The Pharisee and the Tax Collector PrayBible World
18:12Luke 18:12
I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
The verse is the proud Pharisee's self-praising prayer in the parable, in which he holds up his fasting twice a week and tithing all he possesses as proof of his own goodness and righteousness. It was spoken to those who trusted in themselves, were conceited in their own righteousness, and despised others, setting the boastful Pharisee against the humble tax collector who felt unworthy and cried for mercy. It exposes a religion of outward acts that never reaches the soul, measured by a human standard rather than God's character, springing from self and not from Christ, with a heart unshaped by grace, love and mercy. Centered on self, it lifts up I, I, I in haughty self-sufficiency and pride, with no conviction of sin or sense of need, leaving no room for Jesus and reaching no higher than self. Such boasting does not justify or win God's favor and cannot buy entrance to heaven, but the one who humbles himself in contrition and trusts alone in the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour goes home justified and exalted.
Words and Parable Setting
Luke 18:12 is the Pharisee's self-praising prayer, in which he lists his fasting twice in the week and his giving tithes of all that he possesses as grounds for confidence in his own goodness and righteousness. His record of religious deeds is an expression of self-righteousness and haughty self-sufficiency, not of humility and reverence before God, and his prayer, centered on himself, reaches no higher than himself. These practices form part of his trust in his own righteousness and his contempt for others, set in contrast to the publican's humility and sense that he has no claim on God's mercy or approval.
The verse belongs to a parable spoken to those who trusted in their own righteousness, were self-conceited, and looked down on and despised others. It contrasts the proud Pharisee, who presents his fasting twice a week and his tithing of everything he acquired as grounds for self-exaltation, with the humble tax collector. The lesson is that a person must humble himself to learn from God, for the one who humbles himself will be exalted, while the self-righteous spirit that parades virtues yet remains blind to sin and serious defects of character is offensive to God, who sees the heart and its motives.
Fasting twice a week was practiced as an act of merit, and the most rigid Jews fasted two days each week. This rigorous fasting was self-imposed, with which God has nothing to do, so those who practice it are not sustained. The tithing claim is a boast of tithing everything acquired and possessed and of good works generally, a pharisaical righteousness that springs not from Christ but has its foundation in self alone.
Outward Religion Without Heart
The fasting twice in the week and tithing of all possessed is listed as ground for self-praise and evidence of righteousness, yet the religion it shows concerns outward actions and conduct and does not reach the soul. It is not seeking a Godlike character or a heart filled with love and mercy and shaped by grace upon the heart, but is satisfied with outward conduct. The same boast reveals the spirit of false sanctification, which is entirely ignorant of the work of grace upon the heart. That spirit will bear no contradiction, lays aside reason and judgment, depends wholly on feeling and on emotions once experienced, and stubbornly urges tenacious claims of holiness with many words but no precious fruit as proof. Such boasting deludes its own soul, misleads earnest seekers who desire to conform to the will of God, speaks in repeated claims of being led and taught by God and living without sin, and reveals a dark mysterious something altogether unlike Christ, the only true pattern.
The righteousness claimed is from one's own works and from self, not the righteousness that comes from Christ. It is judged and measured by a human standard rather than by God's character. Religious practices such as fasting and prayer and duties such as fasting and tithing become Pharisaical when relied on as one's own righteousness to earn salvation and to claim superior righteousness and acceptance with God. Sinners must instead rely on the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour. A profession of humility can conceal inward pride, and confidence in devotional practices does not make a person receptive to correction.
The prayer that recites twice-weekly fasting and tithing of all possessed as proof of goodness has no value because it expresses haughty self-sufficiency, pride and self-reliance rather than humility, reverence, dependence on God and reaching for His power. Centered on self, it reaches no higher than self. In contrast the publican's prayer was heard because it showed humble dependence reaching for God's power, and those who seek God must count self as shame and rely on Him. The Pharisee exemplifies the proud, self-assured attitude that boasts in religious practices instead of recognizing need as a sinner and longing to draw nearer to God. True faith and prayer are like arms by which a needy person lays hold of God's love, and faith also recognizes the value of making peace with God, while self-reliance gives way to shame.
The prayer shows no conviction of sin, no self-knowledge leading to contrition. It belongs to those who trust in their own righteousness and look down on others, parading virtues and spreading fasting, tithing and other virtues before God to recommend self to favor, while remaining blind to sin and serious defects of character. God does not judge as men judge; He sees the heart and its motives, and His eye reads the intents and purposes of the soul. It exposes thinking little of one's sins and much of one's virtues, exalting self, growing angry when spoken against instead of closely investigating whether the unfavorable impression is deserved, turning away from reproof of sin while not ceasing to sin, and refusing the unpleasant work of soul cleansing, bruising of self and close critical self-examination on which health of soul depends. Such pride is rebuked by Christ as cruel in influence and a fatal spell that makes men deaf and blind to compassion, mercy and truth, even while friends praise and flatter them and they trust their good works will be accepted, and the warning is not to slumber in imperfection until the second death but to learn meekness and lowliness, wear His yoke, behold Him steadfastly, become one with Him and think little of self. Self-righteousness encases the soul in armor that shuts out the Holy Spirit and that the arrows of God cannot penetrate, so there is no pardon and peace, and only the one who knows himself to be a sinner, knows his real condition and danger, feels his need and the pain of his wounds, and flees to the refuge for healing can be saved. The Pharisee considered himself morally superior though spiritually blind, and the warning stands that religious practices and a high opinion of standing before God do not replace seeking the Lord as a sinner.
The verse means lifting up self and talking of self with I, I, I, congratulating self and appropriating all glory to personal smartness, wisdom and ability. It swells self into importance to fill the whole temple of the soul, leaving no room for Jesus, who is put on the lower seat and kept in the background with an inferior place. When self is hidden in Christ it is no longer brought forward for praise, but here self claims credit for efforts and glorifies self rather than honoring God, making prayer a display of self-praise and one's own righteousness instead of worship. It is a formal, spiritless, self-righteous prayer in which a man thanks God he is not as other men are, extortioners and adulterers and the like, while building himself up as liberal, kindhearted, ever ready to do a good work and anxious to win praise and commendation. It means living in past good works, magnifying what has been done, covering defects and mistakes and undone duties with ingenious excuses to make them appear as virtues, counting one's own ways faultless, bringing in I whenever there is chance and leaving Christ out, making self the center, the alpha and omega. Such self-complacency, self-esteem, parading of self for notice, and cherishing a high estimate of self is abhorrent, excludes Christ from the thoughts, takes human mind and will as strength and sufficiency so the glory of the Redeemer is not seen and the heart is not bound up with His heart, and leaves the soul without the power out of and above self that it needs. This spirit kills spiritual life, keeps a man in spiritual darkness satisfied with himself, bars his usefulness so it is unsafe for the Lord to bless his labors lest the instrument take the glory, and refusal to relinquish self-estimate and to humble the heart before God and cast oneself wholly on the mercy of Christ places a barrier between the soul and the Saviour. Anchored to a rock and entrenched in a fortress, while there neither God nor man can do anything for him, he has no knowledge of how to seek the Lord, surrender himself and grasp the promises, the Spirit of God is grieved and departs, and he is left in dense darkness far from God. Persisted in, this I finally falls into grievous sins while presuming that because it is I the Lord will not hold to strict account. The remedy is for I to die and for self to be hid in Christ so self is not brought to the front, to see self as it is, become conscious of weakness, put forth determined effort for divine aid and be filled with all the fulness of God, with the walls broken down by wrestling with God till victory is gained and the soul freed in a present experience of what Jesus is doing now, for unless converted from this self-conceit a man will never see the King of heaven.
Humility and Justification
The fasting and tithing boast does not make the one who prays it justified, for the self-righteous prayer is unanswered and is not heard. The one who goes home justified instead is the tax collector who feels unworthy and sinful, with no claim on mercy, and who in grief and shame humbly asks for mercy. Such self-confident comparison of religious deeds with another's unworthiness shows a mind that counts itself sinless and therefore feels no need of forgiveness, nor of wisdom and light and strength, nor of continued growth in grace. The lesson is that whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Humility is necessary to learn from God and to receive Christ's presence and enter heaven, while outward religious acts do not secure God's blessing when a person trusts in himself. The tax collector rather than the Pharisee represents those whom God justifies, for the Pharisee's deeds are not the example of humility, and it is the humble and contrite approach that receives the promised blessing.
Religious acts and self-reliance do not take the place of humble faith and prayer, since the boastful prayer has no value because it expresses no dependence on God. By contrast the tax collector's prayer is heard because it shows humble dependence reaching out for divine power. Those who seek God must count self as shame and rely on Him, laying hold of His love as with arms, and faith of this kind also recognizes the value of making peace with God. Fasting, tithing, and other works joined to self-exaltation and contempt for others are false righteousness that cannot earn grace. This righteousness comes from self and not from Christ, yet it presents itself as a claim to righteousness and entitlement to heaven, trusting in good works to earn salvation and to buy entrance into heaven. Such entrance rests only on the offering made for all who believe, so sinners must rely alone on the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour and on His blood, rather than thinking to buy heaven by meritorious acts. The rigorous fasting boasted of here is self-imposed, having nothing to do with God, so that those who practice it are not sustained, and the boasted tithing and good works are a pharisaical righteousness springing not from Christ but founded on self alone. Outward observance of this kind is a loveless, Christless deception put in place of true godliness.
The same boast displays the spirit of false sanctification, which is entirely ignorant of the work of grace upon the heart. It will bear no contradiction, lays aside reason and judgment, depends wholly on feeling and on emotions once experienced, and stubbornly urges tenacious claims of holiness, of being led and taught by God, and of living without sin. It uses many words but shows no precious fruit as proof, deluding its own soul and misleading many who earnestly desire to conform to the divine will. The spirit it reveals is altogether unlike Christ, the only true pattern.
Contempt and Comparison
The fasting and tithing boast is the voice of self-esteem, pride and hardness of heart that trusts in its own righteousness, stands apart, and looks down on those it regards as sinners with contempt and scorn. It regards brethren as inferior and scarcely tolerable, strives for superiority, and cherishes self-conceit while despising others. Such self-exaltation joined to religious practice is false righteousness that cannot earn God's grace, and the attitude itself is one Christ rejects and will not countenance, leaving the proud prayer unheard.
Inwardly the boast says it is not as other men, feeling its own richness, keener perception, and ideas far in advance of others, with a high estimate of its own abilities, value and management of the work. That heart feels whole and in need of nothing, will receive no counsel, and remains closed against Christ by pride and self-exaltation so that there is no room for Jesus. It stays full yet destitute of His precious revealings, which are given to the meek and lowly in heart.
Comparing religious conduct, work, zeal or outwardly better behavior with others does not prove righteousness, a yielded heart, following Jesus, or the influence of the Spirit. Doing better than others and displaying zeal after the Pharisee's manner is not of Christ, is not commended, and reflects pride rather than the meekness and humility He teaches. Flattering oneself as righteous by such comparison and trusting in religious accomplishments must give way to seeking divine grace and salvation through Christ.
The boast spreads virtues before God to recommend self to favor, thinking little of sins and much of virtues while exalting self and criticizing and depreciating a brother instead of esteeming others better than self. It flatters its own methods and work as best, refuses to blend and cooperate with brethren in harmony, and insists on being first. Where self is crossed it turns everything said or done, even what is under God's special direction, into a wrong meaning, viewing things in a perverted light with envy, jealousy, suspicion, fault-finding and false witness, making a man an offender for a word where often there is no actual sin. Such criticism proves the Spirit of God is not with the critic, and its leaven spreads to others, destroying unity and sweet fellowship, dishonoring God, degrading truth, and marring and dwarfing Christian experience.
Warning and Remedy
The boast of fasting and tithing warns against Phariseeism, self-sufficiency and complacent self-righteousness that counts every act as meritorious while far from the right spirit toward God and toward brethren. It warns against treating religious practices and outwardly better behavior as proof of righteousness before God, and against finding self-righteous pleasure in recounting and listing good deeds. Comparing oneself favorably with others does not replace yielding the heart to God, following Jesus, and receiving the influence of His Spirit. Relying on fasting and tithing as grounds for self-approval and exalting one's own good deeds must give way to seeking divine grace and salvation through Christ rather than trusting in religious accomplishments and standing. That self-sufficient spirit wants to be first, cherishes self-esteem and criticizes others because it is not first, with envy, jealousy, suspicion, fault-finding and false witness, turning everything said or done even under God's special direction into a wrong meaning. It belongs to unconsecrated hearts that view things in a perverted light under strong temptation, please the enemy by criticism and by making a man an offender for a word where often there is no actual sin, the suspicion coming only from the condition of the mind that entertains it, so that when one crosses their track there is no more unity or sweet fellowship but only disgust at all he says or does, with those who trust them sharing their feelings and a secret spirit of retaliation at work while still claiming to be firm believers in the truth, and the leaven of their evil surmisings permeates the company, dishonoring God, degrading the principles of truth, and marring and dwarfing Christian experience.
The verse means boastful exalting of self and recounting good deeds and virtually thanking God for not being as other men, while falling short of the perfect and entire obedience the law of God requires, since halfway obedience avails nothing. Outward religious acts of fasting and tithing do not prove obedience when words and conduct are self-righteous and dishonest and when a person does not do God's will. Such professors hear the sayings of Christ but do them not, being crafty and overreaching in business dealings, with wrong words and acts and fruit that is not good. Their bad fruit disgusts unbelievers instead of convicting them that God is with His people, yet they are blinded to their destitute, wretched condition and believe they are right and doing a great religious work when they are wrong.
The verse exposes living in past good works, magnifying what has been done, and covering defects with ingenious excuses to make them appear as virtues. It exposes citing fasting and tithing as grounds for confidence in one's own goodness, pointing to one's own righteousness, prayerful life and devotion and depending on one's own merits for salvation, while refusing to acknowledge faults and wrongdoing. It means building self up as liberal, kindhearted, ever ready to do a good work and anxious to win praise, bringing in I whenever there is chance and leaving Christ out. It exposes thinking little of sins and much of virtues, exalting self and spreading fasting, tithing and other virtues before God to recommend self to favor, growing angry when spoken against instead of closely investigating whether the unfavorable impression is deserved, turning away from reproof of sin as from a disagreeable picture while not ceasing to sin, and refusing the unpleasant work of soul cleansing, bruising of self and close critical self-examination on which health of soul depends. Those exalted in their own opinion look back to past experience when God led them, yet refuse to learn and despise further instruction through His servants, and when people become just in their own eyes they are left to their own ways to be deceived about themselves, lacking the humility that must mark followers of Jesus and having no union with His meek spirit.
This self-encased condition shuts out the Holy Spirit as armor that the arrows of God cannot penetrate, so there is no pardon and peace. It is a proud, boasting self-sufficiency in which self is lifted up and talked about with I, I, I, congratulating self and appropriating all glory to personal smartness, wisdom and ability, swelling self into importance to fill the whole temple of the soul and leaving no room for Jesus, who is put on the lower seat. Anchored to a rock and entrenched in a fortress, a man magnifies all the good he has done, talks of himself and exalts himself, keeps Jesus in the background, counts his own ways faultless, covers mistakes and undone duties with excuses, and makes self the center, the alpha and omega. While there neither God nor man can do anything for him, he has no knowledge of how to seek the Lord, surrender himself and grasp the promises, the Spirit of God is grieved and departs, and he is left in dense darkness far from God. Such self-complacency and parading of self for notice is abhorrent to Jesus, kills spiritual life, keeps a man in spiritual darkness satisfied with himself, and bars his usefulness so it is unsafe for the Lord to bless his labors lest the instrument take the glory. Persisted in, this I finally falls into grievous sins while presuming that because it is I the Lord will not hold to strict account.
Acceptable approach to God requires humility of mind, careful searching of heart, confession of need of pardon and Christ's righteousness, and putting right wrongs done to others before bringing an offering. To come with little reverence and human superiority, praising and adoring self in pride and self-sufficiency while demeriting those regarded as sinners, is to be like the Pharisee, and prayers offered in that spirit the Lord will not hear. Outward acts of devotion do not make a person righteous when pride and refusal to face sin bar the way to heaven. Doing better than others does not show that the heart has been yielded to God or that a person is following Jesus under the influence of the Holy Spirit, and those who have received much light and instruction should examine whether they have responded to it as fully as they should. The heart must be softened and subdued by the Holy Spirit to embrace the simplicity of humble, genuine religion, to reveal defects of character and to keep it from vanity, and a person must not deceive self into thinking faults are less than those of the people judged.
The remedy is for I to die and for self to be hid in Christ so that self is not brought to the front for praise. Looking unto Jesus wonderfully diminishes self-righteous ideas and high self-estimate, giving a sense of spiritual poverty and leading to the prayer of a sinful man for cleansing and taking away of sin. The warning is not to slumber in imperfection until the second death, but to learn meekness and lowliness of heart from Christ, wear His yoke, behold Him steadfastly, become one with Him, and think little of self. The walls must be broken down by wrestling with God till victory is gained and the soul is freed, with a present experience of what Jesus is doing now, until a man sees himself as he is, becomes conscious of weakness, puts forth determined effort for divine aid, and is filled with all the fullness of God, for unless converted from this self-conceit he will never see the King of heaven. Only sin-sick, penitent souls who feel they will perish without help, who know there is nothing good in themselves and that they cannot save themselves or of themselves do any righteous thing unless worked by the Holy Spirit, will appreciate Christ's help, for these are the poor in spirit who are blessed, whom Christ first makes penitent through the Holy Spirit convincing of sin.
The verse is the proud Pharisee's self-praising prayer in the parable, in which he holds up his fasting twice a week and tithing all he possesses as proof of his own goodness and righteousness. It was spoken to those who trusted in themselves, were conceited in their own righteousness, and despised others, setting the boastful Pharisee against the humble tax collector who felt unworthy and cried for mercy. It exposes a religion of outward acts that never reaches the soul, measured by a human standard rather than God's character, springing from self and not from Christ, with a heart unshaped by grace, love and mercy. Centered on self, it lifts up I, I, I in haughty self-sufficiency and pride, with no conviction of sin or sense of need, leaving no room for Jesus and reaching no higher than self. Such boasting does not justify or win God's favor and cannot buy entrance to heaven, but the one who humbles himself in contrition and trusts alone in the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour goes home justified and exalted.
Words and Parable Setting
Luke 18:12 is the Pharisee's self-praising prayer, in which he lists his fasting twice in the week and his giving tithes of all that he possesses as grounds for confidence in his own goodness and righteousness. His record of religious deeds is an expression of self-righteousness and haughty self-sufficiency, not of humility and reverence before God, and his prayer, centered on himself, reaches no higher than himself. These practices form part of his trust in his own righteousness and his contempt for others, set in contrast to the publican's humility and sense that he has no claim on God's mercy or approval.
The verse belongs to a parable spoken to those who trusted in their own righteousness, were self-conceited, and looked down on and despised others. It contrasts the proud Pharisee, who presents his fasting twice a week and his tithing of everything he acquired as grounds for self-exaltation, with the humble tax collector. The lesson is that a person must humble himself to learn from God, for the one who humbles himself will be exalted, while the self-righteous spirit that parades virtues yet remains blind to sin and serious defects of character is offensive to God, who sees the heart and its motives.
Fasting twice a week was practiced as an act of merit, and the most rigid Jews fasted two days each week. This rigorous fasting was self-imposed, with which God has nothing to do, so those who practice it are not sustained. The tithing claim is a boast of tithing everything acquired and possessed and of good works generally, a pharisaical righteousness that springs not from Christ but has its foundation in self alone.
Outward Religion Without Heart
The fasting twice in the week and tithing of all possessed is listed as ground for self-praise and evidence of righteousness, yet the religion it shows concerns outward actions and conduct and does not reach the soul. It is not seeking a Godlike character or a heart filled with love and mercy and shaped by grace upon the heart, but is satisfied with outward conduct. The same boast reveals the spirit of false sanctification, which is entirely ignorant of the work of grace upon the heart. That spirit will bear no contradiction, lays aside reason and judgment, depends wholly on feeling and on emotions once experienced, and stubbornly urges tenacious claims of holiness with many words but no precious fruit as proof. Such boasting deludes its own soul, misleads earnest seekers who desire to conform to the will of God, speaks in repeated claims of being led and taught by God and living without sin, and reveals a dark mysterious something altogether unlike Christ, the only true pattern.
The righteousness claimed is from one's own works and from self, not the righteousness that comes from Christ. It is judged and measured by a human standard rather than by God's character. Religious practices such as fasting and prayer and duties such as fasting and tithing become Pharisaical when relied on as one's own righteousness to earn salvation and to claim superior righteousness and acceptance with God. Sinners must instead rely on the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour. A profession of humility can conceal inward pride, and confidence in devotional practices does not make a person receptive to correction.
The prayer that recites twice-weekly fasting and tithing of all possessed as proof of goodness has no value because it expresses haughty self-sufficiency, pride and self-reliance rather than humility, reverence, dependence on God and reaching for His power. Centered on self, it reaches no higher than self. In contrast the publican's prayer was heard because it showed humble dependence reaching for God's power, and those who seek God must count self as shame and rely on Him. The Pharisee exemplifies the proud, self-assured attitude that boasts in religious practices instead of recognizing need as a sinner and longing to draw nearer to God. True faith and prayer are like arms by which a needy person lays hold of God's love, and faith also recognizes the value of making peace with God, while self-reliance gives way to shame.
The prayer shows no conviction of sin, no self-knowledge leading to contrition. It belongs to those who trust in their own righteousness and look down on others, parading virtues and spreading fasting, tithing and other virtues before God to recommend self to favor, while remaining blind to sin and serious defects of character. God does not judge as men judge; He sees the heart and its motives, and His eye reads the intents and purposes of the soul. It exposes thinking little of one's sins and much of one's virtues, exalting self, growing angry when spoken against instead of closely investigating whether the unfavorable impression is deserved, turning away from reproof of sin while not ceasing to sin, and refusing the unpleasant work of soul cleansing, bruising of self and close critical self-examination on which health of soul depends. Such pride is rebuked by Christ as cruel in influence and a fatal spell that makes men deaf and blind to compassion, mercy and truth, even while friends praise and flatter them and they trust their good works will be accepted, and the warning is not to slumber in imperfection until the second death but to learn meekness and lowliness, wear His yoke, behold Him steadfastly, become one with Him and think little of self. Self-righteousness encases the soul in armor that shuts out the Holy Spirit and that the arrows of God cannot penetrate, so there is no pardon and peace, and only the one who knows himself to be a sinner, knows his real condition and danger, feels his need and the pain of his wounds, and flees to the refuge for healing can be saved. The Pharisee considered himself morally superior though spiritually blind, and the warning stands that religious practices and a high opinion of standing before God do not replace seeking the Lord as a sinner.
The verse means lifting up self and talking of self with I, I, I, congratulating self and appropriating all glory to personal smartness, wisdom and ability. It swells self into importance to fill the whole temple of the soul, leaving no room for Jesus, who is put on the lower seat and kept in the background with an inferior place. When self is hidden in Christ it is no longer brought forward for praise, but here self claims credit for efforts and glorifies self rather than honoring God, making prayer a display of self-praise and one's own righteousness instead of worship. It is a formal, spiritless, self-righteous prayer in which a man thanks God he is not as other men are, extortioners and adulterers and the like, while building himself up as liberal, kindhearted, ever ready to do a good work and anxious to win praise and commendation. It means living in past good works, magnifying what has been done, covering defects and mistakes and undone duties with ingenious excuses to make them appear as virtues, counting one's own ways faultless, bringing in I whenever there is chance and leaving Christ out, making self the center, the alpha and omega. Such self-complacency, self-esteem, parading of self for notice, and cherishing a high estimate of self is abhorrent, excludes Christ from the thoughts, takes human mind and will as strength and sufficiency so the glory of the Redeemer is not seen and the heart is not bound up with His heart, and leaves the soul without the power out of and above self that it needs. This spirit kills spiritual life, keeps a man in spiritual darkness satisfied with himself, bars his usefulness so it is unsafe for the Lord to bless his labors lest the instrument take the glory, and refusal to relinquish self-estimate and to humble the heart before God and cast oneself wholly on the mercy of Christ places a barrier between the soul and the Saviour. Anchored to a rock and entrenched in a fortress, while there neither God nor man can do anything for him, he has no knowledge of how to seek the Lord, surrender himself and grasp the promises, the Spirit of God is grieved and departs, and he is left in dense darkness far from God. Persisted in, this I finally falls into grievous sins while presuming that because it is I the Lord will not hold to strict account. The remedy is for I to die and for self to be hid in Christ so self is not brought to the front, to see self as it is, become conscious of weakness, put forth determined effort for divine aid and be filled with all the fulness of God, with the walls broken down by wrestling with God till victory is gained and the soul freed in a present experience of what Jesus is doing now, for unless converted from this self-conceit a man will never see the King of heaven.
Humility and Justification
The fasting and tithing boast does not make the one who prays it justified, for the self-righteous prayer is unanswered and is not heard. The one who goes home justified instead is the tax collector who feels unworthy and sinful, with no claim on mercy, and who in grief and shame humbly asks for mercy. Such self-confident comparison of religious deeds with another's unworthiness shows a mind that counts itself sinless and therefore feels no need of forgiveness, nor of wisdom and light and strength, nor of continued growth in grace. The lesson is that whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Humility is necessary to learn from God and to receive Christ's presence and enter heaven, while outward religious acts do not secure God's blessing when a person trusts in himself. The tax collector rather than the Pharisee represents those whom God justifies, for the Pharisee's deeds are not the example of humility, and it is the humble and contrite approach that receives the promised blessing.
Religious acts and self-reliance do not take the place of humble faith and prayer, since the boastful prayer has no value because it expresses no dependence on God. By contrast the tax collector's prayer is heard because it shows humble dependence reaching out for divine power. Those who seek God must count self as shame and rely on Him, laying hold of His love as with arms, and faith of this kind also recognizes the value of making peace with God. Fasting, tithing, and other works joined to self-exaltation and contempt for others are false righteousness that cannot earn grace. This righteousness comes from self and not from Christ, yet it presents itself as a claim to righteousness and entitlement to heaven, trusting in good works to earn salvation and to buy entrance into heaven. Such entrance rests only on the offering made for all who believe, so sinners must rely alone on the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour and on His blood, rather than thinking to buy heaven by meritorious acts. The rigorous fasting boasted of here is self-imposed, having nothing to do with God, so that those who practice it are not sustained, and the boasted tithing and good works are a pharisaical righteousness springing not from Christ but founded on self alone. Outward observance of this kind is a loveless, Christless deception put in place of true godliness.
The same boast displays the spirit of false sanctification, which is entirely ignorant of the work of grace upon the heart. It will bear no contradiction, lays aside reason and judgment, depends wholly on feeling and on emotions once experienced, and stubbornly urges tenacious claims of holiness, of being led and taught by God, and of living without sin. It uses many words but shows no precious fruit as proof, deluding its own soul and misleading many who earnestly desire to conform to the divine will. The spirit it reveals is altogether unlike Christ, the only true pattern.
Contempt and Comparison
The fasting and tithing boast is the voice of self-esteem, pride and hardness of heart that trusts in its own righteousness, stands apart, and looks down on those it regards as sinners with contempt and scorn. It regards brethren as inferior and scarcely tolerable, strives for superiority, and cherishes self-conceit while despising others. Such self-exaltation joined to religious practice is false righteousness that cannot earn God's grace, and the attitude itself is one Christ rejects and will not countenance, leaving the proud prayer unheard.
Inwardly the boast says it is not as other men, feeling its own richness, keener perception, and ideas far in advance of others, with a high estimate of its own abilities, value and management of the work. That heart feels whole and in need of nothing, will receive no counsel, and remains closed against Christ by pride and self-exaltation so that there is no room for Jesus. It stays full yet destitute of His precious revealings, which are given to the meek and lowly in heart.
Comparing religious conduct, work, zeal or outwardly better behavior with others does not prove righteousness, a yielded heart, following Jesus, or the influence of the Spirit. Doing better than others and displaying zeal after the Pharisee's manner is not of Christ, is not commended, and reflects pride rather than the meekness and humility He teaches. Flattering oneself as righteous by such comparison and trusting in religious accomplishments must give way to seeking divine grace and salvation through Christ.
The boast spreads virtues before God to recommend self to favor, thinking little of sins and much of virtues while exalting self and criticizing and depreciating a brother instead of esteeming others better than self. It flatters its own methods and work as best, refuses to blend and cooperate with brethren in harmony, and insists on being first. Where self is crossed it turns everything said or done, even what is under God's special direction, into a wrong meaning, viewing things in a perverted light with envy, jealousy, suspicion, fault-finding and false witness, making a man an offender for a word where often there is no actual sin. Such criticism proves the Spirit of God is not with the critic, and its leaven spreads to others, destroying unity and sweet fellowship, dishonoring God, degrading truth, and marring and dwarfing Christian experience.
Warning and Remedy
The boast of fasting and tithing warns against Phariseeism, self-sufficiency and complacent self-righteousness that counts every act as meritorious while far from the right spirit toward God and toward brethren. It warns against treating religious practices and outwardly better behavior as proof of righteousness before God, and against finding self-righteous pleasure in recounting and listing good deeds. Comparing oneself favorably with others does not replace yielding the heart to God, following Jesus, and receiving the influence of His Spirit. Relying on fasting and tithing as grounds for self-approval and exalting one's own good deeds must give way to seeking divine grace and salvation through Christ rather than trusting in religious accomplishments and standing. That self-sufficient spirit wants to be first, cherishes self-esteem and criticizes others because it is not first, with envy, jealousy, suspicion, fault-finding and false witness, turning everything said or done even under God's special direction into a wrong meaning. It belongs to unconsecrated hearts that view things in a perverted light under strong temptation, please the enemy by criticism and by making a man an offender for a word where often there is no actual sin, the suspicion coming only from the condition of the mind that entertains it, so that when one crosses their track there is no more unity or sweet fellowship but only disgust at all he says or does, with those who trust them sharing their feelings and a secret spirit of retaliation at work while still claiming to be firm believers in the truth, and the leaven of their evil surmisings permeates the company, dishonoring God, degrading the principles of truth, and marring and dwarfing Christian experience.
The verse means boastful exalting of self and recounting good deeds and virtually thanking God for not being as other men, while falling short of the perfect and entire obedience the law of God requires, since halfway obedience avails nothing. Outward religious acts of fasting and tithing do not prove obedience when words and conduct are self-righteous and dishonest and when a person does not do God's will. Such professors hear the sayings of Christ but do them not, being crafty and overreaching in business dealings, with wrong words and acts and fruit that is not good. Their bad fruit disgusts unbelievers instead of convicting them that God is with His people, yet they are blinded to their destitute, wretched condition and believe they are right and doing a great religious work when they are wrong.
The verse exposes living in past good works, magnifying what has been done, and covering defects with ingenious excuses to make them appear as virtues. It exposes citing fasting and tithing as grounds for confidence in one's own goodness, pointing to one's own righteousness, prayerful life and devotion and depending on one's own merits for salvation, while refusing to acknowledge faults and wrongdoing. It means building self up as liberal, kindhearted, ever ready to do a good work and anxious to win praise, bringing in I whenever there is chance and leaving Christ out. It exposes thinking little of sins and much of virtues, exalting self and spreading fasting, tithing and other virtues before God to recommend self to favor, growing angry when spoken against instead of closely investigating whether the unfavorable impression is deserved, turning away from reproof of sin as from a disagreeable picture while not ceasing to sin, and refusing the unpleasant work of soul cleansing, bruising of self and close critical self-examination on which health of soul depends. Those exalted in their own opinion look back to past experience when God led them, yet refuse to learn and despise further instruction through His servants, and when people become just in their own eyes they are left to their own ways to be deceived about themselves, lacking the humility that must mark followers of Jesus and having no union with His meek spirit.
This self-encased condition shuts out the Holy Spirit as armor that the arrows of God cannot penetrate, so there is no pardon and peace. It is a proud, boasting self-sufficiency in which self is lifted up and talked about with I, I, I, congratulating self and appropriating all glory to personal smartness, wisdom and ability, swelling self into importance to fill the whole temple of the soul and leaving no room for Jesus, who is put on the lower seat. Anchored to a rock and entrenched in a fortress, a man magnifies all the good he has done, talks of himself and exalts himself, keeps Jesus in the background, counts his own ways faultless, covers mistakes and undone duties with excuses, and makes self the center, the alpha and omega. While there neither God nor man can do anything for him, he has no knowledge of how to seek the Lord, surrender himself and grasp the promises, the Spirit of God is grieved and departs, and he is left in dense darkness far from God. Such self-complacency and parading of self for notice is abhorrent to Jesus, kills spiritual life, keeps a man in spiritual darkness satisfied with himself, and bars his usefulness so it is unsafe for the Lord to bless his labors lest the instrument take the glory. Persisted in, this I finally falls into grievous sins while presuming that because it is I the Lord will not hold to strict account.
Acceptable approach to God requires humility of mind, careful searching of heart, confession of need of pardon and Christ's righteousness, and putting right wrongs done to others before bringing an offering. To come with little reverence and human superiority, praising and adoring self in pride and self-sufficiency while demeriting those regarded as sinners, is to be like the Pharisee, and prayers offered in that spirit the Lord will not hear. Outward acts of devotion do not make a person righteous when pride and refusal to face sin bar the way to heaven. Doing better than others does not show that the heart has been yielded to God or that a person is following Jesus under the influence of the Holy Spirit, and those who have received much light and instruction should examine whether they have responded to it as fully as they should. The heart must be softened and subdued by the Holy Spirit to embrace the simplicity of humble, genuine religion, to reveal defects of character and to keep it from vanity, and a person must not deceive self into thinking faults are less than those of the people judged.
The remedy is for I to die and for self to be hid in Christ so that self is not brought to the front for praise. Looking unto Jesus wonderfully diminishes self-righteous ideas and high self-estimate, giving a sense of spiritual poverty and leading to the prayer of a sinful man for cleansing and taking away of sin. The warning is not to slumber in imperfection until the second death, but to learn meekness and lowliness of heart from Christ, wear His yoke, behold Him steadfastly, become one with Him, and think little of self. The walls must be broken down by wrestling with God till victory is gained and the soul is freed, with a present experience of what Jesus is doing now, until a man sees himself as he is, becomes conscious of weakness, puts forth determined effort for divine aid, and is filled with all the fullness of God, for unless converted from this self-conceit he will never see the King of heaven. Only sin-sick, penitent souls who feel they will perish without help, who know there is nothing good in themselves and that they cannot save themselves or of themselves do any righteous thing unless worked by the Holy Spirit, will appreciate Christ's help, for these are the poor in spirit who are blessed, whom Christ first makes penitent through the Holy Spirit convincing of sin.