The Pharisee stood
Standing was a praying posture; (See Gill on Matthew
6:5) nor is this observed, as if it was something amiss:
but the sense is, either that he stood in some place of eminence,
that he might be seen of others; or he stood in a set, fixed
posture, in a very grave and solemn manner, showing great
devotion and seriousness; or he stood with great boldness and
confidence:
and prayed thus with himself;
the phrase, "with himself", may be read either with the word
"stood", as it is in the Syriac version; and then the sense is
that he stood alone, apart from the publican, at a distance from
him, as despising him; and lest he should be polluted by him; see
( Isaiah
65:4 ) or with the word "prayed", and does not design
internal prayer, which was what the Pharisees did not use; for
all they did was to be seen, and heard of men: but the meaning
is, that he prayed only with respect to himself; he was wholly
intent upon himself; his own self, and the commendation of
himself, were the subject of his prayer: his whole dependence in
it was on himself; and he was only seeking by it his own glory:
he had no regard to the people of God, to aid the saints, nor did
he put up one petition for them; nor had he any respect to
Christ, the mediator, through whom access is had to God, and
acceptance with him; nor to the Holy Spirit for his assistance;
and though he addressed himself to God, yet in praise of himself,
saying,
God I thank thee:
there is no petition in this prayer of his for pardoning grace
and mercy; nor larger measures of grace; nor for strength to
perform duties, and to hold on to the end; nor for any favour
whatever; nor is there any confession of sin in it. So that it
scarce deserves the name of a prayer, for in it is only a
thanksgiving: indeed, thanksgiving in prayer is right; and had he
been a man that had received the grace of God, it would have been
right in him to have given thanks to God for it, by which he was
made to differ from others: nor would he have been blameworthy,
had he thanked God for the good things which he had received from
him, or which by his assistance he had done; but nothing of this
kind is said by him: he thanks God, in order to exalt himself,
and places his righteousness in his own works, and treats all
other men in a censorious and disdainful manner; thanking God, or
rather blessing himself, saying,
that I am not as other men are;
and yet he was as other men, and no better: he was a sinner in
Adam, as other men; and a sinner by nature, as others are; and
had the same iniquities and corruptions in his heart, as others;
and had no more goodness in him than other men, and as far from
true real righteousness. Perhaps he means the Gentiles, whom the
Jews looked upon as sinners, and the worst of men; and yet they
were in no wise better than the Gentiles, as to their state and
condition by nature: it was usual to call the Gentiles
(Myrxa) , "other men";
which phrase is sometimes explained by "the nations of the world"
F1; and sometimes by the "Cuthites", or
"Samaritans" F2; (See Gill on Luke
5:29). ---He goes on,
extortioners, unjust, adulterers;
and yet all these characters belonged to the men of sect: the
Pharisees were oppressors of the poor, devoured widows' houses,
and extorted money from them, under a pretence of long prayers:
they are aptly represented by the unjust steward, in ( Luke 16:1 Luke 16:8 ) and they were
au unclean, unchaste, and an adulterous generation of men, (
Matthew
12:39 ) ( John 8:8 John 8:9 )
or even as this publican;
pointing to him at some distance, with great scorn and disdain.
This was his prayer, or thanksgiving. It may gratify the
curiosity of some to have some other prayers of the Pharisees;
and it may be worth while to compare them with this, between
which there will appear a pretty deal of likeness.
``R. Nechunia ben Hakkana used to pray, when he went into the school, and when he came out, a short prayer: they said unto him, what is the goodness (or the excellency) of this prayer? he replied to them, when I go in, I pray, that no offence might come by means of me; and when I go out, "I give thanks" for my portion: when I go in, this is what I say, let it be thy good pleasure before thee, O Lord, my God, the God of my fathers, that I may not be angry with my colleagues, nor my colleagues be angry with me; that I may not pronounce that which is pure defiled, and that which is defiled, pure; that I may not forbid that which is lawful, nor pronounce lawful that which is forbidden; and that I may not be found ashamed in this world, and in the world to come: and when I come out, this is what I say; I confess before thee, (or I thank thee) O Lord God, and the God of my fathers, that thou hast given me my portion among those that sit in the schools, and synagogues, and hast not given me my portion in the theatres and shows: for I labour, and they labour; I watch, and they watch; I labour to inherit paradise, and they labour for the pit of corruption F3.''And these two prayers the Jews were obliged to recite at their going in, and coming out of the synagogue.
``It is a tradition of R. Juda, saying, three things a man ought to say every day; blessed be thou, (ywg ynve alv) , "that thou hast not made me a Gentile"; blessed art thou, that thou hast not made me an unlearned man (or one that is vain and foolish, uncivil and uncultivated); blessed art thou, that hast not made me a woman F4.''In their prayer books F5, these thanksgivings stand thus:
``blessed art thou, O Lord our God, the King of the world, that thou hast made me an Israelite; (in some books it is, as before, that thou hast not made me a Gentile;) blessed art thou, O Lord our God, the King of the world, that thou hast not made me a servant; blessed art thou, O Lord our God, the King of the world, that thou hast not made me a woman:''when the women, instead of this last, say:
``blessed art thou, O Lord our God, the King of the world, who has made me as he pleases.''And very agreeable to one of these benedictions does the Ethiopic version render the prayer of the Pharisee here; "I thank thee, O Lord that thou hast not made me as other men".