humble himself? Yes. He made himself of no reputation, Was Christ made under the law? Yes. He was made of a woman, made under the law, Did Christ undergo the miseries…

    Benjamin Beddome’s text