The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Jesus says, “This man went down to his house justified rather than the other.” The way the tax collector conducted himself was well-pleasing to God, but the Pharisee did not please God.

The Pharisee was smug and self-righteous. He made himself out to be righteous. He was not poor in spirit; on the contrary, he entertained exalted ideas about himself and his work; he wanted to influence God, by his prayer, to think the same.

None of the Pharisee’s thoughts were in God’s Word. He was not acquainted with the door into the sheepfold; he was not crushed so that God could begin His work with him. He was outside, but he didn’t know it. He prayed, but he did not find the way to God, to Him who could save. He had taken into his own hands what God was meant to do. He surely sensed that Jesus stood outside and knocked, but he did not let Him in. He was afraid to surrender the state of his heart to God; he was uncertain as to how it would go. It was best to “stay on dry land.”

What was the fruit of all this? The fruit was an enemy of the cross of Christ! A spirit that had gone astray and was leading astray!

This is what transpired in the hidden, but it was vital for him to keep up an appearance outwardly. “Having a form of godliness but denying its power.” 2 Tim. 3:5. His connection to God was feigned, and therefore God did not bless him either. For this reason, hypocrisy began its murderous work. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” Luke 12:1.

With knowledge as a driving force, life continues with self-made righteousness, self-made joy, and self-made peace. People exert themselves and pull themselves together, find something here and there, and they can fool people who live in the flesh. But when they encounter spiritual people, the result is a struggle in the spirit just as there was between Jesus and the Pharisees.

What can be done in such a case? The person has to be awakened. He has to become aware of his true state, namely, that he is gripped by a pharisaical spirit, which is at enmity with the cross of Christ in daily life, and that he has to turn against it in his spirit. Only then can Christ help him, and help comes in the form of poverty of spirit, for there is deliverance in this spirit.

On the other hand, the tax collector believed God and went to meet Him as he was. “Poor sinner that I am,” was the commendation he gave himself. He loved the truth, for he was poor in himself.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matt. 5:3. It is vital to remain poor in spirit so that death can continue to do its good work until the end.

Those who do not receive a love of the truth cannot comprehend this way; they believe you become proud when you do God’s will. They are not acquainted with the virtues of Christ, but only with what is self-made. To these Christ will say on that Day: “I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.” Luke 13:27. But to the others He will say, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you . . . .” Matt. 25:34.