Title: The Pharisee's Prayer/Luke 18:9-14
The Pharisee's Prayer
In 18:1-8, Jesus taught us to pray and not to give up. Today's text also deals with the topic of prayer. We can see what kind of prayers answered here. Why was the Pharisee's prayer not answered? On the other hand, why was the publican's prayer answered? While seeking an answer to this question, let's take a look at what kind of life a Christian who is looking at the kingdom of God should lead before praying.
First, we must not show off our self-righteousness.
The text of the text is also in parables. As with the previous words, the first verse contains the lesson we are trying to teach. He spoke to those who believed in themselves righteous and despised others, but the text suggests that the target is a Pharisee. It is not wrong to say that it was aimed at those who had the same attitude among the disciples. Such an attitude is not right.
There are two people in this parable. One is a Pharisee and the other is a publican. The two are extremely contrasting. Although there are places where the Pharisees are mentioned as lovers of money (Luke 16:14), how many people do not? They still seek heavenly wealth more than earthly wealth. Although it is formal, are you not participating in relief? A publican, on the other hand, is a person who seeks more earthly wealth than heavenly wealth. Naturally, a Pharisee is a person who pursues a godly life, and a publican is a person who is more obsessed with a worldly life. The Pharisees are closed nationalists, and publicans are open-minded with the Roman Empire.
This contrast is also seen in the way each person prays in the temple. The Pharisee looked up to the sky and prayed, but the tax collector bowed his head and beat his chest in prayer. What is surprising, however, is the conclusion Jesus drew at the end of this parable.
“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified than the other. Everyone who humbles himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (verse 14).
This does not mean that God has approved that the Pharisees are more righteous than the publicans, but the opposite. The second half of this verse makes it clear that he who humbles himself is exalted. Those who humble themselves are publicans, not Pharisees.
Look at the prayers of the Pharisees.
"...I thank God, that I am not like other men, extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, nor like this publican. Twice a week I fast and I tithe my income..." ( 11, 12)
He boasted in these words that he kept the law unlike other sinners. Not at any other time, but when he prayed to a holy God, he showed off his righteousness like this.
But what Jesus is saying is that he may be righteous in his own eyes, but he is not righteous in the eyes of God. Herein lies the problem of the Pharisees. It was not his fault that he looked up to heaven and prayed. Jesus pointed out the same problem earlier when he said, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts" (Luke 16:15).
No matter how great a man's righteousness in his own eyes, it is insignificant in God's eyes. The Bible declares that all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags.
“For we are all like the unclean, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all decay like a leaf, and our iniquities like the wind carry us away” (Isaiah 64:6)
Even though it is clearly recorded in the Bible, the Pharisees did not realize this fact. So, he tried hard to show his righteousness.
"I testify that they were zealous for God, but not according to knowledge. They did not know the righteousness of God, and, seeking to establish their own, did not submit to the righteousness of God. It was the end" (Romans 10:2-4).
Prayer is not about bragging about yourself. Prayer is not a show of self-righteousness. When we pray in the name of Jesus, it means that we come to God through the Lord's merit and the Lord's righteousness, not on our own merits. Daniel was the person who realized this from the beginning.
“Incline your ear, my God, and hear, and open your eyes, and see our desolation, and the city that is called by your name. We do not pray before you, not because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. come" (Daniel 9:18)
We can see that the angel Gabriel appeared to him and said that God immediately answered this prayer.
“At the beginning of your prayer, a command has been given, and now I am here to tell you, you are greatly favored…” (Daniel 9:23)
The Lord also told us to seek the kingdom and righteousness of God, but do not forget that we must also seek the righteousness of God when we pray.
In order not to cause any misunderstanding, I will add one word. It is true that prayer must support a godly life. This is because God does not hear the prayers of sinners unless they are prayers of repentance, and even in the case of believers, if they have sins in their hearts, He does not hear them.
“If I harbor iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18).
“But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you” (Isaiah 59:2).
However, no matter how godly we are, that alone cannot be sufficient in God's sight. Therefore, we must pray to God through justification (God's justification) through faith in Jesus Christ. The tax collector begged God for mercy with a contrite heart.
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:17).
Second, we must not have a heart of contempt for others.
Contempt for others is a trap that self-righteous people tend to fall into. The Pharisees despised robbers, unrighteous people, adulterers, and publicans.
“When all the tax collectors and sinners came near to hear the word, the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:1,2).
The Pharisee in the text is such a person. Because he usually behaves like that, even when he prayed to God, he despised the tax collector who was praying next to him. All you have to do is pray for yourself. Why do you talk and criticize the person next to you?
It is always true that you reap what you sow. We despise and despise others because they are perceived as inferior in comparison with our own actions, knowledge, or talents. If we take that attitude, how can we expect God to honor us and to hear and answer our prayers?
God has mercy on those who show mercy.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy” (Matthew 5:7).
“There will be judgments without mercy to those who show no mercy, but mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13).
God grants forgiveness of sins to those who forgive. This truth is presented in the parable of the two debtors in Luke 18.
“So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless you forgive your brother in the center of each one” (Matthew 18:35).
“Judge not, lest you be judged. With the judgment with which you judge, you will be judged, and with the measure that you measure, it will be measured to you” (Matthew 7:1,2).
Answers to prayers are entirely by God's grace. This is because God gave the grace of salvation to worthless sinners and took on the duty of answering prayers on his own. As we approach Him, we must remember this and humble ourselves and humble ourselves.