Luke 18:9-149And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Luke 18:9‑14)
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon 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 every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
“Two men went up into the temple to pray" (v. 9). Here we have that which is in harmony or discord with the character of things suited to the day of grace. The Pharisee and the publican set forth, not the doctrine of atonement nor of justification by faith, but the certainty that self-righteousness is displeasing to God, and that lowliness and sorrow because of sin is most acceptable in His sight.
The Pharisee does not set God aside (v. 11). He "stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee." But then he thanks God for what he is, not for what God is.
The only hope of the publican was in God Himself. He was very ignorant, no doubt, but he had the right spirit to get at God. Light had broken in and shown him he was a sinner. He submitted to the painful conviction, and confessed the truth of his state to God.
He was cast on God's mercy to his soul. He dared not appeal to justice, he did not ask indifference, but that mercy which measures the sin and forgives it. The revelation of grace had not yet come in; the work of reconciliation was not yet done, so that the publican stood "afar off"; but his heart was touched, and God was what he wanted.
If a soul is brought to a sense of sin now, it need not and ought not to stand afar off. The grace of God that bringeth salvation has appeared. Nevertheless, though he did not, could not thus know grace, the publican gives God and himself their true character. It was not full knowledge, but the knowledge as far as it went was true.
“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted" (v. 14). Universal truth! But where so shown as in Jesus? For if the first man, Adam, exalting himself, was abased, Christ Jesus, who was God, made Himself of no reputation, humbled Himself to the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him.
What is so humbling to the proud heart of man as to see himself through God's eyes: a soul dead toward Him in trespasses and sin? This, too is universal truth, for Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23) tells us that ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But this same God, who is rich in mercy, through His great love wherewith He loved us even while we were yet sinners, has given His own beloved Son Jesus to die for us. By humbling ourselves, by owning that His judgment was what we deserved and that His mighty work on the cross is the all-sufficient payment for sin to all who believe, we are granted, not only mercy, but through His matchless grace (unmerited favor) we are given God's own life—everlasting life.