The Gospel of Luke tells of Jesus encountering crowds of people “who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt” (Lk. 18:9).[1] They were basically self-righteous, prideful, and oblivious to their own brokenness. They went about sizing up others as deplorable wretches ruining society. Those the self-righteous criticized were indeed sinners; however, the real problem had to do with the self-righteous failing to include themselves among the sinners. They were spiritually blind to their own fallen condition.
To address the problem of the self-righteous, Jesus tells the parable about a pharisee and a tax collector coming to the temple of God for prayer:
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. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.” 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!” (Lk. 8:11-13).
The audience is then blindsided by Jesus’ point to the parable: “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other” (Lk. 8:14a). The tax collector leaves justified not the pharisee! What?
Let us take a closer look at this short yet profound parable. The Pharisees were known for their strict observance of Jewish laws and traditions. They were considered “the most pious people in regular Palestinian Jewish society.”[2] They belonged to a movement that sought to guard the holiness of Israel by adhering to the Mosaic Law with remarkable rigor. But they were tainted people nonetheless. They even viewed themselves as morally superior to others to a fault.
In Jesus’s parable, the Pharisee prays aloud in the temple, but his prayer lacks gratitude and repentance. Instead, he lists his own righteous deeds— “I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.” The Pharisee looks down on the tax collector nearby, openly criticizing him before God — “I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.” Maybe fellow Jews overhearing the prayer would have been impressed about the Pharisee thanking the Lord for his pious condition. But all this was outward appearances.
One can even take the Pharisaical prayer as cruel. “No one who is in good health ridicules one who is sick for being laid up and bedridden. He is rather afraid, for perhaps he may become the victim of similar sufferings. A person in battle, because another has fallen, does not praise himself for having escaped from misfortune. The weakness of others is not a suitable subject for praise for those who are in health,” writes Cyril of Alexandria (Commentary on Luke, Homily 120).[3]
The tax collectors in first century Jewish society were viewed as “the most despicable,” and they were “often considered traitors to their people. Pharisees.”[4] A tax collector worked for the Roman Empire. It is also understood that “tax gatherers sometimes collected extra money and kept the profit; although this practice was not legal, it was difficult to prevent,”[5] which prompted John the Baptist to tell the tax collectors coming to receive baptism, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do” (Lk. 3:13). Tax collectors were then targets of disdain among his Jewish peers. The tax collector in Jesus’ parable retains the negative social stigma.
But the tax collector in Jesus’ parable approaches God with a broken and contrite heart. Standing far off, he refuses to lift his eyes to heaven, demonstrating a profound sense of unworthiness. He beats his breast, a gesture of sorrow and remorse. He can only utter a simple yet heartfelt petition: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” He is humble. He recognizes his need for mercy. He epitomizes what it means to come before God with a genuine, repentant heart.
Not the Pharisee but the tax collector stands justified or vindicated before God. The tax collector is vindicated. He stands right. The justified one, despite past actions, yet out of the depths of the soul with humility calls out for mercy. The Lord extends mercy. Thus, the repentant tax collector stands right with God. Then comes the moment in the parable wherein Jesus highlights the crucial principle: “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (Lk. 18:14b). God values a contrite spirit over a proud display of righteousness. While the Pharisee relies on his own works and righteousness, the tax collector places himself entirely at God’s mercy.
How dangerous is pride and self-righteousness. The Pharisee’s downfall lies in his belief that he had achieved moral superiority through his religious practices. That pride blinded him to his own need for God’s grace and separated him from others. In contrast, the humble tax collector sought mercy, and opened his heart to receive God’s grace.
Are we relying on our achievements, or are we willing to acknowledge our need for God’s mercy? Beware of stumbling into the trap of comparing ourselves to others, just as the Pharisee did, and thinking that our “good deeds” make us worthy. But those who are truly close to the Light shining throughout the universe will recognize their own brokenness and with humble hearts give worship to the Lord.
It is often pointed out that Jesus ate with tax gatherers and sinners. But never miss the point and significance of who the Lord dined with. The fact of the matter is everyone who ate with Jesus was a sinner — Pharisees, tax gatherers, disciples, and so forth. All who stand with God are recipients of God’s mercy. Grace upon grace. We err in overlooking our own sin while pointing out the sin in others. We can even err in simply denying our sin is truly sin! (This is starting to happen a lot these days.) But the right step towards the kingdom of God begins with our confession of sin.
The tax collector’s humble entreaty is echoed in the ancient prayer: “Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy.” May we set aside our pride and humbly ask for God’s mercy. This simple act of humility brings us closer to the heart of God and aligns us with the essence of Jesus’s teachings on grace, humility, and love.
— WGN
Notes:
[1] All Scripture cited from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), unless noted.
[2] Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Lk 18:9–10.
[3] Cited from Arthur A. Just, ed., Luke, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005).
[4] Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary, Lk 18:9–10.
[5] Ibid., Lk 3:12–13.
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