Day 18 of 24

 Today's passage: Luke 18

Today's focus: vs. 9-14

Many religions have a "holy man." What images come to your mind? In my mind is a "monk" who is morally upright, stays away from music/movies, fasts twice a week, and gives money to the poor. It is someone whom society respects. 

Here in this passage, Jesus challenges that paradigm and flips it on its head. The "holy man" in Jesus' mind greatly differs from the one in our minds. 

Let's examine the characteristics of this holy man:

1. Tax collector. A known sinner. Someone who extorts others. They collect more than they should and pocket the extras. Hated by society. 
2. He would not even lift up his eyes to heaven. This reminds me of the centurion we read about. This sinner doesn't feel like he is even worthy to look up at heaven when he prays. Jesus, who is perfect and righteous, "lifted up his eyes" when He prays (John 11:41; John 17:1). This sinner is aware of his sins. Much like the centurion, he recognizes that he is unworthy in the presence of a holy God. 
3. Beat his breast. The outwardly display of beating one's chest shows remorse. It is intense grieving. Beating the chest sends vibration throughout the body that physically resonates what one feels emotionally. This man is torn and broken because of his sins. He hates his sins. He is aware that he is guilty in the presence of a holy God.
4. "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" As we've already seen, he recognizes he is a sinner. Here, he verbally acknowledges it. Today's society tries to justify one's sin. "I've just had a hard past" seems to get people off the hook these days. Not this tax collector, though-- he fully acknowledges that he is a sinner. This stands in contrast to the Pharisee who declares, "I am not like other men" in a snobby self-righteous way. 
   
5. "God, be merciful to me...." A second point for this statement draws attention to this man's correct understanding of God. If there is any hope for him-- if there is any way he could be pardoned... it would be if God granted mercy. This teaches us that God has the right to pardon and show mercy. We are reminded of God's conversation with Moses, "And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy" (Exodus 33:19). It is vital that we understand this: IF GOD DECIDES NOT SHOW MERCY, HE IS MERELY ACTING JUSTLY. Many claim He would be unfair. Not at all. Even this tax collector recognizes that if God chose not to show mercy, that is perfectly fine because he (the tax collector) is a sinner who deserves punishment in the first place. One can only beg and pray that God would show mercy. 

The last verse of our focus brings incredible relief to us!

"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Whoa. This sinner became JUSTIFIED. In the mind of Jesus, it is the sinner who is the holy man-- not the "holy man" of society! The Pharisee was morally upright, fasted, and tithed, but those actions do not justify him before a holy God! Rather, it is the broken sinner who begs God for mercy whom God justifies. Jesus calls for you and me to humble ourselves because "the one who humbles himself will be exalted." We easily miss this in the English, but "will be" in the Greek is used in a way that shows that the action is done upon. In other words, the one who humbles himself will be exalted because this exaltation is done upon him. It is GOD who will exalt him. The Pharisee exalted himself, but God exalted the repentant sinner. This reminds me of what King David who wrote in Psalm 51: 

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.