Hypocrisy versus Humility (Luke 18:9-14)

Hypocrisy versus Humility
Luke 18:9-14

INTRODUCTION:
Self-righteousness is like a cup without a bottom: if you pour and pour, you will not be able to fill it. Why? Because when you pour yourself into yourself, you don’t add anything to yourself. Nothing plus nothing always equals nothing.
Rather, accept the righteousness of God instead of trying to accumulate your own righteousness. You will find that the righteousness which He offers is real. And this is what will fill the cup of holiness.
There are many so-called Christians today who believe that they are Christians and they are “righteous” and that they are “right” in the eyes of God without doing what God tells them to do. In Luke 18, Jesus gives us a parable which concerns those who believe “in themselves” that they are righteous. Let’s study the words of Jesus…

THE BACKGROUND OF THE PARABLE (18:9-10):
Why did Jesus give this parable? In Romans 10:1-2, Paul says that the Jews believed that they themselves were righteous and they established their own righteousness, rejecting the righteousness of God (salvation through Jesus Christ). How often have we emphasized the biblical teaching relative to humility? Those who establish their own way of righteousness are arrogant – they refuse to submit to the will of God. We must always humble ourselves before God.
Along with the attitude which says that “I am righteous” (at least in my own eyes), is the same attitude which despises others: “those who regard with contempt others” – Romans 14:3.
According to Jesus’ custom, He uses as an example, one of those whom others reckoned as righteous – a religious man, a Pharisee – and the other whom many reckoned as one of the worse among sinners – a tax collector. And, according to Jesus’ custom, the one who is reckoned as righteous is the tax collector and the one who remains condemned is the Pharisee.

THE ATTITUDE OF THE PHARISEE (18:11-12):
The Pharisees were the most conservative of the religious leaders among the Jews – and they bound the traditions of the elders as if they were the commands of God (Mark 7:1-13). It was the Pharisees with whom Jesus had the most confrontations.
The Pharisees believed they were saved - but through their traditions – not through accepting God’s Messiah (Luke 7:29-30). When we reject God’s plan, we are rejecting Him. On the other hand, the Pharisees believed they could be saved simply through their relationship with Abraham (Matthew 3:9).
This Pharisee had a list to check off: that when he did each thing, he would mark it off and after that, he had fulfilled the will of God. We would not be wrong to say that the Pharisee was praying to himself, not to God! The Pharisee forgot that he also needed the grace of God.
On the positive side (up to this point he had been talking about the things he had not committed), he wants to now remind God of the things he had done for which he deserved salvation. We know what the Pharisee believed – I did such and such – as a result, I deserve salvation.
Yet, spiritual laws do not operate that way!

THE ATTITUDE OF THE TAX COLLECTOR (18:13):
The other example Jesus uses is the tax collector. While the Pharisee “stood” (their preferred position, to be “seen by men” – Matthew 6:5), the tax collector, in the true style of humility, “stood some distance away”. It is possible that the tax collector did not feel worthy to stand in the presence of the Pharisee (many people believed the Pharisees where “chosen” by God). And further, the Bible says, “he was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven.” Just like the soldier in Matthew 8 did not feel worthy that Jesus should enter under His roof (8:5-13), the tax collector did not feel worthy to even look God in the eyes!
It is true (and we cannot exaggerate the importance of humility before God) that we must submit ourselves to God – in every aspect of our lives. On the other hand, God does not call us to be scared – scared like a rabbit. A thousand times no. To be a slave is not the same as being fearful. Look at what Jesus said in John 15:15. And Hebrews 4:16. Ezekiel 2:1 and 1 Corinthians 15:58 – the humble servant, yes, but spineless? No!
But the tax collector beat himself on the breast, saying a very short prayer but very sincere – completely from the heart! Seven words in English, six words in Greek. But he was speaking with a much stronger voice that those eloquent prayers uttered throughout the years! “Have mercy on me.”
The word translated “mercy” here is not the typical word translated “mercy.” Here it is hilaskomai which means “to reconcile, to appease, to conciliate, to quiet, to atone.” It is used also in Hebrews 2:17.
Thus, what was the tax collector asking from God? Atonement. Reconciliation. The tax collector understood that his sins had created a wall between him and God (Isaiah 59:1-2) and he felt the force of that separation. Just like Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:12. The tax collector felt far from God and wanted reconciliation. Observe that the word “sinner” in the NASV has the definite article. Of all the translations I verified, only the Romanian and NASV use the definite article. This can be understood in two ways. He may be contrasting himself with the Pharisee, that is, “I am the sinner in contrast with this righteous and holy Pharisee.” Or perhaps it can be understood in the sense of the apostle Paul’s view of himself, “I am the worst sinner of all sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).
If you and I were standing there and we would be looking at the Pharisee and tax collector, it is probable that we would believe that the Pharisee went home with God’s approval and the tax collector – perhaps, perhaps not – but without a doubt, he was a sinner!
But, “God does not see what man sees; man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

JESUS’ CONCLUSION (18:14):
Jesus concludes the story (parable) with one of His most favorite themes – humility. “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” That very sentence or something like it is found several times in the New Testament – Matthew 18:4; 23:12; Luke 14:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:4.
After this parable, Jesus gives us an illustration of humility – Luke 18:15-17. In 18:18-30, we have the story of the rich ruler who refuses to submit to the will of God, refusing to sell all he has. How important is humility! – Especially relative to God’s plan for saving man.
Why can we not boast in our own righteousness?
In Luke 17:10, Jesus showed that servants must do what their master says and there is no reward for that. In other words, if we obey God perfectly, He still would not owe us anything! Romans 6:23. Since I have sinned, one hundred years of perfect obedience would not atone for a single sin that I have committed. Perfect obedience is my obligation; it is the reason God gave me life (Ecc. 12:13). As a result, forgiveness of sin is a consequence of God’s mercy.
Again, consider Romans 3:23-24. The prophet of old, Isaiah, wrote: “All we like sheep have gone astray, each to his own way; but the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (53:6). John put an end to it all when he wrote 1 John 1:8-10. All have sinned and even those in Christ continue to sin, just as John told us. Mercy is for sinners.
Only Christ can save: John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Hebrews 2:9; Romans 5:2, 8.
Therefore, nobody deserves salvation; nobody deserves heaven. Nobody can be saved – even through “good works.” Each man is saved through the blood of Christ – Romans 4:4-5.

Take home message: Let’s put our trust in Jesus Christ; let’s put our lives into His hands; let’s obey Him in humility in every aspect of our lives and let’s have the assurance that if we live for Him now, we’ll live with Him forever. Let’s not regard others with contempt. If they are in sin, let’s show them the grace of Christ through the Gospel.