This morning we were encouraged by the gospel of Luke and spent a lot of time discussing it.

Luke 18: 9-14 (2022)

Because of the way Luke tells it, it is hard to judge what he added and what Jesus said. The most, what Jesus said bit for me is,

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
Luke 18:10‭-‬13 NRSV

https://bible.com/bible/2016/luk.18.10-13.NRSV

Without the scaffolding, I put myself in the story and ask Jesus to examine my heart.

I wonder at the explanation in Luke as it seems so obvious. But the Pharisee was praying in the tradition of his day; he probably thanked God each morning that he was not a woman or a slave. And the Tax collector, he too was in his rightful place according to the traditions.

The parable for me cuts through this and says, the only place that matters is our place before God, not our standing before men.

… for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Luke 18:14 NRSV

https://bible.com/bible/2016/luk.18.14.NRSV