– PARABLES OF JESUS –
The Parable of the Tax Collector and Pharisee’s Prayer
It’s important for a speaker to know his audience. Of any speaker, we should expect that Jesus knew how to read an audience, and we see His ability to do so displayed several times in the gospels. To introduce the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, Luke reveals that Jesus knew those who were listening to Him, and adapted His teaching to best serve their needs. Luke tells us that Jesus spoke to those whho trusted in their own righteousness and despised others.
The parable reads:
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. (Luke 18:9-14)
These two men represent the extreme difference you would find in a crowd listening to Jesus. The Pharisees positioned themselves as the religious elite in Jewish society, but they severely overstated their righteousness and respect for God. They were a self-righteous bunch who had little concern for anyone but themselves. At times, they listened to Jesus teach, but they seldom did so because they wanted to be instructed by Him. They wanted to know what He was teaching, and were looking for something in His teaching to accuse Him.
Some perceived tax collectors as a despised group of people, even viewing them as traitors to their nation. Some earned their reputation, taking advantage of those whom they collected taxes from, charging more than what they ought. However, it would be unfair to paint all of them with the same brush. Recall, Jesus went to the house of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10), who was an honest tax collector. Surely he was not alone. In fact, Jesus’ apostle Levi, better known as Matthew, worked as a tax collector, as did many of his friends. They appeared regularly in Jesus’ audience, perhaps encouraged by men like Levi and Zacchaeus to listen to the Good Teacher.
In Jesus’ parable, both men came to the temple to pray. Notice how Jesus characterized the Pharisee’s prayer. Though he referenced God in his prayer, he was not praying to God, but “with himself.” Two things we might deduce from this—one, the man’s words were for himself and about himself, and two, God was not listening to his prayer.
Notice the things spoken by the Pharisee:
I thank You that I am not like other men.
Could there be a more arrogant statement? He considered himself to be greater than other men, more righteous, better.
I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I possess.
He was proud of his works. The Pharisees were avid fasters, but not so they could focus themselves on meditation and prayer. They made a show of fasting, to receive the praise of men. It was as though they sounded a trumpet beforehand with their tithes so that people might see what they were doing. For them, religion was not about God and giving glory to Him, but about themselves and how much glory they could receive.
There is no hint of humility in the Pharisee at all. His words ring of arrogance. He performed his deeds to receive the praise of men. Even his posture, when contrasted with the tax collector, tells us something about the Pharisee. He stood in the presence of God and bragged on himself.
Notice then how Jesus describes the tax collector. He kept at a distance, not supposing himself to be worthy to come into the presence of God. He stood “afar off” and did not even raise his eyes to heaven. The tax collector did not despise heaven or wish to be away from God’s presence; but simply did not consider himself worthy to even glance toward heaven. He even went so far as to beat upon his breast, a sign of extreme grief and sorrow over his sin.
The tax collector did not exalt himself, or flatter and flaunt himself before God as the Pharisee. He did not present a list of his works to impress the Lord. He confessed he was a sinner and needed mercy.
Place yourself in Jesus’ day for a moment and think about seeing these two men at the temple in prayer. One, a well respected religious leader, known for good works, lauded for his holiness. A man from a class of men who are considered outstanding citizens, not thought to cheat or steal or abuse or mistreat anyone. And then nearby, this man who has presumably built his wealth by taking from his countrymen at the tax offices intermittently found along the roadsides throughout the land. He may never have been seen doing a good work, may not wear long tassels or a large phylactery, and by looking at him, you would never get the impression that he is fasting. He belongs to a class of men characterized as thieves—what could make him any different?
Having presented these two men to His audience, Jesus spoke of the latter:
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. (Luke 18:14)
Friend, where do we belong in this parable? Who are we like? Do we exalt ourselves above others, claiming that we are something special before God? Or do we humble ourselves in the presence of God and confess that we are sinners, needing God to shower His mercy upon us? Do we do our deeds to be seen by men, as the Pharisees did (Matthew 6:1-4)? Or do we look for opportunities where we can do good and give the glory to God (Matthew 5:16)?
Luke tells us that Jesus spoke the parable because some trusted in their own righteousness and despised others. Does that describe us? If so, then take to heart the lesson of the parable, such individuals are not heard by God, nor are they justified in His presence. May each of us humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord (James 4:10).
Links: YouVersion | GROW magazine
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