KJV - Luke 18:9-14 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. (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.
NIV - Luke 18:9-14 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: (10) “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. (11) The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. (12) I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ (13) “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ (14) “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
There was a show on television when I was growing up called the “Flip Wilson Show”. It was a variety show comprised of various skits. One of the skits featured a character named Geraldine. When Geraldine got caught doing something wrong, she used the famous line: “The Devil Made Me Do it”. When it comes to wrong doing, we like to cast blame to anyone but ourselves. The hard truth is, that WE are our own worst enemies. We have no one to blame but ‘ME’. That is really the message of Jesus in our passage today. We can be our own worst enemy.
At the foundation of “self” is PRIDE. Pride, at least as the Bible uses it, is an exaggerated view of one’s self. That exaggerated view of our own selves causes us to think we are better than others and/or that we know as much as God. The interesting thing about pride is that it is difficult to recognize it in ourselves. If asked, no one would claim to know more than God, but actions speak louder than words. If God says that a particular action is a sin, for instance, if we rationalize that it is not, then we have concluded our way is better than God’s way. In conclusion, we think that we know better than God.
This attitude also finds its way effecting how we treat others. Racism is pride manifested. Again, it is hard to see in ourselves. A person may not say openly that they are better than that “other” group, but we might think that “other group” is some how beneath us.
That is the picture that Jesus is describing in the comparison of the two men praying. One man, a religious leader, sees himself in a manner that he is better than others. He feels he is better than extortioners, the unjust, adulterers, and tax collectors. In his own mind, his sins are less offensive. In his mind, “THEIR” sins are much more disgusting. His sins, I’m sure, are only minor “mistakes”. They are not as bad as those “other people”. What we must all realize that all sin is offensive. All sin separates us from God.
Isaiah 59:1 Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: (2) But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
The pharisee goes on to highlight his good deeds. As if, somehow those deeds in and of themselves makes a person righteous.
On the other hand, the tax collector had the proper perspective of himself. He saw himself as a sinner. He saw himself as someone unworthy to present himself before God. There was no justification that his sins were not as bad as some other guy. Instead he realized that his sin, regardless of how big or small, regardless of few or many was offensive to God. Furthermore he felt that because of his sin, he was unable to look unto heaven. In fact he asked, even pleaded for God’s mercy.
Do we still plead for God’s mercy? Or do we have the attitude that we have already earned it?
Then Jesus brings the conclusion. The latter man, the “sinner”, will go home justified because of this heart and attitude! That state of mind and condition of heart will allow him to submit to the will of God. On the other hand, the other man’s attitude will prevent him from submitting to the will of God because he will think he doesn’t need to
Luke 18:14 ...for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Reflecting His SON,
Dennis Hogan
Minister, North Hardin Church of Christ
1804 Sam Steward Dr.
Radcliff, KY 40160
Questions, comments or further explanation? Contact me at: dennis.hogan@icloud.com
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