Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
Luke 18:9-14
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Luke.18.9 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Ειπεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- δε: CONJ
- και: CONJ
- προς: PREP
- τινας: PRON,acc,pl,m
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- πεποιθοτας: PART,perf,act,acc,pl,m
- εφ᾽εαυτοις: PREP+PRON,dat,pl,m
- οτι: CONJ
- εισιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- δικαιοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- εξουθενουντας: PART,pres,act,acc,pl,m
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- λοιπους: ADJ,acc,pl,m
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- παραβολην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- ταυτην·: PRON,acc,sg,f
Parallels
- Luke 18:11-14 (structural): The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector is the immediate continuation of v.9 and directly illustrates Jesus’ address to those who trust in their own righteousness and despise others.
- Luke 14:11 (verbal): Expresses the same reversal theme—'whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted'—which concludes the parable introduced in v.9.
- Matthew 23:25-28 (thematic): Jesus denounces Pharisaic self‑righteousness and hypocrisy (outward piety with inward corruption), a critique analogous to condemning those who consider themselves righteous and look down on others.
- Romans 2:1 (thematic): Paul’s rebuke that passing judgment on others brings self‑condemnation echoes the warning implicit in Jesus’ address to the self‑righteous in Luke 18:9.
- Romans 14:10-13 (thematic): Paul’s exhortation not to judge or despise fellow believers parallels Jesus’ rebuke of those who 'despise others,' stressing humility and leaving final judgment to God.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he told this parable to some who were confident in their own righteousness and looked down on others.
- He told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and who looked down on others.
Luke.18.10 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Ανθρωποι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- δυο: NUM,acc,pl,m
- ανεβησαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- εις: PREP
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- ιερον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- προσευξασθαι: VERB,aor,mid,inf
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- εις: PREP
- Φαρισαιος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- ετερος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- τελωνης: NOUN,nom,sg,m
Parallels
- Luke 18:11-14 (structural): Continuation of the same parable: contrasts the Pharisee's self-righteous prayer with the tax collector's humble repentance and gives the moral (God exalts the humble).
- Matthew 9:10-13 (thematic): Jesus eats with tax collectors and sinners and rebukes Pharisees' self-righteousness, emphasizing mercy over ritual piety ('I have not come to call the righteous...').
- Matthew 21:31-32 (thematic): Jesus declares that tax collectors and prostitutes believed John and entered God's kingdom ahead of the religious leaders—another contrast between Pharisaic self-assurance and repentant outsiders.
- Matthew 23:27-28 (thematic): Jesus' denunciation of Pharisaic hypocrisy (outward religiosity masking inner corruption) parallels the Pharisee's proud, performative prayer in Luke 18:10-11.
- James 4:6 (thematic): 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble' echoes the parable's central theme that humility, not self-exaltation, is pleasing to God.
Alternative generated candidates
- Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
- Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
Luke.18.11 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Φαρισαιος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- σταθεις: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,m,sg
- προς: PREP
- εαυτον: PRON,acc,sg,masc,reflex
- ταυτα: PRON,acc,pl,n
- προσηυχετο·Ο: VERB,impf,mid,ind,3,sg
- θεος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ευχαριστω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- σοι: PRON,dat,sg,2
- οτι: CONJ
- ουκ: PART,neg
- ειμι: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- ωσπερ: ADV
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- λοιποι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- ανθρωπων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- αρπαγες: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- αδικοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- μοιχοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- ως: ADV
- ουτος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- τελωνης·: NOUN,nom,sg,m
Parallels
- Luke 18:13 (structural): Direct contrast within the same parable: the tax collector's humble, penitential prayer ('God, be merciful to me, a sinner') opposes the Pharisee's self-righteous thanksgiving.
- Luke 18:14 (structural): Jesus' summative teaching for the parable: those who exalt themselves will be humbled and the humble justified—explicit theological judgment on the Pharisee's attitude.
- Luke 11:42-44 (thematic): Jesus criticizes Pharisaic hypocrisy and external righteousness without inner repentance—same theme of self-justifying religious pride as in the Pharisee's prayer.
- Matthew 23:27-28 (thematic): Strong denunciation of Pharisaic outward righteousness covering inward corruption ('whitewashed tombs'), paralleling the self-righteous posture in the Pharisee's prayer.
- Romans 3:27 (thematic): Paul's argument that boasting is excluded before God echoes the parable's critique of self-justifying boasting and stresses justification by God's grace, not human self-commendation.
Alternative generated candidates
- The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people—extortioners, unjust, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.'
- The Pharisee stood and prayed like this to himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people—extortioners, the unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.'
Luke.18.12 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- νηστευω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- δις: ADV
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- σαββατου: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- αποδεκατω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- παντα: ADJ,nom,pl,n
- οσα: PRON,acc,pl,n
- κτωμαι: VERB,pres,mid,ind,1,sg
Parallels
- Luke 11:42 (verbal): Jesus rebukes Pharisees for tithing while neglecting justice and mercy—closely parallels the Pharisee’s boast about tithing in Luke 18:12 and addresses the same practice and attitude.
- Matthew 23:23 (thematic): Jesus criticizes religious leaders for emphasizing tithes while overlooking weightier matters (justice, mercy, faith) — a thematic critique of the Pharisaic righteousness boasted of in Luke 18:12.
- Matthew 6:16-18 (thematic): Jesus’ teaching on fasting warns against ostentatious, hypocritical fasting; contrasts with the Pharisee’s proud declaration that he fasts twice a week in Luke 18:12.
- Isaiah 58:3-7 (thematic): Prophetic denunciation of fasting that is ritualistic and uncaring toward justice and the poor—echoes the critique of external piety represented by the Pharisee’s claim in Luke 18:12.
- Malachi 3:8-10 (thematic): Discussion of tithing as covenantal obligation and concern for proper giving; relates to the Pharisee’s claim to tithe ‘all I get’ and raises issues about the intent and use of tithes.
Alternative generated candidates
- I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.
- I fast twice a week; I give a tithe of all that I possess.'
Luke.18.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- τελωνης: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- μακροθεν: ADV
- εστως: PART,perf,act,nom,sg,m
- ουκ: PART,neg
- ηθελεν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- ουδε: CONJ,neg
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- οφθαλμους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- επαραι: VERB,pres,act,inf
- εις: PREP
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- ουρανον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- αλλ᾽ετυπτε: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- στηθος: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- λεγων·Ο: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,sg,m
- θεος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ιλασθητι: VERB,aor,pass,imp,2,sg
- μοι: PRON,dat,sg,1
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- αμαρτωλω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- Luke 18:11 (structural): The Pharisee's prayer in the same parable contrasts with the tax collector’s penitential plea, highlighting humility vs. self-righteousness.
- Luke 17:13 (verbal): The ten lepers cry 'Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!'—a Lukan verbal echo of the plea for divine mercy.
- Mark 10:48 (verbal): Blind Bartimaeus cries, 'Have mercy on me!' mirroring the tax collector’s direct petition for mercy.
- Psalm 51:1 (thematic): David’s penitential plea 'Have mercy on me, O God' provides an Old Testament model of confession and request for divine mercy.
- 1 Timothy 1:15 (thematic): Paul’s confession 'Christ came to save sinners... I am chief' parallels the tax collector’s candid self-identification as a sinner seeking mercy.
Alternative generated candidates
- But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but struck his breast and said, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner.'
- But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner.'
Luke.18.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- λεγω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
- κατεβη: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- ουτος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- δεδικαιωμενος: VERB,perf,pass,part,nom,sg,m
- εις: PREP
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- οικον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- παρ᾽εκεινον·οτι: PREP
- πας: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- υψων: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,sg,m
- εαυτον: PRON,acc,sg,masc,reflex
- ταπεινωθησεται: VERB,fut,pass,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- ταπεινων: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,sg,m
- εαυτον: PRON,acc,sg,masc,reflex
- υψωθησεται: VERB,fut,pass,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- Matthew 23:12 (verbal): Nearly identical saying: 'Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted,' same teaching on exaltation and humility.
- Luke 14:11 (verbal): Parallel Lucan saying with the same phrasing and immediate teaching context about humility and exaltation.
- James 4:10 (verbal): Close verbal and thematic parallel: 'Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up,' linking humility with divine exaltation.
- 1 Peter 5:6 (verbal): Similar exhortation: 'Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you,' echoing the promise of being lifted up.
- Proverbs 29:23 (thematic): Old Testament proverb on pride and lowliness: 'A man's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor,' thematically anticipates the NT teaching.
Alternative generated candidates
- I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.
- I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.
He also told this parable to some who were confident of their own righteousness and who looked down on everyone else.
Two men went up into the temple to pray: one a Pharisee, and the other a tax collector.
The Pharisee stood and prayed like this: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people—extortioners, the unjust, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.'
'I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I have.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner.'
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.