In the next section of Luke 18, verses 9-14, Jesus wants to instruct those who "were confident of their own righteousness (or goodness) and looked down on everyone else (vs 9 NIV); despising them. This parable often is entitled, "The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector".
Right there is the crux of the matter. No doubt Jesus had the crowd's attention, instantly. A Pharisee and a Tax Collector! They were at opposite poles of the social system classes and Jesus was about to explode all that; to expose the prejudice as well as the self-righteousness.
"Don't judge a book by it's cover", is a familiar adage. A book's title and/or cover illustration may be all-boring, but if a person peeks inside and reads at random, he or she may discover intriguing delights.
Similarly, if some people do things differently than you, or know less English than you, etc, it doesn't mean they are inferior to you. It does't mean you are better than they, AND, we should not look down on them; Lesson 101.
This is an exceedingly timely message in view of the current widespread demonstrations and riots (two issues that should be separated) in the USA. Why the demonstrations?
Racism.
Unjust treatment.
Years and years worth of it.
Although Jesus' point was not about racism, it was about prejudice nonetheless and Jesus did not keep quiet about it in His day. He spoke simply, yet eloquently. Read the passage, Luke 18:9-14.
Now, going to the Temple to pray was a normal daily occurrence for many of the Jewish people. In fact, they went twice a day: morning and evening. Imagine going to church that often! Once a or twice a week is nothing much. (At least when we were Covid-19 free, we attended.) Anyway, not to get sidetracked...Standing to pray was also a norm. Yet to "socially distance" oneself from the rest of the pray-ers was showing something else. In this case, the Pharisee was showing one and all his "goodness" and therefore that he could not associate with the general "riffraff"; they just were not of his class.
Let me just say here, sort of on the Pharisee group's behalf, that they were needed. Needed in the sense of showing the distinction for defining what God's Laws were and how to live them out. Many of the general congregation would have been illiterate so they needed someone to lead and guide them in God's Laws. The Pharisees and teachers of the law were that 'set'. Sadly, as in Jesus' parable, many became self-righteous in so doing.
Look at this Pharisee's prayer; it exudes arrogance of his self-proclaimed "lofty position". He thanked God,
"...I'm not like...."
Then he listed out the "bad act" guys (vs 11).
"I fast twice a week," (vs 12).
Well, yes, fasting once a year was a norm but this "pious" fellow upped it; twice a week. Exceptional. No doubt Jesus' words gratified the listening Pharisees at this point before the punch line came. What a "good" Pharisee.
Oh, he gives...
"...a tenth of all he gets" (vs 12).
Yes, tithing was the Law and norm too. Yet the tithing, according to the Law, was only on select kinds of income. This guy told God, he tithed from "all he gets"; he had gone way beyond the call of duty.
I wonder how, or even if, we all tithe. If so, is it on the nett or gross income? If one is a student, then likely you are not earning so cannot tithe, per se. If you get a weekly allowance then see that as your income. On top of tithing there are offerings which come from the heart of gratitude. Giving cheerfully is in God's Book.
Another point that would be good to look at is, and I say this because it is very close to my own experience, that those of us who have grown up in a very devout, Bible believing and teaching family and have gone to church at least three or more times a week all your growing-up years, you will have gleaned lots of Bible knowledge and teaching. This can really puff one up with insidious pride. There is a lot of theory in your head that needs to be put into action in the heart. Otherwise, there will be much self-righteousness that will ooze out too, I'm afraid. Those who know less but live it out are those who have a better example of humble Christ-likeness.
Getting back on track...At the bottom of the Pharisee's "I'm not like that" list, did you note who was down there? Yup, the other man praying at a distance, the tax collector, whom we'll "meet" very shortly.
Look at him, over there. Huh.
Yeah, he too was standing at a distance but for an entirely different reason. Make an educated guess why by reading the whole of verse 13.
Tax-collectors were considered 'unclean' as they associated, by nature of their job, with the Gentiles. If you were not a Jew, you were a Gentile. Gentiles don't follow God's laws and therefore were defiled by godlessness and way of life far, far, far, from the "Law-abiding Pharisees" and the standard of God's commandments!
Corruption was basically thought to be in a tax-collector's blood. They would take more money than they should, when collecting taxes from their Jewish brothers on behalf of their Gentile (Roman) captors. This extra 'cream' would go into the tax collector's pocket.
All this combined to keep a tax collector at the bottom of the Pharisee's least-like-list. Unclean and corrupt, so they were. They likely let the tax collectors know their distaste too, by shunning then when and wherever they could.
No doubt the general populace shared similar sentiment towards tax collectors of that day as they too, would have been cheated out of their hard-earned cash and felt betrayed, to boot. These were "their people" but they were working for the enemy.
All that said, observe the tax collector as Jesus' parable continues. He wouldn't even look up to heaven. It's as if he couldn't look God in the eye because he knew he had done great wrongs, not only in the Pharisees' and general crowds' eyes, but in his own eyes.
Repentance, one of God's favorite words and what He loves to see in us, His human creatures, was breathing out of our tax collector here, to the point of beating on his chest showing his deep feelings of genuine guilt and sadness, and beseeching God for mercy. Why? He saw himself, and knew himself to be,
"...a sinner."
Isn't this repentance? Isn't this humility?
A sinner in need of repentance. Humbly, he seeks God.
The rest of Luke 18:14 NIV says,
"...all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."
In James 4:6 NIV we discover,
"...God gives grace to the humble."
Actually, peruse the whole verse,
"But He gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says, "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble...Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
There's a happy ending for the tax collector in Jesus' parable. He went home,
"...justified before God"
rather than the pompous Pharisee.
I love the tax collector but before we go and get our noses too far up in the air, we need to remember not to have prejudice against the Pharisee-type of people either. They too, need God's mercy and grace just like the rest of us. They too, need repentance just like the rest of us. If we find ourselves in this 'category' we too, must entreat God for mercy. Thank God, He grants it!
Forgiveness, is another one of God's favorite words and actions. Praise Him for it!
In the Actions of Loyalty and Faith blog entry, attitudes of prayer were mentioned and it can be seen that the tax collector's attitude encompassed some of those. Being unashamed in prayer, was one. The tax collector was unashamed to admit he was a sinner (yes, there was some shame in feeling his unworthiness as seen in his distancing himself from the main group of praying men). Praying humbly and with expectancy from God, were two other attitudes. He asked God to have mercy on him, a sinner. That was it. No preamble, no long elaborations, just: short, sweet and to the point. God had heard. Then he trotted off home.
Even though he felt his unworthiness due to the stigma against him in addition to his 'real' sins, the tax collector still poured his heart out to God. We, too, can be encouraged in this. Many may feel they are unworthy to ask God for favors, for whatever reason, yet, when we come humbly to Him in repentance, seeking His mercy, our relationship with God, the Merciful One, will be made right. We will be justified in our Heavenly Father's sight, by His mercy and grace. If we want to feel confidence, feel confidence in God and not in our own "goodness".
Which of the two men praying, would you have been?
I leave one more Bible verse, Matthew 7:12 NIV,
"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."
Those are Jesus' very words of life. Let us live by them and treat others in the best possible way.
Father God, we often look down on other people who are not like us. We seek your forgiveness, grace and mercy, as we repent of our deeds that are not according to Your will and way. May Your Holy Spirit ever convict us when we begin to get self-righteous, confident of our own 'goodness'. Rather compel us to have Your goodness exhibited in our lives and to treat others more than how we ourselves wish to be treated, but to treat them as You would. Thank-You for your unconditional love, care and especially for Your forgiveness. In Jesus most precious Name I pray.
~ERC June 2020~
Based on Luke 18:9-14.
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