Previous
Language
Directory
Luke
The Pharisee and the Tax Collector
1. The parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector appears in the Gospel of Luke, and is a story told by Jesus to illustrate the importance of humility and repentance.
2. In the parable, a Pharisee and a tax collector went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself, thanking God that he was not like other people, such as robbers, evildoers, adulterers, or even like the tax collector standing next to him. The Pharisee then boasted about his religious activities, claiming that he fasted twice a week and gave a tenth of all he earned.
3. On the other hand, the tax collector, who was despised by the people because of his profession and thought of as a sinner, felt ashamed and unworthy to stand before God and instead stood at a distance. He beat his breast and prayed humbly, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner".
4. Jesus then declared that the tax collector, not the Pharisee, was the one who went home justified before God. Jesus said that whoever exalts himself will be humbled, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
5. This parable teaches us that the attitude of our heart when we come to God matters more than our religious activities or social status. Jesus emphasizes the importance of humility and genuine repentance, rather than self-righteousness, in approaching God.
6. The Pharisee saw himself as better than others and relied on his good deeds to earn favor with God, while the tax collector recognized his sinfulness and his need for God's mercy. This story reminds us that it is not our external actions that make us righteous, but rather the state of our hearts.
7. The parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector serves as a call to humility and a reminder that true righteousness comes from recognizing our own sinfulness and relying on God's grace and mercy.
