Luke 18:13-14 13But the tax collector, who had been standing far off, did not even want to lift up his eyes to heaven, but he beat his chest, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ 14I tell you, this man went down to his house having been justified, rather than that one. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
The other character in the story is a tax collector. Like today, everyone looked down at tax collectors. They were notorious for taking more than they should and enriching themselves. They had the power of the purse. If someone did not pay, of course, the taxman could call on the authorities for punishment. In this story, the Pharisee shares the same attitude and gave the tax collector last in the list of people he was thankful not to be in verse 11.
In many ways, the tax collector contrasts with the Pharisee in his actions, which is the point of the story. First, he stands away from other people. He was not looking for attention but came only to encounter God. This opening thought already clues the reader about his humility. Second, he could not even look up to heaven in the common way of praying (Mark 6:41; 7:34; John 11:41; 17:1). Someone who looks down is usually subservient or humble in some way. Looking down is also a sign of respect and possibly shame. Third, he cries out while beating his breast. Beating one’s breast was a sign of grief (23:48). His cry indicates his sincerity and utter dependence upon God’s mercy. Instead of feeling self-righteous, the tax collector realized his sin and that his only hope was in God’s mercy. Merciful (hilasthēti) is a rare word connected to the idea of making atonement (only used 2:17). The tax collector was asking God to take away his sin through forgiveness.
Jesus gives the meaning of the parable in verse 14. We get a clue about the doctrine of justification. To be justified (dedikaiōmenos) means to be considered righteous before the law. The tax collector was considered righteous because he came to God in humility and repentance. He confessed his sins and asked for atoning mercy. The Pharisee went home without having been justified because he relied on his own religiosity. His worship was about himself and not God. He tried to justify himself based on his own abilities and did not seek God’s forgiveness. The path to forgiveness is humility. Everyone who sets him or herself up as important will one day be humbled before Jesus who will be proclaimed and acknowledged as Lord (Philippians 2:10-11). This parable is illustrated in real life with the upcoming story of Zacchaeus in chapter 19.
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