The Pharisee and the Tax Collector: Which One Are We?

The parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (found in Luke 18:9-14 – see below for text) always gives me pause because it is so tricky to not end up, even unwittingly, like the bad example of the Pharisee.

This parable is introduced with this statement:  “He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt…”

Jesus then presents his audience with two characters. In that day and age of 1st century Israel, the Pharisee was well thought of while the tax collector was the epitome of a traitor and thought of as the scum of the earth. Undoubtedly Jesus’ audience would have been rooting for the Pharisee. 

We begin with the Pharisee and it soon becomes evident that he trusted in his own righteous acts (he says “I” 5 times) and then had contempt for the tax collector.  Commentator, David Guzik, gives a pointed thought here:

“The connection between those who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and those who despised others is almost inevitable. If I credit myself for a supposed great and spiritual walk with God, then it is an easy thing to despise another for their supposed low and carnal walk with God.” 

Ain’t that the truth? Comparison with others almost always ends up poorly.

Now comes the tax collector – he “would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’”  The humility and utter despair of his own righteousness is obvious. But a profound truth lies hidden in the original Greek. To quote Dr. Craig Blomberg, New Testament Professor, “…the verb translated “have mercy” is the same verb from which we get the word propitiation, which is an atoning sacrifice.”

The text does not say whether the tax collector brought an animal sacrifice but it tells us that he cried out for an atoning sacrifice – a propitiation – of the kind only Jesus Christ could give. This is how all people must come to God and it is a foreshadowing, I believe, of those coming to God through Christ’s atoning death and resurrection (remember when this parable is told Jesus’ sacrifice had not yet happened).  

And guess what? It turns out to be the tax collector who comes away justified and not the Pharisee. Not as though just saying we are a sinner and “sounding” humble is enough – the tax collector showed true and deep repentance. 

Jesus ends the parable with these words: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Dr. Bruce Demarest tells the story of when he preached extensively on this parable at a local church and then asked a church leader to come up and close in prayer. Among other things, the church leader said:

“Father, we’re so grateful that we’re not like this Pharisee.”

Wow. It’s so easy for us to miss the point of this parable.

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5 and see also Proverbs 3:34

Luke 18:9-14

“He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:

“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed[fn] thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’

But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”