(Ref. Texts: Sir 35:12–14.16–19; Ps 32⁄31; 2Tim 4:6–8.16–18; Luke 18:9–14)
“Of all the causes which conspire to blind Man’s erring judgment, and misguide the mind, what the weak head with strong bias rules, is pride, the never-failing vice of fools. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way. And the perverse mouth I hate.”
Contents
Prologue
This Sunday Gospel is still on prayer but from a different perspective. If Luke 18:1–8 is on the constancy of prayer, 18:9–14 emphasizes on how to pray and on how not to pray. The implication is that if a person prays accordingly, his or her petition stands the chance of being answered, depending on what God decides. But if one prays disregarding the laid down principles and guidelines, then, his or her prayers will never find favour before God. A practical demonstration of this is the conclusion of the parable. In Luke 18:14, Jesus concludes the parable by underlining that while the tax collector went home justified, spiritually fulfilled, the Pharisee equally went home but unjustified and worse than he came to the house of God. The ugly effect of pride. The reward for pride.
Why this parable?
The words in Luke 17:22–18:1–8 were addressed to the disciples (cf. Luke 17:22). Having exhausted the parable on constancy, Jesus decided to address a particular set of the disciples. That is, those convinced of their righteousness and therefore, despised everyone else (cf. Luke 18:9). While all the disciples needed the teaching on constancy, some were guilty of the sin of presumption. The same teaching or parable is equally addressed to the contemporary believers, especially those who think they are holier than others simply because they omit some mode of dressing and making-up, avoid some certain foods and drinks, belong to a particular group, fast, pray for 24–48 hours as if the efficacy of prayer depends on how long one prays, where one goes to pray, the words used and the things done during prayer. These are all human classifications. God is interested in another thing. God cares about the heart that approaches Him in prayer. This parable is meant to call to order those who think God answers prayer because of who and what we pretend to be. The efficacy of prayer does not consist in our external manifestations which only serve to make impression on the weak. The efficacy of prayer consists on our inner being, on the status of our heart, on who we really are in the sight of God, not who we are and what we do in the sight of human beings who can easily be deceived.
The protagonists of the parable
The characters of this parable are the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. As I explained in the reflection for the 24th Sunday ©, the Pharisees “were the numerous and most powerful sect of the Jews, famous for their ceremonial observances, apparent sanctity of life, and rigid interpreters of the Law. They frequently contravened the spirit of the Torah by their traditional interpretations and precepts, to which they attributed equal authority with the Hebrew Scriptures (cf. Matt 5:20; 12:2; 23:14). They were in fact, the separated ones, hence, holy. Along with the Torah, the Pharisees also accepted as inspired and authoritative all the commandments stipulated in the oral traditions and preserved by the rabbis. Jesus confronted them severally and condemned their religious externalism and formality.” On the other hand, the Tax Collectors were not well loved by their fellow Jews due to their allegiance to the Roman authority in terms of tax collection. Their love was exclusively of those belonging to their class, an attitude condemned by Jesus (cf. Matt 5:46–47).
According to the parable, the Pharisee represents those who rigidly observed the Torah and traditions and, who did everything possible to avoid any form of contact with those they classified as sinners. They sought for distinction and praise through outward observance of external rites and through outward piety such as ceremonial washings, fasting, long prayers, and orchestrated alms-giving. Due to their negligence of genuine piety, they prided themselves of their fancied and presumed good works while they were arch agents of injustice. Conversely, the Tax Collector or Publican was a known sinner and a collaborationist. Collaborationist because he collected taxes for the Romans, and due to the nature of his work, he was considered a usurer and an authorized robber. As already indicated above, the Publicans were associated with sinners (cf. Luke 5:30) and they had no good name in the society. These were the two people who presented themselves before God. Who they are definitely conditioned their prayer and comportment before the El Shaddai (Lord/God Almighty). Who among them represents me? Who among them represents you? As regards our attitude towards God in prayer, are you a Pharisee or a Publican?
The content of their prayer
As mentioned above, being a Pharisee and a Publican influenced the modus orandi of the protagonists of the parable. The place occupied in the Temple and the content of their prayers say a lot about them. The Pharisee stood in front of the Sanctuary. But the Tax Collector at the back of the Temple. Let us begin with the Pharisee.
The Pharisee prays to God
When the Pharisee and the Tax Collector entered the Temple to pray, Luke says the Pharisee stood to himself. What does it mean that the Pharisee stood to himself? Again, what does it mean to stand to oneself and how can a person stand to himself or herself? The Greek expression says ho pharisaios statheis pros eauton. In their efforts to render this Greek, various English Translations have suggested different meanings. According to them, the Pharisee “stood by himself” (NIV); “stood and prayed thus with himself” (KJV); “standing by himself” (NRS, ESV); “took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself” (NAB); “stood and prayed about himself like this” (NET); “stood there and said this prayer to himself” (NJB); “stood and prayed to himself” (CJB). Even the Vulgate has it that the Pharisee “stans haec apud se orabat.” Each Translation underlines a different aspect of the Pharisee’s prayer. Since this is a parable, and since they went for private prayer, it is better to translate ho pharisaios statheis pros eauton as the Pharisee stood and prayed within himself. The Italian and the French Translations[1] are more accurate on this. What then did the Pharisee pray for?
The Pharisee makes his thanksgiving to God, which is a proud auto-exultation. He started by thanking and praising God. But his reason for the thanksgiving renders it superfluous. Just reflect on each word of his so-called prayer (cf. Luke 18:11–12). This is his prayer: “God, I thank you that I am not like other people: extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.” Have you noticed that what the Pharisee came to do in the Temple was to justify himself, sing his praises and condemn others including the tax collector who happened to be in the same Temple with him. The Pharisees have always looked down on the Publicans and they have never tolerated Jesus’ association with them (cf. Matt 9:10–11). Imagine visiting the Blessed Sacrament to pray only to hear the next person saying similar things about you or about other people. How would you react? Every prayer should start with thanksgiving. But the thanksgiving of the Pharisee has nothing to do with recognizing the blessings and goodness of the Lord. It was thanking God for not making him like the others he describes as sinners. At times when there is an accident, you someone who survived the accident thanking God that he or she is not among those that died. I do not think this is correct.
Like many of us, the Pharisee does not know how to thank God. Because he fasts twice a week and pays his tithes in keeping to the law (cf. Lev 27:30–32), he feels righteous, just and justified before God. What arrogance! While the Hebrew (Old) Testament appears to have recommended only one fast per year, probably on Yom Kippùr (Day of Atonement, cf. Lev 23:26.29.32), the Pharisees multiplied it. By advertising his fast, the Pharisee proves himself a hypocrite and confirms Jesus’ accusation against them. It was against such hypocrisy and public manifestation of piety that Jesus warned his disciples and every Christian too (cf. Matt 6:16–18). Mere keeping to the stipulations of the Law does not make one righteous, just and justified before God. Instead of praying and obtaining God’s grace and growing in spirituality, the Pharisee ended up committing sin and going home empty and shattered. Instead of praying, he made himself a judge, taking the place of God and classifying himself as just simply because he obeys the law. He should have concentrated on his prayer instead of praising himself and accusing the other person. Jesus severely rebuked the Pharisees for their avarice, ambition, hollow reliance on outward works, and affection of piety in order to gain popularity. The Pharisee represents those who justify themselves before others without knowing that God knows us better (cf. Luke 16:15). Unfortunately, many Christians today are victims of the Pharisee’s hypocrisy and emptiness. They orchestrate their presumed holiness and spirituality when in reality, they are hypocrites, empty, unjust, heartless, godless and spiritually bankrupt. God have mercy on them!