Two men went to the temple to pray. One stood confidently, listing his own good deeds. The other could barely lift his eyes.
What set them apart?
The Believer's Bible Commentary, one of 70+ resources available with Bible Gateway Plus, describes the moment:
18:13 The tax collector was a striking contrast. Standing before God, he sensed his own utter unworthiness. He was humbled to the dust. He would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast and cried to God for mercy: “God be merciful to me a (lit. “the”) sinner!” He did not think of himself as one sinner among many, but as the sinner who was unworthy of anything from God.
But what was he actually asking for?
However, there's more to learn beneath the surface of his prayer. The NKJV Enduring Word Study Bible explains what "be merciful" actually meant in the original language:
The ancient Greek word translated as be merciful is used for an atoning sacrifice. The fullest sense of what the tax collector said was “God, be merciful to me through Your atoning sacrifice for sins because I am a sinner.”
He wasn't just asking for kindness. He was asking to be forgiven. It was an honest admission of need and self-reflection.
- What would it look like for you to come before God with greater honesty and humility?
- How might this parable shape the way you view other people, especially those you may be tempted to judge?
Read the full parable: Luke 18:9–14
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