Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Stood (staqeiv). First aorist passive participle of isthmi. Struck an attitude ostentatiously where he could be seen. Standing was the common Jewish posture in prayer (Matthew 6:5; Mark 11:25).
Prayed thus (tauta proshuxeto). Imperfect middle, was praying these things (given following).
With himself (prov eauton). A soliloquy with his own soul, a complacent recital of his own virtues for his own self-satisfaction, not fellowship with God, though he addresses God.
I thank thee (euxaristw soi). But his gratitude to God is for his own virtues, not for God's mercies to him. One of the rabbis offers a prayer like this of gratitude that he was in a class by himself because he was a Jew and not a Gentile, because he was a Pharisee and not of the am-haaretz or common people, because he was a man and not a woman.
Extortioners (arpagev). An old word, arpac from same root as arpazw, to plunder. An adjective of only one gender, used of robbers and plunderers, grafters, like the publicans (Luke 3:13), whether wolves (Matthew 7:15) or men ( 5:19 f.). The Pharisee cites the crimes of which he is not guilty.
Or even (h kai). As the climax of iniquity (Bruce), he points to "this publican." Zaccheus will admit robbery (Luke 19:8).
God (o qeov). Nominative form with the article as common with the vocative use of qeov (so verse Luke 18:13; John 20:28).
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