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A Parable of Comparison and Contrast 

Towards the end of Jesus’s ministry, He spoke a parable with powerful meaning. Luke says it was addressed to “certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others.” So this parable is addressed to those we would refer to today as self-righteous and judgmental. 

“Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.”

Then, as now, the temple is the Lord’s house of worship and prayer. It was the best place on earth to connect with the Divine.

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. 

This was no kneeling supplication for mercy, but rather a verbal self-assurance of his righteousness before God. He was looking down his nose and over his shoulder at the publican nearby and patting himself on the back because he was doing so well with the commandments. 

The parable continues: 

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.

So much meaning in so few words. The publican felt so unworthy that he dared not approach the acclaimed Pharisee, nor could he even lift his eyes toward heaven under the crushing weight of his sins. In his anguish and self-loathing, he struck himself on the chest and in the simplest of supplications, pleaded for mercy. 

Then Jesus shocked his audience with this bold declaration: 

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.

Who did Jesus justify? The publican! 

It is a good thing to honor our covenants and keep God’s commandments, but when we start looking sideways, turning obedience into a competitive sport, we cancel it all out. God does not want us looking sideways at each other in scornful comparison and competition. He wants us looking up to Him, ever-conscious of our weakness and need for His help. He commands that our comfort comes from Him by humbly receiving the Comforter, not from the hot air that inflates our ego when we tell ourselves that we are more righteous than the ward member down the bench from us.  

Evidently, pride and self-righteousness may be far worse than some of us realized.

Source: Luke 18

Glenn Rawson