Trinity Pulpit

Who Went Away Justified?

Eleventh Sunday after Trinity

August 3, 2008

Guest Pastor: Rev. Edwin Carey

Synopsis ►

This gospel lesson is the story of two men who did the right thing at the right time and in the right place, but one of them did it the wrong way—the one you would have expected to have done it the right way: the Pharisee. But God first and always looks at the heart. Before God, we’re all sinners, all in the same boat! There are honest sinners and hypocrite sinners: some know it and admit it and stand robed in the clothes of Christ, and others do not. Some things can sound absolutely right, logical, but in reality can be all wrong. The things the Pharisee said before God may have been “right,” so why should he put on a false air of contrition? Like the song, “Oh Lord It’s Hard to Be Humble When You’re Perfect in Every Way,” the Pharisee was doing everything just the right way. The usual interpretation of this parable is to see the Pharisee as bad and the publican as good. It’s usually seen as a lesson in humility. But the Pharisee was a hard working Biblical scholar, not ashamed of the Scripture, one who was responsible for maintaining the scriptures and ministry down through the difficult times of the Jews’ history.

Despised by the whole Jewish community, the publican was considered a sinner and a heathen, a liar, a cheat, a traitor. Which of these men should God be pleased to have standing before Him?

When we try to justify ourselves, we always do it by comparing ourselves to another person; we put other people down to lift ourselves up. But this is not the stick that God uses to measure us. With His stick, we all come up short. His stick is the Law. His Law says that we are all sinners, all in need of his Grace. The difference in sinners is that some recognize the fact and admit it, and some do not. The publican went down to his house justified, but the Pharisee went down to his house unchanged, and so that is unfortunate for the Pharisee. The publican, however, was justified, but he needed to hear that he was justified, just like we do. We must let the Good News do its work to let us know that we are justified, and then tell others so they, too, may rest in the comfort of their justification in Christ.

Scriptures for the Day ►

Old Testament—Genesis 4:1-15

Epistle—1 Corinthians 15:1-10

Gospel—St. Luke 18:9-14 (Text)

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