THE PARABLE OF PHARISEE AND THE TAX-COLLECTOR

The Holy Bible says, “I have not come to call respectable people, but outcasts.” (Matthew 9:13)

Jesus also told this parable to the people who were sure of their own goodness and despised everybody else. “Once there were two men who went up to the Temple to pray: one was a Pharisee, the other a tax-collector. 

“The Pharisee stood apart by himself and prayed, ‘I thank you, God, that I am not greedy, dishonest, or an adulterer like everybody else.  I thank you that I am not like that tax-collector over there. I fast two days a week, and I give you a tenth of all my income.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even raise his face to heaven, but beat on his breast and said, ‘God, have pity on me, a sinner!’  I tell you,” said Jesus, “the tax collector, and not the Pharisee, was in the right with God when he went home.  For everyone who makes himself great will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be made great.”

(Luke 18:9-14)

This parable considers the different characters and attitude of mankind who go to the Temple to reconcile with God.  The Gospel of St. Luke include many parables which make a comparison between two kinds of people, for e.g. Rich man and Lazarus,  Martha & Mary, The Two House builders, the parable of two sons etc.   

The Pharisee elucidates his good deeds to God in a manner to justifying himself. Usually the Jewish people fasted only twice or thrice in a year. With an intention of scorning his listeners, the Pharisee began to add up all his good actions saying, “I fast and pray twice a week.”   He elaborates his generosity as he proudly boasts to God, “…I give you a tenth of all my income.”

On the other hand, the tax collector stood afar, lowly, bowed down his head confessing his weakness and asking forgiveness seeking shelter in the merits of God’s mercy.  The tax collector was conscious about his wrong doings and he knew God is full of mercy and he will be forgiven.  As per their custom he beat his breast symbolizing his repentance.

The Holy Bible says, “A good person brings good out of the treasure of good things in his heart, a bad person brings bad out of his treasure of bad things.” 

It is clearly evident that the Pharisee, who was justifying himself by trusting in his deeds only, never had refuge in God; nor reverence to God, he believed it was all because of his ability. 

Whereas the tax collector was totally submissive to God’s grace. 

Sacrifice and generosity are commendable and since the Pharisee was exercising his good deeds at the high level he might have thought, “What is wrong in publishing my good deeds?”

Lord Jesus too fasted for forty days, and also appreciated the widow who gave all that she had.  

He explained that all sacrificial deeds without love and done with the intention of gaining public approval is futile and does not have any value in the eyes of God, the Father. 

In his small prayer the Pharisee used four times the word ‘I’ which showcases his boastfulness and nature of under estimating others publicly. 

Our Lord said that these things will not have any reward from the Father in Heaven.  He will see what you do in private like the tax collector, will impartially reward you.

They both entered the Temple to get deliverance from their sins.  But Lord Jesus specifically concluded the parable by saying, “the tax collector, and not the Pharisee, was in the right with God when he went home.”   The Pharisee believed that because of his good deeds he was made right with God.  He trusts in himself for his forgiveness. Christianity teaches us that it is not with our good deeds but that only through the merits of the sacrificial death of Lord Jesus we get forgiveness of our sins and salvation of mankind.

“For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith.  It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s gift, so that no one can boast about it.”  (Eph. 2:8-9)