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Parable of The Pharisee and Publican |
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Luke 18:9-14
9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon 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 every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Notes on Customs
The term Temple is used here as a figure of speech called a Synecdoche. A Synecdoche is where a part stands for the whole or the whole stands for a part. In this case Temple (a part) stands for the whole of the Temple complex. The Temple proper was a single building standing apart in approximately the center of the Temple Mount courtyard. The Temple grounds had three courts. The inner court was called the Court of Israel, this is where the priests performed the offerings and the slaughter of the animals was done. It was a bloody area. Jewish men apparently had access to this court. The next court was called “The Court of Women.” Only Jewish men and women were allowed in this court. The third court is the outer court. People of all nations were permitted to enter this court. There was a wall, about four feet tall, separating this outer court and inner grounds of the Temple. A stone has been found which was inscribed with the warning that any who go beyond this boundary do so at the risk of their lives. The entire complex was enclosed by massive stonewalls with gates. Built on and into the walls were shops, moneychangers, and sellers of sacrificial animals. On the inward side of the south wall, was the Royal Stoa. The Great Sanhedrin met and conducted its business in the Royal Stoa. Beneath the Temple grounds is a complex system of vaults, cisterns and storage areas. Some of these subterranean caverns are huge. Solomon’s stables are identified to have been underground in the southeast corner of the mount. Also, one massive cistern has been discovered which could hold 700,000 gallons of water.
Where exactly these two men went to pray is unknown. A proper guess would somewhere outside of the inner curt. It is thought that the publican would not have been allowed to go beyond the court of the women, if that far. This is a public open-air porch. Jesus declared that God’s House is a House of prayer. Assuming that all are welcomed to come and pray it may be that the outer court or plaza (Court of the Gentiles) was the traditional place to assemble and offer prayers. The hour of prayer was twice a day, first in the morning at 9:00 A. M. and then in the afternoon at 3:00 P. M.
Only one fast a year was prescribed by law, that on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:29 and Num. 29:7). By all accounts available the twice-weekly fast of the Pharisees is thought to be on Mondays and Thursdays during the seasons of the holy days.
A Tithe is a tenth or a tenth part. The laws of tithing are contained in the books of Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Here is a brief summary of the law of tithing.
- - - A tenth part of all the increase of the land was to be brought to the Temple and offered as a heave offering. If the distance was too great for them to carry the tithe or the tithe itself was to great to carry, then the tithe could be sold for money and the money brought to the Temple. The Tithe was called the tithe of the land, and specifically mentioned tithes are of the fruit of the tree, the herd or flock, the wheat from the threshing floor, wine from the winepress, and olive oil. All of this is of the increase, the production, and not a tithe of what persons may possess. While not mentioned, it is implied that profits from trade and business was also to be tithed.
Lev. 27:33 states that no search of good or bad of the increase shall be made, but whatever may pass under the rod shall be given and no exchanged made. In other words they were not allowed to keep the best and give the tenth from the inferior. In Leviticus it states that the tithe was to go to the Levites for they had no inheritance in the land. The Levites also had to give a tithe of what they received as a heave offering. The excess was stored at the Temple and from it orphans, widows, and the poor were to be assisted. The nature of the law of tithing assumes the character of a national tax upon all Israelites. It supported the Temple, the priests and the benevolent work of charity. - - -
The study of the Pharisees is too great to present in our study here. But, it does need to be understood that many men belonged to this sect, they were not all alike nor did they all take on the same characteristics. This particular Pharisee reminds us of Paul when he said he was a Pharisee of the Pharisees. This Pharisee’s life reflects the extreme views and conduct of that sect.
I have covered Publicans in the study of the Parable of the Lost Sheep.
Language Notes
Verse 9. The word “Trusted” is a form of the word faith. Jesus was addressing those who believed, were persuaded or had confidence in themselves and none at all in God. To have self-confidence is not in itself a bad thing, but when it reaches that point where it excludes God, then it is disastrous.
The despising of others is to consider or treat others as nothing. It is a cruel attitude.
Verse 11. His praying is in the middle voice, which means he was praying or speaking to himself. Though he addresses God he asks nothing of Him. His gratitude to God is for his own merits and not for God’s grace or mercies.
Verse 13. “Breast” is his heart. The heart is regarded in two ways, as the seat of sin and the seat of emotion. The publican beating his breast has been taken in two ways. First, is that he realized how sinful his heart was and hence was beating it, as to beat his own wickedness. Second, and probably more accurate, is that the heart is the seat of emotion and his beating it was a display of intense feeling.
The definite article is before “sinner.” It should read, “God be merciful to me the sinner.” The main point in the contrast lies in this article. The Pharisee thought of others as sinners. The publican thinks of himself alone as the sinner.
The term rendered “be merciful” is related to “atonement,” for it actually means to propitiate or be a propitiation (Rom 3:25, 1 John 2:2). Propitiation is a covering, used in the Old Testament of God covering sins. His request is for God to be a propitiation unto him.
Points of the Parable
The religious deeds of the Pharisee are truly remarkable. His apparent virtuous life goes well beyond the demands of the Old Testament law and God.
It was only required that the tithe be paid on the yield, or production increase. Whatever a person might posses, technically would have already had its tithe paid on it. What this Pharisee was doing was paying a tithe on all that he purchases. This is the reasoning; when he buys items, such as bread from the market, he cannot be absolutely sure that the farmer who grew the wheat used to make the bread had paid a tithe on the wheat. Therefore the bread could in some legal sense be unsanctioned and thus unacceptable. The extreme of tithing is also seen in Matthew 23:23, Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. The mint and cumin along with mustard, dill, etc. are garden produce or herbs and free from the law of the tithe. But, they paid it. This was one of the distinctive characteristics of “the sect of Pharisees.” Their practice in this respect may be summed up in these words of the Mishnah: “He tithes all that he eats, all that he sells, and all that he buys, and he is not a guest with an unlearned person so as not possibly to partake of what may not have been left “untithed.”[1]
His fasting twice a week was also an addition to the annual fast of the Law. The Pharisees added fasting twice a week between Passover and Pentecost, and between the Feast of the Tabernacles and Dedication of the Temple.
Given the character of this man it is easily accepted that he led a clean, moral life. To all outward appearances he was a man of high moral fiber and of good character. What others could see in him was a lofty and distinguished level righteousness. He and others like him did far more than duty and what circumstance required. The people who heard the Sermon on the Mount must have been shocked when Jesus told them that except their righteousness exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees they could not enter in the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matt. 5:20)
All that this man did he thanked God for. In his own eyes his gratitude was that he was not like others and God had made him such a man. He did and said nothing in praise of God or for the glory of God (see Gal. 6:14). He made no requests of God. This shows a man who is perfectly satisfied with himself and has no thought of any needs. To do the things he did, to make the sacrifices he made should have been to glorify God, instead of his own glorification.
The attitude of the Publican was entirely different. His prayer consisted of seven words. Standing alone, beating his heart, with eyes cast down all picture a man of a broken heart and contrite spirit. It is an expression of despair. When he said, “me the sinner” it shows that in his mind he is the worst of the worst. There are none for him to look down on. The Pharisee thought of others as sinners. The publican thinks not at all of others. The power and force of his humility is tremendous. God granted to him repentance and he pleaded for His mercies. Whatever good works of the law he might have had we do not know, for he entirely omits speaking them. His words were all confession of his need.
They both got what they asked for. The Publican received God’s favor, mercy and justification. The Pharisee asked nothing and he got nothing. One was accepted and the other rejected. Both men went home satisfied.
Comparing the two we see points of vital contrast. One flattered himself, demonstrating his pride. The other was honest and demonstrated his humility. Pride kept one apart from the rest. Guilt separated the other from the rest.
The Interpretation
It is noteworthy to find few, if any at all, expositors using the allegory in interpreting this parable. As a matter of fact, none that I read really made any interpretation at all. The story is so clear and concise that nothing is left to interpret. Everything about this parable is given in the conclusion Christ spoke in verse 14.
Edersheim made a very good point when he wrote, “In contrast with the parable of the Unjust Judge, just given, which dealt with unrighteousness, this parable deals with Self-Righteousness. The previous parable pointed to continuance in prayer, this parable points to humility in prayer.”[2]
The Application
I say unto you that when this man went home, God had justified him rather than the other (verse14)
For the child of God who has come to Him in repentance, confession and faith, this Parable holds no surprise. But for those hearers, who did not understand repentance, but only penance, it had to have been a complete surprise. The mind of Judaism of that day did not grasp that all have sinned and come short of the righteous demands of God. To tell a Pharisee that he stood just as condemned before God as the worst sinner of Israel would have been insulting to him. And, yet, it is the truth. His great fault is not in what he did but rather what he is. His theology and virtue blinded him and was his ruin.
This message also brings to light the saying in Mark 2:17, When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. And so the parable ends with the general principle: For everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
How closely the Publican’s prayer and its results are to that of Psalm 51.
1. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.
This is the true character of God. He welcomes and desires the despairing, hopeless sinner and rejects the proud self-righteous. His mercy for the sinner is boundless and freely given. This is God.
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.(14)
Pride is a curse. It is a sin that destroys fellowship, with God and others. We should curse our pride and humble ourselves before Him. To do this is for us to embarrass, humiliate and disgrace ourselves before Him in our prayers and hearts. Pride will not allow this, but repentance demands it from us. We must yield.
[1] Demai ii 2. Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus The Messiah, Vol. 2, Page 291
[2] Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus The Messiah, Vol. 2, Page 289. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan, Sept. 1973.
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Next: Parable of The Ten Virgins |
This page last updated September 14, 2004 at 10:45am
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