Jesus said: Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: “I thank you, God, that I am not like other people – cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.”
But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, “O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.” I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. – Luke 18: 10-14
Two men go to the temple, and two men pray. But that is where their commonalities end.
The Pharisee, he’s a good man. He’s not like everyone else. He goes to church and he tithes; he reads the Torah every day and he observes the Sabbath; he keeps company with those who are superiorly moral and observe the Law, and he even fasts twice per week. He’s admired by his fellow Pharisees, and respected in his community.
The tax collector… well, he’s not so good. In fact, he’s despised by his fellow Jews. The locals call him a swindler, claiming that he inflates their taxes and pockets the difference. And if they’re late with the payment, he charges them double. He spends more time sitting on a barstool than a church pew, and often runs afoul of the Torah.
But unlike the Pharisee in the temple that day, the tax man recognizes his corruption. Standing in the light of a holy and righteous God, he makes no effort to hide his sin. He is overcome with sorrow and admits his worthlessness. “Have mercy on me, O God! For I am a sinner!”
The tax collector prayed to God. He offered nothing good about himself and cried out for mercy, knowing that he had done nothing to earn God’s grace and forgiveness. But the Pharisee? He used the word “I” five times in his prayer. He wasn’t praying to God; he was praying to himself. He was checking all of the boxes, as though he was narrating his resume while interviewing for a job. He was morally superior to the tax man, and he made it known. But for all intents and purposes, the Pharisee would’ve been better off just simply staying home, for such a prayer is not heard by God.
The tax collector, however, exhibited the precise attitude that Jesus spoke about in the Sermon on the Mount. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:3). Poor in spirit… meaning I have absolutely nothing to offer God to atone for my sin, and completely reliant on God’s grace and mercy.. Jesus finished the parable by saying, “I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God” (v.14).
Sadly, most days I’m not heartbroken over my sin like the tax collector Jesus described. Truthfully, I’m prone to being just like that Pharisee more than I care to admit. Sometimes when I pray, I feel like I’m doing it out of obligation, as though I’m somehow doing God a favor. Like the Pharisee, I find myself boasting on occasion about all of the “good” things I do, going through my resume and ticking those boxes. And man… if I had a dollar for every time I’ve either thought to myself or said it aloud, “Hey, at least I’m not like that guy…“ which is nothing less than comparing myself with someone else just so I can feel better about my own sin.
O God, please… have mercy on me, a sinner!
The Pharisee was full of praise, but he rejoiced “not for who God was but rather for who he was.” – C. Marvin Pate
Former Blackout Artist 