Luke 18:14
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The publican wasn't just less proud than the Pharisee; he was declared righteous by God because he was utterly self-emptied, acknowledging his complete need for God's mercy. This highlights that justification isn't about having fewer faults, but about abandoning all self-reliance and casting oneself entirely on God's grace.
Jesus tells a parable to expose those who, in their own eyes, are righteous and look down on others. He contrasts a proud Pharisee praying in the temple with a humble tax collector. The parable concludes with Jesus declaring the tax collector went home right with God, not the Pharisee, because God exalts the humble and brings down the proud.
We might think going to church or praying automatically makes us right with God. But Jesus shows us that the way we approach Him matters more than we realize.
Jesus tells the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector to highlight a crucial spiritual principle: God hears the prayer of the humble, not the proud. The Pharisee, who meticulously lists his good deeds and compares himself favorably to others, is rejected by God. His prayer isn't about seeking God's mercy but about self-congratulation and looking down on others. This isn't just about outward actions; it's about an inward attitude of arrogance that assumes we have earned God's favor. True worship requires acknowledging our dependence on God, not on our own perceived righteousness.
The word 'justified' sounds like earning a reward. But in Jesus' story, it's something completely different—a divine declaration of acceptance that has nothing to do with our merit.
The core of Jesus' message is that the tax collector, despite his sinful occupation and humble posture, was 'justified'—declared righteous by God. This wasn't because he suddenly became sinless, but because he confessed his sin and cast himself entirely on God's mercy. Justification, in this context, is not about being rewarded for good works but about receiving God's grace. The Pharisee, trusting in his own deeds, couldn't be justified because he didn't rely on God's mercy. His 'righteousness' was a barrier, not a bridge, to God's favor. True justification comes from recognizing our inability and accepting God's free gift of forgiveness and acceptance through humility.
Jesus offers a concise, powerful principle that governs our standing with God and with others. It's a timeless truth about the human heart and divine justice.
The concluding proverb, 'everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted,' is the central thesis of the parable. This isn't merely a suggestion; it's a divine law. Exalting oneself—whether through pride in one's achievements, judging others, or seeking recognition—inevitably leads to downfall in God's eyes. Conversely, genuine humility—acknowledging our sinfulness, recognizing our dependence on God, and respecting others—leads to true exaltation in His sight. God's economy reverses human expectations: what the world values (self-promotion) is despised by God, while what the world overlooks (humility and self-confession) is honored.
Understand the original words
dikaioō · Greek Verb
The legal or forensic act of God declaring a person righteous in His sight, based solely on faith in Christ rather than human works.
hypsoo · Greek Verb
To raise to a high position, honor, or importance; biblically, it is warned against when it is self-initiated, as God resists the proud.
tapeinoō · Greek Verb
The state of being brought low; to be made humble through the realization of one's own insufficiency and dependence on God.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus Teaches the Parable
Jesus tells the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in the temple, contrasting self-righteousness with humble repentance.
c. 30 AD
Jewish Religious Climate
The Pharisees, a prominent religious group, emphasized strict adherence to the Law and tradition, often fostering a sense of self-righteousness and looking down on those considered sinners, like tax collectors.
c. 30 AD
Publicans Viewed as Sinners
Tax collectors (publicans) were widely despised in Jewish society, often seen as collaborators with Roman oppressors and prone to corruption and extortion.
c. 30 AD
Temple Worship Practices
Worship in the Jerusalem Temple involved prayer and sacrifices, with different social classes and religious standings participating. Access and perceived acceptance by God were central concerns.
This verse states the same principle, "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted," directly linking the outward actions and inward attitudes to divine judgment.
Matthew 23:12Jesus repeats the core saying of the parable, 'Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted,' emphasizing that humility is the pathway to true exaltation in God's sight.
James 4:6This passage echoes the parable's theme, stating that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble, underscoring the consistent biblical principle that God favors humility over self-exaltation.
1 Peter 5:5-6This offers a direct exhortation to humility and warns against pride, directly paralleling the Pharisee's downfall and the publican's acceptance, as God grants grace to the humble and resists the proud.
Romans 3:23-24This passage highlights that all have sinned and fall short, and that justification comes freely by God's grace, providing the theological foundation for why the humble, sin-confessing publican was justified and the self-righteous Pharisee was not.
calvinLuke 18:9-14: "And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:"
- And he spoke also this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10. Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11. The Pharisee standing [327] prayed these things within himself: God, I thank thee that I am not as other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterous, or even as this…
gillLuke 18:14: "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."
I tell you that this man,.... The publican that so freely owned himself to be a sinner, and by his carriage acknowledged he was unworthy of any favour; and who was treated with so much contempt by the Pharisee: went down to his house; from the temple which was built on a mountain, justified, rather than the…
The publican wasn't just less proud than the Pharisee; he was declared righteous by God because he was utterly self-emptied, acknowledging his complete need for God's mercy. This highlights that justification isn't about having fewer faults, but about abandoning all self-reliance and casting oneself entirely on God's grace.
Jesus tells a parable to expose those who, in their own eyes, are righteous and look down on others. He contrasts a proud Pharisee praying in the temple with a humble tax collector. The parable concludes with Jesus declaring the tax collector went home right with God, not the Pharisee, because God exalts the humble and brings down the proud.
Jesus tells a parable to expose those who, in their own eyes, are righteous and look down on others. He contrasts a proud Pharisee praying in the temple with a humble tax collector. The parable concludes with Jesus declaring the tax collector went home right with God, not the Pharisee, because God exalts the humble and brings down the proud.
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"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”" — The publican wasn't just less proud than the Pharisee; he was declared righteous by God because he was utterly self-emptied, acknowledging his complete need for God's mercy. This highlights that ju…
