Are You Delusional?

A Parable about contrasts between two types of people

Luke 18:9–14 NIV

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone 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 by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—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 all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

This is not a historical story but another parable.

Jesus is not addressing only one sect of the Jews, but using The Pharisee as an example of all self-righteous people.

The tax collector represents all sinners who realize their dilemma and throw themselves on the mercy of God.

The problem...

They were too “confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else.” (18:9)

Here is a basic look at the two way street of self-centerdness: Focusing entirely on yourself and disdaining others around you.

Outwardly these people seem to live righteous lives, but inwardly they trust self rather than God.

This leads naturally into contempt for others, as the superiority of self produces arrogance.

Both men ascend to the temple to pray

Public prayers were uttered at nine in the morning and three in the afternoon, during the morning and evening sacrifices. They were primarily corporate prayers, but people would go up to utter personal prayers as well.

Standing for prayer with hands upraised was the normal prayer posture and signified reaching up to the heavens via prayer.

Jewish people normally prayed out loud

The phrase “stood by himself” is actually “prayed to himself” and could be taken to mean “about himself” hightlighting the basic problem behind his prayer.

The prayer itself uses the first person five times, all of the Jews would notice the complete absence of confession and petition in his prayer

The Pharisee is only concerned about himself and his self-righteousness

He is not “like other people”....he doesn’t fit the description of verse 9, “looked down on everyone else.”

The three categories – robbers, evildoers, adulterers – is probably from a common vice list and sums up the lawbreakers who stand condemned.

Evildoers, probably includes everyone but himself

He’s another of those who think God is pretty lucky to have him around to look after his affairs

The Tax Collector

The despised tax collector is forthright, honest, and humble

He stands “at a distance” probably the outer court of the Gentiles, undoubtedly reflecting his sense of unworthiness to approach God.

He raises neither is hands nor his eyes but “beat his breast” in sorrow and mourning for his sins.

His abject humility and deep repentance could not be more opposite from the Pharisee

All he can do is cry out from the depths of his misery, “God, have mercy on me a sinner.”

The punchline of the parable

The tax collector went home justified before God

Where are you in the parable?

Do you sometimes look at yourself and think that God is pretty lucky to have me? I’m not like other sinners, I’m actually pretty good when compared to others.

It’s the attitude of the heart is just as important to God as the works that result from it

All are sinners, All fall short of the glory of God, All need a Savior

Servanthood is the true path to greatness and humility will lead to God exalting us