The Parables - The Pharisee and the Tax Collector: Humility and Pride

Jesus told this parable to some who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else.

The Parables - The Pharisee and the Tax Collector: Humility and Pride

Luke 18:9-14/ KJV

9. And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
10. Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
14. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

General themes for this chapter of the Bible: The Persistent Widow; The Pharisee and the Tax Collector; Jesus Blesses Little Children; The Rich Ruler; Jesus Predicts His Death

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A nighttime scene outside a humble dwelling, where a Pharisee is shown returning home, carrying a scroll, appearing aloof and arrogant, while a tax collector is shown kneeling in the shadows, contrite and repentant. This setting depicts the different returns of these two individuals at the end of the day. The humble dwelling represents the simplicity of true repentance contrasted with the Pharisee’s outward trappings of status.

A depiction of a Pharisee's elaborate prayer ritual: precise gestures, focused gaze, a meticulously clean robe, all suggesting outward piety. The lack of overt text allows the viewer to discern the character's pride and self-righteousness through visual cues alone. This prompt focuses on conveying the Pharisee's self-righteousness through visual storytelling. The meticulous details accentuate his pride and attention to outward forms of piety rather than genuine faith.

A depiction of a tax collector's humble and contrite posture: bowed head, downcast eyes, simple clothing, all suggesting inward humility and genuine remorse. The visual cues are clear without needing text, highlighting inner spiritual state. This prompt depicts the tax collector's humility and contrition visually. The focus is on non-verbal cues and visual symbolism to convey his sincere repentance and acceptance of his spiritual state.

A macro closeup of a Pharisee's meticulously clean hands, contrasted with a dirt-stained tax collector's outstretched hand reaching for a coin, symbolizing their contrasting lifestyles and spiritual states. The background should be subtly blurred, drawing focus to the hands. These macro closeups highlight the physical manifestations of spiritual states. The contrast between cleanliness and dirt, order and disorder, reflects the internal states of the Pharisee and the tax collector, respectively, as described in Luke 18:9-14.

A macro closeup of a worn, leather-bound prayer book opened to a page filled with elegant Hebrew script, juxtaposed with a crumpled tax receipt, showing the contrast between outward piety and inward humility. The macro closeups emphasize the contrast between outward displays of piety (the prayer book) and genuine humility (the crumpled receipt). This is symbolic of the parable's message about the importance of inner righteousness over outward appearances.

A bright morning scene in a sun-drenched olive grove, with a Pharisee praying ostentatiously in the foreground, his back to the viewer, while a tax collector is humbly kneeling in the background, his face partially obscured by the shadows of the olive trees. Warm, orange sunlight bathes the scene. This prompt uses the symbolism of nature to represent the characters' contrasting spiritual states. The bright light symbolizes the Pharisee's self-righteousness, while the shadows represent the tax collector's humility and hidden piety.

A bright morning scene in a bustling marketplace with a Pharisee proudly displaying his wealth and piety, surrounded by onlookers while a tax collector humbly sits alone in a shaded corner, quietly offering a prayer. The warm morning light emphasizes the contrast between them. The bustling marketplace represents the world’s judgment, and the contrasting positions of the two figures show that while the Pharisee seeks external validation, the tax collector focuses on personal repentance, reflecting Luke 18:13-14.

An evening scene in the Judean desert, a lone, silhouetted Pharisee stands rigidly against a fiery sunset, whilst a distant, barely visible, tax collector kneels among the rocks, bathed in the gentler, fading light of dusk. The dramatic desert setting with contrasting lighting emphasizes the vast difference between outward show and inward sincerity. The harsh setting highlights the severity of judgement if relying on outward piety.

An evening scene at the edge of a village, the setting sun casts long shadows on the walls of a temple. A Pharisee stands outside the temple walls, visibly satisfied with his piety, in stark contrast to a humble tax collector sitting at the temple's base, his face illuminated by a small lamp. The temple setting highlights the contrast between public performance of righteousness and genuine humility before God. The setting sun underscores the diminishing importance of self-righteous actions as compared to genuine contrition.

A bustling morning scene in Jerusalem, with people moving about their business. A Pharisee dressed in fine garments walks confidently through the crowd, his head held high, while a tax collector walks humbly and unnoticed in the background. The early morning light brightens the scene. The busy city scene highlights the social contrast between the two, yet also shows how easily genuine piety can be overlooked amidst daily life, emphasizing the inner focus of true faith.

A morning scene outside a synagogue, with people gathering for prayer. A Pharisee stands prominently at the entrance, engaged in conversation with others, while a tax collector stands quietly and apart, awaiting his turn. Sunlight illuminates the scene. The synagogue setting emphasizes the importance of spiritual sincerity and the contrast between outward religious practice and inward spirituality, as emphasized in Luke 18:10-14.

A nighttime scene in a dimly lit alleyway in Jerusalem, where a Pharisee is seen walking with an air of self-importance, his shadow stretching long and menacing, while a tax collector is shown praying silently in a corner, illuminated by the faint glow of a nearby lamp. The darkened alley contrasts the Pharisee's arrogance with the tax collector's hidden humility. It depicts the spiritual darkness which can surround outward displays of piety.

overlayed with the bible verse 9. And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

NOTE: The images reflect the following descriptions related to the theme : The Parables - The Pharisee and the Tax Collector: Humility and Pride

A macro closeup of a Pharisee's meticulously clean hands, contrasted with a dirt-stained tax collector's outstretched hand reaching for a coin, symbolizing their contrasting lifestyles and spiritual states. The background should be subtly blurred, drawing focus to the hands.
A macro closeup of a worn, leather-bound prayer book opened to a page filled with elegant Hebrew script, juxtaposed with a crumpled tax receipt, showing the contrast between outward piety and inward humility.
A bright morning scene in a sun-drenched olive grove, with a Pharisee praying ostentatiously in the foreground, his back to the viewer, while a tax collector is humbly kneeling in the background, his face partially obscured by the shadows of the olive trees. Warm, orange sunlight bathes the scene.
A bright morning scene in a bustling marketplace with a Pharisee proudly displaying his wealth and piety, surrounded by onlookers while a tax collector humbly sits alone in a shaded corner, quietly offering a prayer. The warm morning light emphasizes the contrast between them.
An evening scene in the Judean desert, a lone, silhouetted Pharisee stands rigidly against a fiery sunset, whilst a distant, barely visible, tax collector kneels among the rocks, bathed in the gentler, fading light of dusk.
An evening scene at the edge of a village, the setting sun casts long shadows on the walls of a temple. A Pharisee stands outside the temple walls, visibly satisfied with his piety, in stark contrast to a humble tax collector sitting at the temple's base, his face illuminated by a small lamp.
A bustling morning scene in Jerusalem, with people moving about their business. A Pharisee dressed in fine garments walks confidently through the crowd, his head held high, while a tax collector walks humbly and unnoticed in the background. The early morning light brightens the scene.
A morning scene outside a synagogue, with people gathering for prayer. A Pharisee stands prominently at the entrance, engaged in conversation with others, while a tax collector stands quietly and apart, awaiting his turn. Sunlight illuminates the scene.
A nighttime scene in a dimly lit alleyway in Jerusalem, where a Pharisee is seen walking with an air of self-importance, his shadow stretching long and menacing, while a tax collector is shown praying silently in a corner, illuminated by the faint glow of a nearby lamp.
A nighttime scene outside a humble dwelling, where a Pharisee is shown returning home, carrying a scroll, appearing aloof and arrogant, while a tax collector is shown kneeling in the shadows, contrite and repentant.
A depiction of a Pharisee's elaborate prayer ritual: precise gestures, focused gaze, a meticulously clean robe, all suggesting outward piety. The lack of overt text allows the viewer to discern the character's pride and self-righteousness through visual cues alone.
A depiction of a tax collector's humble and contrite posture: bowed head, downcast eyes, simple clothing, all suggesting inward humility and genuine remorse. The visual cues are clear without needing text, highlighting inner spiritual state.

A link to this resource is much appreciated to let others know about this free christian resource. The AB Church in LAusanne-Renens is happy to make the image collection available for free.

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Art

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, with its focus on humility and pride, hasn't been as widely depicted in art as some other parables. However, representations do exist, often focusing on the contrast between the two figures:

Illustrations for Bible Stories
When illustrating Bible stories, artists sometimes depict the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in the temple, highlighting their different postures and attitudes. The Pharisee is often shown standing proudly, while the tax collector is depicted as bowed down in humility.
Woodcuts and Engravings
In earlier centuries, woodcuts and engravings used to illustrate biblical texts might have included scenes of this parable. These images, often simpler in style, would still aim to convey the core message of the story.
Modern Interpretations
Contemporary artists might explore the themes of the parable in more conceptual or symbolic ways, perhaps focusing on the inner states of the two characters rather than a literal depiction of the scene.

Search for images of "Pharisee and Tax Collector art" on Google: examples of Pharisee and Tax Collector art

Related Theme

The Parables - The Persistent Widow

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