Read verse in KJV Bible Reader
John Gill
And the publican standing afar off,.... Not at the outermost porch, or at the door: for "a man might not fix his place at the door of the synagogue, but, ירחיק, "he must go afar off", the space of two doors, and then pray (r);'' it may be in the court of the Gentiles, when the Pharisee was in the court of the Israelites; at least he was afar off from him: and indeed, those who came to humble...
Matthew Henry
In this chapter we have, I. The parable of the importunate widow, designed to teach us fervency in prayer, ver. 1-8. II. The parable of the Pharisee and publican, designed to teach us humility, and humiliation for sin, in prayer, ver. 9-14. III. Christ's favour to little children that were brought to him, ver. 15-17. IV. The trial of a rich man that had a mind to follow Christ, whether he loved...
Charles H. Spurgeon
And the publican, standing afar off, — Not afar off from the Pharisee only, but afar off from the sacred shrine, the innermost temple, as if unworthy to be there at all: “the publican, standing afar off,” — Luk_18:13. Would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, — That throne of the Highest, — as if even a glance from his unholy eyes might defile that sacred place. He bowed his eyes...
Charles H. Spurgeon
Saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. The great Lord and Master acts as he would have his true servants do. It was said of some of them that they turned the world upside down, and that is exactly what he does. He abases...
Charles H. Spurgeon
And the publican, standing afar off, — Just on the edge of the crowd, keeping as far away as he could from the most holy place, — Luk_18:13. Would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. That was all prayer; it was a prayer for mercy, it was a prayer in which the suppliant took his right place, for he was, as he said, “a...
Charles H. Spurgeon
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. “The sinner,” it should be; it is so emphatically in the Greek. There is a Pharisee, the righteous man according to his own estimate, and all the rest were sinners. Here is the publican, he is the sinner, and he thinks everybody else is...
Charles H. Spurgeon
And the publican, standing afar off, — Away in some distant corner, Luk_18:13. Would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. He makes no reflection upon others; but confesses his own sin, and appeals to the great Propitiation, for the word he used means, “God be propitious to me, a sinner.”