The Parables of Jesus - Lesson 8

By John Harrison

Parable of the Pharisee and Tax-Collector (Luke 18:9-14)

Objectives: By the end of this lesson the learner will be able to:

  1. Describe important background information that will improve the readers' understanding of this parable.
  2. Identify what issues a 1st century Jewish audience would focus on after hearing the parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector.
  3. Identify the major lessons conveyed allegorically by the main characters.
  4. Make applications of the major lessons to contemporary situations. O/H 1

Teaching Aids and Materials:

  1. Easy to understand Bibles for every student (CEV, RSV, NAV, NIV, NRSV, etc.)
  2. A chalkboard, marker board, or overhead projector.

Lesson Plan for Conducting the Class

Introduction: (about 8-10 minutes)

  1. Begin class by welcoming members and any visitors; make all necessary class announcements; songs.
  2. Lead the class in a prayer that will include asking God to help them be responsible and obedient in what work God entrusts to us.
  3. Q: Who would like to share the results of filling out the Personal Compassion Survey? (Allow 2-3 people to respond)
  4. Share with the learners the lesson objectives. O/H 1
  5. Have someone read Luke 18:9-14.

Learning Experiences: (about 20-25 minutes)

Part I: Background information for understanding the main

characters

Explain to the learners that this is another illustration of an "example narrative". It is found only in Luke's Gospel. Like the parable of the Good Samaritan we hear of two characters who set both an example to follow and one to avoid. Luke places it alongside the parable of the unjust judge (Luke 18:1-8), which encourages persistent prayers, because it also makes reference to prayer. Help the readers better understand what the two characters represent. Description of Pharisees: Many scholars believe that the word "Pharisee" comes from the Hebrew word parus ("separated one"). We do not know if this was a word a Pharisee used for themselves or one used by others to describe them. Paul used the word to describe his pre-Christian life (Phil. 3:5). Josephus, the Jewish Roman Historian who lived in the first century, used to be a Pharisee and gives some details of their beliefs in his Antiquities of the Jews (13.297-98; 18.15) and Jewish Wars (1.110; 2.162). (Handout 1) It is important to stress here that Pharisees were not paid professional clergy but influential lay persons (farmers, carpenters, merchants). They shared a common commitment to piety towards God and strict observance of laws that helped to signify Jewish distinctiveness from Gentiles, in particular laws that related to ritual purity and the Sabbath. Description of Tax Collectors: Since he comes to the Temple, this Tax Collector is obviously a Jew. Tax Collectors were independent contractors with the government to collect local taxes, tolls and market duties. They would bid for the right to collect these taxes and they had to collect their salary out of what they charged tax payers. This commonly involved excessive overcharges (see the account of Zaccaheus the Tax-Collector's confession in Luke 19:8). If tax payers did not comply they risked being imprisoned. Tax Collectors were often characterized as being swindlers and cheaters. It would therefore be somewhat startling, even hypocritical, to find a cheating ally of the Romans in a Jewish holy place of prayer. Draw the learners' attention to the fact that different translations will describe the manner of the Pharisee's prayer (v. 11a) in various ways. The KJV has "stood and prayed with himself". The RSV has "stood and prayed thus with himself". The TEV (The English Version) has "stood and prayed to himself". The NIV has "stood up and prayed about himself". The NRSN (New Revised Standard Version) has "standing by himself, was praying thus". Q: What would be emphasized if we translated the text with either "with", "to" or "about"? A: If the meaning is "with", it might suggest to some that the Pharisee prayed silently. This however is not the way Jews during this time prayed. They prayed audibly. Choosing "to" would suggest that the Pharisee was not really praying to God but to himself, which is also unlikely. If we chose "about", it would suggest that the main focus of his audible prayer to God was not on his need for forgiveness but on his desire for recognition of holiness. Q: Is there any thing about the Pharisee's prayer that justifies calling it "mean-spirited"? A: Yes. The way he contrasts himself with others and the contemptuous tone in which he refers to the tax collector. Explain to the learners that the Pharisee was excelling in good deeds. While the Law only required fasting on the Day of Atonement, many Jews in the first century had come to see fasting as a way of showing remorse, penitence and virtue. Some ancient sources indicate that Jews fasted on either Mondays or Thursdays. This Pharisee did both. Ironically though, the Pharisee is devout in the sign of penance (possibly not for himself but on behalf of the nation) but is not actually penitent before God. The Pharisee also excelled in tithing in that he gives a tenth of all that he gets (or more technically, brings into his home).

Part II: Issues raised in the minds of a Jewish audience

Q: To whom is the parable directed? A: It was directed to disciples who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on others. Q: Would a first century Jew, after hearing the content of the Pharisee's pray, instinctively conclude that the Pharisee was arrogant? In other words, would the pride and pompousness of the Pharisee be self-evident from his prayer? A: Maybe not. A similar prayer was spoken by a rabbi some years later and is presented as an example of a godly prayer. O/H 2 Q: What would indicate to a first century Jewish audience that the Tax Collector was extremely penitent? A: First, he did not take the normal posture of prayer, which was standing raising one's hands and eyes towards heaven. Second, he beat on his breast. In the Oriental culture this was a dramatic gesture that was usually done by women and only rarely by men.

Part Ill: Lessons from the main characters

Q: While there are two explicitly stated characters in the parable (the Pharisee and the Tax-Collector), there is one implied character. Who is it? A: God, who justifies the tax collector and not the Pharisee. Q: What are the main lessons from the two explicit characters and the one implied character (God)? A: There are three lessons taught:

  1. Citizens of the kingdom humble themselves before God with contrite hearts and do not look down upon others.
  2. Foreigners to the kingdom boast before God and others what they see as their significant acts of piety and devotion.
  3. God will exalt those who act with humility but will bring down those who are arrogant and prideful. O/H 3

Part lV: Contemporary Applications of the main lessons

Q: What kind of religious activities are some Christians likely to boast about today? A: There are many answers that can be given. Here are a couple: Exemplary Sunday School attendance, amount of time they spend reading their Bible, the percentage of their earning that they contribute to the church. Q: What kinds of people might some Christians feel they are morally superior than? A: There are a number of examples that could be given. Here are some: Christians who feel morally superior to newer Christians; those who feel superior because they are entrusted to lead certain church activities; those who look down on Christians who lack a specific degree of education or who do not have a particular cultural background.

Application: (about 5-10 minutes)

  1. Ask the learners to write down in column 1 on handout #2 ("Examples of Humility") the names of three Christians they know who display the qualities of humility Jesus is calling for in this parable. Then in column 2 try to give a specific example of what they did that showed you that humility. (Ask a couple of people to share their one of their examples.)

Assignment: (about 2 minutes)

  1. Ask the learners to write down this week on the bottom of handout #2 two areas where God would want them to demonstrate more humility. Ask them to make it a point during the week to ask God for the wisdom to act humbly before others.

Lesson Wrap-up

Review the lesson objectives. Let them know the title of next weeks lesson: The Unforgiving Servant

Overhead 1

Lesson Objectives

  1. Describe important background information that will improve the readers' understanding of this parable.
  2. Identify what issues a 1st century Jewish audience would focus on after hearing the parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector.
  3. Identify the major lessons conveyed allegorically by the main characters.
  4. Make applications of the major lessons to contemporary situations.

Overhead #2

A rabbinic Jewish Prayer

I give thanks to Thee, O Lord my God, that Thou has set my portion with those who sit in the Beth ha Midrash (the house of study) and Thou hast not set my portion with those who sit in (street) corners for I rise early and they rise early, but I rise early for words of Torah and they rise early for frivolous talk; I labor and they labor, but I labor and receive a reward and they labor and do not receive a reward; I run and they run, but I run to the life of the future world and they run to the pit of destruction. (Babylonian Berakhot 28b)

Overhead 3

Primary Lessons

Citizens of the kingdom humble themselves before God with contrite hearts and do not look down upon others. Foreigners to the kingdom boast before God and others what they see as their significant acts of piety and devotion. God will exalt those who act with humility but will bring down those who are arrogant and prideful

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