What Jesus Said About Reputation, Popularity & Social Approval (17 Teachings)

What is highly esteemed among humans may be detestable before God.

Read the Scripture Luke 16:15

King James Version

Luke 16:15

¹⁵And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

A prophet is not accepted in his hometown.

Read the Scripture Matthew 13:57; Mark 6:4; Luke 4:24; John 4:44

King James Version

Matthew 13:57

⁵⁷And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

Mark 6:4

⁴But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.

Luke 4:24

²⁴And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.

John 4:44

⁴⁴For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.

Do not practice righteousness merely to be seen.

Read the Scripture Matthew 6:1

King James Version

Matthew 6:1

¹Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

Charity should not be performed for applause.

Read the Scripture Matthew 6:2–4

King James Version

Matthew 6:2–4

²Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
³But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
⁴That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

Prayer should not be performed for public admiration.

Read the Scripture Matthew 6:5–6

King James Version

Matthew 6:5–6

⁵And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
⁶But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Fasting should not advertise spirituality.

Read the Scripture Matthew 6:16–18

King James Version

Matthew 6:16–18

¹⁶Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
¹⁷But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
¹⁸That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

Do not seek the best seats and public honor.

Read the Scripture Matthew 23:6–12; Luke 14:7–11; 20:46

King James Version

Matthew 23:6–12

⁶And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
⁷And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
⁸But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
⁹And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
¹⁰Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
¹¹But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
¹²And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Luke 14:7–11

⁷And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,
⁸When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;
⁹And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.
¹⁰But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.
¹¹For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Luke 20:46

⁴⁶Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;

Religious leaders are condemned for doing religious works to be seen.

Read the Scripture Matthew 23:5

King James Version

Matthew 23:5

⁵But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

Religious leaders are condemned for loving honor, best seats, greetings, and titles.

Read the Scripture Matthew 23:6–12; Mark 12:38–40; Luke 11:43; 20:45–47

King James Version

Matthew 23:6–12

⁶And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
⁷And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
⁸But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
⁹And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
¹⁰Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
¹¹But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
¹²And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Mark 12:38–40

³⁸And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces,
³⁹And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:
⁴⁰Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

Luke 11:43

⁴³Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.

Luke 20:45–47

⁴⁵Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples,
⁴⁶Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;
⁴⁷Which devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.

Woe when everyone speaks well of you, because false prophets received such approval.

Read the Scripture Luke 6:26

King James Version

Luke 6:26

²⁶Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

Jesus answers the charge of demon possession by saying he honors the Father and does not seek his own glory.

Read the Scripture John 8:48–50

King James Version

John 8:48–50

⁴⁸Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?
⁴⁹Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me.
⁵⁰And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.

Jesus sometimes told the people he healed to tell no one.

Read the Scripture Matthew 8:4; 9:30; 12:16; Mark 1:44; 5:43; 7:36; 8:26

King James Version

Matthew 8:4

⁴And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

Matthew 9:30

³⁰And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.

Matthew 12:16

¹⁶And charged them that they should not make him known:

Mark 1:44

⁴⁴And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

Mark 5:43

⁴³And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.

Mark 7:36

³⁶And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it;

Mark 8:26

²⁶And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.

Seeking human glory can obstruct genuine faith.

Read the Scripture John 5:41–44

King James Version

John 5:41–44

⁴¹I receive not honour from men.
⁴²But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.
⁴³I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
⁴⁴How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

The one who seeks the sender's glory rather than his own is true.

Read the Scripture John 7:18

King James Version

John 7:18

¹⁸He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

Whoever serves Jesus must follow him, and the Father will honor that servant.

Read the Scripture John 12:26

King James Version

John 12:26

²⁶If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

Jesus is not driven by human applause.

Read the Scripture John 5:41; 6:15; 8:50

King James Version

John 5:41

⁴¹I receive not honour from men.

John 6:15

¹⁵When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

John 8:50

⁵⁰And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.

Jesus seeks the Father's glory rather than self-glory.

Read the Scripture John 7:18; 8:50; 17:1–5

King James Version

John 7:18

¹⁸He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

John 8:50

⁵⁰And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.

John 17:1–5

¹These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
²As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
³And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
⁴I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
⁵And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

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What Jesus said about Reputation, Popularity & Social Approval

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What Jesus said about Reputation, Popularity & Social Approval

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