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LUKE 18:14 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
Luke 18:13Luke 18:15
“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”
I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted — this man rather than the other went home justified (dedikaiōmenos): the verdict is definitive. The tax collector who confessed the truth about himself received the justification that the Pharisee who performed righteousness did not. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled: the reversal principle applied. The parable's conclusion is the Magnificat's theology applied to individual prayer.

Church Fathers on Luke 18:14

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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