Reformation Day Prayer: “God, thank you that I am not like this Pharisee”–Not

Last updated on: January 4, 2017 at 10:50 am by Paul Louis Metzger

Reformation Day Prayer: “God, thank you that I am not like this Pharisee”–Not 2017-01-04T10:50:21-08:00 Paul Louis Metzger

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Jesus challenges self-righteousness at every turn. For example, he told a parable about a Pharisee and a tax-collector going up to the Temple to pray. Jesus said, “The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.'” (Luke 18:11-12; ESV)

If Jesus were here today, perhaps he would say, “The tax collector, standing by himself, prayed thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like this Pharisee.'” Why? Self-righteousness comes in many forms, not just among those who manifest self-righteousness through adherence to certain religious behaviors and fundamental beliefs.

No one wants to be a Pharisee in our day, at least nobody I know. But that does not mean self-righteousness is lacking in our hearts.

I was reminded of this point during a conversation with someone this weekend. He claimed that Jesus was always going after the religious fundamentalists, who are the Pharisees. He appeared to leave himself off the hook in his comment; he certainly wasn’t one of them. It’s always the other guy.

It is true that Jesus went after the religious establishment so much of the time, not tax collectors and sinners. But in the latter people’s case, they sensed their need for his righteousness; they knew they were sick, whereas by and large the religious leaders did not sense their desperate need for Jesus and his righteousness. I will often say that Jesus reserved his sharpest critique for religious leaders (Pharisees as well as Sadducees), and I am one of them![1]

But whether or not one is a religious leader or Christian conservative, no one is off the hook. Those who aren’t religious leaders should guard against thinking, “I’m glad I’m truly righteous, not like that religious leader over there.” Nor should they think, “I please God because I’m all messed up; I’ll sin some more to experience more of God’s favor.”

The ultimate problem in Jesus’ story and the contemporary example is that neither the Pharisee noted above or the tax collector noted here have come to the point of repentance. Only those who sense their desperate need for Jesus have grounds for boasting–not in themselves, but in him. Such desperation is not a one-off, but must take place the whole of one’s life. It involves daily prayers like, “God, I thank you for loving and forgiving someone like me.” Those who pray like this, whether a Pharisee or tax collector take to heart Jesus’ point: “But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 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” (Luke 18:13-14).

Martin Luther must have been thinking of this biblical text when he penned and posted the 95 Theses. On October 31, 1517, Luther nailed a copy of the 95 Theses to the church door at the Wittenberg Castle Church. The first of the 95 Theses reads, “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, ‘Repent’ (Mt 4:17), he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.” Not just Pharisees and tax collectors, but all believers, and not just once, but the entirety of their lives. There are no exceptions. As Donald Miller says, “Christ comes to Earth, draws a circle around himself and says everyone outside the circle is broken.”[2]

Everyone is outside the circle, and Jesus makes it possible for us to enter. All we must do is repent and respond in faith to his invitation. But that’s not easy for those like many of us. Contrary to what many of us think, we’re just like everyone else: we think we don’t need Jesus’ mercy because we’re different.

As we who are Protestants celebrate Reformation Day on October 31st, let’s not mask our need for Christ, as if we simply wear the tax collector’s costume for Halloween. May there be no “God, thank you that I am not a Catholic,” or whatever else we’re not–whether Vegan, NRA member, or Muslim. Such prayers fail to account for the very first of the 95 Theses and what the Reformation was really all about. The need for repentance is no respecter of theological position, tradition, or personal preference. Spiritual pride always masks the bondage of the will.

[This was originally posted over at New Wine, New Wineskins]

[1] We tend to think the Pharisees were the theological and cultural conservatives in the time of Jesus. That was not always the case. For example: their belief in the resurrection of the dead was viewed as an innovation by the Sadducees who were both conservative and minimalist in their approach to Jewish beliefs and practices. On the other hand, the Pharisees sought to apply the Law in evolving and progressive ways. While it is true that the Sadducees were more flexible in engaging alien powers given their minimalist orientation, they were also emphatic on conserving their power and status in ruling the Temple. Thus categories of conservative and liberal when applied to Pharisees and Sadducees do not fit our typical binary labels. (See: Diarmaid MacCulloch Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years (New York: Penguin Books, 2010), 72)).

[2] Miller uses this image in his interview with Steve Duin of The Oregonian. See Duin, “For the Faithful, Fighting Back Isn’t an Option.”

Uncategorized

Previous Post

October 28, 2015

Unmask Halloween and Humanity

Next Post

November 1, 2015 All Saints’ Day: We Need Saints in an Age of Cynics

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month June 2025 April 2025 March 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz