How do you approach God in prayer—boasting in your own righteousness or humbly acknowledging your need for His mercy?
In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus tells a parable that challenges us to examine the posture of our hearts when we come before God.
Key Verse: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” – Luke 18:14 (ESV)
Background Context: In this passage, Jesus tells the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee, confident in his own righteousness, prays by listing his good deeds and comparing himself to others. The tax collector, on the other hand, humbly acknowledges his sin and pleads for God’s mercy. Jesus uses this parable to illustrate the dangers of self-righteousness and the importance of humility before God. The passage speaks to the heart of how we relate to God and others in prayer and in life.
(Summarized and continued after scripture)
Luke 18:9-14 9And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: 10“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11“The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ 13“But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ 14“I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Reflection on Luke 18:9-14:
- The Pharisee’s Self-Righteousness: The Pharisee in the parable stands in the temple, praying loudly and confidently. He thanks God, but his prayer is filled with pride and comparison. Instead of confessing his need for God, he lists his religious accomplishments—fasting, tithing, and moral superiority to others (Luke 18:11-12). His prayer is not a genuine conversation with God but a self-congratulatory declaration of his own righteousness. This serves as a warning for us: when we approach God, are we truly seeking Him, or are we trying to justify ourselves before Him? The Pharisee’s focus on external actions shows how easy it is to miss the deeper need for inner transformation.
- The Tax Collector’s Humility: In stark contrast to the Pharisee, the tax collector stands far off, unwilling even to lift his eyes to heaven. His posture and words reveal a deep sense of unworthiness and repentance (Luke 18:13). His simple prayer—”God, have mercy on me, a sinner”—is full of humility and an awareness of his need for God’s grace. Unlike the Pharisee, the tax collector does not attempt to present himself as righteous. He knows that only God’s mercy can save him. This heart posture is what Jesus commends. When we come to God in prayer, we are called to come as the tax collector did—humbly, honestly, and fully aware of our need for grace.
- The Danger of Comparing Ourselves to Others: The Pharisee’s prayer reveals a key flaw: his righteousness is based on comparison. He thanks God that he is not like other people—extortioners, adulterers, or even the tax collector standing nearby (Luke 18:11). But righteousness before God is not measured by how we stack up against others. The Pharisee’s comparison blinds him to his own need for God’s mercy. We, too, can fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to others, thinking that our “goodness” justifies us before God. But true righteousness comes from humility and dependence on God, not from outperforming others in our religious duties.
- God’s Response to Humility: Jesus concludes the parable by saying that the tax collector, not the Pharisee, went home justified before God (Luke 18:14). The tax collector’s humble plea for mercy resulted in God’s forgiveness and justification. The Pharisee, who trusted in his own righteousness, left unchanged. This reveals an essential truth about how God relates to us: He exalts the humble and brings low the proud. God looks at the heart, not at outward appearances or actions. True justification comes from recognizing our need for God and seeking His mercy.
- The Heart of True Prayer: This parable teaches us that true prayer is not about boasting in our accomplishments or comparing ourselves to others. It is about coming before God with a heart of humility, repentance, and dependence. The Pharisee’s self-righteousness kept him from experiencing God’s grace, while the tax collector’s humility opened the door to God’s forgiveness. The posture of our hearts matters far more than the words we speak or the actions we perform.
Summary Key Points:
- The Danger of Self-Righteousness: The Pharisee’s prayer shows the danger of trusting in our own righteousness and comparing ourselves to others. True righteousness comes from God, not from our own efforts.
- Humility in Prayer: The tax collector’s humble prayer—acknowledging his sin and need for mercy—is the kind of heart posture God desires. When we come to God in humility, He responds with grace and forgiveness.
- God’s Response to Humility: Jesus makes it clear that those who humble themselves before God will be exalted, while those who exalt themselves will be humbled. God looks at the heart, not at outward appearances or actions.
- The Importance of Heart Posture: True prayer is about coming before God in honesty and humility, seeking His mercy rather than boasting in our own accomplishments.
Application: Consider the posture of your heart when you come before God in prayer. Are you like the Pharisee, focusing on your own righteousness and comparing yourself to others, or are you like the tax collector, humbly acknowledging your need for God’s mercy? Take time today to examine your heart and approach God with honesty and humility. Confess any areas of pride or self-righteousness, and ask God to fill you with His grace and forgiveness. Remember that God responds to those who seek Him in humility.
Closing Prayer: Heavenly Father, we come before You with humble hearts, acknowledging our need for Your mercy and grace. Forgive us for the times we have trusted in our own righteousness or compared ourselves to others. Teach us to come before You with a heart of humility, knowing that only Your mercy can make us right before You. Help us to live in dependence on Your grace, trusting in Your forgiveness rather than our own efforts. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.
John Golda
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