William Burkitt's Expository Notes

Luke 18:9

The design and scope of our Saviour in this parable is, to reprove and condemn the Pharisees, and in them all other self-justiciaries, who having an high opinion of, and trusting in, their own righteousness, despised others as vile persons, whose religion is not accompanied with ostentation, and who pretend not to such extraordinary degrees of sanctity as themselves.

And the parable further shows, that an humble, self-condemned sinner, who though he has been wicked, is now sensible of it, and with shame and sorrow confesses it before God, is more acceptable than he that vaunts of his virtue, and rests in the outward duties of religion: his pride and exaltation of himself shall abases him, while the other's humility shall exalt him.

This is the general scope of the parable; the particular observations from it are these: 1. The Pharisee and the publican both pray, they both pray together in the place of prayer, the holy temple, and they both pray, with and within themselves. Where the duty and action is the same, there may be. vast difference in the purpose and intention: Does an humble saint pray? So may. haughty hypocrite: Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one. Pharisee, the other. publican.

Observe, 2. The Pharisee's prayer, He stood and prayed with himself, God,. thank thee, etc.

Where note, his gesture, He stood and prayed. Standing and kneeling are praying gestures, but sitting is. rude indecency, except in case of necessity. "In prayer

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William Burkitt's Expository Notes

Luke 18:9

Old Testament

New Testament