In Defense of Pharisees: The Tax Collector, the Temple, and the Undeniable Power of Poverty
Mass Readings for October 26, 2025
The Pharisees are the perennial “bad guys” of the Gospels—or are they? This week on Sunday Dive, we’re unpacking the surprising backstory of the Pharisees and shining a light on their original motivations, which may not be as villainous as you think. We’ll delve into the cultural and liturgical world of first-century Jerusalem, explore what made tax collectors so universally despised, and discover why Jesus chooses a rare, loaded Greek word for “mercy” in his parable. Get ready for a deep dive into Luke 18 that might just upend your assumptions about righteousness, humility, and the radical nature of grace. (Mass Readings for Oct 26, 2025)
Diving deep into our Gospel we'll spend our episode looking closer at:
Why the Pharisees were so zealous for extra rules and how their movement sprang from a desperate hope for the return of the Messiah and restoration of Israel [00:07:15]
The real reason both the Pharisee and the tax collector find themselves in the Temple—and how it connects to the daily Tamid sacrifice, the heartbeat of Jewish worship, which surprisingly links to scenes later in Scripture [00:03:24]
How an ancient Jewish historian, Josephus, helps us understand why the Pharisees thought themselves the most rigorous and godly—and how that attitude gets flipped on its head by Jesus’ words [00:08:30]
That Pharisaic practices like fasting twice a week and tithing everything weren’t actually required by Jewish law but were extreme measures they adopted in hopes of saving their nation [00:30:25]
The surprisingly scandalous history of tax collectors in first-century Israel, including that their alms were rejected by the poor and they were barred from court, plus the costly process of repentance that could leave them destitute [00:38:22]
How the tax collector’s prayer uses a rare Greek verb, echoing only the high priest on Yom Kippur, so Jesus daringly places the words of Israel’s holiest prayer for atonement in the mouth of a despised sinner [00:44:44]
And finally, how Jesus overturns the entire religious expectation of the time—showing that it’s not effort or perfection that justifies, but humble poverty of spirit, inviting us all to love our spiritual fragility [00:48:29].
References
“Now, this is what you shall offer upon the altar. Two Lambs a year old, day by day, continually. One lamb you shall offer in the morning and the other you shall offer in the evening.” (Exodus 29:38-39)
“Now, while he was serving as a priest before God, when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense... The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.” (Luke 1:8-10)
“Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour…” (Acts 3:1)
“A class of Jews who consider themselves the godliest of the nation and the most rigorous followers of the law.” (Josephus, The Jewish War 1.111)
“A body of Jews known for surpassing the others in the observance of piety and exact interpretation of the laws.” (Josephus, The Jewish War 1.111)
“For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.” (Matthew 23:27)
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.” (Matthew 23:27)
“Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? ... You know the commandments, do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother.” ... “All these I have observed from my youth.” (Luke 18:18-21)
“You have heard that it was said to men of old, you shall not kill, and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment. But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment.” (Matthew 5:21-22)
“You have heard that it was said, you shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28)
“You shall tithe all the yield of your seed, that comes from the field year by year. And before the LORD your God, in the place that he will choose, to make his name dwell there, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.” (Deuteronomy 14:22-23)
“He and his family are in a hopeless position since for him repentance involves not only the abandonment of his sinful way of life, but also the restitution of his fraudulent gains plus an added fifth.” (Jeremias, Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus)
“Above all, the Greek verb for mercy is not the customary one, but a highly specialized one, which belongs to a word group associated with the most sacred cultic act in Israel on the day of atonement. In the New Testament, the verb is used only once again in Hebrews 2:17, where it refers to Jesus fulfilling the duty of the high priest by atoning for the sins of the people. At the holy of holies in the temple. In putting a uniquely high priestly prayer of atonement in the mouth of the tax collector in the temple, Jesus suggestively and scandalously casts him, the tax collector in the role of the Jewish high priest.” (Edwards, The Gospel According to Luke, p. 505)
"We must change the way we consider holiness. We have too often imagined the path of holiness as a climb, an uninterrupted progression, an ascent toward the summits of spirituality by the fruits of our own efforts and goodwill. This image of holiness gives privilege mainly to the strong, the virtuous, the willful, and it consists in believing that goodwill and generosity would in themselves render us capable of attaining holiness. The holiness proposed by Christ is not holiness derived from the natural order, but holiness received in poverty. Christ came for sinners and the weak, not for the strong and those who are well. Some people have natural attributes for attaining holiness. They will always be in danger of what one can call the courage of the proud and the strong. Nevertheless, this scheme of human perfection based on will and ascetic practices is the exact opposite of the holiness proposed by Jesus in the Gospel. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." (Daigneault, The Way of Imperfection, p. 16)
"In the life of the Pharisee, the goal is to become so perfect and literally observe the law in such a way that God will welcome him into his kingdom because of his works. This is why when he commits a fault, he needs to deny it, to repress it, because for him any fault is mortal. All his supposed virtues in his image would crumble if his facade showed a crack or fissure. Instead of descending into his poverty, he always tries to rise in self satisfaction by doing more works than others. I fast twice a week and others only once. He would like to show himself superior to sinners and the tax collector who far behind, beats his breast in the back of the temple." (Daigneault, The Way of Imperfection, p. 21)
Discussion Questions
What were the original intentions and motivations behind the Pharisaic way of life, and how did these intentions shape their actions and beliefs?
How does the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector challenge our assumptions about who is "righteous" and who is not?
Katie mentions that we, especially as Americans, are often "bred to trust in ourselves." How does this mentality influence our spiritual lives, and do you see parallels between this and the attitude of the Pharisee?
In what ways does the Jewish understanding of sin as an action—rather than a thought or intention—differ from the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels?
What significance does the Tamid sacrifice and the timing of the parable (during a liturgical service) have on the meaning of Jesus's story?
Why were tax collectors so despised in first-century Judaism, and how does this historical context deepen our understanding of the parable?
The tax collector uses a unique, high-priestly word for "mercy" in his prayer. Why is it significant that Jesus puts these words in the mouth of a tax collector, and what does this say about God’s mercy?
How does the Pharisee's understanding of fasting and tithing differ from what was actually prescribed in Jewish scripture? What point do you think Jesus is making by including these details in the parable?
Katie argues that it's important not to "rag on" the Pharisees, but to see ourselves in their position. In what ways do we sometimes fall into the same traps as the Pharisee in our spiritual practice or daily life?
The episode concludes by encouraging listeners to "love our fragility" and embrace our need for God. What does this idea mean to you personally, and how do you think it can change our approach to prayer and holiness?