To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men – robbers, evildoers, adulterers – or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
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In my mind’s eye I see this story from Jesus playing itself out.
Two men are in the Temple grounds. One, a Pharisee, has chosen a very conspicuous place to pray. I envision him standing tall, hands raised high, face looking upward, confidently beaming. Does he pray out loud? All the better to be noticed, so, yes, he likely does. Raising his voice to God in heaven, he congratulates himself on his spiritual well-being and his self-diagnosed unblemished status. He’s not like other men, he says. He sees himself in a rank above the rest. Indeed, he is sure most others are men of vile character – robbers or evildoers or adulterers. Then, casting his eyes round to see who’s watching, he notices the other man, a tax collector, off in a corner, bent low, drawn in upon himself. And the Pharisee pounces. “I’m not like him,” he crows, “not like this wicked tax collector. Why, I even fast two times every week, and I give an offering of ten percent of everything I acquire. How good is that!” And he pats himself on the back as he concludes his self-satisfied prayer.
Meanwhile, without noticing this spectacle played out nearby, the tax collector, with head bowed, beating his breast in agony, pours out his heart, sure he has no right on his own to gain any favour from God. All he can do is simply cry out. He names his lack of worth. He begs for grace.
“God,” he says, “have mercy on me, a sinner.”
If each had presented us with a resume of their spiritual life, we might well be in agreement with the Pharisee. Especially when the contrast with this irreligious, compromised, tax collector is so stark.
But, as the story of David in the Old Testament, chosen by God, makes clear, God sees things differently than we do. Speaking to the prophet Samuel, the Lord says: “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).
The heart of the Pharisee is full of self-congratulatory pride, relying on his own accomplishments, certain he himself has what it takes to earn God’s favour. That’s how he prays.
The heart of the tax collector, on the other hand, is full or repentant remorse, certain he cannot rely on his own track-record. So, with no other hope, with no other plea, he simply throws himself on the mercy of God.
That, Jesus says, is the heart the Lord looks upon with favour.
The further story, of course, is that Jesus himself is headed to the cross to bear away all of the sin and guilt and wrongdoing of each and every tax collector, and every other sinner – including us – those who, on their own, could never earn God’s favour.
But, to enter into that redemption, we must throw ourselves on the mercy of the Lord. Just like the tax-collector.
It’s the way to begin the Christian life – simply crying out for forgiveness in Jesus’ name, crying out on the basis of his grace. But it’s also the ongoing stance of Christian discipleship. To keep looking to Jesus alone for right-standing. Not looking down on others. Acknowledging our own shortcomings. Putting aside pride. Relying on grace.
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
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Lord Jesus, I need no other argument. I need no other plea. It is enough that you have died, and that you died for me. Praise your name.
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Reflect:
Take the words of the hymn and pray them for yourself throughout the day:
“I need no other argument. I need no other plea. It is enough that Jesus died, and that he died for me.”
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Photo by Ben White on Unsplash
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