The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 2 — Section 106

schools of their own rabbis. Two extreme wo.s free? He gloried in his miserable tithA& instances are here chosen-a rigid, exclusive, and offerings: did he remember how really self-so.tisfled member of the religious society mean and selfish he was? did he think of of Ierael; o.nd a Jewish officer of the hoted his lnxury and abundance, and of the want Iloman government, who knew little or and misery of thousands round him? did nothing of the Law, but yet who longed after his poor pitiful generosity constitute a clriim o. higher life, and craved for an in ward peace to salvation? All this and more is shrined which he evidently was far from possessing. in the exquisite story of Jesus, who shows These two, the Pharisee and the publican, men that salvation-if it be given to men both went up to God's holy house, the at al1-m1IBt be given entirely as a free gift temple, with a view of dn~wing near to the of God. eternal King. Ver. 13.-And the publican, standing afar Ver. 11.-The Pharisee stood and prayed ofl', would not lift up so much as his eyes thus with himself, God, I thank thee that unto heaven, but emote upon his breast, I o.m not o.e other men are. How closely saying, God be merciful to me a sinner ! drawn from the life is this picture of a Utterly sad and heart-broken, the publican Pharisee will be seen by a comparison of neither recounts nor thinka of good kind the prayer here with the: prayer of a rabbi deeds done, or special sins committed; no contained in the Talmud. When Rabbi thoughts came into that poor heart, such as, Nechounia Ben Hakana left his school, he "I have done some fair deeds; I am not alto- used to say, "I thank thee, 0 Eternal, my gether vile and sinful." He felt that with God, for having given me part with those him evil so far overbalanced good that he who attend this school instead of rnnning could make no plea for himself, and yet he, through the shops. I rise early like them, too, longed for salvation, so he threw him- but it is to study the Law, not for futile ends. self wholly upon God's mercy and love in I take trouble as they do, but I shall be his sad prayer, "God be merciful to me the rewarded, and they will not. We run alike, sinner I" for so the words should be rendered. but I for the future life, while they will Different to the Pharisee, who thought him- only arrive at the pit of destruction" (from self better than his neighbours, this man, the treatise 'Berachoth '). in his sad humility, evidently thought other Ver. 12.-I fast twioe in the week. There men better than himself, bnt still he so was no such precept in the Law of Moses. trusted in God that he felt even for him, the There only a single fast-day in the year was sinner, there might be mercy. enjoined, the Day of .Atonement (Lev. xvi. 29). Ver. H.-1 tell you, this mu went down By the time of Zechariah the prophet (viii. to hi.s ho11Se just:i.tl.ed rather than the other: 19) the one fast-day bad grown into fonr. for every one that exa.lteth himself shall be But this fasting twice every week was a abased ; and he that hnmbleth himself shall burthensome observance imposed in the be exalted. And the public11n was right; later oral Law. Thursday and Monday there was mercy even for him, all sin-stained were the appointed fasting-days, because though he was. The words with which the tradition related how, on those days, Moses Lord closes his teaching are full of comfort. ascended and descended from Sl.nai. Com- That prayer he tells us was heard and pare the Talmud (treatise • Bava Kho.ma,' granted. The " I tell you" of Jesus here fol. 82. 1). I give tithes of all that I possess. means, o.s Stier well puts it, "I tell you, for Here, again, the Mosaic ordinance only I know, I have seen, I have heard all this enjoined tithes of corn, wine, oil, and cattle. in many such a cnoe, aud in many such 'l'he lo.tar rabbinic schools directed that prayers." With this example of prayer everything should be tithed, down to the fo.vourably heard, there is surely no sin- mint and anise and cummin. And so this burthened soul on el\rlh who may not tali:e poor deluded Pharioee dreamed he had courage in seeking God'o face. One great earned his eternal salvation, forgetting that object of this parable, we may believe, was t.8 the tithes he so prided himself on paying suggest some such thoughts, to embolden were merely tithes of goods of which he was sorrowful, heart-broken sinners simply to go steward for a little time, tithes, too, given to God, trusting in his great pitying love. back to their real Owner-God. Could this It should not be forgotten that the publican's be counted a claim upon God? He boasted, prayer was heard in the temple; a silent too, that he was no extortionel': did he forget approval seems given to his having thus how often he had coveted? He was no sought out the appointed consecrated place adulterer: what of those wioked thoughts of prayer. which so often found a home in his heart? Vere. 15-30.-Jesus and the children. He rejoioed that he was not like the publican The young ruler refuse;i to give up his riches. and others of that same class : did he think The Lord speaks of the reward of them tliat of the sore temptations to which these o.nd leave all for his sake. the liko were exposed, and from which he Ver.15.-And they brought unto him also  110 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST, LUKE. [oH. xvm. 1-43.