Comparison and Contrast II – The Publican and the Pharisee

23rd Sunday after Pentecost (Ordinary Time/UM Kingdomtide), C
Reformation Sunday
October 27, 2013
Luke 18:9-14

Introduction

Last Sunday, did a comparison and contrast on the Parable of the Unjust Judge and the Persistent (or Tenacious) Widow (Luke 18:1-8) which teaches us about persistence or tenacity in prayer. Today we will compare and contrast two people who went up to the Temple to pray: the Publican and the Pharisee. One was considered righteous while the other was considered a sinner; both of them prayed but only one went home justified.

Among the Eastern Orthodox Churches, three Sundays before Lent, the tenth Sunday before Easter (also called Septuagesima Sunday, from the Greek word for ‘seventy’ because 10 weeks x 7 days = 70 days), is known as the “Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee”. Since the theme of this parable is on repentance, this text is read on that day to serve as a door to the observance of the Lenten season, which is called by the Orthodox as “Great Lent”.

After the Parable of the Persistent Widow which teaches perseverance in prayer, Jesus went on to teacher the Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee in order to teach sincerity or truthfulness in prayer. The reason why Jesus told this parable is clear: it was a warning against those who “who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others” (v. 9, John Wesley New Testament).

I. The Pharisee (Luke 18:11-12)

The Pharisees was a group within Judaism during the time of Jesus. According to Bishop Emerito P. Nacpil,

While the derivation of the word “Pharisee” is obscure, there is some measure of agreement among scholars that it comes from the Hebrew word parash, which means “one who is separate”…. To be separate means to be holy. The root meaning has a double sense. On the one hand, there is the sense of being separate from what corrupts. While this originally meant resisting the Hellenization of the Jewish faith by keeping away from it at a safe distance it eventually took on the meaning of separating from all that was regarded as “unclean” in the light of the Law….

On the other hand, there is the sense of sticking adhesively and rigorously to what makes for sanctity and purity, for holiness. This meant in practice a strict interpretation of the Law and scrupulous adherence to it…. This led to the development to an elaborate system of a legal and ritual tradition which the Pharisees observed with fanatical rigor. (Jesus’ Strategy for Social Transformation, 1998, p. 61)

A. “The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed…” (v. 11). Various translations of the Bible render as “prayed thus with himself” (New King James Version); “prayed about himself” (New International Version); and “took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself” (New American Bible). The Greek text says, ο φαρισαιος σταθεις προς εαυτον ταυτα προσηυχετο, ho farisaios statheis pros eauton tauta prosēucheto, ‘The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed thus…’ But the expression “pros eauton” can mean “about himself” or “to himself”. The point is, the Pharisee prayed about himself or to himself instead of praying to God!

B. “God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, rapactous [“extortioners”—NKJV], unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week: I give tithes of all that I possess” (vv. 11-12). This is the prayer of the self-righteous: they trust in their own righteousness (“I fast twice in the week: I give tithes of all that I possess”) and they despise others (“I am not as other men are… or even this publican”).

There is no indication that the Pharisee here was a hypocrite—that he was lying in his prayer. It is true that devout Jews fast twice a week (every Monday and Thursday, according to Notes Upon The New Testament) and tithe their income. The problem with this Pharisee is that he was self-righteous, i.e., he thinks that he is justified by his own works. Not only was he obedient to the Law, he even goes beyond the Law. For example, not all income is subject to tithing, like spices (cf. Matthew 23:23). These are called in our Articles of Religion as “works of supererogation” (super ‘above, beyond’ + rogare ‘to ask’ = ‘more than what is asked for’):

Article XI—Of Works of Supererogation

Voluntary works—besides, over and above God's commandments—which they call works of supererogation, cannot be taught without arrogancy and impiety. For by them men do declare that they do not only render unto God as much as they are bound to do, but that they do more for his sake than of bounden duty is required; whereas Christ saith plainly: When you have done all that is commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants.

It is easy to be like this Pharisee. In Jewish society during the time of Jesus, Pharisees were looked up upon (albeit perhaps grudgingly) while publicans were looked down upon. To the first-century hearers of Jesus, casting the publican in an unfavorable light must have been shocking. To reproduce the “shock value” of this parable, consider this modern retelling:

Two men went up to an ecumenical chapel to pray. One was a born-again Christian and the other a Roman Catholic. The born-again Christian stood by himself and prayed: “O God, I thank you that I am not a believer in the Rosary, or in Purgatory, or in Mary and the saints…not like that Roman Catholic over there. All of my beliefs are Bible-based and give all of my tithes to the church!” Meanwhile, the Roman Catholic, standing afar off and could not even raise his eyes to heaven, could only pray one of the prayers he knew by heart: “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”

It’s easy to point fingers at others and say that so-and-so as a “sinner”…until we look into a mirror and see ourselves!

 

II. The Publican (Luke 18:12)

Publicans were called “tax farmers” by the Romans in the sense that they “harvest” taxes from conquered peoples for them. Thus they are viewed as ‘traitors’ by their fellow Jews. Doubly so are priests and Levites who become publicans: the Apostle Matthew is also called Levi (Luke 5:27-32; thus his Hebrew name may have been Mati haLevi) which means that he is a Levite! Meanwhile the name of Zaccheus (a “chief publican”, Luke 19:1-10) is a form of Zechariah, which is only used in priestly families. (Both Zechariah the Prophet and Zechariah the father of St. John the Baptist are priests, descendants of Aaron the Priest. Zaccheus’ Hebrew name may have been Zacharyahu haKohēn, Zaccheus the Priest.) Thus they are doubly guilty: they are traitors against the own people and traitors against God!

We are not told of the identity of the Publican here, whether he is (as it is asked to newcomers in a synagogue) a “kohēn, Levi, or Israel” (a priest, a Levite, or an ordinary Israelite). He may have been an "extortionist" or "unjust" as the Pharisee alleges.

The Publican recognized his spiritual poverty. He knows that he has not done anything according to the Torah that would account him as righteous. On the contrary, he knows that what he has broken the Law. Thus he could only stand “afar off, “would not so much as lift his eyes to heaven” (Wesley: “Touched with shame, which is more ingenuous than fear”—Notes Upon The NT), smite his own breast (a gesture of repentance, cf. Luke 24:48), and say, “God be merciful to me a sinner” (v. 13).

Jesus pronounced a beatitude upon those who recognize their spiritual poverty: “Happy are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). And thus Jesus said: “I tell you this man [the Publican] went down to his house justified rather than the other” (v. 14).

Conclusion: “For every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)