The Publican and the Pharisee

In the parable, the Pharisee is first of all a symbol of pride. … The publican, on the contrary, is a symbol of humility.

Jesus Christ: His Life and Teaching, Vol.4 - The Parables of Jesus, Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev

This parable is found in Luke chapter 18. The Pharisee and the publican (tax collector) each go to the temple to pray.

11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’

13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’

14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

The parable is addressed to Pharisees; this is seen in the opening verse:

9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others

The Pharisee stood close to the alter; this isn’t seen directly in the parable, but Metropolitan Hilarion points out that ritually purified men could enter the Court of Israel, close to the alter. The publican, on the other hand, stood far off – as is told in the parable.

It is likely the Pharisee prayed with his eyes up, as was customary; the publican would not do so. The Pharisee stood; the publican beat his chest. The Pharisee prayed objectively; the publican, repentantly.

In the eyes of the Pharisee, the publican represented a category of people who deserved total contempt.

These were Jews who collected taxes for the Romans. Locals were used by Rome to collect taxes, because they knew how the local economy functioned and how the various games were played to keep revenue out of the government’s hands. In other words, locals knew where to look.

John Chrysostom described what a publican represented in this society:

“Tell me, who is worse than the publican? He is a dealer in the misfortunes of others.”

He does no labor, but profits from the labor of others; he is an “extortioner, sin incarnate, and the epitome of greediness.” In other words, the Pharisee’s description in his prayer of the publican was accurate.

He follows this with a listing of his merits. He followed the law in every detail, with indications that he went beyond the law (for example, tithing of all his possessions, and not merely the gain). It is the prayer of pride.

John Chrysostom describes this Pharisee:

“O you miserable and wretched soul, you condemned the entire world! Why did you also afflict your neighbor?”

To the contrary, the publican was humble. Again, from John Chrysostom:

“As he heard these things, he did not say ‘Who are you to tell me such things?’”

Instead, the publican prayed with a focus on his own sin.

14 “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

By being humble – the foundational virtue for the attainment of all virtues – he gained righteousness (he was justified). His humble words prevailed over the Pharisees recounting of his own “righteous” deeds, for which he did not receive justification.

Conclusion

A confession of one’s own sinfulness is the all-encompassing sense that justified the publican in the eyes of God.

God looks not at merit, but at the heart. None have achieved merit satisfactory to God; every person is sinful in His eyes.

Man’s salvation does not depend on the sum of his merits, but on the mercy of God.