Friday, January 05, 2007

The Pharisee and the Publican

I've been doing some thinking about the pericope for the Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican, Luke 18.10-14.

I'm wondering if this passage projects beyond simply an event in the Temple, to an eschatological one. In other words, the event described is historical: I assume it actually happened as Jesus describes the incident. It is also given to teach us about proper reverence and humility to God when praying.

And ... I think it is also a picture of the final judgement. By God's grace, we will come to that judgement, not bragging about any good we thought we had done, and without any condemnation of those we might think lesser than ourselves.

Instead we will come in that final day, realizing there most especially that we're sinners, that we have miserably failed God, and that we have no where to turn but God's mercy.

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