Two Prayers, Two Hearts, One Lesson About Mercy
The Pharisee and the tax collector both went to the temple to pray, but Jesus used their words, posture and attitude to expose the difference between self-righteous comparison and honest dependence on God.
This guide explains the Bible passage, the two prayers, the meaning of “justified,” the common Matthew confusion, sermon ideas, children’s activities, crafts, a printable drawing sheet and important interpretation cautions.
Luke 18:9–14.
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Self-righteousness and humble repentance.
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A direct request for God’s mercy.
The tax collector went home justified.
“Publican” means tax collector.
What is the parable’s main message?
Jesus warns against trusting our religious performance as proof that we are better than other people. The Pharisee lists his achievements and compares himself with others. The tax collector admits his need and asks God for mercy. Jesus says the humble man—not the self-congratulating man—leaves the temple justified.
Pharisee and tax collector Bible verse: Luke 18:9–14
Luke introduces the parable by identifying its audience: people who trusted in their own righteousness and treated others with contempt. That introduction is the interpretive key. The problem is not simply that one man performs religious practices; it is that he trusts those practices, praises himself and uses another person as a negative comparison.
Luke 18:1–8 presents the persistent widow and the unjust judge, another teaching about prayer. The first parable stresses persistence; the second examines the heart of the person praying.
Luke 18:15–17 describes Jesus welcoming children and teaching that God’s kingdom must be received rather than achieved through status or performance.
Read the whole passage in your preferred translation before using a commentary, sermon or children’s retelling.
Pharisee and tax collector story explained step by step
The Pharisee’s prayer and the tax collector’s prayer compared
| Feature | Pharisee | Tax collector | What Jesus exposes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focus | His own behavior and superiority | God’s mercy and his own need | Prayer can mention God while remaining centered on self. |
| Comparison | Measures himself against people he condemns | Does not compare himself with the Pharisee | Comparison can replace honest self-examination. |
| Religious practices | Names fasting and tithing | Offers no achievement as leverage | Good practices cannot be used to place God in our debt. |
| Posture | Confident and self-assured | Distant, sorrowful and unwilling to look up | Posture reflects the story’s inner contrast, though posture alone does not prove humility. |
| Request | Makes no clear request for forgiveness or help | Asks directly for mercy | Repentant prayer acknowledges dependence on God. |
| Outcome | Not named as justified | Goes home justified | God’s verdict overturns human status and self-assessment. |
A short prayer inspired by the parable
Merciful God, show me where pride, comparison or contempt has entered my heart. Forgive what I have done, teach me to receive Your grace without boasting, and help me treat other people with the mercy I need myself. Amen.
This is an original devotional prayer inspired by the passage, not a replacement for the biblical text.
Why did the tax collector go home justified?
In the story, “justified” describes God’s favorable verdict: the tax collector leaves put right or accepted before God rather than the Pharisee. Christian traditions explain the wider theology of justification in different ways, but the narrative contrast is unmistakable. The tax collector does not defend himself, compare himself with others or present a record of merit. He asks God for mercy.
He recognizes that he cannot establish his standing before God by self-praise.
His words and posture acknowledge sin rather than excuse or minimize it.
His hope rests in God’s compassionate action, not in comparison with another person.
Is the Pharisee and tax collector parable in Matthew?
No. The parable appears only in Luke 18:9–14. Searchers often connect it with Matthew because Matthew himself was a tax collector before Jesus called him. That separate event is recorded in Matthew 9:9 and parallel Gospel passages.
An unnamed Pharisee and an unnamed tax collector pray at the temple. The story teaches about self-righteousness, repentance, mercy and humility.
Jesus calls a specific tax collector named Matthew to follow Him. This is a narrative event, not the Pharisee-and-tax-collector parable.
Why would Jesus’ original contrast have surprised listeners?
The two characters occupy very different public positions. Pharisees were associated with careful observance of religious law and practices. Tax collectors were commonly distrusted because taxation supported Roman rule and the system could enable exploitation. Jesus deliberately places a respected figure and a despised figure side by side, then overturns the expected spiritual ranking.
How to apply the parable without becoming proud of being humble
Notice when another person’s failure becomes evidence of your own goodness.
Confess specifically rather than hiding behind general statements about human imperfection.
Let gratitude for grace change how you speak about people you are tempted to despise.
Five reflection questions
- Whom do I use as a comparison when I want to feel morally or spiritually secure?
- Do my prayers contain honest confession, or mostly reports of what I have done well?
- Have worship, generosity, fasting or service become part of an identity of superiority?
- Where do I need to ask for mercy without defending myself?
- How would receiving mercy change my treatment of someone I currently judge?
Pharisee and tax collector sermon outline
Big idea: God receives the person who abandons self-justification and asks for mercy, while religious achievement cannot justify contempt.
Begin with Luke 18:9. The stated problem is self-trust joined to contempt for others.
Application: Pride can hide inside orthodox belief and admirable discipline.
The Pharisee reports his record and compares. The tax collector confesses and asks.
Application: The grammar of prayer can reveal what the heart trusts.
Jesus reverses the expected outcome and states the principle of humility and exaltation.
Application: Stop building a case against others and come honestly before God.
Possible sermon titles
- When Prayer Becomes Self-Praise
- The Prayer God Receives
- Merit, Mercy and the Comparison Trap
- Two Men Went Up to Pray
- The Danger of Being Right About Everyone Else
Bible study and discussion questions
- Who is the stated audience in verse 9?
- What actions and words belong to each man?
- What does each prayer ask from God?
- What verdict does Jesus give?
- Why are fasting and tithing not enough to justify the Pharisee?
- What does contempt reveal about self-righteousness?
- What does the tax collector believe about God?
- How does verse 14 summarize the reversal?
- Where does comparison appear in church life?
- How can confession become more honest?
- How do we practice discipline without boasting?
- Whom are we tempted to treat as beyond mercy?
- Allow one minute of silence.
- Confess privately without comparing.
- Pray for someone you tend to judge.
- Thank God for mercy rather than status.
Pharisee and tax collector story for children
Two men went to the temple to pray. One man talked about how good he thought he was and how bad he thought other people were. The other man knew he had done wrong. He did not brag or make excuses. He asked God to show him mercy. Jesus said the second man went home right with God because he came with an honest and humble heart.
God does not want us to use prayer to show that we are better than someone else.
“God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”
Instead of saying, “I am better than them,” say, “God, help me do what is right and be kind.”
Questions for children
- Why did both men go to the temple?
- Which man talked mostly about himself?
- What did the tax collector ask God to give him?
- What is the difference between being humble and saying you are worthless?
- How can we be honest with God this week?
Pharisee and tax collector craft ideas
Materials: cardstock, scissors, crayons, glue and yarn.
- Cut out a large paper heart.
- On one side write, “Stop comparing.”
- On the other write, “Ask God for mercy.”
- Add one honest prayer and one kind action.
- Punch a hole and hang the heart as a reminder.
Materials: paper, markers and a ruler.
- Fold the page into two doors.
- Label one door “Self-Praise” and the other “Mercy.”
- Inside, draw each man’s posture.
- Write what each prayer focuses on.
- At the bottom write one sentence about humility.
Pharisee and tax collector coloring and reflection page
This original draw-and-color worksheet avoids copying a commercial coloring page. Children can illustrate the two prayer postures and write the lesson in their own words.
Luke 18:9–14
What is he thinking about?
What does he ask God for?
My lesson: ________________________________________________
One person I can treat with mercy: ___________________________
Pharisee and tax collector paintings: what to notice
Artists often communicate the parable through distance, body position, light and architecture. The Pharisee may occupy a prominent position while the tax collector bends, withdraws or stands in shadow. These visual choices interpret the story; they should not be mistaken for a photograph of the historical scene.
The Pharisee and the Publican, 1886–1894, uses contrasting posture and placement within an ornate worship setting.
A drawing dated about 1650–1655 explores the publican-and-Pharisee theme with expressive ink and wash.
An 1864 wood engraving presents the parable through detailed Victorian biblical illustration.
Use museum collection pages to confirm the artist, date, medium and image rights before reproducing a painting.
Common mistakes to avoid when teaching the parable
| Weak claim | Why it fails | Stronger approach |
|---|---|---|
| “All Pharisees were bad.” | It stereotypes a Jewish movement and misses the specific heart problem in verse 9. | Explain that the character embodies self-trust and contempt, a temptation open to anyone. |
| “Good works do not matter.” | The parable criticizes trusting and boasting in works, not generosity, fasting or obedience themselves. | Teach that practices should flow from faith and love, not superiority. |
| “The tax collector is accepted because he feels bad.” | Emotion alone is not the point. | Highlight confession, humility and appeal to God’s mercy. |
| “Humility means low self-esteem.” | Self-hatred can remain self-focused. | Define humility as truthful dependence on God without elevating or despising people. |
| “This is Matthew’s story.” | Matthew is not named in Luke 18. | Separate the parable in Luke 18 from Matthew’s calling in Matthew 9. |
| “We are the humble people, unlike Pharisees.” | It repeats the comparison trap. | Let the parable question the teacher and audience together. |
Useful sources after you understand the passage
Pharisee and tax collector FAQs
Where is the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector found?
It is found in Luke 18:9–14. Luke introduces it as a warning to people who trusted in their own righteousness and treated others with contempt.
Is the Pharisee and tax collector parable in Matthew?
No. The parable is in Luke 18:9–14. Matthew 9:9 describes Jesus calling Matthew, a specific tax collector, in a different event.
What did the Pharisee pray?
He thanked God that he was unlike people he considered sinful, including the tax collector, and listed his fasting and tithing. Jesus exposes how the prayer centers on his achievements and comparison with others.
What did the tax collector pray?
He asked God to be merciful to him as a sinner. His prayer is brief, direct and free from comparison or claims of merit.
What is the main meaning of the parable?
The parable warns against self-righteous trust and contempt. It teaches that humble repentance and dependence on God’s mercy—not self-praise or social status—mark the person Jesus says went home justified.
What does “justified” mean in Luke 18:14?
In the story, it describes God’s favorable verdict: the tax collector went home put right or accepted before God rather than the Pharisee. Christian traditions may explain the wider doctrine with different terminology.
Was the tax collector Matthew or Zacchaeus?
The parable does not name the tax collector. Scripture does not identify him as Matthew or Zacchaeus, who appear in separate Gospel accounts.
What does “publican” mean in older Bible translations?
“Publican” is an older English term for a tax collector or tax-farmer. The Pharisee and the publican is the same parable as the Pharisee and the tax collector.
What is a good children’s lesson from the story?
Teach children that prayer is not a contest and that they do not need to push another person down to feel important. They can be honest about wrong choices, ask God for mercy and treat others kindly.
What craft or coloring activity fits the parable?
A two-sided prayer heart, prayer-posture foldable or two-panel draw-and-color page can contrast self-praise with a humble request for mercy. Discuss what each man trusts rather than merely labeling one character good and the other bad.