Jesus Parable of The Pharisee and The Tax Collector We must humbly trust in the grace of God rather than our own perceived perfect obedience Introduction A parable is an earthly story designed to teach a spiritual lesson through a comparison Many parables focused on the nature of the kingdom of God, its King and its citizens Today, Jesus church is the visible manifestation of His kingdom The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector is only found in Luke 2 Introduction Introduction Like Jesus previous parable about the persistent widow, it is about prayer However, instead of focusing on being persistent in prayer, it warns us not to trust in our own perceived perfect obedience to be righteous but in the mercy of God The Pharisee was arrogant reciting his perceived perfect record of obedience to God, not needing God s mercy and In contrast, the tax collector recognized his sinfulness before God and His absolute need for His mercy For his humble, obedient attitude, he was justified, forgiven, freed from guilt while the proud self-righteous Pharisee was condemned If we can only be saved by grace, is our obedience to God s commands despising the hopeless sinful tax collector 3 necessary? 4 Jesus Parable of The Pharisee 1. Background 2. The parable 3. Applications 5 Jesus Teaches Two Parables On Prayer Luk 18:1 Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, Luk 18:2 saying, "In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. Luk 18:3 "There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, 'Give me legal protection from my opponent.' 6
Jesus Teaches Two Parables On Prayer Luk 18:9 And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: Luk 18:10 "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. Act 23:6 But perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Council, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!" 7 8 Act 23:7 As he said this, there occurred a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. Act 23:8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. Act 26:5 since they have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion. 9 10 Mat 23:23 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. 11 Mar 7:5 The Pharisees and the scribes *asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?" Mar 7:6 And He said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. 12
Mar 7:7 'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.' Mar 7:8 "Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men." Mar 7:9 He was also saying to them, "You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. 13 Mar 7:10 "For Moses said, 'HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER'; and, 'HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER, IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH'; Mar 7:11 but you say, 'If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is Corban (that is to say, given to God),' 14 Who Were The Tax Collectors? Mar 7:12 you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother; Mar 7:13 thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that." 15 Luk 5:27 After that He went out and noticed a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, "Follow Me." Luk 5:28 And he left everything behind, and got up and began to follow Him. Luk 5:29 And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them. 16 Who Were The Tax Collectors? Who Were The Tax Collectors? Luk 5:30 The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?" Luk 5:31 And Jesus answered and said to them, "It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. Luk 5:32 "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." 17 Luk 19:7 When they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, "He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." Luk 19:8 Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much." 18
Who Were The Tax Collectors? Luk 19:9 And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. Luk 19:10 "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." The Parable of The Pharisee Luk 18:9 And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: Luk 18:10 "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 19 20 The Parable of The Pharisee Luk 18:11 "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. Luk 18:12 'I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.' He Proudly Followed Traditions That Went Beyond God s Law Lev 16:29 "This shall be a permanent statute for you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall humble your souls and not do any work, whether the native, or the alien who sojourns among you; 21 22 He Proudly Followed Traditions That Went Beyond God s Law Deu 14:22 "You shall surely tithe all the produce from what you sow, which comes out of the field every year. Deu 14:23 "You shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God, at the place where He chooses to establish His name, the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and your flock, so that you may learn to fear the LORD your God The Parable of The Pharisee Luk 18:13 "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!' always. 23 24
God Forgave Him Because He Humbly Repented and Pleaded For Mercy Luk 18:14 "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." 25 God Forgave Him Because He Humbly Repented and Pleaded For Mercy Psa 51:1 For the choir director. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Psa 51:2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And cleanse me from my sin. 26 God Forgave Him Because He Humbly Repented and Pleaded For Mercy Psa 51:3 For I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me. Psa 51:4 Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge. Jesus Parable of The Pharisee 1. Background 2. The parable 3. Applications 27 28 The Parable of The Pharisee Luk 18:9 And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: Luk 18:10 "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Parable of The Pharisee Luk 18:11 "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. Luk 18:12 'I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.' 29 30
The Parable of The Pharisee Luk 18:13 "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!' Luk 18:14 "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 Act 2:36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ--this Jesus whom you crucified." Act 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" be exalted." 31 32 Act 2:38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Act 2:41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. Act 2:42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 33 34 Eph 2:4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, Eph 2:5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), Eph 2:6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 35 Eph 2:7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 36
Eph 2:9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Tit 3:1 Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, Tit 3:2 to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. 37 38 Tit 3:3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. Tit 3:4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 39 Tit 3:5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, Tit 3:6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, Tit 3:7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 40 Tit 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, Tit 2:12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, Tit 2:13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, Tit 2:14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. 41 42
2Co 7:9 I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. 2Co 7:10 For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the 1Pe 3:8 To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; 1Pe 3:9 not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. sorrow of the world produces death. 43 44 1Pe 3:10 For, "THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE, TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS, MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT. 1Pe 3:11 "HE MUST TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD; HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT. 1Pe 3:12 "FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE TOWARD THE RIGHTEOUS, AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER, BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL." 45 46 1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 1Jn 1:7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 47 48
Mat 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Mat 7:22 "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' Mat 7:23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.' 49 50 Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? Rom 6:2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Rom 6:3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Rom 6:4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 51 52 Rom 6:11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Rom 6:12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 53 Rom 6:13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. Rom 6:14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. 54
Rom 6:15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! Rom 6:16 Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? Rom 6:17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, Rom 6:18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 55 56 1Co 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 1Co 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. 1Co 15:11 Whether then it was I or they, so Luk 17:7 "Which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come immediately and sit down to eat'? Luk 17:8 "But will he not say to him, 'Prepare something for me to eat, and properly clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; and afterward you may eat and drink'? we preach and so you believed. 57 58 Luk 17:9 "He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he? Luk 17:10 "So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.'" 59