Dealing With Our Inner Pharisee

Christ Before the High Priest, oil on canvas by Gerrit van Honthorst, circa 1617.

Published on THE STREAM

“Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else. ‘Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, “O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity — greedy, dishonest, adulterous — or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.”

But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, “O God, be merciful to me a sinner.” I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.’” (Luke 18:9-14)

Which person are we in this story? I have a friend who once reminded me that not all the Pharisees were blinded by their self-righteousness. Not all of them failed to recognize that the One whom they so often sought to correct was God Incarnate. My friend is correct. The Pharisees were a part of a genuine religious reform movement which sought to bring faithful Jews back to living the fullness of the Law of Moses, precisely so that they could witness to the truth of God’s loving plan to others.

In using this parable, the Lord wanted to communicate a danger which can afflict all of us, the temptation of succumbing to self-righteousness and pride. The Pharisee stands as a warning to any of us who can so easily succumb to that temptation. It is a daily struggle.

They prided themselves on their strict adherence to the Law — and believed they were being devout. Instead, though, they became incapable of seeing the Source and Fulfillment of the Law, even as He walked and taught in their midst . . . . .

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