Pharitax

What happens when you switch "Pharisee" and "tax collector" in a parable about prayer? Some things Jesus said don't change.

produced by static force llc sometimes things don't change.

Transcript

Title: Pharitax

SubTitle: Justification is given on an individual basis.

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2076577/episodes/18045373

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Pharitax

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I titled this episode Pharitax. It analyzes a parable of Jesus by exchanging the worhttps://www.buzzsprout.com/2076577/episodes/18045373ds “Pharisee” and “tax collector”. How much of the meaning changes? My belief is the meaning doesn’t change much.

So I have changed some words in the following parable to make a point.  Before the end of the episode I'll read the correct version of the Scripture.  Here's a slightly modified parable of Jesus based on Luke 18. I have switched some text.  Where the Scripture said “Pharisee” I put “tax collector” and vice versa:

Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a tax collector and the other a Pharisee. The tax collector stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this Pharisee. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the Pharisee, standing afar off, would not so much as raise 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, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

NOTE. HERE'S THE POINT

Some of the verses didn't change at all. They contain neither tax collector nor Pharisee. They tell principles instead.

Here's the first verse I read:

Verse 9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

NOTE: ARE THERE tax collectors who trust in themselves that they are righteous? I think probably.

Here's another verse that didn't change:

Verse 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

NOTE: I think the big lesson of Jesus' parable is this last principle: Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. I think it's true whether the parable is aimed at tax collectors or Pharisees. 

I do have to admit you might have been hard pressed to actually have found a Pharisee who beat his breast and didn’t even look up to heaven, but I think there’s evidence there were some. You might also have been hard pressed to find a tax collector who fasted twice a week, but there may have been someone like that. After Levi started following Jesus he may have fasted more than once a week. I don’t know.

My point is Justification is won on an individual basis. Pharisees weren't all condemned by Jesus just because they were Pharisees. Nicodemus is an example. 

Similarly, tax collectors weren't all justified by Jesus just because they were tax collectors.

As promised earlier, here's the original passage. Luke 18 verses 9 to 14:

9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

May we receive the humility of Christ and His justification. Personally.

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