Two Men

“Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.” (Luke 18:10)

We are expected to pray. Jesus taught His disciples to pray. It is the right thing to do. We are told that “men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” (Luke 18:1)

Both of these men in this parable of Jesus, the Pharisee and the publican, were doing the right thing in the right place designated for prayer. Jesus said, “It is written, my house is the house of prayer…” (Luke 19:46).

Both men were Jews. One of the two men was a Pharisee. The Pharisees were very religious, pious, strict keepers of the Law of Moses. In their minds they set the standard for righteousness.  The other man, also a Jew, was a tax collector for the Roman government. Consequently, the publicans were considered by the Jews to be traitors to their nation. They were thought of as the scum of the earth, the lowest of the low and chief of sinners.

These two men happened to meet in the same place at the same time for the same purpose. When the “welcome” mat is put at the door of a church, a house of God, we should be ready to minister to all who walk through the door. Read on and join me tomorrow.