Luke 18:13 — Community Reflections

LUKE 18:13 — KING JAMES VERSION 0

“And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.”

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.

Church Fathers on Luke 18:13

Since faith is not a gift of the proud but of the humble, our Lord proceeds to add a parable concerning humility and against pride.
Augustine · 4th century

Pride also beyond all other passions disturbs the mind of man. And hence the very frequent warnings against it. It is moreover a contempt of God; for when a man ascribes the good he does to himself and not to God, what else is this but to deny God? For the sake then of those that so trust in themselves, that they will not ascribe the whole to God, and therefore despise others, He puts forth a parable, to show that righteousness, although it may bring man up to God, yet if he…
Theophylact · 11th century

To be diligent in prayer was the lesson taught by our Lord in the parable of the widow and the judge, He now instructs us how we should direct our prayers to Him, in order that our prayers may not be fruitless. The Pharisee was condemned because he prayed heedlessly. As it follows, The Pharisee stood and prayed with himself.
GREEK EX ·

Read all 24 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain

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