Great; Greatness
The Greatness of God
The most fundamental use of "great" in Scripture describes God Himself. Moses declared, "The LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God" (Deuteronomy 10:17). The Psalms overflow with declarations of divine greatness: "Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable" (Psalm 145:3). "For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods" (Psalm 95:3). God's greatness is displayed in His creation (Psalm 104:1-24), His mighty acts of deliverance (Exodus 15:1-18), His steadfast love (Psalm 86:13), and His incomparable wisdom (Isaiah 40:12-28). Unlike human greatness, which is limited and temporary, God's greatness is infinite and eternal.
Great Things God Has Done
Throughout Scripture, God's greatness is revealed through His actions. The exodus from Egypt stands as the defining great act of God in the Old Testament: "Has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war?" (Deuteronomy 4:34). The prophets recall God's great works as grounds for confidence (Jeremiah 32:17-19). Mary's Magnificat celebrates God's greatness in the incarnation: "He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name" (Luke 1:49). The New Testament presents the resurrection of Christ as the supreme demonstration of God's "great might" (Ephesians 1:19-20).
Greatness in Human Terms
The Bible recognizes human greatness in various forms. Abraham was promised that God would make of him "a great nation" (Genesis 12:2). Moses was described as "very great in the land of Egypt" (Exodus 11:3). Solomon's wisdom and wealth made him greater than all the kings of the earth (1 Kings 10:23). Military heroes, wise leaders, and faithful prophets are all described as great. Yet Scripture consistently subordinates human greatness to God's sovereignty. It is God who makes people great (2 Samuel 7:9), and He can humble the great as easily as He raises them up (Daniel 4:28-37).
Jesus Redefines Greatness
The most revolutionary teaching about greatness in all of Scripture comes from Jesus. When His disciples argued about who was the greatest, Jesus placed a child among them and said, "Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:4). When James and John sought positions of honor, Jesus responded, "Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all" (Mark 10:43-44). He demonstrated this principle Himself by washing His disciples' feet (John 13:1-17) and ultimately by going to the cross. This inversion of worldly values remains one of the most challenging aspects of Christian discipleship.
Great Faith
Jesus commended certain individuals for their "great faith," and significantly, these commendations were often directed at outsiders. He praised the Roman centurion's faith as greater than any He had found in Israel (Matthew 8:10). He told the Canaanite woman, "O woman, great is your faith!" (Matthew 15:28). These instances reveal that greatness in God's kingdom is measured not by social status, ethnicity, or religious pedigree, but by simple trust in God's character and promises. Hebrews 11 catalogs the heroes of faith whose greatness consisted not in worldly achievement but in believing God against all appearances.
The Great Commandment and the Great Commission
Two uses of "great" have shaped Christian life and mission more than any others. When asked which commandment was the greatest, Jesus answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:37-39). After His resurrection, Jesus gave the Great Commission: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19). Together, these define the essence of Christian greatness — wholehearted love for God expressed in self-giving service to others and the spread of the gospel to every people.
Biblical Context
The concept of greatness pervades the entire Bible. In the Pentateuch, it describes God's mighty acts and His promises to the patriarchs. In the historical books, it marks the achievements of kings and heroes. The Psalms and prophets celebrate the unsearchable greatness of God. In the Gospels, Jesus radically redefines greatness as humble service. The epistles apply this teaching to church life, and Revelation culminates in the great consummation of God's purposes.
Theological Significance
Biblical greatness ultimately belongs to God alone, and human greatness is always derivative and dependent on Him. Jesus' redefinition of greatness as service stands in direct opposition to every human system of power and prestige. The kingdom of God operates by an inverted economy where the last are first, the humble are exalted, and the servant is greatest of all. This teaching challenges believers in every generation to measure their lives not by worldly standards of achievement but by faithfulness, love, and sacrificial service.
Historical Background
In the ancient Near East, greatness was typically associated with military conquest, territorial expansion, and monumental building projects. Kings boasted of their greatness in royal inscriptions throughout Mesopotamia, Egypt, and beyond. The Greek world debated the nature of greatness through its philosophical traditions. Against this backdrop, Jesus' teaching that greatness consists in humble service was genuinely countercultural. The early church's practice of mutual service, care for the poor, and willingness to suffer rather than dominate represented a radical departure from ancient conventions of honor and status.