ACC ~ Luke 18 v9 - 14

OVERVIEW:

The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector has clear links with the preceding parable, for it portrays a man whose prayer is evidence of the faith Christ hopes to find when he returns in judgment (AUGUSTINE). The self-loving Pharisee accuses others of what he is most guilty because of his pride and arrogance (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA). This Pharisee illustrates the danger of pride for all who serve God with their sacrifices of praise (MARTYRIUS). Instead of confessing his sickness through the salutary medicine of repentance, he compares his own health to the diseases of others (AUGUSTINE).

The tax collector does not even raise his eyes to the heavens (which is typical of Jews at prayer), and he beats his chest as a sign of his unworthiness. The posture of his prayer shows his humility. He asks for mercy and receives absolution (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA). In comparing himself with others, he does not claim to be better; rather, he knows and confesses that he is worst of all. It is always more difficult to confess one’s sins than one’s righteousness (EPHREM THE SYRIAN). The one who thought that he was rich in fact was very poor. Humility is the mark of a sinner. The principle of radical reversal applies: “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (BASIL THE GREAT).

18:9 | The Introduction

FINDING FAITH IN THE PUBLICAN

AUGUSTINE: Does it not strike you when the Lord says in the Gospel, “When the Son of man comes, do you think he will find faith on earth?” Knowing that some would arrogantly attribute this faith to themselves, he immediately said, “To some who seemed to themselves to be just and despised others, he spoke this parable. Two men went up into the temple to pray: the one a Pharisee and the other a publican, etc.” LETTER 89. [1]

[1] FC 18:34-35*.

18:10-13 | The Parable

THE INFIRMITY OF OTHERS IS NOT A FIT SUBJECT FOR PRAISE FOR THOSE IN GOOD HEALTH

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: What profit is there in fasting twice in the week if it serves only as a pretext for ignorance and vanity and makes you proud, haughty and selfish? You tithe your possessions and boast about it. In another way, you provoke God’s anger by condemning and accusing other people because of this. You are puffed up, although not crowned by the divine decree for righteousness. On the contrary, you heap praises on yourself. He says, “I am not as the rest of humankind.” Moderate yourself, O Pharisee. Put a door and lock on your tongue. [1] You speak to God who knows all things. Wait for the decree of the judge. No one who is skilled in wrestling ever crowns himself. No one also receives the crown from himself but waits for the summons of the referee. … Lower your pride, because arrogance is accursed and hated by God. It is foreign to the mind that fears God. Christ even said, “Do not judge, and you shall not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.” [2] One of his disciples also said, “There is one lawgiver and judge. Why then do you judge your neighbor?” [3] No one who is in good health ridicules one who is sick for being laid up and bedridden. He is rather afraid, for perhaps he may become the victim of similar sufferings. A person in battle, because another has fallen, does not praise himself for having escaped from misfortune. The weakness of others is not a suitable subject for praise for those who are in health. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 120. [4]

[1] Ps 140:3 LXX.

[2] Lk 6:37.

[3] Jas 4:12.

[4] CGSL 481**.

THE DANGERS OF PRIDE

MARTYRIUS: Whoever offers to God sacrifices of praise, the rational fruits of the lips that confess his name, should be very alert for the ambushes of the evil one. Satan lies in ambush ready to catch you by surprise at the very time of thanksgiving. He will get up and accuse you before God, just as he did with your fellow Pharisee in the temple. This time, he will not be puffing you up with pride over good works, as he did with the Pharisee, but he will be making you drunk with a different kind of pride. He makes you drunk on pride in the lovely and sweet sound of your own voice, the beauty of your chants that are sweeter than honey and the honeycomb. The result is that you do not realize that these belong to God, and not to yourself. BOOK OF PERFECTION 78. [1]

[1] CS 101:234*.

ON REPORTING ONE’S OWN SYMPTOMS, NOT ANOTHER’S, TO A DOCTOR

AUGUSTINE: How useful and necessary a medicine is repentance! People who remember that they are only human will readily understand this. It is written, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” [1] … The Pharisee was not rejoicing so much in his own clean bill of health as in comparing it with the diseases of others. He came to the doctor. It would have been more worthwhile to inform him by confession of the things that were wrong with himself instead of keeping his wounds secret and having the nerve to crow over the scars of others. It is not surprising that the tax collector went away cured, since he had not been ashamed of showing where he felt pain. SERMON 351.1. [2]

[1] 1 Pet 5:5; Jas 4:6; Job 22:29; Prov 3:34.

[2] WSA 3 10:118**.

THE PUBLICAN RECEIVES ABSOLUTION

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: It says that the tax collector “stood afar off,” not even venturing to raise up his eyes. You see him abstaining from all boldness of speech. He seems devoid of the right to speak and beaten down by the scorn of conscience. He was afraid that God would see him, since he had been careless in keeping his laws and had led an unchaste and uncontrolled life. You also see that he accuses his own depravity by his external manner. The foolish Pharisee stood there bold and broad, lifting up his eyes without a qualm, bearing witness of himself and boastful. The other feels shame for his conduct. He is afraid of his judge. He beats his breast. He confesses his offenses. He shows his illness as to the Physician, and he prays that he will have mercy. What is the result? Let us hear what the judge says. He says, “This man went down to his house justified rather than the other.” COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 120. [1]

[1] CGSL 482**.

IT IS MORE DIFFICULT TO CONFESS ONE’S SINS THAN ONE’S RIGHTEOUSNESS

EPHREM THE SYRIAN: In the case of that Pharisee who was praying, the things he said were true. Since he was saying them out of pride and the tax collector was telling his sins with humility, the confession of sins of the last was more pleasing to God than the acknowledgment of the almsgiving of the first. It is more difficult to confess one’s sins than one’s righteousness. God looks on the one who carries a heavy burden. The tax collector therefore appeared to him to have had more to bear than the Pharisee had. He went down more justified than the Pharisee did, only because of the fact he was humble. If this Pharisee had been sinful, his prayer would have added iniquity to iniquity, but the Lord purified the tax collector of his iniquity. If just by praying, the Pharisee’s prayer provoked God’s wrath, then as a result of that provocation, the prayer of the tax collector proved all the more potent. COMMENTARY ON TATIAN’S DIATESSARON 15.24. [1]

[1] ECTD 242**.

18:14 | The Conclusion

HUMILITY IS THE MARK OF A SINNER

BASIL THE GREAT: The stern Pharisee, who in his overweening pride not only boasted of himself but also discredited the tax collector in the presence of God, made his justice void by being guilty of pride. Instead of the Pharisee, the tax collector went down justified, because he had given glory to God, the holy One. He did not dare lift his eyes but sought only to plead for mercy. He accused himself by his posture, by striking his breast, and by entertaining no other motive except propitiation. Be on your guard, therefore, and bear in mind this example of severe loss sustained through arrogance. The one guilty of insolent behavior suffered the loss of his justice and forfeited his reward by his bold self-reliance. He was judged inferior to a humble man and a sinner because in his self-exaltation he did not await the judgment of God but pronounced it himself. Never place yourself above anyone, not even great sinners. Humility often saves a sinner who has committed many terrible transgressions. ON HUMILITY. [1]

[1] FC 9:481-82**.