TWO MEN PRAYING

The parable about two men praying would have shocked the people to whom Jesus told it. He drew upon two well-known and widely accepted stereotypes. First is the Pharisee, who was generally regarded as the epitome of the religious person. Most Jewish families would have been proud to have their son grow up to be a Pharisee. The second was a publican. He was the epitome of the sinner. He was regarded as a traitor because he worked for the Roman occupying government. Most tax collectors were also corrupt. They overcharged for taxes. They probably could be bribed. And who enjoys paying taxes anyway, even under the best of governments and most honest of tax collectors?

Jesus shatters the images by a reversal of roles. The best of the good guys is the bad guy. One of the worst …