And the publican, standing {e} 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.

(e) Far from the Pharisee in a lower place.

People's New Testament

18:13 The publican, standing afar off. Remote from other worshipers, like a pariah.

Would not lift up so much as his eyes. His spirit was so humble and contrite. The Pharisees probably had both hands and eyes lifted up.

Smote upon his breast. An act denoting sorrow.

God be merciful to me a sinner. A humble confession.

Wesley's Notes

18:13 The publican standing afar off - From the holy of holies, would not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven - Touched with shame, which is more ingenuous than fear.

Scofield Reference Notes

[2] merciful

Gr.hilaskomai, used in the Septuagint and N.T. in connection with the mercy-seat Ex 25:17,18,21 Heb 9:5. As an instructed Jew, the publican is thinking, not of mere mercy, but of the blood-sprinkled mercy seat. See Scofield Note: "Lev 16:5".

"Propitiation," See Scofield Note: "Rom 3:25". His prayer might be paraphrased, "Be toward me as thou are when thou lookest upon the atoning blood." The Bible knows nothing of divine forgiveness apart from sacrifice. See Scofield Note: "Mt 26:28".

Margin merciful

i.e. propitiated.

Margin sinner

Sin. See Scofield Note: "Rom 3:23".

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

13. standing afar off-as unworthy to draw near; but that was the way to get near (Ps 34:18; Isa 57:15).

would not lift up-blushing and ashamed to do so (Ezr 9:6).

smote, &c.-kept smiting; for anguish (Lu 23:48), and self-reproach (Jer 31:19).

be merciful-"be propitiated," a very unusual word in such a sense, only once else used in the New Testament, in the sense of "making reconciliation" by sacrifice (Heb 2:17). There may therefore, be some allusion to this here, though not likely.

a sinner-literally, "the sinner"; that is, "If ever there was one, I am he."

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

18:9-14 This parable was to convince some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others. God sees with what disposition and design we come to him in holy ordinances. What the Pharisee said, shows that he trusted to himself that he was righteous. We may suppose he was free from gross and scandalous sins. All this was very well and commendable. Miserable is the condition of those who come short of the righteousness of this Pharisee, yet he was not accepted; and why not? He went up to the temple to pray, but was full of himself and his own goodness; the favour and grace of God he did not think worth asking. Let us beware of presenting proud devotions to the Lord, and of despising others. The publican's address to God was full of humility, and of repentance for sin, and desire toward God. His prayer was short, but to the purpose; God be merciful to me a sinner. Blessed be God, that we have this short prayer upon record, as an answered prayer; and that we are sure that he who prayed it, went to his house justified; for so shall we be, if we pray it, as he did, through Jesus Christ. He owned himself a sinner by nature, by practice, guilty before God. He had no dependence but upon the mercy of God; upon that alone he relied. And God's glory is to resist the proud, and give grace to the humble. Justification is of God in Christ; therefore the self-condemned, and not the self-righteous, are justified before God.