“Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men, extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.’
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Luke 18:10-12 sits inside this longer paragraph.
He spoke also this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others. “Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men, extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Parallel Translations
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“Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector.
The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men, extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.’
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Two men went vp into the temple to praye: the one a pharise and the other a publican.
The pharise stode and prayed thus with him selfe. God I thanke the that I am not as other men are extorsioners vniuste advoutrers or as this publican.
I fast twyse in the weke. I geve tythe of all that I possesse.
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Two men went vp into the Temple to pray: the one a Pharise, and the other a Publican.
The Pharise stoode and prayed thus with himselfe, O God, I thanke thee that I am not as other men, extortioners, vniust, adulterers, or euen as this Publican.
I fast twise in the weeke: I giue tithe of all that euer I possesse.
Cross-references (54)
- Matthew 6:5 (vv11–12) “When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets,…
- Luke 11:42 (v12) But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you bypass justice and God’s love. You ought to have done these,…
- Isaiah 65:5 (v11) who say, ‘Stay by yourself, don’t come near to me, for I am holier than you.’ These are smoke in my nose, a fire that burns all day.
- Revelation 3:17 (v11) Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;’ and don’t know that you are the wretched one, miserable,…
- Jeremiah 2:35 (v11) “Yet you said, ‘I am innocent. Surely his anger has turned away from me.’ “Behold, I will judge you, because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’
Show all 53 cross-references
- Matthew 21:31-32 (v10) Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Most certainly I tell you that the tax…
- Matthew 23:23-24 (v12) “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law:…
- Matthew 9:14 (v12) Then John’s disciples came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don’t fast?”
- Mark 11:25 (v11) Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your…
- Luke 17:10 (v12) Even so you also, when you have done all the things that are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy servants. We have done our duty.’ ”
- James 2:9-12 (v11) But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles…
- Malachi 3:8 (v12) Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In tithes and offerings.
- Matthew 6:1 (v12) “Be careful that you don’t do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in…
- Matthew 15:7-9 (v12) You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, ‘These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but…
- 1 Timothy 4:8 (v12) For bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value in all things, having the promise of the life which is now, and of that which…
- Leviticus 27:30-33 (v12) “ ‘All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is Yahweh’s. It is holy to Yahweh. If a man…
- Numbers 18:24 (v12) For the tithe of the children of Israel, which they offer as a wave offering to Yahweh, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance.…
- Numbers 23:4 (v12) God met Balaam, and he said to him, “I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on every altar.”
- 1 Samuel 15:13 (v12) Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said to him, “You are blessed by Yahweh! I have performed the commandment of Yahweh.”
- 1 Kings 8:30 (v10) Listen to the supplication of your servant, and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Yes, hear in heaven, your dwelling…
- 2 Kings 10:16 (v12) He said, “Come with me, and see my zeal for Yahweh.” So they made him ride in his chariot.
- 2 Kings 20:5 (v10) “Turn back, and tell Hezekiah the prince of my people, ‘Yahweh, the God of David your father, says, “I have heard your prayer. I have seen…
- Psalms 134:1 (v11) Look! Praise Yahweh, all you servants of Yahweh, who stand by night in Yahweh’s house!
- Psalms 135:2 (v11) you who stand in Yahweh’s house, in the courts of our God’s house.
- Isaiah 1:15 (v12) When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of…
- Isaiah 58:2 (v11) Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways. As a nation that did righteousness, and didn’t forsake the ordinance of their God,…
- Isaiah 58:2-3 (v12) Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways. As a nation that did righteousness, and didn’t forsake the ordinance of their God,…
- Ezekiel 33:31 (v11) They come to you as the people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but don’t do them; for with their…
- Micah 3:11 (v11) Her leaders judge for bribes, and her priests teach for a price, and her prophets of it tell fortunes for money: yet they lean on Yahweh,…
- Zechariah 7:5-6 (v12) “Speak to all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh month for…
- Matthew 6:16 (v12) “Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be…
- Matthew 19:18-20 (v11) He said to him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “ ‘You shall not murder.’ ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ‘You shall not steal.’ ‘You shall not…
- Luke 7:29-30 (v10) When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they declared God to be just, having been baptized with John’s baptism. But the…
- Luke 20:47 (v11) who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these will receive greater condemnation.”
- Acts 23:6-8 (v10) But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brothers, I am a…
- Romans 3:27 (v12) Where then is the boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.
- Romans 10:1-3 (v12) Brothers, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for…
- 1 Corinthians 1:29 (v12) that no flesh should boast before God.
- 1 Corinthians 4:7-8 (v11) For who makes you different? And what do you have that you didn’t receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not…
- 1 Corinthians 15:9-10 (v11) For I am the least of the apostles, who is not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the assembly of God. But by the grace…
- Galatians 1:14 (v12) I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my…
- Galatians 3:10 (v11) For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who doesn’t continue in all things…
- Ephesians 2:9 (v12) not of works, that no one would boast.
- 2 Kings 20:8 (v10) Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What will be the sign that Yahweh will heal me, and that I will go up to Yahweh’s house the third day?”
- Jeremiah 2:28 (v11) “But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? Let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your trouble; for you have…
- Matthew 3:7-10 (v11) But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to…
- Luke 1:9-10 (v10) according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. The whole multitude of…
- Luke 19:46 (v10) saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of robbers’!”
- Acts 3:1 (v10) Peter and John were going up into the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
- Acts 26:5 (v10) having known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
- Philippians 3:5 (v10) circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;
- Philippians 3:6 (v11) concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.
- 1 Timothy 1:12-16 (v11) I thank him who enabled me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service; although I used to be a…
53 distinct cross-references across this passage (54 total citations).
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (18 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On v11 Although we confess that whatsoever we have, we have…
Although we confess that whatsoever we have, we have it of God, yet are we despised of God, as proud and arrogant, if we put never so little trust in our own works before God.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv10–12 10 Two men went up into the temple to…
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Ver. 10. The one a Pharisee] A Doeg may set his foot as far and farther within the sanctuary as a David. The Pharisee and publican went both of them up to private prayer.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv10–12 Who these Pharisees, and who the Publicans, were we…
Who these Pharisees, and who the Publicans, were we have had frequent occasions before to tell. The temple stood upon a hill, therefore they are said to ascend, or go up. They had in the temple set hours for prayer, as may be learned from Act 3:1, at which some of all sorts went up to pay that homage unto God. Our Saviour mentions but two, having in it no further design than by this parable to inform His disciples, how much more acceptable to God the prayers of broken, humble, contrite hearts are, though the persons possessed of them be such as have been, or at least have been reputed, great sinners, than the prayers of those who are hypocrites, and proud, and come unto God pleading their own righteousness, in order to the obtaining of his favour.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv10–12 Two men went up into the temple to pray,…
Two men went up into the temple to pray, Which is called an house of prayer, Isa 56:7 the Jews had a mighty notion of praying in a place of religious worship, as in the temple, or in a synagogue; imagining that their prayers were more acceptable to God, and sooner heard by him in such a place than in private:
"the prayers of the congregation, they say (u), are heard always; and though there are sinners among them, the holy; blessed God, does not despise the prayer of many; wherefore, a man ought to join himself with the congregation, and not pray alone, whenever he can pray with that: and let a man go always, morning and evening, to the synagogue; for there is no prayer heard at all times but in the synagogue; and whoever has a synagogue in his city, and does not pray in it with the congregation, is called an ill neighbour. ---A divinity school is greater than a synagogue; and the great wise men, though they had many synagogues in their cities, did not pray but where they studied in the law.''
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And they say (w), that
"he that prays (in the synagogue) is as if he offered a pure offering. ---Says R. Abhu, in the name of R. Abhu, "seek the Lard where he may be found"; where is he to be found? in the synagogues, and in the schools.''
These two men had, doubtless, both of them a notion of the sanctity of the place, and acted according to the prevailing sense of the people. They went up hither, not by consultation, agreement, and appointment; for they were of a different cast from each other; but so it happened. Had they went by consent, there was a rule for them (x):
"two men that go to a synagogue to pray, and one has finished his prayer before his neighbour, if he stays for him, his reward is double; and if he does not stay for him, his prayer is not heard.''
And they had rules also for the manner of their going to, and from the place of prayer: when they went thither, they were to go nimbly, in haste, and even run; but when they came back, they were to go very slowly and gently (y).
"The commandment (they say (z)) is to run to a synagogue; for it is said, Hos 6:3 "we shall know, we shall follow on to know the Lord": but when a man comes out of the synagogue, let him not take large steps; but let him walk, little by little, or take short steps.''
How far these rules were complied with by these men, is of no great moment to know; who they were follows:
the one a Pharisee; one of those that trusted in themselves, as righteous, and despised all others, especially publicans and sinners; of these See Gill on Mat 3:7. This was the strictest sect among the Jews; they were men that prayed, and fasted much, and were great sticklers for the ceremonies of the law, and the traditions of the elders, and did all they did to be seen of men:
and the other a publican; a gatherer of the Roman tax, though by nation a Jew; and therefore such were had in great contempt by the Jews in general; nor would they eat and drink and converse with them; See Gill on Mat 9:10 and See Gill on Mat 9:11.
(u) Maimon. Hilch. Tephilla, c. 8. sect. 1, 3. Piske Harosh Beracot, c. 1. art. 7. (w) T. Hieros. Beracot, fol. 8. 4. (x) Piske Harosh, ib. (y) Piske Harosh, & T. Hieros. Beracot, fol. 9. 1. (z) Maimon. ib. sect. 2.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On v12 I fast twice in the week - So did…
I fast twice in the week - So did all the strict Pharisees: every Monday and Thursday. I give tithes of all that I possess - Many of them gave one full tenth of their income in tithes, and another tenth in alms, the sum of this plea is, I do no harm: I use all the means of grace: I do all the good I can.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv10–12 Verse 10. A Pharisee] For a description of the…
Verse 10. A Pharisee] For a description of the Pharisees and their tenets, See Clarke on Mt 16:1.
Publican.] See an account of these on Mt 5:46. Both these persons went to the temple to pray, i.e. to worship God: they were probably both Jews, and felt themselves led by different motives to attend at the temple, at the hour of prayer: the one to return thanks for the mercies he had received; the other to implore that grace which alone could redeem him from his sins.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v11 Luk 18:11-12. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with…
Luk 18:11-12. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself — The original clause, σταθεις προς εαυτον ταυτα προσηυχετο, it seems, should rather be rendered, standing by himself prayed these things. Read thus, it is characteristical of the sect, who always affected to dread pollution from the touch of those whom they considered as their inferiors in piety. Thus this Pharisee kept himself at as great a distance as he could from the miserable sinner who had entered the temple with him, as if he feared being defiled by coming near him, or any other person less holy than himself. God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men — That is, not as the generality of my countrymen; extortioners, (αρπαγες, rapacious,) unjust, adulterers — Such are they, but I thank God I am not like them: or even as this publican — A great many good things he here says of himself, which we may suppose to be true. 1st, He was free from gross and scandalous sins. He was not an extortioner, not a usurer, nor an oppressor to his debtors or tenants, but equitable and kind to all dependant upon him: and not rapacious, seizing other men’s property under false pretences. He was not unjust in any of his dealings, did no wrong to any man; did not take advantage of any man’s ignorance, want of experience, or necessity, in buying or selling. He was not an adulterer, but had possessed his vessel in sanctification and honour. 2d, He attended the ordinances of God, and used all the means of grace, and not only those that were most commonly used, such as reading the word of God and prayer, but even fasting; yea, he fasted twice in the week, and that partly as an act of temperance, and partly as a help to devotion. This the Pharisees and their disciples were wont to do, keeping two private fasts every week, namely, on Mondays and Thursdays, as the primitive Christians did on Wednesdays and Fridays. Thus he glorified God with his body. Yet this was not all, for, 3d, He gave tithes of all that he possessed, according to the law, and so glorified God with his property. Many of the Pharisees were wont to give one full tenth of their income to the house and worship of God, and another tenth in alms to the poor. The sum of this plea is, I do no harm; I use all the means of grace; and I do all the good in my power. This was his righteousness, and of this righteousness, it must be observed, he gives God the glory, at least in appearance, ascribing it not to himself but to God, for he says, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men, &c. — And yet this Pharisee, notwithstanding all this, was not in a state of acceptance with God, but in a state of guilt, condemnation, and wrath. And what then will become of many professing Christians, who are so far from going beyond this Pharisee in any of these branches of righteousness, that they fall far short of him in every one of them. But why was not this Pharisee accepted of God? 1st, Because he trusted in this righteousness, (which, after all, was very imperfect,) not being acquainted with himself, nor knowing how far he came short of the glory of God, and how he was involved in sin and guilt. Hence he was not humbled before God, nor brought to experience that true repentance toward him, without which there is no forgiveness. 2d, Because he evidently thought highly of himself; nay, and boasted of his fancied righteousness, dwelling upon it with delight, even in his prayers; as if all his business at the temple had been to tell God Almighty how good he was. He went up to the temple indeed to pray, but, it appears, forgot his errand: for in what he said there is not one word of prayer: he was so full of himself, and his own goodness, that he thought he had need of nothing, no, not of the favour and grace of God. 3d, His giving God thanks for his righteousness, although, if it had been done in a proper spirit, it would have been a good thing, yet in him seems to have been a mere piece of formality, savouring of pride; and being, properly speaking, a praising of himself rather than of God; and such a praising of himself as implied the highest contempt of others, and particularly of his fellow-worshipper, the publican.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv10–12 The temple - Into one of the courts of…
The temple - Into one of the courts of the temple - the court where prayer was commonly offered. See the notes at Mat 21:12.
A Pharisee - See the notes at Mat 3:7.
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Publican - See the notes at Mat 5:46.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv11–12 The Pharisee standing. The Greek is, standing by himself,…
The Pharisee standing. The Greek is, standing by himself, i.e. separated from the rest. Some understand this term, standing, as if in opposition to kneeling or prostrating, which they suppose to be the general posture in which the Jews offered up their prayers, and that of the humble publican. The Christians borrowed this practice from them. We see the apostles and disciples praying on their knees: Acts vii. 59, ix. 40, xx. 36. In the Old Testament, we see the same observed. Solomon, (3 Kings viii. 54.) Daniel, (vi. 10.) and Micheas, (vi. 6.) prayed in that posture. Others however, think that the people generally prayed standing, as there were neither benches nor chairs in the temple. (Calmet) --- There are four ways by which men are guilty of pride: 1st, By thinking they have any good from themselves; 2nd, by thinking that though they have received it from above, it was given them as due to their own merits; 3rd, by boasting of the good they do not possess; and fourthly, by desiring to be thought the only persons that possess the good qualities of which they thus pride themselves. The pride of the Pharisee seems to have consisted in attributing to himself alone the qualities of which he boasted. (St. Gregory, mor. lib. xxiii, chap. 4.) --- He who is guilty of publicly speaking against his neighbour, is likewise the cause of much damage to himself and others. 1st, He injures the hearer; because if he be a sinner, he rejoices to find an accomplice; if he be just, he is tempted to vanity, seeing himself exempt from the crimes with which others are charged. 2nd, He injures the Church, by exposing it to be insulted for the defects of its members. 3rd, He causes the name of God to be blasphemed; for, as God is glorified by our good actions, so is he dishonoured by sin. 4th, He renders himself guilty, by disclosing that which it was his duty not to have mentioned. (St. John Chrysostom, Serm. de Phar. et Pub.)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On v11 PARABLE OF THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. (Luk 18:9-14)
PARABLE OF THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. (Luk 18:9-14)
stood--as the Jews in prayer (Mar 11:25).
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God, &c.--To have been kept from gross iniquities was undoubtedly a just cause of thankfulness to God; but instead of the devoutly humble, admiring frame which this should inspire, the Pharisee arrogantly severs himself from the rest of mankind, as quite above them, and, with a contemptuous look at the poor publican, thanks God that he has not to stand afar off like him, to hang down his head like a bulrush and beat his breast like him. But these are only his moral excellencies. His religious merits complete his grounds for congratulation. Not confining himself to the one divinely prescribed annual fast (Lev 16:29), he was not behind the most rigid, who fasted on the second and fifth days of every week [LIGHTFOOT], and gave the tenth not only of what the law laid under tithing, but of "all his gains." Thus, besides doing all his duty, he did works of supererogation; while sins to confess and spiritual wants to be supplied he seems to have felt none. What a picture of the Pharisaic character and religion!
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv10–12 10. Two men—And, therefore,
10. Two men—And, therefore,
sinners. Went up—Just as the publican went down to his own house; because the temple was on high ground.
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The temple to pray—The place of prayer in the temple was probably the court of the women, where also were the chests for depositing the alms of the faithful. In the court of the temple, the suppliant directed his face toward the holy of holies; but if in another country, toward Jerusalem.
Pharisee… publican—Our Lord is now, probably, still in the region where a large number of publican converts were opposed and oppressed by the haughty oligarchy of Pharisees. See notes on Luk_13:32; Luk_17:5. Doubtless many a poor publican was hereby encouraged to repentance, being taught that his utter casting himself on God’s mercy in absolute abhorrence of his sins, was a surer road to justification than the cruel sanctimony of the professional saints, who rejoiced to retain beneath their feet a lower caste of sinners over whom they could boast and tyrannize.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv10–12 10. went up into the tetnple] The Temple stood…
10. went up into the tetnple] The Temple stood on Mount Moriah, and was always called the ‘Hill of the House’ (Har ha-Beit).
to pray] The Temple had long become naturally, and most fitly, a “House of Prayer” (Luk_19:46), though this was not its main original function.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv10–12 (10) Went up into the temple.—The peculiar form of…
(10) Went up into the temple.—The peculiar form of the verb, “went up,” was strictly justified by the position of the Temple. It stood on what had been Mount Moriah, and rose high above the other buildings of the city.
The one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.—The two words would be more pictorially suggestive to the disciples than they are, at first, to us. They would see the Pharisee with his broad blue zizith, or fringe, and the Tephillin (=prayers), or phylacteries, fastened conspicuously on brow and shoulder; the publican in his common working dress, with no outward badge to testify that he was a child of the Covenant. Here, as in the case of the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son (where see Notes), the parable may have stated actual facts. Of one such publican we read not long afterwards. (See Note on Luk_19:8.)
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv10–12 Two men went up into the temple to pray;…
Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. This parable constitutes an important chapter in Jesus" apology or defence if we may dare use the word for loving the sinful, for consorting with publicans and sinners. It tells men, in very simple language, how they are saved; not by works of righteousness which they have done, but of grace; in other words, by God"s free mercy. Jewish religious society in the time of our Lord, as represented by the great Pharisee sect, totally misunderstood this Divine truth. They claimed salvation as a right on two grounds:
(1) because they belonged to the chosen race;
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(2) because they rigidly and minutely obeyed the precepts of a singular code of laws, many of them devised by themselves and their fathers.
Upon these two grounds they claimed salvation, that is, eternal blissful life. Not content with this claim of their own, they condemned, with a sweeping, harsh condemnation, all other peoples, and even those of their own race who neglected rigidly to observe the ordinances and ritual of a law framed in great measure in the schools of their own rabbis. Two extreme instances are here chosen a rigid, exclusive, self-satisfied member of the religious society of Israel; and a Jewish officer of the hated Roman government, who knew little or nothing of the Law, but yet who longed after a higher life, and craved for an inward peace which he evidently was far from possessing. These two, the Pharisee and the publican, both went up to God"s holy house, the temple, with a view of drawing near to the eternal King.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain On vv10–11 10. A Pharisee … a publican. The one the…
10. A Pharisee … a publican. The one the type of orthodoxy; the other regarded by orthodox Jews a religious outcast. See notes on Matt. 3:7 and 9:9.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
J. W. McGarvey 1914 · Public Domain On v10 J. W. McGarvey's The Fourfold Gospel [XCVII. Pharisee and…
J. W. McGarvey's The Fourfold Gospel [XCVII. Pharisee and Publican].
XCVII. PARABLE OF THE PHARISEE AND PUBLICAN. cLUKE XVIII. 9-14.
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c9 And he spake also this parable unto certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and set all others at nought [It is commonly said that this parable teaches humility in prayer, but the preface and conclusion (see Luk_18:14) show that it is indeed to set forth generally the difference between self-righteousness and humility, and that an occasion of prayer is chosen because it best illustrates the point which the Lord desired to teach. The parable shows that the righteousness in which these parties trusted was devoid of that true charity or heart-love toward God and man without which our characters are worthless in the sight of God-- Pro_30:12, Pro_30:13, Isa_65:5, 1Co_13:1-3]: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray [The temple was the appointed place for Jewish prayer. To it the Jew went if near at hand, and towards it he prayed it afar off. The stated hours of prayer were 9 A. M. and 3 P. M., but men went there to pray whenever they felt like it]; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. [The two represent the extremes of Jewish social and religious life--see Rev_3:17, Rev_3:18), and he makes the sinful record of the publican a dark background on which to display the bright contrast of his own character--a character for which he was thankful, and apparently with reason.] 12 I fast twice in the week [the law appointed one fast in the year, [536] viz.: on the Day of Atonement ( Lev_16:29, Lev_16:30), but the Pharisees fasted on Mondays and Thursdays of each week]; I give tithes of all that I get. [I give the tenth part of my income. The law required that tithes be given from the corn, wine, oil, and cattle ( Deu_14:22, Deu_14:23), but the Pharisees took account of the humblest herbs of the garden, and gave a tenth of their mint, anise, and cummin ( Mat_23:23). Thus he confessed his virtues rather than his sins.] 13 But the publican, standing afar off [remote from the Holy Place], would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven [ Psa_123:1, Psa_123:2, Psa_40:12, Ezr_9:6], but smote his breast [as if to remind himself of the stroke of God which he so richly deserved-- Nah_2:7, Luk_23:48], saying, God be thou merciful to me a sinner. [He makes full confession of his sin without excuse or justification, and without offset of righteousness. Moreover, he petitions for no temporal blessings, but simply asks for mercy-- 1Ti_1:15.] 14 I say unto you, This man went down to his house justified rather than the other [we are taught here, as in the parable of the prodigal son, that the penitent unrighteous are more acceptable to God than the righteous who make no confession of their sins]: for every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled; but he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. [Luke xiv. 11, see p. 494. The Pharisee was an example of the first, and the publican of the second.]
[FFG 536-537]
J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v11 The Pharisee stood and prayed these things about himself
The Pharisee stood and prayed these things about himself
The meaning of the Greek text of this phrase is not clear. Possible meanings are 1) "The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself in this way" or 2) "The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed."
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robbers
Robbers are people who steal from other people by forcing the other people to give things to them, or by threatening to harm them if they refuse to give what the robbers ask for.
or even like this tax collector
The Pharisees believed that tax collectors were as sinful as robbers, unrighteous people, and adulterers. This could be made explicit. AT: "and I am certainly not like this sinful tax collector who cheats people" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
all that I get
"everything I earn"
translationWords
righteous
adultery
fast
tenth
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv10, 12 18:10 a despised tax collector: See study note on…
18:10 a despised tax collector: See study note on 3:12.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.