13 May 2024
The Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14) is about man-made righteousness. Luke says that bluntly. Bailey says the outline is ABAB; I don't see it.
1. Intro
2. Two men go up.
3. The manner of the Pharisee
4. The prayer of the Pharisee
5. The manner of the tax collector
6. The prayer of the tax collector
7. One is justified
8. Conclusion
In Greek, the word typically translated as "righteous" (dikaios) generally refers to civilized and polite. In the Old Testament, righteousness (sadaqa) was always a gift from God. In some translations, it also appears as "saving acts" of God. There's a passage in Micah 6:3-8 in which the prophet warns that God wants to remind the nation of what He did to redeem them. They should review what He has done to get a picture of His righteousness. It's not about countless sacrifices on the altar, but the sacrifice of the heart -- to walk in justice and humility.
This does not lead to arrogance and despising others.
In English we tend to distinguish between private prayer and group worship, but the word "prayer" in the Middle East is more ambiguous. In the parable we have two men attending a public worship event. During the daily Temple ritual, the point at which the priest enters the Temple to place the incense is when those attending can offer their private prayers. Those who could not attend a Temple service would keep track of the sounds in the Temple and offer their private prayers at the same moment from a distance.
The Pharisee stands away from others because he imagines that the common people might defile him should there be any accidental contact. It was typical of pious Jews to pray out loud during the incense offering. How many of us had to endure sermons slipped into someone else's public prayers? There is no confession, thanksgiving or petition from the Pharisee.
Instead he congratulates himself on being above the masses, talks bad about them, and then mentions all the wonderful things he does. We know that he is one of those who built a hedge around the law with rules of super-observance that make sure he doesn't violate anything. He overdoes the fasting and tithing substantially.
The tax collector stands back to avoid defiling anyone else. While the posture in prayer was arms across the chest, this man beats on his. It is an extraordinary thing when men beat their chests (not so much for women). Further, Luke does not signify that the man is asking for mercy, but chooses a Greek word indicating asking for atonement. You sense he wonders if one lamb on the altar is enough for just his own sins.
Jesus says the tax collector got what he came for, connecting with God, and the Pharisee got all the blessing he was going to get in his self-congratulation. He shares that epigram about those who exalt themselves versus those who humble themselves. It shows up scattered around the New Testament. Then Bailey links the parable to Isaiah 66:1-6. He claims a rhetorical outline, but again, I just don't see it. I believe he's stretching for it. The passage stands quite firm without it. We see that Jesus banks on it, mentions it in the Sermon the Mount, Stephen quotes part of it, etc.
The parable and Isaiah's prophecy are loaded with parallels: the marginalized become heroes, the arrogant claim God but cannot touch His heart, a sense of humility contrasted with self-righteousness, and so on. People complain that Jesus' parable is antisemitic, but Isaiah's language is more harsh. Isaiah condemns the attitude of the whole nation that treats God like a slot-machine, input = output.
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