Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 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. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 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!’ 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."
a. To some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: The connection between those who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and those who despised others is almost inevitable. If I credit myself for my "great, spiritual walk with God," then it is an easy thing to despise you for your "low, carnal walk with God."
b. Two men went up to the temple to pray: Both men prayed, but both men did not come to God the same way. The Pharisee and his prayer were entirely self-centered; he prayed thus with himself, and in his short prayer he repeats I five times.
- It is entirely possible to address your words to God, but actually be praying to yourself, because your focus is on yourself, not on God. Your passion is for your agenda, not God’s. Your attitude is mine will be done not Thy will be done.
- God, I thank You that I am not like other men: How could the Pharisee have such a high opinion of himself? It isn’t hard when you compare yourself to man (even as this tax collector). You can always find someone worse.
- I fast twice a week: In those days many Jews fasted on the second and fifth days of each week, because they believed that Moses went up on Mount Sinai to receive the law on the fifth day of the week, and that he came down with the law on the second day of the week.
- What the Pharisee said about himself was true. His trouble was not that he was not far enough along the road, but that he was on the wrong road altogether.
c. We wonder how anyone could be so proud before God; but we really can be - though we cover it with a spiritual veneer.)
d. 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!" The Pharisee relied on his own power and deeds before God, but the tax collector relied on the mercy and compassion of God. He recognized that he was a sinner who needed the mercy of God.
- We can imagine the Pharisee praying with eloquent words and flowing, spiritual style; anyone who heard him pray would say that he was a spiritual man. And the tax collector would pray awkwardly, with halting phrases and fear; but his prayer pleased to God.
e. Why would the tax collector beat his breast? The idea was that you were so aware of the sin and corruption of your heart that you would hit at your own heart as a punishment. The verb tense of beat his breast describes a continual action - he kept on doing it
- The ancient Greek word for be merciful is hilaskomai; it is actually the word for an atoning sacrifice. The fullest sense of what the tax collector is saying is, "God, be merciful to me through Your atoning sacrifice for sins, because I am a sinner." The only other place this word is used in the New Testament is in Hebrews 2:17, where it is translated propitiation.
f. This man went down to his house justified rather than the other: The justification of the tax collector was immediate. He humbly came to God on the basis of His atoning sacrifice, and was justified. He didn’t earn his justification, he didn’t have a probationary period; he was simply justified.
g. Jesus applies the message of the parable: everyone who exalts himself will be abased, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Essentially, the Pharisee saw prayer and his spiritual life as a way to be exalted, but the tax collector approached God in humility.
- True humbleness is simply seeing things the way they are. The Pharisee saw himself as something great when he wasn’t, and the tax collector saw himself as a sinner needing God’s mercy, which he was.
- We gain nothing by coming to God in the lie of pride. The principle God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble is so important God repeats it three times in the Scriptures (Proverbs 3:34, James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5).
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