Alex Townsend
Parables of Jesus Christ
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
Luke 18:9-14
7 October 2018
The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector is about justification: everyone who seeks righteousness from God will receive it.
They contrast in their character and their actions. The Pharisee was outwardly righteous, and respected by society, whereas the tax collector was viewed as a traitor to Jewish society since he collected tax for Rome. The Pharisee thought he was better than everyone else; the tax collector thought he was worse.
They contrast in heart. The Pharisee was deluded into thinking he could offer God righteousness. The standard of righteousness is God: something we can never attain by ourselves. But the heart of the tax collector understood his sin, and asked God for mercy.
They contrast in outcome. The gospel saves those who know they are unrighteous, not those who try to save themselves. The Pharisee, though he did many works, was not right before God, but the tax collector went home justified.
This parable is about the most important question: 'how can we be made right with God?' The answer is to seek the grace that God gives the humble, and combat spiritual pride.