US, is among the first and foremost graces of the Christian character. It was a leading grace in Abraham, Jacob, Moees, David, Job, Isaiah, and Daniel. It ought to be a leading grace in all who profess to serve Christ. All the Lord's people have not gifts or money. All are not called to preach, or write, or fill a prominent place in the church. But all are called to be humble. One grace at l0ast should adorn the poorest and most unlearned believer. That grace is humility.
Let us leave the whole passage with a deep sense of Oxe great encouragement it affords to all who feel their sins, and cry to God for mercy in Christ's name. Their sins may have been many and great. Their prayers may seem weak, faltering, unconnected, and poor. But let them remember the Publican, and take courage. That same Jesus who commended his prayer is sitting at the right hand of God to receive sinners. Then let them hope and pray on.
Notes. Luke XVin. ^—14.
©. — [Onto certain which trusted, dc] It seems probable that this parable was not addressed to the Pharisees, so much as to certain of our Lord's own followers and disciples. Our Lord knew all hearts, and He probably saw in some of His own immediate adherents a tendency to value themselves too highly because thej were His disciples. He checks it by speaking this parable.
Pride, self-conceit, and a disposition to look down on others * ts ignorant, blind, and inferior to ourselves, are faults to which many converted people are peculiarly liable.
1 Oj-^A Pharisee, ..a pvblican.] These two are mentioned as types of opposite classes of character. The Pharisee represents the monl, the respectable, and the externally correct llie publioan represents the wicked, the profligate, and the utterly irreligious.
The theory held by some, that the Pharisee represents the Jewish nation, and the Publican the Gentile world, appears to ma destitute of foundation.
264 BXPOfilTORY THOTJOHtS.
11. — [Stood and prayed thus with himsd/.] Some have tboagbt that the Greek words should have been rendered, " stood by him- self and prayed thus." It is probable, however, that our English version gives the sense correctly.
It is a mistake to suppose, as some have done, that there was anything to be blamea, as indicative of pride, in the Pharisee's attitude. Standing was as common a position for prayer as kneeling, among the Jews. See Matt. vi. 5. Mark xi. 2&. 2 Chron. vi. 12.
[/ thank thee.] Gill gives some singular instances fipom Rabbinical writers of the thanksgivings, which commonly formed part of Jewish prayers. One quotation will suffice. " It is a tradition of Rabbi Juda saying three things a man ought to say every day, — Blessed be thou that thou hast not made me a gentile. — Blessed be thou that thou hast not made me an unlearned man. — Blessed be thou that thou hast not made me a woman."
It needs hardly be noted, that we are not to infer that thank- fulness is wrong in our prayers. It is thankfulness accompanied by self-conceit, and uncharitable comparisons of ourselves with other men, and unaccompanied by confession of unworthiness, and prayer for mercy and gra«e, which our Lord condenme. .
1 2. — [I fast twioe.^.give tithes aU,,„<ic.] Here the Pharisee, let it be noted, exalts his own works of supererogation. He fasted even more than God required. He gave tithes even of things which God did not command to be tithed, — ^not of his com and his fruits only, but of all his possessions.
A more miserable and defective righteousness than this
Pharisee's, it is hard to conceive. His negative goodness oon-
. sisted in not being so bad as some ! His positive goodness
consisted in fasting and paying tithes with excessive serapu-
losity ! Of heartr holiness, we do not hear a word !
18. — [Would not lift up.] The Greek words mean literally, •* was not willing to lift," — had no mind, or will, or inclination.
[Be merciful to.] It is not improbable that the idea of mercy through a propitiation, enters into this prayer. The Greek word rendered, ** be merciful to," is only found in one other place, and is there applied to our Lord Jesus Christ, as a High Priest, " making reconciliation " for the sins of the people. (Heb. ii. 17.)
[A sinner.] The Greek words are here even stronger than our version, if literally translated. They signify " the smner," that is, ** the great sinner."
' li.— [Justified rather than the other '\ We must not suppose that
' this raieans that the Pharisee was a little justified, and the
publican very much, and that the difference between them was
LT7KE, dUJP. XVm. VBB. 16 — 17. 265
only one of degree. There are no degrees in justification. The words mean that the Pharisee was not justified at all, or ac- cepted with God, and that the puhlican went home pardoned, forgiven, and counted righteous Wore God.
[Every one. ,,exaUeth.,, abased.] The truth of this great princi- ple admits of illustration at every step of Bihle history. Pharaoh, Goliah, Uaman, Sennacberih, Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, are all oases in poinl.
LUKE XVm. 16—17.
Id And they brought unto him alao infants, that ne would touch them : but when his disciples saw it^ they rebuked them.
16 But Jesus called them unto Am, amd said, Suffer little children to come
unto me, and forbid them not : for of such is the kingdom of God.
17 Verily I say unto you, Whoso- ever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.
Let MS observe, for one thing, in this passage, hotc igno- rantly people are apt to treat children, in the matter of their souls. We read that there were some who "brought infants to Jesus that He would touch them : but when His disciples saw it, they rebuked them." They thought most probably that it was mere waste of their Master's time, and that infants could derive no benefit from being brought to Christ. They drew from our Lord a solemn rebuke. We read that " Jesus called them unto Him, and said, Suffer little children to come imto me, and forbid them not.*'
The ignorance of the disciples does not stand alone. On few subjects, perhaps, shall we find such strange opinions in the churches, as on the subject of the souls of children. Some think that children ought to be bap- tized, as a matter of course, and that if they die unbaptized ihey cannot be saved. Others think that children ought not to be baptized, but can give no satisfactory reason why