Luke 18:9
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To some who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt, He also told this parable:
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
PARABLE OF THE IMPORTUNATE WIDOW. (Luk 18:1-8) always--Compare Luk 18:7, "night and day." faint--lose heart, or slacken.
Open source ↗The scope of this parable likewise is prefixed to it, and we are told (Luk 18:9) who they were whom it was levelled at, and for whom it was calculated. He designed it for the conviction of some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others. They were such as had, 1. A great conceit of themselves, and of their own goodness; they thought themselves as holy as they needed to be, and holier than all their neighbours, and such as might serve for examples to them all. But that was not all; 2. They had a confidence in themselves before God, and not only had a high opinion of their own righteousness, but depended upon the merit of it, whenever they addressed God, as their plea: They trusted in themselves as being righteous; they thought they had made God their debtor, and might demand any thing from him; and, 3. They despised others, and looked upon them with contempt, as not worthy to be compared with them. Now Christ by this parable would show such their folly, and that thereby they shut themselves out from acceptance with God. This is called a parable, though there be nothing of similitude in it; but it is rather a description of the different temper and language of those that proudly justify themselves, and those that humbly condemn themselves; and their different standing before God. It is matter of fact every day. I. Here are both these addressing themselves to the duty of prayer at the same place and time (Luk 18:10): Two men went up into the temple (for the temple stood upon a hill) to pray. It was not the hour of public prayer, but they went thither to offer up their personal devotions, as was usual with good people at that time, when the temple was not only the place, but the medium of worship, and God had promised, in answer to Solomon's req…
Open source ↗18:9-14 The topic of prayer (18:1-8) leads into this parable about the right attitude for approaching God.
Open source ↗Cross-references
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So He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is prized among men is detestable before God.
There is a generation of those who are pure in their own eyes and yet unwashed of their filth.
They say, ‘Keep to yourself; do not come near me, for I am holier than you!’ Such people are smoke in My nostrils, a fire that burns all day long.
Because they were ignorant of God’s righteousness and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.
Why, then, do you judge your brother? Or why do you belittle your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.
When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching Him—for she is a sinner!”
The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
And all who saw this began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinful man!”
Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died.
Then He said to me, ‘Go! I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”