The Publican

Pray without ceasing. How to pray.

(The Gospel History, Section 116)

And he spake also this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and set all others at nought: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all that I get. But the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me a sinner. I say unto you. This man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled; but he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Commentary by J. R. Dummelow

Lk 18:9–14. The Pharisee and the Publican at Prayer (peculiar to Lk). This parable is apparently addressed not to the Pharisees themselves, but to certain of the disciples of Jesus who were proud of their spiritual attainments, and lacking in the virtues of humility and penitence.

Lk 18:10. Into the temple] Probably into the second court, ‘The Court of the Women,’ at one of the stated hours of prayer. The Temple, like modern Christian churches, was used for private as well as public prayer.

Lk 18:11. Stood] i.e. placed himself conspicuously in the attitude of prayer. God, I thank thee] The words of the Pharisee can hardly be called a prayer. He asks for nothing, and feels his need of nothing. The Pharisee did, indeed, acknowledge that his virtues were derived from God, but he took all the merit of them to himself, and boasted of them before God and man.

Lk 18:12. Twice in the week] viz. on Mondays and Thursdays: Mt 6:16–18 > In our Lord’s time there were not more than five (or six) public fasts, but the strict Jews, especially the Pharisees, were accustomed to fast also on Thursday (the day when Moses ascended Mount Sinai) and Monday (the day when he came down). Of all that I possess] RV ‘of all that I get.’ The Pharisee prided himself on his works of supererogation, i.e. works done over and above what God required. The Law commanded only one fast in the whole year (viz. Day of Atonement, Lv 16:29). The Pharisee fasted twice a week. The Law tithed only the fruits of the field and the increase of cattle. The Pharisee tithed mint and cummin (Mt 23:23), and indeed his whole income (cp. Tob 1:7, 8).

Lk 18:13. Afar off] viz. from the Pharisee, whom, in his humility, he thought far more righteous than himself. Would not lift up] Since the rabbis forbade the eyes to be raised to heaven during prayer (see Mt 6:5), it is necessary to suppose that there was some special indication of humility in the publican’s attitude. Be merciful, etc.] lit. ‘be propitiated to me the sinner.’ ‘As the Pharisee had singled himself out as the one holy in the world, so the publican singles himself out as the chief of sinners, the man in whom all sins have met—a characteristic trait! for who, when first truly convinced of sin, thinks any man’s sins can equal his own (1 Tim 1:15)?’ (Trench).

Lk 18:14. Justified] A favourite word of St. Paul’s, employed in St. Paul’s sense, as is natural in the Pauline Gospel. ‘Justify’ in the NT. means always ‘to regard as just,’ not ‘to render just,’ or ‘sanctify.’ Rather than the other] This probably means that the publican was justified, and that the Pharisee was not; not that the Pharisee was regarded as righteous, and the publican as more than righteous.

The Publican

(The Saviour of the World, Vol VII Book I Poem XIV)

How every motion of complacency
Shrinks ’neath the eye of Him Who knows th’ art
By which vain man lifts up his foolish heart,
Picks up some rag of alms to justify,
Some wilful abstinence to magnify;
Some prayer presumptuous to plead his part,
Displaying his response as at common mart.
The while it is his God he bids to buy!

But see th’ merchant man at yonder stall
Abashed before God’s Presence beat his breast;
His goods so tarnished, will he dare not call
On Him whose eye discerns the worst, the best:
A miserable sinner stands confessed
Whose trust is in God’s mercy—that is all!

St. Luke xviii. 9-14

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