“And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 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. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 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. 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” (Luke 18:9-14)
Introduction
Who really impresses God? Who are we trying to impress? The Lord Jesus told this parable so that we would see things through God’s eyes rather than the eyes of flesh. The Pharisee, instead of comparing himself with God’s perfect standards, looked at his own religious and moral attainments, and compared himself with those he thought not to worth saving.
The proud Pharisee
The Pharisee knew exactly what the Scriptures taught. He made sure that every “i” was dotted and every “t” crossed. His heart was in his religion, but unfortunately being legalistic meant that religion had no heart.
Here was a typical religious showman. When he stood up to pray he made sure everyone could see and hear him. He was Reverend Wonderful to those in his parish. Everyone was astounded that he fasted one hundred and four times per year. He must have been super-spiritual because the Law only required him to fast on the Day of Atonement, at Purim, and the commemoration of the fall of Jerusalem. He put God first with regards to his income and gifts he received. “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, 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” (Matthew 23:23).
He thought that he was so good and holy that he was an asset to God. His obedience to the Law, and even going beyond what was required, in his mind meant that he was right with God. He was a very religious man and very proud of it too.
The Pharisee spirit is not far from any of us. It is easy to commend ourselves for our prayerfulness, giving, good works and church attendance, but none of these things make us right with God. Everyone around him might have been impressed, but God certainly was not.
Everyone in the Temple would have thought that the Pharisee had the religious X factor, because he was able to project himself. His CV was impressive. Five times he used the pronoun “I” as he praised himself in the congregation. Like Satan he had a serious “I” problem that clouded his view of himself. In fact the devil had used exactly the same number of pronouns in his self-exaltation, “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High” (Isaiah 14:13-14).
Being full of pride meant that he looked down his nose at everyone else. He was a spiritual snob. He would have been astounded if anyone had suggested that he was in fact a sinner like everyone else. In God’s book there is no such thing as a big sinner or a little sinner, for "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The Pharisee might as well “prayed with himself” because God was not listening! He went away from the Temple empty of God’s grace. The only people God sends away empty are those who are full of themselves.
The pathetic publican
No one would have chosen the publican (tax collector) to be the one commended by God. He was the scum of the earth as far as most Jews were concerned. Everyone knew that he was a liar and a cheat, but the fact is he knew it too. He had a sense of his own unworthiness in the sight of God. He did not compare himself with worse sinners than himself, but saw himself being undeserving of even the least of God’s mercies. In confessing his sin, he got God’s attention without even trying. This man did not lift a self-righteous face to Heaven, but instead looked at himself lost in sin. The Pharisee was too proud to look down and the publican was too ashamed to look up. The publican beat his sinful breast and cried out to God for forgiveness and mercy. Here was a man who was everything the Pharisee was not.
Humility
The world may think that so-called holy men, with their rituals, garb and respectability are close to God, but the Lord Jesus Christ does not see it that way. “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other" (Luke 18:14). The Psalmist wrote, "The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:18). God delights in exalting the humble and humbling the exalted. “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6) … “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted” (Matthew 23:12). The only thing worse than being a sinner is being a self-righteous sinner and not admitting
Conclusion
What Jesus said would have amazed everyone around Him. Surely God wants holy people in Heaven! The fact is, Heaven is filled with sinners who admitted before God that they needed Christ as Saviour. “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance” (Luke 15:7). The Pharisee would have won all the votes in a religious X factor, but the only vote that counts is God’s. The Pharisee built his theology upon a merit system which placed God in debt to man, whereas the Publican knew that God was merciful and righteous.
© 24/1/2008