Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 18:14
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified [rather] than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
14. went down to his house justified rather than the other ] Of the Pharisee it might be said, “His soul which is lifted up is not upright in him but of the Tax-gatherer, “the just shall live by his faith,” Hab 2:4. But the day had not yet come in which the words ‘be merciful’ ( hilaskou), and ‘justified’ (dedikaiomenos), possessed the deep full meaning which they were soon to acquire (Heb 2:17; Rom 3:20). The phrase was not unknown to the Talmud, which says that while the Temple stood, when every Israelite had offered sacrifice, ‘his sin was pardoned and he departed justified.’ The reading of our Greek text is untenable, though it correctly gives the meaning. The best supported reading is , but it seems to have originated by mistake from . Abp Trench quotes Crashaw’s striking epigram:
“Two went to pray: or rather say
One went to brag, the other to pray;
One stands up close, and treads on high,
Where th’ other dares not send his eye.
One nearer to the altar trod,
The other to the altar’s God.”
every one that exalteth himself ] See Luk 14:11. In this Parable, as in that of the Prodigal son, we have the contrast between unrighteousness and self-righteousness.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I tell you – The Pharisees would have said that the first man here was approved. Jesus assures them that they judged erroneously. God judges of this differently from people.
Justified – Accepted or approved of God. The word justify means to declare or treat as righteous. In this case it means that in their prayers the one was approved and the other not; the one went down with the favor of God in answer to his petitions, the other not.
For every one … – See the notes at Luk 14:11.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 14. Went doom to his house justified] His sin blotted out; and himself accepted.
Rather than the other] : that is, the other was not accepted, because he exalted himself – he made use of the mercies which he acknowledged he owed to God, to make claims on the Divine approbation, and to monopolize the salvation of the Most High! He was abased, because he vainly trusted that he was righteous, and depended on what he had been enabled to do, and looked not for a change of heart, nor for reconciliation to God. It is a strange perversion of the human mind, to attempt to make God our debtor by the very blessings which his mere mercy has conferred upon us! It was a maxim among the Jews, that whoever brought a sacrifice to the temple returned justified. But our Lord shows that this depended on the state of mind-if they were not humbled under a sense of sin, they were not justified, though they had even offered a sacrifice.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Justified , we translate, rather than the other; not that the other was at all justified by God; the other was justified by himself only, and those of his party. The publican was justified by God. It followeth, for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased, & c. It is another of our Saviours sentences, often made use of by him, Mat 23:12, and in this Gospel, Luk 14:11. It is applied to the ordinary practice of men, but here to God in the ways of his providence; he resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. The blessed Virgin magnifies God on this account, Luk 1:51,52.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
14. rather than the otherThemeaning is, “and not the other”; for the Pharisee was notseeking justification, and felt no need of it. This great law of theKingdom of God is, in the teaching of Christ, inscribed, as inletters of gold, over its entrance gate. And in how many differentforms is it repeated (Psa 138:6;Psa 147:6; Luk 1:53).To be self-emptied, or, “poor in spirit,” is thefundamental and indispensable preparation for the reception of the”grace which bringeth salvation”: wherever this exists, the”mourning” for it which precedes “comfort” andthe earnest “hungerings and thirstings after righteousness”which are rewarded by the “fulness” of it, will, as we seehere, be surely found. Such, therefore, and such only, are thejustified ones (Job 33:27;Job 33:28; Psa 34:18;Isa 57:15).
Lu18:15-17. LITTLECHILDREN BROUGHTTO CHRIST.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
I tell you that this man,…. The publican that so freely owned himself to be a sinner, and by his carriage acknowledged he was unworthy of any favour; and who was treated with so much contempt by the Pharisee:
went down to his house; from the temple which was built on a mountain,
justified, [rather] than the other: accounted as a righteous person in the sight of God; justified from all his sins, and accepted by him, when the other was abhorred and neglected. The Syriac and Persic versions, and so Beza’s most ancient copy, read, “than the Pharisee”, who had such an high opinion of himself, and despised others: not that the Pharisee was justified at all, when the publican really was; but the sense is, that if judgment had been to have been made, and sentence passed according to the then conduct and behaviour of both parties, the publican had greatly the advantage, in the sight of God; an humble demeanour being well pleasing and acceptable to him, when pride, and arrogance, boasting of, and trusting in a man’s own righteousness, are abhorred by him;
for every one that exalteth himself, shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted. This was a proverbial expression, often mentioned by Christ on different occasions, and frequently used by the Jews; [See comments on Mt 23:12] to which may be added the following passages;
“whoever is of a haughty spirit, at last shall be made low y.”
And again,
“whosoever humbleth himself, the holy blessed God will lift him up z.”
y T. Bab. Sota, fol. 5. 1. z Zohar in Lev. fol. 39. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
This man (). This despised publican referred to contemptuously in verse 11 as “this” () publican.
Rather than the other (‘ ). In comparison with (placed beside) that one. A neat Greek idiom after the perfect passive participle .
For (). This moral maxim Christ had already used in 14:11. Plummer pertinently asks: “Why is it assumed that Jesus did not repeat his sayings?”
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) I tell you, this man went down to his house justified,” (lego humin katebe houtos dedikaiomenos eis oikon autou) “I tell you all this man went down from the temple into his house (home or residence) having been justified,” before God, Act 13:39; Rom 3:28, acquitted, saved from his sins, through his repentance, confession, and prayer of faith, Psa 145:18-19; Rom 10:9-13.
2) “Rather than the other” (par’ ekenon) “Rather than that one,” instead of the former one, the Pharisee who had prayed so farcically, 1Pe 5:5-6; Isa 57:15.
3) “For every one that exalteth himself shall be abased;” (hoti pas ho hupson heauton tapeinothesetai) “Because everyone who continually exalts himself will be abased,” be left in a state of condemnation, guilt, shame and fear, Psa 138:6.
4) “And he that, humbleth himself shall be exalted.” (ho de tapeinon heauton hupsothesetai) “Yet the one who continually humbles himself will be exalted,” lifted up, with his sins pardoned, justified, and with peace with God, Rom 5:11; Job 22:29; Mat 23:12.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
14. This man went down justified. The comparison is not exact; for Christ does not merely assign to the publican a certain degree of superiority, as if righteousness had belonged alike to both, but means that the publican was accepted by God, while the Pharisee was totally rejected. And this passage shows plainly what is the strict meaning of the word justified: it means, to stand before God as if we were righteous. For it is not said that the publican was justified, because he suddenly acquired some new quality, but that he obtained grace, because his guilt was blotted out, and his sins were washed away. Hence it follows, that righteousness consists in the forgiveness of sins. As the virtues of the Pharisee were defiled and polluted by unfounded confidence, so that his integrity, which deserved commendation before the world, was of no value in the sight of God; so the publican, relying on no merits of works, obtained righteousness solely by imploring pardon, (334) because he had no other ground of hope than the pure mercy of God.
But it may be thought absurd, that all should be reduced to the same level, since the purity of saints is widely different from that of the publican I reply: whatever proficiency any man may have made in the worship of God and in true holiness, yet if he consider how far he is still deficient, there is no other form of prayer which he can properly use than to begin with the acknowledgment of guilt; for though some are more, and others less, yet all are universally guilty. We cannot doubt, therefore, that Christ now lays down a rule for all to this effect, that God will not be pacified towards us, unless we distrust works, and pray that we may be freely reconciled. And, indeed, the Papists are compelled to acknowledge this in part, but immediately afterwards they debase this doctrine by a wicked invention. They admit that all need the remedy of forgiveness, because no man is perfect; but they first intoxicate wretched men with reliance on what they call imperfect righteousness, and next add satisfactions, in order to blot out their guilt. But our faith needs no other support than this, that God has accepted us, not because we deserved it, but because he does not impute our sins.
(334) “ Seulement en confessant sa faute, et demandant pardon;”— “solely by confessing his faults and asking pardon.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(14) This man went down to his house, justified rather than the other.The Greek participle is in the perfect, implying a completed and abiding justification. There is something suggestive in the fact that the house is made the test in each case. Home-life is the test of the reality and acceptableness of our worship. The Pharisee, in spite of his self-fratulation, betrayed a conscience ill at ease by irritability, harshness, sitting in judgment upon others. The publican, not in spite of his self-condemnation, but by reason of it, went home with a new sense of peace, showing itself in a new gentleness and cheerfulness.
For every one that exalteth himself.Comp. Note on Luk. 14:11. What had there been said, in its bearing on mans outward life, and as shown by the judgment of men, is here transferred, the law remaining the same, to the higher regions of the spiritual life and to Gods judgment. In both cases there is a needless variation in the English version, the Greek giving the same verb for both abased and humbleth.
The lessons of the parable force themselves upon every reader. The spirit of religious egotism, however, is not easily exorcised, and we need, perhaps, to be reminded that the temper of the Pharisee may learn to veil itself in the language of the publican, men confessing that they are miserable sinners, and resting, with a secret self-satisfaction in the confession; or that, conversely, the publicani.e., the openly non-religious manmay cease to smite upon his breast, and may come to give God thanks that he is not as the Pharisee.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
14. I tell you With what emphasis and power did this tell you come from this divine I.
Down to his house
Justified Not merely pardoned; but held as enjoying the position of one just before God. The Epistle to the Romans is the expansion of this great thought.
Rather than the other The other was amply justified by and before himself; this man is justified by and before God.
Exalteth himself Our Lord here repeats one of those great formulas which expresses a fundamental law of the kingdom of God.
Here terminates the great series of the ( Peculiaria Lucae) Peculiar Contributions of Luke, or the LUKEAN SECTION. (See p. 101.) Thus far his path has been independent and alone; he is now joined by his brother Evangelists. Henceforth, though often furnishing peculiar paragraphs, he moves abreast with them.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“I say to you, This man went down to his house accounted as righteous rather than the other.’
Then Jesus pointed out to His listeners that it was the public servant rather than the Pharisee who went away accounted as righteous in God’s sight, for the Pharisee had justified himself, and his plea had been rejected. The public servant had been justified by God’s mercy to a repentant sinner seeking forgiveness, and was therefore accepted before Him. The proviso, of course, was that it was his intention to go away and seek to live a changed life. But that is assumed.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
“For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Jesus then summed up the conclusion to be drawn from the parable. Those who exalt themselves will be humbled. Those who humble themselves will be exalted. For God scatters the proud in the imagination of their hearts (Luk 1:51) and exalts those of low degree (Luk 1:52). He draws near to those with a humble and contrite heart, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite (Isa 57:15).
A further example of this will now be given in the person of young children who are brought to Jesus. It is at this point that Luke again takes up and uses the Marcan narrative, which he had ceased using at Luk 9:50.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Luk 18:14. Justified rather than the other: Justified, and not the other. Heylin. The original , is a peculiar idiom of the Greek language, and will not admit of a literal construction in English. The following passage will serve to shew, that its true import is as above given. In Joh 13:10 our Saviour says, He that is washed, need not to wash, save his feet; , where the phrase is exactly the same as here, and excludes all washing but that of the feet. The reader will observe, that there is nothing for rather in the original, and therefore it is printed in Italics in ourBibles. Besides, it is manifest to the least observation, that the Pharisee could not at all be acceptable in the sight of him, who has declared, that he abaseth all who exalt themselves. This appears to have been a very favourite maxim with our Lord. See on Mat 23:12.
From the present parable we learn several important lessons; as,that the generality of men are great strangers to themselves, and ignorant of their own characters;that they oftentimes thank God in words for his benefits, while their hearts are by no means penetrated with any just sense of them;that it is difficult for men in general to think of the sins from which they themselves are free, without censuring the persons who in their opinion are guilty of them;that a man may be veryready to censure others, withouta single thought of reforming himselfand that in a certain sense, we may be clear of open and scandalous sins, while we are full of inward spiritual wickedness, pride, envy, malice, hypocrisy, and voluptuousness. We may farther observe, that by propounding this parable immediately after that of the importunate widow, our Lord has taught us, that although our prayers must be very earnest and frequent, theyshould always be accompanied with the deepest humility; because no disposition of mind is more proper for such weak and frail beings as men to appear with before the great God, than an absolute self-abasement. See the Inferences and Reflections.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Ver. 14. Justified rather than the other ] The Pharisee was not at all justified; neither is there more or less in justification. But our Saviour here useth a popular kind of expression.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
14. ] The sense is, One returned home in the sight of God with his prayer answered, and that prayer had grasped the true object of prayer, the forgiveness of sins (so that . is in the usual sense of the Epistles of Paul, justified before God see reff.), the other prayed not for it, and obtained it not. Therefore he who would seek justification before God must seek it by humility and not by self-righteousness.
. has been illustrated in the demeanour of the Pharisee; . in his failure to obtain justification from God: in that of the Publican; . in his obtaining the answer to his prayer, which was this justification . Thus the particular instance is bound up with the general truth.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 18:14 . , justified (here only in Gospels), a Pauline word, but not necessarily used in a Pauline sense = pardoned. ( , T.R.), in comparison with that one (the Pharisee). The reading ( [143] [144] ) would have to be taken as a question or was that one justified? The publican was the justified man; you would not say the other one was? , etc.: introduces a moral maxim which we have met with already at Luk 14:11 . It stands here as the ethical basis of “justification”. It is a universal law of the moral world, true both of God and of men, that self-exaltation provokes in others condemnation, and self-humiliation gentle judgment.
[143] cod. Guelpherbytanus II. 5th century (fragments from Luke and John).
[144] cod. Monacensis. 9th or 10th century (fragments of all the Gospels).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
to = unto. Greek. eis. App-104.
justified. Reckoned as righteous.
rather than. The texts read “compared with”, Greek. para. App-104.
the other = that one.
for, &c. Repeated from Luk 14:11. Compare Hab 2:4.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
14.] The sense is, One returned home in the sight of God with his prayer answered, and that prayer had grasped the true object of prayer,-the forgiveness of sins (so that . is in the usual sense of the Epistles of Paul, justified before God-see reff.), the other prayed not for it, and obtained it not. Therefore he who would seek justification before God must seek it by humility and not by self-righteousness.
. has been illustrated in the demeanour of the Pharisee;-. in his failure to obtain justification from God:- in that of the Publican;-. in his obtaining the answer to his prayer, which was this justification. Thus the particular instance is bound up with the general truth.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Luk 18:14. , to his house [home]) whether in the parable his house be supposed to have been at Jerusalem, or in that locality where the parable was uttered. Comp. as to returning to ones own house [Mary], ch. Luk 1:56.- ) Otherwise it is read .[202] In either case is to be understood, as in ch. Luk 15:7; 1Co 14:19. The Pharisee was not justified at all; for he , was abased.
[202] Tisch. reads , with APQX and later Syr. Cyprian and bc have magis (omitted by b) quam ille Pharisus. Lachm. has , with BL Memph. Origen. D has : and so the Syr. Version; a, pr illum Pharisum: Vulg. ab illo.-E. and T.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
went: Luk 5:24, Luk 5:25, Luk 7:47-50, 1Sa 1:18, Ecc 9:7
justified: Luk 10:29, Luk 16:15, Job 9:20, Job 25:4, Psa 143:2, Isa 45:25, Isa 53:11, Rom 3:20, Rom 4:5, Rom 5:1, Rom 8:33, Gal 2:16, Jam 2:21-25
every: Luk 1:52, Luk 14:11, Exo 18:11, Job 22:29, Job 40:9-13, Psa 138:6, Pro 3:34, Pro 15:33, Pro 16:18, Pro 16:19, Pro 18:12, Pro 29:23, Isa 2:11-17, Isa 57:15, Dan 4:37, Hab 2:4, Mat 5:3, Mat 23:12, Jam 4:6, Jam 4:10, 1Pe 5:5, 1Pe 5:6
Reciprocal: Lev 26:41 – humbled Deu 8:2 – to humble 1Ki 1:5 – exalted 2Ch 12:6 – humbled 2Ch 30:11 – humbled themselves 2Ch 33:12 – humbled Job 40:11 – behold Psa 10:17 – humble Psa 18:27 – bring Psa 40:12 – mine Psa 101:5 – an high Psa 119:21 – rebuked Pro 11:2 – pride Pro 21:4 – An high look Pro 25:7 – than Isa 40:4 – valley Isa 66:2 – to this Jer 13:9 – the pride Lam 1:20 – for Dan 5:20 – when Mat 19:30 – General Mat 20:26 – it Mar 9:35 – If Mar 10:43 – whosoever Joh 4:10 – thou wouldest Joh 9:41 – If Act 13:39 – by Rom 2:13 – justified Rom 11:20 – Be 1Co 6:11 – but ye are justified Phi 2:3 – but 1Ti 1:16 – for a
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
MISCONCEPTIONS REMOVED
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Luk 18:14
Suffer me to disabuse your minds of some misconceptions which have grown up around this parable, and which prevent the real point of its teaching coming home to our hearts.
I. We generally fail to understand the respective positions of the two men in regard of character. The Pharisee was the better even of the two in every practical sense. Of course it is possible this Pharisee was a hypocrite, and that his account of himself was false; but there is no hint of that. Taking his own account of himself as substantially true, it cannot be denied that he had much cause to give thanks to God for what he was. If the Pharisee had thanked God with humility, remembering that his comparative innocence was due to Gods grace, and to the advantages of position and training, he would have done well. We must, then, allow that the Pharisee was a better Jew, a better neighbour and citizen, and, if it had not been for his pride, a better man than the publican.
II. Another misconception is that the publican was actually justified by his lowly demeanour and self-condemning words.Our Lord does not say that. He says the publican was justified rather than the other. I imagine that neither was truly justified, but as far as the publican yet was from the Kingdom of Heaven, he was in the right way. In his humility he stood, as it were, on the threshold, and there was nothing to hinder his entering in if he was prepared for the necessary sacrifice; whereas the Pharisee had missed the entrance altogether, and was getting farther and farther from it. But never let us think that our Saviour meant this for an example of sufficient repentance. Our Lord means to impress upon us the fatal danger of spiritual pride, which made the Pharisee, with all his real cause for thanksgiving, to be farther off from the Kingdom than the publican.
III. The last misconception is that of imagining that the self-righteous spirit must always take the same form as here presentedthat Pharisaism must always be the proud relying upon outward religious observances. In fact, it has as many different forms as there are fashions in religion. We are always apt to think like this Pharisee, that we can commend our faith by protesting against other peoples errors, and our practice, by condemning faults to which we are not tempted. And truly we must believe that this spirit of self-righteousness must be more offensive to God when united with the lax morality and careless life of the publican, than when connected with the strict morality of the Pharisee.
Rev. R. Winterbotham.
(SECOND OUTLINE)
A CHURCHMANS FAILURE
So the mana thorough Churchmanwas not justified! Here was a thorough Churchman who missed the mark. Notice how very tenderly the Lord puts it. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other. Whenever you deal with a soul be very tender. Controversialists sometimes say, Well, if you believe that, you will be damned. That is rough speaking; that is rough handling. It is not for us to speak like this. Why was it that this poor Pharisee failed altogether?
I. It was because he compared himself with other men.He thanked God for having made such a pre-eminently respectable person as himself. Now this is altogether wrong; because we can never pass judgment upon anybody else. We do not know the secrets of their existence.
II. This man put his ecclesiastical duties in the place of his natural duties.He did two beautiful penances; he fasted and gave alms, and that is what we ought to do. He kept the rules of his Church. He was what we should call a thorough Churchman. He fasted twice in the week, as he was bound to by the law of his Church. And not only did he do this, but he gave a tenth of everything. Now it was not really a requirement that he should give a tenth of everything. There were certain things he was exempt from; but he would not be exempt at all, he gave a tenth of all he possessedevery bit. And yet, good Churchman that he was, he was not good, he was not justified. Where was the wrong? He neglected the natural virtuesthe virtues of grace. There was no broken heart, there was no contrite spirit, there was no cry for mercy, no tear ran down his cheek. That is where the Pharisee failed.
III. He thought he had done more than there was any need for him to do.This is a very subtle and a very sweet temptation. It comes upon us all. We put ourselves into the family of the goodenoughs, or possibly we go a little further, and say we belong to the family of the too-goods, and the Holy Spirit will put us in the family of the no-goods. The whole thing is spoilt The inward pride crops up and spoils the whole thing. There is something in religious pride and self-satisfaction which is execrable, but it is so true!
IV. He never prayed.He went up to the Temple to pray, and he never said one word of prayer. Do you know that is something like us. Have you ever gone to the church to pray, and never really prayed? Gone through some prayers, but never really prayed? We may say prayers, and shout them, without praying a word; and we may be perfectly silent, but our attitude is so towards God that the very breath we breathe is a prayer. God does not hear you because you talk with your lips. He only hears the longing of the soul.
V. He did not cry for forgiveness.He did not want it. Now, what I want to ask you is, Do you want God to forgive you your sins, and make you better men and women? Do you really want it? Is there the desire down deep in your heart? Do you want to know the Saviour more; to trust Him more, to love Him more, and to see that He is all in all, and that you are nothing at all? Do you want it? If so, I hope you will creep into a quiet place, somewhere where you may meet God face to face, no man knowing, and pour out your heart to Him, and say, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Rev. A. H. Stanton.
Illustration
You do not know how other people were brought up, or the environment round about them. Had you had their environment you might have been worse than they are. We know nothing of other peoples temperament. What is an easy sin to resist to you, may be no easy sin for others to resist. Until you know the secrets of their life within, as well as the secrets of their life without, you are utterly out of count in trying in any sense to frame a judgment on them, or they on you. Then there is heredity. What do you or I know about heredity? They tell us that there is the taint which passes down from father to son, and the biologist will tell you that many men are almost irresponsible for what they do, it has come into them by the taint of heredity. God help us never to say, I thank thee that I am not as other men.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
4
Rather is printed in italics in the King James Version, but the. American Standard Version and Mof-fatt’s translation both use the regular type. That is evidently correct according to the reasoning of Jesus. He follows his statement about who was justified, with the declaration that he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. If the publican was not justified, then no one in the verse was exalted.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Luk 18:14. I say unto you. Solemn application.
This man, the publican, went down to his house, returned home, justified, i.e., accepted by God as righteous, in the very sense in which Paul uses the word in his Epistles, that to the Romans being an extended commentary on this statement. Our Lord implies that the publicans prayer was answered, that God was merciful to this sinner, and this is precisely what is meant by justification, namely, Gods forgiving our sins and accepting us as righteous.
Bather than the other. Our Lord is very forbearing in His judgment on the Pharisee. But He certainly means that the latter was not justified, for he had not asked for this.
For. A general statement, often repeated by our Lord (chap. Luk 14:11; Mat 23:12), gives the reason for what had been said of the two men.
Every one that exalteth himself, as this Pharisee did in his self-righteousness, shall be humbled, by God, who does not justify such; but he that humbleth himself, as the publican did, shall be exalted, by God, who hears and answers the prayer.. That answer was justification, hence on the great principle so often set forth, the publican went down to his house justified rather than the other. The Pharisee, though previously a more moral man than the other, failed to be justified, not because he was more moral, but because he was self-righteous; the publican, the worse man of the two, was justified, not because he was worse, but because he was a humble penitent. Of the future course of the two men our Lord has no occasion to speak; but Christ came to make men really holy, as well as to provide for their justification; the one being indissolubly connected with the other. We can distinguish them but not divide them. Hence the future of the publican is not uncertain.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 14
Justified; in the sight of God.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Jesus declared the tax collector justified (i.e., declared righteous, a judicial act, not made righteous; cf. Rom 3:24-25). God declared him righteous because he looked to God for the gift of righteousness rather than claiming to be righteous on his own merit as the Pharisee did. [Note: See F. F. Bruce, "Justification by Faith in the non-Pauline Writings of the New Testament," Evangelical Quarterly 24 (1952):66-77.] Jesus repeated the principle that God humbles those who exalt themselves, but He exalts those who humble themselves (cf. Luk 13:30; Luk 14:11). In the context Jesus meant that to be righteous in God’s sight one must acknowledge his lack of personal righteousness rather than pretending to have righteousness that he does not have. Justification depends on God’s grace, not on human works or merit.
Many modern Christians have heard this parable so often that we immediately associate Pharisees with self-righteous hypocrisy and tax collectors with humble piety. In Jesus’ day the Jews viewed them differently. It was the Pharisees who were the models of righteous behavior and the tax collectors who epitomized sinfulness. Therefore this parable undoubtedly made a great impact on the disciples.