083. The Pharisee And Publican.
The Pharisee And Publican.
Luke 18:9-13. A writer has some where remarked, that “humility is the Alpha and Omega of a sinner’s faith and a sinner’s hopes; the commencing and crowning grace; the all in all of the spirit of Christianity.” Just so. Building upon hope and holiness rests on humility. “The building itself is a beautiful fabric of humility; and all those ornamental decorations that crown the pillar of the temple, and on which even the eye of God himself looks with pleasure, are all emblems of humility.” In like manner, the services which are rendered to God from within this building—the prayer, the praise, the homage—if acceptable, must rise from an altar, on which humility has been the first sacrifice. Humility is the court- dress of heaven. Gabriel wears such a dress under his “garments of praise:” not a saint in the kingdom of God on high but has on this indispensable “wedding garment.” How much more becoming the child of God on earth, who every day commits sin enough to banish every angel from the realms of glory! To intercourse with God, humility is as necessary as holiness was to Adam in the garden of Eden. He remained not one hour in his earthly paradise after that was extinct; and not one moment will God hold fellowship with one who comes not with a broken and contrite heart. To be accepted, he must say, with Jacob: “I am not worthy of the least of all these mercies, and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant;” he must say, with David: “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness, according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot put my transgressions he must say, with Ezra: “O God, I am ashamed, and blush to lift my face up to thee, O God; for our iniquities are increased over our heads, and our trespass is gone up to the heavens he must say, with Daniel: “O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face: to the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against him. Neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his laws, which he has set before us by his servants the prophets;” he must say, with the publican, smiting upon his breast, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” The design of Jesus Christ, in the parable before us, was to show the necessity of humility, in order to the acceptance of prayer before God. No arguments would have served to exhibit the truth so clearly, or to have impressed it so forcibly, as the picture of the Pharisee and publican, which Christ has here drawn. We see, at a glance, the character of the two men, and the essential difference in the nature and foundation of their worship. In the one case, there is humility and repentance; in the other, nothing but pride and ostentation. No one, who has read the account of these two men, ever, for one moment, saw a single reason why the Pharisee should be accepted, or a single reason why the publican should not be accepted.
If it be urged, in behalf of the Pharisee, that, in praying, he was discharging a duty, it is granted. But, beyond this, what is there to recommend him? What merit attaches to him, who, acknowledging the duty of aiding the poor, carries them nothing but the chaff of his wheat, or the husks of his corn? To what reception is he entitled from a pure and holy God, who comes only in the spirit of self-glorification? His object is not to honor God, but to honor himself; not to express his sense of dependence, but to magnify his deeds; not to bewail his sins, but to boast of his worthiness. “The foundation of prayer,” says Paley, “in all cases, is a sense of want. No man prays in earnest, or to any purpose, for what he does not feel that he wants.” But the Pharisee expresses not a single want. No, not he. He comes to God, to inform him how very good he is, and what very good works he has done! how beautifully his character and actions contrast with those of others!
We perceive not one element of prayer in all this array of devotion; while his pride, ostentation, and hypocrisy stand out in all their odiousness and depravity. He does, indeed, give thanks to God that he is not as other men are; but he does not add, with Paul, “By the grace of God I am what I am.” No; the grace of God had had no concern in making him to differ from others. If he could claim the merit of not being an extortioner, unjust, or an adulterer, he could not claim not to be a proud, vain, boastful hypocrite.
If we now turn to contemplate the publican, the contrast is striking and delightful. “The sacrifices of God are a broken heart, and a contrite spirit;” and such is the sacrifice offered by the publican. He expresses the deepest penitence by what he does, and by what he says. “He stands afar off.” The Pharisee had advanced to the side of the court nearest the temple, as if that more honorable and conspicuous place belonged to him. But the publican occupies a position on the opposite side, as far as possible from the temple. He feels unworthy to approach near to the place where God has his holy habitation. The consciousness of guilt also prevents him from “raising his eyes to heaven.” But his heart ascends, and with it “a godly sorrow,” most acceptable to God. Moreover, he “smites upon his breast,” in token of a holy indignation against himself for his many transgressions, and as an expression of his anguish on account of them.
Such were the preliminaries of the prayer which he proceeds to offer. It was short. “Fear and shame,” says an old divine, “hindered him from saying much; sighs and groans swallowed up his words; but what he did say was to the purpose:” “God be merciful to me a sinner.” How different from the language of the Pharisee! Sin!—he had none to confess. Mercy!—he had no occasion to ask it. He was rich and full; pure and worthy. What should he confess? What need he implore? But the publican feels guilty, and most unworthy; he feels condemned, and sues for pardon: “Behold, I am vile, what shall I answer thee!” Would we pray so as to be accepted of God? Let us shun the vain-glory and offensive ostentation of the Pharisee: let us imitate the sincere humility, and the deep and fervent repentance of the publican: let us cry, as did the Psalmist; and then shall we be able to rejoice as he rejoiced, and praise as he praised.
O God of mercy, hear my call! My load of guilt remove;
Break down this separating wall, That bars me from thy love.
Give me the presence of thy grace;
Then my rejoicing tongue Shall speak aloud thy righteousness, And make thy praise my song.