The parable of the tax collector and the pharisee in Luke chapter 18 verses 9 to 14 is a parable with a twist; we are drawn to identify with the tax collector but in doing so become the pharisee.

The audience in general is those who trust in themselves that they are righteous and regard others with contempt, Luke tells us. And then Jesus tells the parable; both are ritually clean, both in the temple, each by themselves praying. One is confident: one is standing far off. Each has their place, one stands with and for the community and has a practise of presence, while the other stands against the community in effect but also has a practice of presence.

Luke sows the seed in our minds that the pharisee has contempt for the tax collector. The listeners though would believe the tax collector, in his office has contempt for the people. Luke sows a seed that the pharisee is trusting in himself and his own righteousness whereas the tax collector is contrite and humble asking for mercy.

To us it seems so obvious; there is a goody and a baddy. But what does Jesus say next. There is ambiguity in the Greek. Either Jesus says, referring to the tax collector, he went down to his home justified  rather than the other, referring to the tax collector. Or the Greek could just as easily read, he in went down to his home justified along with the other.

We are so used to precision in our language, and the translators give us this by coming down on the side of condemnation of the pharisee with us. As if to confirm this they add the phrase, all who exalting themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted, into the words of Jesus’ parable. This would be uncharacteristic of Jesus to explain his parable to the listener. Rather, to me it fits in the commentary which is Luke’s word. This is a phrase used by Luke elsewhere (13: 30, 14: 11). It is true, but outside the parable. It is a truism; a caution to all, and a hope to the contrite.

Luke, I believe sandwiches the parable between the purpose of the parable and the caution. He was not a witness to Jesus speaking his parable, probably writing for gentile Christians. This portion of scripture is part of an additional travel account up to Jerusalem where Jesus was to rise from the dead, to the narrative of the Gospel of  Mark, with parables particular to Luke such as this one. Luke says in chapter 1, he wants to give an orderly account that brings certainty to the things taught. Hence Luke comments adding to the parables.

My problem with the way I’ve read the parable and have taken the comments is it seems to create an additional class of bad person, the pharisee. Boo – hiss!

I have the Jewish Annotated New Testament and the Jewish scholar Amy-Jill Levine to thank for getting me out of this trap. In her reading the contrition of the tax collector imbeds him into the community of the pharisee, who tithes and fasts and is a good citizen. They both pray, one the liturgy of thanks, the other the liturgy of atonement.

Surely then, we are the ones who are to be cautioned in our attitude, in our comparing ourselves, confident in our judgement of the pharisee and the tax collector when the purpose of the parable might be to wake us up to the grace of God the followers of Jesus would witness in the resurrection. My heart tells me the translators were wrong in their choice of the phrase, “rather than”, over and above, “along with”. All who humble themselves will be exalted.