Skip to content
cento53

The Pharisee and the Publican

Two men pray in the Temple. One lists what he has done; the other asks for mercy — and goes home justified.

Read Luke 18:9–14 in the reader

Awaiting theological review

Before you read

Who Jesus was speaking to

Scripture

Luke says who the parable is for: “some who trusted in themselves as just, and despised others”.

Interpretation

The two faults go together: trusting in oneself and looking down on others. The parable is not about Pharisees then; it is about anyone who prays while comparing.

Luke 18:9–14

Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition · Public Domain

Two men went up to pray9And to some who trusted in themselves as just, and despised others, he spoke also this parable: 10Two men went up into the temple to pray: the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11The Pharisee standing, prayed thus with himself: O God, I give thee thanks that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, as also is this publican. 12I fast twice in a week: I give tithes of all that I possess. 13And the publican, standing afar off, would not so much as lift up his eyes towards heaven; but struck his breast, saying: O God, be merciful to me a sinner. Justified14I say to you, this man went down into his house justified rather that the other: because every one that exalteth himself, shall be humbled: and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted.

Two prayers in the Temple

The Pharisee and the publican

Prayed thus with himself

The Pharisee

Devout, generous with his fasting and his tithes — and sure of his place before God.

  1. 18:11 — I give thee thanks that I am not as the rest of men
  2. 18:12 — I fast twice in a week

Interpretation

He begins by thanking God, but almost every sentence is about himself, and he needs the publican as a contrast. He asks God for nothing.

Think about it

When you pray, do you ever measure yourself against someone else?

Be merciful to me a sinner

The publican

He stays at a distance, does not dare look up, strikes his breast, and says one sentence.

  1. 18:13 — Standing afar off… struck his breast
  2. 18:14 — This man went down into his house justified

Church teaching

The Catechism, speaking of prayer, says that humility is its foundation, and recalls that he who humbles himself will be exalted (CCC 2559).

Tradition & devotion

His words echo in the Jesus Prayer of the Eastern Churches — Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner — repeated slowly by Christians for many centuries.

Think about it

Could you pray his prayer today, in your own words?

What first hearers would have noticed

Context

Who were the Pharisees?

History & scholarship

The Pharisees were a respected lay movement devoted to keeping the Law in daily life. The Law required fasting only on the Day of Atonement; fasting twice a week and tithing everything went far beyond it. This Pharisee is not a hypocrite who pretends: he really does what he says.

Who were the publicans?

History & scholarship

Publicans collected taxes and tolls for the Roman system and its local rulers. They were widely seen as collaborators who enriched themselves, and they were grouped with public sinners.

Prayer in the Temple

History & scholarship

People went up to the Temple to pray, especially at the hours of the morning and afternoon sacrifice. Standing was the normal posture for prayer.

Look closer

Symbols

Standing afar offLuke 18:13

Interpretation

The Pharisee stands where he can be seen; the publican keeps his distance. Yet it is the one who stays far off who is brought near.
Striking the breastLuke 18:13

History & scholarship

Beating the breast was a gesture of grief. Catholics still strike their breast at Mass during the Confiteor, the prayer of confession at the beginning.
JustifiedLuke 18:14

Interpretation

To be justified is to be put right with God. The publican does not earn it; he receives it, because he asks.

Remember

Quiz me

Question 1 of 5beginner

Where did the two men go to pray?

The next question

A publican who changed: ZacchaeusA publican called to follow JesusHow do I pray?Jesus on prayer in secret