The Pharisee in the Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-12)

The Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector reveals how righteousness is and is not attained. The Pharisee in Luke 18:9-12 shows that righteousness is not attained by works. The tax collector shows that righteousness is attained by grace through faith.

Table of contentsOur Works Can’t Make Us Righteous Before GodEven Job Was Not Righteous EnoughEven the Pharisees Were not Righteous EnoughThe Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector Teaches How Righteousness Is and Is not Attained“I’m a Good Person” Is the World’s Most Common LieWe Need the Law to Reveal Our SinfulnessThe Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector Teaches Pride Leads Us to Look Down on OthersThe Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector Teaches Pride Comes from Thinking About What We Don’t DoThe Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector Teaches Pride Comes from Thinking About What We DoWe Can Do the Right Things the Wrong WayOnly One Person Was Righteous EnoughPaul Said, "I Count It All as Loss"

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The Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector reveals how righteousness is and is not attained. The Pharisee in Luke 18:9-12 shows that righteousness is not attained by works. The tax collector shows that righteousness is attained by grace through faith.

Job asked the most important question:

Job 9:2 (NKJV) How can a man be righteous before God?

The question comes up again later in the book…

Job 25:4 (NKJV) How then can man be righteous before God?

This is the most important question we can ask because it determines where we spend eternity. There can’t be a more important question than this one.

This is the question that every religion asks. This sounds good at first, because it means religions are asking the most important question. But the problem is, every religion outside of Christianity gets the answer wrong. Every religion believes we are righteous, or right before God by being good, or by works. But the Gospel is that we are righteous, or right before God by grace through faith.

Our Works Can’t Make Us Righteous Before God

Job continued wrestling with being righteous before God:

Job 9:15 (NKJV) Though I were righteous, I could not answer Him; I would beg mercy of my Judge.

Job said he couldn’t even be righteous enough to ANSWER God. Instead, he would have to beg for mercy.

Job 9:20 (NKJV) Though I were righteous, my own mouth would condemn me; though I were blameless, it would prove me perverse.

Job said even if he was righteous, his mouth, or his words would still condemn [him] and show him to be perverse.

Even Job Was Not Righteous Enough

It is interesting that Job, of all people, recognized he couldn’t be righteous before God, because if there is anyone who looked righteous before God, it is him. Consider how God himself described Job to Satan:

Job 1:8 The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that THERE IS NONE LIKE HIM ON THE EARTH, A BLAMELESS AND UPRIGHT MAN, WHO FEARS GOD AND TURNS AWAY FROM EVIL?”

Can you imagine a better description of someone, from God himself? Satan told God that Job only feared God because of how much God blessed him, so God let Satan remove almost every blessing Job had, and then again:

Job 2:3 The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that THERE IS NONE LIKE HIM ON THE EARTH, A BLAMELESS AND UPRIGHT MAN, WHO FEARS GOD AND TURNS AWAY FROM EVIL? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.”

Job was so righteous, even Satan himself couldn’t turn him from God! Yet he still couldn’t be considered righteous before God.

Even the Pharisees Were not Righteous Enough

Consider what Jesus said to the people in his day who thought they could be righteous enough:

Matthew 5:20 I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.