Christ, as a master story teller, in rebuking those who "trusted in themselves to be righteous and
contemptuously regarded others – v9. John in his "Gill's Exposition Of The Entire Bible, asserted –
concerning the pride of self-righteous:"…with respect to certain men; having a view to them, in order to
expose their pride, vanity, arrogance, and self-confidence: which trusted in themselves that they
were righteous; or, as if they were righteous; or because they were so in their own eyes, and in the
esteem of others: the ground of their trust and confidence were themselves, their hearts, and the
supposed goodness of them, their outward holiness, their moral behavior, their duties, and good
works, their alms-deeds, and religious exercises, their ceremonial observances, and fleshly
privileges; on account of which they thought themselves very righteous persons, such as could not
fail of being accepted with God, and justified in his sight; whereas there are none righteous in, and of
themselves, no, not one".
Our Lord, on the other hand commended an attitude of hearty humility and brokenness due to the true
assessment of unworthiness as "a sinner – v13". To him, the Lord will look (Isa. 66v2) and pardon abundantly
– Lk. 18v14. |
