PARABLE OF THE PHARISEE AND PUBLICAN (TAX COLLECTOR)
LUKE 18:9-14
As with the last parable, his purpose and intended audience is stated up front:
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt. Luke 18:9
I. THE AIM OF THE PARABLE.
1. Stated (Luk_18:9).
2. Suggestive—
(1) That self-righteousness is possible.
(2) That self-righteousness and contempt for others are closely allied.
(3) That self-righteousness grows from the root of self-deception. -D. C. Hughes, BI
The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.'-Luke 18:11
Stood (σταθεὶς)
Lit., having been placed. Took his stand. It implies taking up his position ostentatiously; striking an attitude. But not necessarily in a bad sense. See on Luk_19:8; and compare Act_5:20. Standing was the ordinary posture of the Jews in prayer. Compare Mat_6:5; Mar_11:25.
"The expression is stronger. Lit., the rest. They threw all others beside themselves into one class. Rev., correctly, all others." -VWS
"It was not prayer to God, but soliloquy in his own praise, and it was in equal parts adulation of himself and slander of other men." -Believer's Bible
The picture contrasts the outward stance and inward heart condition of the Pharisee with that of the publican. In this case, the outside does match the internal life:
"But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’" Luke 18:13
The same verb is used of the tax collector, but "from a distance" is added to it:
Standing (ἑστὼς)
In a timid attitude: merely standing not posturing as the Pharisee. -Vincent's Word Studies
Afar off.
Some explain, from the sanctuary; others, from the Pharisee.
"With the article "a" better translated as "the," the publican was actually saying, "Lord be merciful to me, the ultimate sinner." And that was all he said. We have a tendency to think our prayers are answered in direct proportion to how many times we've been in church, how many times we've had devotions, how many times we've given offering. But nothing is further from the truth. Prayer is not based upon merit. It's based upon mercy. That's what this sinner discovered—and once you learn this lesson, prayer will become a joy to you as well." -Jon Courson
"Too many pray “with themselves.” The only time that we may thank God for not being as others is when we attribute the contrast to His grace, 1Ti_1:12-14. F.B. Meyers
"I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life." 1 Timothy 1:12-16
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| Detail from James Tissot's "The Pharisee and the Publican," 1894 |
The Bible Knowledge Commentary makes a great point here. The temptation to compare our sin-levels with others--especially those who are clearly struggling--is real. However, our standard is God, not man.
"He was using other people as his standard for measuring righteousness. On the other hand the tax collector used God as his standard for measuring righteousness. He realized that he had to throw himself on the mercy of God for forgiveness." -BKC
"His frequent repetition of the personal pronoun I reveals the true state of his heart as conceited and self-sufficient." -Believer's Bible
"Such a self-satisfied gentleman had no need to ask for anything, so he brought no petitions. He uses the conventional language of thanksgiving, but his real meaning is to praise himself to God, not to thank God for himself. God is named once. All the rest is I, I, I. He had no longing for communion, no aspiration, no emotion." -Alexander MacLaren
Albert Barnes points out that hypocrisy and false religion comfortably clothes itself in spiritual garb, nor does it necessarily deny God's existence:
"God, I thank thee - There was still in the prayer of the Pharisee an “appearance” of real religion. He did not profess to claim that he had made himself better than others. He was willing to acknowledge that God had done it for him, and that he had a right to his gratitude for it. Hypocrites are often the most orthodox in opinion of any class of people. They know the truth, and admit it. They use it frequently in their prayers and conversation. They will even persecute those who happen to differ from them in opinion, and who may be really wrong. We are not to judge of the “piety” of people by the fact that they admit the truth, or even that they use it often in their prayers."
Self-exaltation and self-abasement
I. SELF-EXALTATION
6. Is a subtle, hypocritical spirit, often appearing as religious.
7. Deceives the heart it occupies.
-BI
Beautiful:
"Not those who are satisfied with themselves are commended of Him, but those who see and deplore their sinfulness. As a bird must first stoop to fly, so must the soul humble itself ere it finds God. “Behold a great wonder,” says Augustine, “God is high; exalt thyself, He flees from thee: humble thyself, and He stoops to thee.” Because, as the Psalmist says, “Though high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly, but the proud He knoweth afar off.” So the Pharisee returned from the temple as poor as he came, while the publican, whom he despised, wondering how he dared to come, returned made rich by God’s kiss of forgiveness and peace. Little do men know who among them are blessed. God’s angels of joy do not always enter where they most naturally are supposed to go." -A. H. Currier, BI
What an image:
Eze 21:26 thus says the Lord GOD: Remove the turban and take off the crown. Things shall not remain as they are. Exalt that which is low, and bring low that which is exalted.
"God’s condemnation of the Pharisee and acceptance of the publican are no anomalous aberration of divine justice, for it is a universal law, which has abundant exemplifications, that he that exalteth himself is likely to be humbled, and he that humbles himself to be exalted. Daily life does not always yield examples thereof, but in the inner life and as concerns our relations to God, that law is absolutely and always true."-MacLaren
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