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Luke 18:9-14
With thanks to page sponsor,
Vicky Starnes
Epworth United Methodist Church in Rehoboth Beach DE .

• Reading the Text:
  • NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser.
  • Greek Interlinear Bible, ScrTR, ScrTR t, Strong, Parsing, CGTS, CGES id, AV.
  • The Bible Gateway: NRSV, RSV, NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc.
  • The Blue Letter Bible. KJV, alternate versions, Greek text with concordance, commentaries.
  • The World Wide Study Bible includes commentary, exposition & sermons.
• Historical References, Commentary and Comparative Texts:
  • The Five Gospels Parallels, John W. Marshall, University of Toronto.
  • Comparative texts about Pharisees & Sadducees from Joephus, Tosefta, Mishnah & Babylonian Talmud. Comparative primary texts about Purity and Social Relations (see esp "Tax Collectors Visit," from Mishnah, Midrash, Tosefta, and Babylonian Talmud. At Mahlon H. Smith's (Rutgers University) Into His Own: Perspective on the World of Jesus.
  • Chapter XII, The Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians, Ignatius of Antioch (c. 110). (Longer Version - 4th cent interpolation)
  • IV.XXXVI.8, Adversus Haereses, Irenaeus of Lyons. (c. 180)
  • Chapter XVII, On Prayer,  Tertullian (c. 199)
  • III.12, Paedagogus, Clement of Alexandria (c 200)
  • IV.36, Against Marcion, Tertullian (c. 210)
  • III.I.12, First Principles (De Principiis), Origen. (c.225)
  • III.LXIV, Against Celsus, Origen (c. 246)
  • On the Unity of the Church, Cyprian of Carthage (c. 250)
  • On the Lord's Prayer -- Cyprian of Carthage (c. 252)
  • "The Pharisee & the Publican," Luke 18:9-14, Martin Luther, c. 1522.
  • From the Geneva Notes.
    • "Two things especially make our prayers void and of no effect: confidence of our own righteousness, and our contempt of others; but a humble heart is contrary to both of these."
  • From Matthew Henry's Commentary (c. 1700).
    • "This parable was to convince some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others."
  • The Pharisee and the Publican (Luke 18:14): sermon by George Whitefield.
  • From Wesley's Notes. John Wesley (1703-1791).
    • "The Pharisee here mentioned was no hypocrite, no more than an outward adulterer: but he sincerely trusted in himself that he was righteous, and accordingly told God so, in the prayer which none but God heard."
  • From the Commentary on the Whole Bible (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
  • From The People's New Testament, B.W. Johnson, 1891.
    • "'This parable teaches us the spirit that should pervade our prayers. The first parable encourages us to pray, and faint not. The second reminds us how we ought to pray. Both should be often pondered by every true Christian.'--Ryle."
• Contemporary Commentary, Studies, and Exegesis:
  • Commentary, Luke 18:9-14, David LosePreaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2016
    • "Paul Tillich, commenting on the Apostle Paul's assertion that the gospel is a stumbling block, once said that the danger is stumbling over the wrong thing."
  • "Thank God for the Other," Karoline Lewis, Dear Working Preacher, 2016.
  • The Center for Excellence in Preaching, resources from Calvin Theological Seminary: Comments & Observations, Textual Points, Illustration Ideas, 2016.
  • "The Politics of Being on the Wrong Side of History," Alastair Roberts, 2016.
  • Commentary, Luke 18:9-14 | Eric Paul | Missionary-Pastor | A Plain Account, 2016
  • Pulpit Fiction, plus podcast. Reflections of lectionary text, pop culture, current events, etc. Robb Mc Coy and Eric Fistler, 2016.
  • "The Pharisee and the Tax Collector," Dan Clendenin, Journey with Jesus, 2016.
  • Commentary, Luke 18:9-14, Meda Stamper, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2013.
    • "This week’s text follows immediately on last week’s and is another parable about prayer."
  • "The Pharisee, The Tax Collector, and the Reformation," David Lose, Dear Working Preacher, 2013.
    • "So perhaps the best way to preach this clever and dangerous parable is to keep all talk of the Pharisee and tax collector and Luther and ourselves and anyone and everyone else to an absolute minimum. Instead, perhaps we should reserve most our time, thought, and words for God."
  • "Pope Francis, Holy Humility in Community," Carolyn J. Sharp, ON Scripture, Odyssey Networks, 2013.
    • "How radical are the implications of Luke’s reversal of social power for the traditional hierarchies that structure our contemporary life!"
  • "Prayer as a Tool for Self-Righteousness," D. Mark Davis, Left Behind and Loving It, 2013.
  • "The Power of Persistence, Part 2," Alyce M McKenzie, Edgy Exegesis, 2013.
  • "Thirst, a Word for Prayer," Nancy Rockwell, Bite in the Apple, 2013.
    • "Prayer is mysterious. What is it? Who hears it? Why do we do it? Why do we not do it? Why are we are drawn to it, interested in the Dalai Lama or the Pope? Why are we so uncomfortable with our own prayer?"
  • "Attitude Adjustment and Prayer," Bob Cornwall, Ponderings on a Faith Journey, 2013.
  • Pulpit Fiction, plus podcast. Reflections of lectionary text, pop culture, current events, etc. Robb Mc Coy and Eric Fistler, 2013.
  • "Slavery and Freedom," Janet H. Hunt, Dancing with the Word, 2013.
  • "Look What I've Done!" Linda Fabian Pepe, Theological Stew, 2013.
  • "A Pharisee and a Tax Collector Went Out into the Garden," Andrew Prior, 2013.
  • "The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax/Toll Collector," Stan Duncan, If You Lived Here, You'd Be Home By Now, 2013.
  • "Self Righteous Idiots," Roy M. Terry, IV, The Hardest Question, 2013.
    • "Who is actually the bad guy in this text?"
  • "Seeing Others as Zeros," Bruce Maples, 2013.
  • "We Don't Have a Prayer!" Andrew Prior, 2013.
  • Radical Gratitude, lectionary-based stewardship, Northwest United Methodist Foundation. (.pdf)
  • Commentary, Luke 18:9-14, David Lose, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2010.
    • "This parable is therefore preached well only to the degree that each time we try to interpret it we find ourselves, yet again, with nothing to claim but our dependence on God's mercy."
  • Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
  • "First Thoughts on Year C Gospel Passages in the Lectionary," Pentecost 23, William Loader, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia.
    • "The message of Jesus is quite sharp: bolstering one?s sense of identity by disparaging others (even when they are terrible sinners) so easily leads to illusions of grandeur and a failure to see ourselves as we really are."
  • "The Parable Trap," Russell Rathbun, The Hardest Question, 2010.
    • "Is the Pharisee?s self-justification built on the Law or on his comparison to others? The text is explicit about his comparison to others. A Pharisee, however, would find righteousness in the Law. I think this distinction matters."
  • Exegetical Notes by Brian Stoffregen at CrossMarks Christian Resources.
    • "We are the crown of God's creation. Each one of us has been gifted by God. So -- how can we promote godly self-esteem without self-exaltation or arrogance? And how can we promote humility without self-degradation or shame?"
  • Lectionary Blogging, John Petty, Progressive Involvement, 2010.
    • "You were thinking that this story is fine as a start, but, in the future, we expect some amendment of behavior on the part of the tax collector.  In other words, while the pharisee is clearly going overboard, we want the tax collector to start acting like one anyway."
  • Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, audio telling, story in episodes, graphic, audio and written commentaries. Go Tell Communications, Biblical Storytelling for the Global Village, 2010.
  • A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Gospels, Andy Doyle, 2010.
  • Luke 18 Parables, a telling and performance criticism analysis of the Unjust Judge and Persistent Widow and the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Luke 18 by Tim Coombs, member, Network of Biblical Storytellers Seminar.
  • Comentario del Evangelio, San Lucas 18:9-14, Gilberto Ruiz, WorkingPreacher.org, Luther Seminary, 2010.
    • "En esta parábola, Jesús escoge a un fariseo y un publicano para comunicar la enseñanza de 18:14."
  • Holy Textures, Understanding the Bible in its own time and in ours, Luke 18:9-14, David Ewart, 2010.
    • "The bumper sticker we all should have on our cars is: 'God loves you, so start living this love (and stop being a jerk)' This is the transformation the tax collector experiences in this parable."
  • "The Altitude of a Prayerful Attitude," Peter Woods, I Am Listening, 2010.
    • "Why this threat of humiliation for the lofty living Pharisee and the reverse for the tribute collector?"
  • "The Pharisee and the Tax Collector," Alyce McKenzie, Patheos, 2010.
    • "People of Jesus' day would have been surprised to see a respected religious professional showing his arrogance like this. What would people of our day think of us if and when we allow a hidden arrogance to show, however briefly?"