Key Text: "I tell you, this man went down
to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that
exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself
shall be exalted." Luke 18:14.
The parable of the Pharisee and Publican has one of the greatest lessons in Holy Scripture on salvation, conversion and what we know as righteousness by faith. Remember the man who came to Jesus during the night? His name was Nicodemus, and he was a Pharisee. There was a message given to Nicodemus that midnight hour, and in Luke 18 God has a message for us. The message in Luke is the same as the one to Nicodemus--more than outward religion is needed.
The religion of the Pharisees was very strict with a lot of outward show and appearance. They were strong on observing the law as the scribes taught it. The Pharisees believed it was important to keep all the laws. This was especially true when it came to their commitment to tithing and ritual purity. That is the religion of the Pharisee in the parable of Luke 18.
Church attendance is a great and wonderful thing. The church is a place to worship God, a place to sing, and a place to pray and give. Now, in the parable two men came to church, but they came for two different reasons. As it is in the parable, so it is in every congregation today. There are two classes of worshipers, the proud and self-righteous who feel no need of Christ, and those who have really come with a serious, sincere prayer and humble attitude. The Pharisee came to a public place to make a public appearance. The Publican came to make a request. The place, the public, nor the Pharisee distracted him.
These men made two different statements. The Pharisee
said, "God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are..."
Luke 18:11. The Publican said, "God be merciful to me a sinner."
Luke 18:13. These two statements make up the whole parable, and
it is on these two statements that the sermon for this month is
built. Let us consider these three thoughts: The Comparison of
Character, The Counting of Collectives and The Counterpart's Confession.
"...God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican." Luke 18:11. The Pharisee in this parable is full of self-praise and boasting. He knows who he is, and he looks at the lives of others comparing himself with them. The Pharisees had a religion that looked good. Because of all their careful and calculated actions, the world observed and perceived they were keeping the law and all the rituals. They walked it, they talked it, and they performed the act of praying it.
The confidence of the Pharisee was in his comparison to other men. After all, he wasn't as bad as others. Just look at the lives of others! Look what they are doing! Do church-going people today do that? Surely, they do. Instead of measuring their lives with the life of Christ, they look at others and compare how good they are or how bad they are in each specific area of life. The attitude of most who do this is "...come not near to me; for I am holier than thou..." Isaiah 65:5.
The Pharisee made a commitment to a very strict religion. His faith is in religion, and his commitment is strong to act out the part. The object of his faith is doing. The strength of his commitment is continued in doing through the process of all the jots and tittles of the law and ceremonies. He is religious.
"The Pharisee and the Publican represent two great classes which those who come to worship God are divided. Their first two representatives are found in the first two children that were born into the world. Cain though himself righteous, and he came to God with a thank offering only. He made no confession of sin, and acknowledged no need of mercy. But Abel came with the blood that pointed to the Lamb of God. He came as a sinner, confessing himself lost; his only hope was the unmerited love of God. The Lord had respect to his offering, but to Cain and his offering He had not respect. The sense of need, the recognition of our poverty and sin, is the very first condition of acceptance with God. 'Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' Matthew 5:3. (Christ's Object Lessons, E. G. White, p. 131).
The Pharisee glorified God in his body by fasting twice each week, and he glorified God by giving tithes of his worldly estate. Now, in giving thanks for these good things, it seems to be only a mere formality. He does not thank God for His grace. He never stated what Paul stated, "But by the grace of God I am what I am..." I Corinthians 15:10.
The Pharisee trusted in himself because he did not
know himself. Blinded by his routine doing, he had no knowledge
of his condition. "But we must have a knowledge of ourselves,
a knowledge that will result in contrition, before we can find
pardon and peace. The Pharisee felt no conviction of sin. The
Holy Spirit could not work with him. He soul was encased in a
self-righteous armor, which the arrows of God, barbed and true
aimed by angel hands, failed to penetrate. It is only he who knows
himself to be a sinner that Christ can save. He came 'to heal
the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and
recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that
are bruised.' Luke 4:18. But 'they that are whole need not a physician.'
Luke 5:31. We must know our real condition, or we shall not feel
our need of Christ's help. We must understand our danger, or we
shall not flee to the refuge. We must feel the pain of our wounds,
or we should not desire healing." (Christ's Object Lessons,
E. G. White, pp. 135-136.)
"...I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican." Luke 18:11. An extortioner obtained money from others by threatening them. The Pharisee did not extort money from others. He was just in that he conformed to all that was morally good. Today we would describe him as "politically correct." He was not an adulterer because he had no problem with unfaithfulness. He also was no publican for he had offended no one in the collecting of taxes.
His religious assets were his fasting and tithing. He fasted twice a week on Monday and Thursday in an attempt to glorify God in his body. He also tithed all his possessions. "I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess." Luke 18:12.
It seems that in his thanking God for different things in his life, it became evident that he despised others. He speaks as though he is better than other people. In all probability he was better off than a lot of people, but certainly not better than anyone else. We are told in Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God:" " For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him." Romans 10:12.
The Pharisee went up to the temple to pray, but there is nothing prayerful in his words of thanks. His selfishness is encouraged, and then he reproached his neighbor. He was pleased with the Publican's bad deeds as much as he was pleased with his own good works, but at the same time rejoiced in the Publican's mean spirit in tax collection. He was building himself up and bringing his neighbor down.
What was missing here? "...Thou shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself..." Mark 12:31. The Pharisee's religion
kept him active with much continued work. He was busy in committees,
busy attending church and working at his law-keeping and rituals,
but without the love of God, his good deeds are to no avail. Without
the God-given Holy Spirit planting His love in our hearts, we
cannot be numbered with the family of God.
The Publican is a sinner and he confesses his sins. His heart is broken; he is tired of the burden of sin and he pleads for mercy. "And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. Luke 18:13.
His request was made up of only seven short words--"God be merciful to me a sinner."
These are the things the publican knew:
1. He knew who God was and directed his prayer to Him.
2. He knew he was a sinner by nature and practice.
3. He knew the desire of his heart--to be forgiven of his sins and to be made whole.
The Pharisee claimed his merits. He had fasted twice each week, and he had given tithes of all his possessions, but the poor broken-hearted Publican had no merit. He claimed nothing. Justice condemned him, and he fled to God for mercy. He cast his life on the gracious mercy of God. He had come to the end of self and pleaded for forgiveness. He traded his sin-torn garments for the robe of Christ's righteouness.
A minister was speaking to fishermen on an English seashore about the topic of "justification." He was trying to make it plain to the men what Christ's work on the cross really is. Presently, he asked, "Now, will one of you men tell me in your own words what the Lord Jesus did there on the cross?" An old seaman looked up and, with tears on his weather-beaten face, said, "He swapped with me." How gloriously true! He bore our sins in his own body on the tree.
The Publican had been a great sinner, and out of the greatness of his sin grew the greatness of repentance and forgiveness. On the contrary, the power of Satan brought evil out of good. It was good for the Pharisee to have all the great character traits. His outward acts of good deeds made a good impression, but the Devil made him proud to his ruin. He went back home--lost. However, the Publican "...went down to his house justified." Luke 18:14.
As one of the clearest teachings of the free gift of God's salvation, this parable speaks volumes. It must be a parable of joy and peace to all who seek forgiveness of sin through the mercy of God. In this parable the Lord makes it plain that far more is needed than outward show of ceremonial laws and rituals.