Luke 18:11 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →The Pharisee's prayer is a thanksgiving for his own superiority, listing the sinners he is not — including the tax collector within earshot.
What Does Luke 18:11 Mean?
Standing to pray was customary; the telling phrase is that he 'prayed thus with himself.' The prayer is addressed to God but orbits its speaker: a brief word of thanks, then a catalog of self. He asks for nothing because he believes he lacks nothing — he has come to file a report, not a request.
Notice what fills the prayer: comparison. He measures himself against extortioners, the unjust, adulterers, and finally 'this publican' — a living man he can see across the court — rather than against the holiness of God, which would level every scale in an instant. Gratitude is a virtue; gratitude that I am not like others is contempt dressed as a prayer.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 18:11
What does Luke 18:11 mean?
The Pharisee's prayer is a thanksgiving for his own superiority, listing the sinners he is not — including the tax collector within earshot.