The Self Righteous Pharisee

THE SELF RIGHTEOUS PHARISEE AND THE TAX COLLECTOR
LUKE 18:9-14

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortionists, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 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!’ 14 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.”

In the name of Jesus:

The famous actor Gregory Peck was once standing in line with a friend, waiting for a table in a crowded Los Angeles restaurant. They had been waiting for some time, the diners seemed to be taking their time eating and new tables weren't opening up very fast. They weren't even that close to the front of the line. Peck's friend became impatient, and he said to Gregory Peck, "Why don't you tell the maitre d' who you are?" Gregory Peck responded with great wisdom. "No," he said, "if you have to tell them who you are, then you aren't.
That's a lesson that the Pharisee in our gospel reading apparently had never learned. His prayer, if it can be called that, is largely an advertisement for himself. This is why he is called self-righteous. He is the standard for righteousness; he believes that all others should be judged by his life.
It is worth noting that Jesus says that told this parable to those who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and in their self-righteousness, they treated others with contempt. The parable begins by focusing on two men who were going to the Temple to pray. Why would they be going to the Temple to pray, when they could have prayed at home? They were on their way to the Temple because it was there at that time that atonement was being made for the sins of the people. It was at the Temple where the priests would slay the perfect sacrificial animals it was there where the bull, goats, and lambs would be sacrificed, the blood poured out on the altar, in accordance with God’s command. These two people, the Pharisee and the tax collector, went to the Temple because it was there where sins would be forgiven and a relationship with God restored through the forgiveness of sins.
But note closer these two men. The Pharisee was an upstanding man. He WAS a Pharisee, one who went to church, one who knew the Bible, one who felt comfortable in church. He went to the Temple because it was required; he was doing his religious duty.
Now listen to how Jesus describes this man: “The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortionists, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.” The Pharisee stood by himself, because he considered all of the others in the Temple unclean, so he did not want to associate with them. Oh, to be clear, all were there to have sins forgiven, but this Pharisee did not want to defile himself. So he stands by himself, off to the side, and he prays to God, thanking God that he is not like all of the other sinners, no he is in a special class of sinners. There are sinners, and there are sinners. The Pharisee thanks God that he is not like the other men, the extortionists, the unjust, the adulterers, or even like this sinner, the tax collector, the one who cheats people out of their hard earned money. And on top of that, the Pharisee fasts twice a week. He was only required to fast once a week, but so religious is this Pharisee that he goes over and beyond what is expected of him.
The tax collector, however, doesn’t consider himself worthy. The Pharisee placed his trust, not in his prayer, but in his own works. The tax collector does otherwise. Note what Jesus says in comparison: “13 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!’
This tax collector sought a right standing with God based on God’s standard. The Pharisee compared his life with the others and in HIS JUDGMENT he thought that he was superior, of course God would be pleased with him, after all, just look at all of these other sinners! However, the tax collector didn’t compare his life or works with others. He knew that only ONE counted, and that was God. This tax collector examined his life in the light of the only standard that matters, God’s Law, the Ten Commandments. He didn’t try to justify himself; he knew that he was without excuse. So he offered none, he simply confessed his sin by pleading to God: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”
In order for the tax collector to be justified, God would have to do the justifying. And God did. This man trusted in God, just like Abraham did in the Old Testament, where we read: “Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15). Abraham was right with God because of what God said, not because of what Abraham did. And so too the tax collector was counted as righteous before God, not on account of his merits, works, or potential, but on account of what God has done for sinners in Jesus Christ.
The Bible states that sinners have been made right with God by God’s grace in Jesus Christ. Jesus did what no man could do: living the perfect life and dying the God ordained death for the forgiveness of sins. Faith receives what God has done in Jesus Paul writes in Romans 4: that man is made right with God and is counted to those who believe in the One who raised Jesus from the dead for our justification.
This is what the tax collector knew to be true; it is what he believed with every fiber of his being. The tax collector is one who could sing the well-known hymn: Thy works not mine O Christ speak gladness to this heart.” The prophets of old all were consistent in their proclamation that sinners needed to repent of their sins and trust in the coming One of God who would save His people from their sins. This is not of man; this is of God, according to His standard.
The message of Scripture is this: Repent of your sins for God’s kingdom is at hand. Repent, because you have not and cannot meet God’s standard of perfection. Repent, turn from your sins and ask God for mercy. This is what the tax collector did when he said: “God be merciful to me, a sinner.” This is what we do, when we kneel in confession, when we sing the Kyrie, when we kneel to receive the Lord’s Supper, we kneel, confessing our sins and asking God for forgiveness. And God does forgive in Christ, for He is faithful and just and He forgives our sins and cleanses us from all unrighteousness.
Jesus says that as a result, the tax collector left as a man who was now right with His Maker. It wasn’t anything that he had done; he was changed because he trusted in God’s word of forgiveness. Jesus says: “ 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.” The tax collector left taking God at His Word that he was forgiven and right with God.
Dear friend in Christ, you and I are both the Pharisee and the tax collector. Luther often said that Christians are both sinners and saints. There are times in our lives when we can see and relate to the Pharisee in our lives: times when we prejudge people, compare our lives with others, look down upon others because of their color, their culture, their religion, or their shortcomings. We like to think that when we are compared with people who “really sin” we come out smelling like a rose. But all we smell like, when we do that are sinners whose righteousness is like filthy rags. Our sins, our religiosity, our self-righteousness stink to high heaven.
God shows us that in light of His Law, we stand condemned as sinners. But God’s good News is that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Christ died for you. In Baptism your sins have been washed away, in Baptism you have been called out of darkness into the marvelous light of Christ.
In Christ you are forgiven. In Christ you have God’s mercy. When you are self righteous, look not to yourself but to God and His standards of righteousness. See your sinfulness, confess it, look to Christ and His cross and pray with the tax collector: “God be merciful to me, a sinner.” For in Christ you have been made right with God. And you can leave knowing that nothing will ever separate you from the love God has for you in Christ Jesus. To God be the glory!
Amen