He then addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else. 10 “Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity—greedy, dishonest, adulterous—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’ 13 But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
15 People were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them, and when the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 16 Jesus, however, called the children to himself and said, “Let the children come to me and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.”
The Pharisees were opponents of Jesus so using a Pharisee as an example of wrong behavior would be immediately understood by his disciples (Lk. 12:1). Tax collectors on the other hand had been portrayed as models for accepting Jesus’ word and repenting (Lk. 3:12; 15:1). The Pharisees remarked that Jesus preferred the company of tax collectors and sinners to that of respectable people like themselves (Mt. 9:10-11). The Pharisee and the Tax Collector went to the daily community liturgy in the Temple. Fasting was only required once a week on the Day of Atonement, so the Pharisee did more than the Law required of him and spoke of his own virtuous deeds. He exalted himself above everyone else while the tax collector acknowledged his sinfulness and beat his breast as a sign of repentance. The Pharisee justified himself and had no need of God’s mercy so he will not escape God’s judgment. His virtuous works will not earn him entrance into the Kingdom of God. The tax collector will be justified, acquitted by God at the judgment, because he recognized the need for God’s mercy and felt true sorrow for his sins.
Jesus used children to explain to his disciples the attitude God expects of them. Instead of being like the Pharisee and boasting of their virtues and trying to be the greatest (Lk. 9:46-48), they should be “childlike” because it is to them that the Father revealed the mysteries of the Kingdom (Lk. 10:21). They should approach God like the little children that were being brought to him. Little children are totally dependent on their parents or guardians from whom they get their sustenance. If they are not dependent on God like little children, they will not enter the kingdom of God.
Almighty God, we see the childlike as lacking but you see them as the poor who will inherit the kingdom of Heaven. Teach our minds to be malleable and make our hearts eager to learn so that we can see your kingdom here on earth and be welcomed into your kingdom when the fullness of our time has come. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Expanded Edition, Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
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