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LUKE - Christ, the Savior of the World
A Bible Study Course on the Gospel of Christ according to Luke
PART 4 - JESUS' MINISTRY DURING HIS JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM (Luke 9:51 - 19:27)
28. The Pharisee and the Tax Collector Praying in the Temple (Luke 18:9-14)
LUKE 18:09-14
9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
How do the elect of God pray for the coming of Christ and his kingdom? Are these saints good, perfect, and prepared for his coming, or are they lacking godliness, righteousness, and love?
Jesus shows us a Pharisee who went into the temple during the time specified for private prayer and meditation (usually 09.00 A.M. and 03.00 P.M) to glorify God. The Pharisee had a great conceit of himself and trusted in his own abilities rather than in God. This proud man was convinced of his own righteousness. It did not cross his mind that he might be a sinner, for he had kept strictly to the law and its interpretation, with tithing and fasting. He spoke words full of disrespect for men, for he loved nobody but himself, and told what he thought of himself, glorifying himself. He was selfish even in prayer, though he came to pray with good intent, but his key-word was “I”. And when he had uttered his first words at the beginning of his prayer, he stood up proudly and boastfully standing aloof from the others at prayer, and began to pray, “God, I thank you”. It is certainly right to glorify God for his being and blessed works. Would that our life becomes entirely thankfulness for his salvation. But that Pharisee, full of himself and his own goodness, began to mention his good deeds before the Almighty, making clear that his thoughts were on himself, while he despised and condemned other men as extortioners, unjust, adulterers, and disreputable, according to his experience. He did not find any stain of sin in himself, but praised himself for doing more than the law required.
He fasted twice a week (Tuesday and Friday), in addition to the once-a-year-fasting required in the Law of Moses (Leviticus 16:29). Pharisees made a matter of merit out of those observances which were over and above what was required. Therefore they expected the righteousness of God to come as a well-deserved honor. His worship was not only in theory but also in deeds, and included his money. He tithed not only his land and livestock, according to the rites of the law, but also his possessions, even the smallest matters for the support of the service of the Levites in the temple of the Lord. The Pharisee stood before the Holy One giving him an account memorized from the list of his virtues, with self-esteem and arrogance, as if he expected God to say to him admiringly: “Well done, smart, righteous, great one! You are worthy of paradise.” Yet if we look in fact, we see that this Pharisee did not praise God in his prayer but praised himself, and therefore his prayer became blasphemy against the merciful Creator.
While this Pharisee prayed apart from others in the temple, a deceitful tax collector also stood apart from the multitudes. He was ashamed of himself, for he knew that all those present looked scornfully at him and condemned him. They were right, for he was humble himself and showed humility in his prayer. Feeling unworthy to call on God, he smote his breast, regretting his evil work, and confessing his sin. This man stood broken before God. He experienced the nearness of the Holy One within his conscience, overcome by his sense of unworthiness.
Thank God that the sinful tax-collector remembered the name of his true God, and prayed to the Holy Trinity, believing that the only God is in three persons. He did not say: “O God”, but: “Elohim,” (which is ordinarily translated “God”) convinced that the Holy Trinity would hear his timid words, and not reject or justly consume him. As such the wicked one held fast to grace, seeking mercy for he could never produce good deeds, nor did he find in himself the strength to give promises to reform himself or to practice such reformation and repentance. In holding fast to the mercy of God, he spoke the incredible word, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” He did not say, “.. me, one of the sinners”, as most people say, but, “.. Be merciful to me a sinner” implying that he was more corrupt than others, and worthy of death.
Having confessed his condition, he did not lose hope, but put himself into the hands of God, trusting his eternal grace and taking firm hold of his true love. Then Jesus said, delighted with him: “This repentant sinner was justified. He experienced in his heart the comfort of the Holy Spirit, for God generously answered his prayer and forgave his sin completely.
This parable helped to explain the Pauline theology of justification, with which Luke, as a student of Paul, was quite familiar. It is to be mentioned that Luke was the only evangelist who recorded this parable, to make clear to us justification of the brokenhearted and the grace poured on the repentant sinner regardless of works. Keep the essence of this story in your heart.
The Pharisee continued in his arrogance and cheated himself, for his own righteousness was useless. At the revelation of the kingdom of God he will appear shut-off by pride, while God will raise the sincere repentant humble sinner to his level, having answered his prayers, and cleansed him from all sins with the precious blood of Christ.
Thus Jesus teaches us how to make our stand and attitude in prayer, that we may not pray proudly, convinced of our own godliness, but trust in the cross alone, living by God alone.
PRAYER: We glorify you Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for you raised repentant sinners and justified them when they came to you brokenly in their own thoughts. Teach me, O Lord of knowledge, that I am the sinner, and enable me to hold fast to your grace that I may say the complete prayer: “God be merciful to me a sinner.”
QUESTION 111: Why was the sinful tax collector justified, and the Pharisee was not?