The bull of St Luke

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector: Lk 18,9-14

This parable is often taken as a pair with the previouse parable of the judge and the widow. We have though noted how Luke has marked this off from that parable. Yet it is as well to keep the links in mind.

What is the theme of this story as it is introduced in verse 9? Note the characteristics of those to whom Jesus is speaking.

For the Temple as a place of prayer in verse 10, see 19,46 or Acts 3,1.

Verse 10 introduces a Pharisee and a tax collector, two characters who appear freqently in this Gospel. For Pharisees, look back at 14,7-11 and 16,14. For tax collectors, see 3,12-13; 5,27-28; 19,1-10.

Where is the Pharisee in 18,11 and why? What has the Pharisee got right in his prayer? To whom is he praying? What then has he got wrong? Can you spot the irony? What does his prayer fail to acknowledge?

The tax collector would not have been poor (see 5,29 & 19,2)! What are his attitudes and prayer and what do they teach us?

What is Jesus' comment about the two in verse 14? See 14,11.

Go now to my response.

The Sunday Gospel

This parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, Lk 18,9-14, is read on the 30th Sunday of the Year.
Here, the accompanying reading comes from the book of Ecclesiasticus, otherwise known as the Wisdom of Ben Sirach. How does this reading go with the Gospel? What do we learn about prayer from it?

Go now to my response.

We now move on to hear more about the kingdom and riches.