But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, God, have mercy on me, a sinner — stood at a distance: the spatial distance communicates the sense of unworthiness to approach. Would not even look up to heaven: the posture of shame before God. Beat his breast: the physical gesture of self-condemnation. God, have mercy on me, a sinner (ho theos, hilasthēti moi tō hamartōlō): the single petition — hilasthēti is the word for propitiation, the atoning mercy. A sinner (tō hamartōlō, the sinner, the one sinner): the definite article makes it the definitive self-description.

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