“Two Prayers Only One Answered”
Luke 18: 9-14
As we continue to look at different prayers in the Bible I was lead to this portion of scripture, where there are two men praying.
Luke 18:9 “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:”
Without a doubt this was a story but we see that it was directed toward certain people.
Interesting I have been told by attending individuals that I should never direct a sermon toward a group of people; “You don’t want to offend anyone.”
I am not here to offend anyone but to preach the Word of God which is truth.
So who are these certain people?
If Jesus were speaking of the Pharisee’s I believe He would have said so.
My only conclusion is that Jesus was speaking unto some that were with Him and following Him.
Notice “unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others;”
Not very often do I try to express what a person may be thinking, but here we have Jesus who is telling this story but also reveals that fact that He (Jesus) knows the hearts of all.
They were such as had,
1. A great arrogance of themselves, and of their own righteousness; they thought themselves as holy, holier than all their neighbors.
2. They had a confidence in themselves before God, and not only had a high opinion of their own righteousness, but depended upon the merit of it.
Whenever they called out to God: They reminded themselves as being righteous; they thought they had made God their debtor, and might demand anything from him.
3. They despised others, - to hold and treat as of no account, to set at naught, treat with contempt.
In other words they looked down upon others.
This can be so easy as we begin to grow in our faith and believe that we have arrived to a level that others only wish they could reach.
Luke 18:10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.”
Two men went up into the temple to pray, “Which is called an house of prayer.
The Jews had a mighty notion of praying in a place of religious worship, as in the temple, or in a synagogue; imagining that their prayers were more acceptable to God, and sooner heard by him in such a place than in private:” (John Gill)
How sad that that is still the case today.
Many believe that they need to come to church to pray or call the preacher who can go in their stead.
Pharisee -
A sect that seems to have started after the Jewish exile.
In addition to OT books the Pharisees recognized in oral tradition a standard of belief and life.
They sought for distinction and praise by outward observance of external rites and by outward forms of piety, and such as ceremonial washings, fastings, prayers, and alms giving; and, comparatively negligent of genuine piety, they prided themselves on their fancied good works.
They held strenuously to a belief in the existence of good and evil angels, and to the expectation of a Messiah.
They cherished the hope that the dead, after a preliminary experience either of reward or of penalty in Hades, would be recalled to life by him, and be rewarded each according to his individual deeds.
In opposition to the usurped dominion of the Herod’s and the rule of the Romans, they stoutly upheld the theocracy and their country’s cause, and possessed great influence with the common people.
According to Josephus they numbered more than 6000.
They were bitter enemies of Jesus and his cause; and were in turn severely rebuked by him for their materialism, ambition, hollow reliance on outward works, and affection of piety in order to gain popularity.
Publican - a tax gatherer, collector of taxes or tolls, one employed by a publican or farmer general in the collection of taxes.
The tax collectors were as a class, detested not only by the Jews, but by other nations also, both on account of their employment and of the harshness, greed, and deception, with which they did their job.
They were chosen from the same nation but were looked down upon by their own people.
He had to be a Jew because we find him in the Temple praying.
I can only imagine the distaste that the Pharisee is showing.
Standing near “THAT” man who does he think he is?
“God will never answer his prayer.”
Let’s keep this in order and look at each of these prayers.
Luke 18:11-12 “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Standing – Is a praying posture. Notice both men are standing.
Stood and prayed thus with himself - the sense is that he stood alone, apart from the publican, at a distance from him, as despising him; and lest he should be polluted by him.
Isaiah 65:2-5 “I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts; 3 A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick; 4 Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels; 5 Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.”
God I thank thee:
Notice there is no petition in this prayer:
No thanksgiving for pardoning grace and mercy;
No plea for a larger measure of grace;
No asking for strength to perform duties
Or for any favor whatever
It looks like this Pharisee is pointing out to God all the reasons why God should be grateful for having him on God’s side.
That I am not as other men are – “other men”; which phrase is sometimes explained by “the nations of the world.”
In other words, he was saying, “God I am glad I am a Jew and not one of ‘those’ people.”
Extortioners, unjust, adulterers; or even as this publican –
Imagine this man pointing over to the other side of the room, “I’m glad I am not like him.”
I fast twice in the week - There was no such precept in the Law of Moses.
There only a single fast-day in the year was enjoined, the Day of Atonement
Thursday and Monday were the appointed fasting-days, because “tradition” related how, on those days, Moses ascended and descended from Sinai.
I give tithes of all that I possess. - The Mosaic ordinance only called for tithes of corn, wine, oil, and cattle.
The later rabbinic schools directed that everything should be tithed, down to the mint and anise and cummin.
This poor Pharisee dreamed he had earned his eternal salvation.
He had forgotten, or never been told, that salvation was not earned, but was a gift that God gave because no man could keep the LAW.
Now let’s look and the next man praying:
Luke 18:13 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.
Standing – Still OK
Notice his real posture - would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven
The publican neither recounts nor thinks of good kind deeds done, or special sins committed; no thoughts came into that poor heart, such as, “have done some fair deeds; I am not altogether vile and sinful.”
Smote upon his breast – Some may look at this as an act showing others how sorry he was, but I do not see that at all.
I see a man who is overwhelmed with grief because of sin.
Smote - of mourners, to smite their breast
He threw himself wholly upon God’s mercy and grace in his prayer, “God be merciful to me a sinner!”
This is his prayer;
Short, but a very full one,
His confession that he was a sinner; a sinner in Adam, who had derived a sinful nature from him.
Being conceived and born in sin; and a sinner by practice, having committed many actual transgressions.
A guilty and filthy sinner, deserving all of the wrath of God that could place on him.
Is that not the real “sinners” prayer?
We have been taught that in order to be saved we must acknowledge who we are, what God had done, (dying for me) and that I must ask Jesus into my heart.
He simply cried out to God for mercy.
Mercy is asking for something that we do not deserve.
Grace is that which God gives because we cannot afford such salvation.
Luke 18:14 “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.”
Conclusion:
One prayer answered:
Justified – Just As If I Had Never Sinned. “accounted as a righteous person in the sight of God.”
One prayer not answered. “the other”
Why?
“for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”
So may I ask; “How do you pray?”
This is a series that I am working on as we look at some of the 650 prayers in the Bible. Please feel free to use to the Glory of God.
