⁹ He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others:
¹⁰ "Two men went up into 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 thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
¹² I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.'
¹³ 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!'
¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."

• The audience here was the Pharisees. They formed an association with exceptionally high standards of piety. For example, the law prescribed one fast day a year (Lev 16:29-31), they fasted two days a week; Deutoronomy's tithing (Dt 14:22-29) includes only agricultural products, but Pharasees' tithed from all possessions (v. 12). Inside, however, many were "money lovers" (16:14) and "full of greed and wickedness" (11:39).
• (v.11) The Pharisee's prayer started out beautifully, thanking God for graces he received, "God, I thank you...," much like Mary's Magnificat (1:46-56) and Simeon's Canticle (2:29-31). Beyond this facade, however, it was very clear that he was talking about what he did by himself for his own pride. He stood apart from others in the temple because he considered himself superior to the rest. But he was close enough and he prayed loud enough for other people to hear his boast about himself and his condemnation of others.
• There were three levels of tax collectors: those who purchased the right to collect tax, collection directors like Zacchaeus, and agents who collected specific taxes at a set rate (though some exceeded the rate for their own gain).
• The tax collector's posture of crossed-over arms and down-casting eyes was customary for prayer. Beating one's breast was more commonly for women (23:27); men only did it in extreme anguish (23:48).
• The irony of the story is that the Pharisee considered himself righteous and the tax collector unrighteous, but the results were just the opposite.

Righteousness comes from being faithful to the covenant relationship with God, through which God justifies us.

1. What does "being faithful to the covenant relationship with God" mean for me? Am I faithful to that relationship? What helps? (Consider the liturgy of the Eucharist; the Jesus prayer, "Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me"; prayers before meals; prayers at bed time and at dawn)
2. To what extent am I proudly self-sufficient without God? Does my culture encourage this?
3. Whom do I think I am superior to? Who is the "tax collector" in my eyes?

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A synthesis by the Vietnamese Christian Life (Dong Hanh) Community