Luke 18:14

12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’

13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’

14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; ^afor everyone who exalts himself will be¹ humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Jesus Blesses Little Children

15 ^aThen they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

16 But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for ^aof such is the kingdom of God.

Commentaries:

Adam Clarke

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Luke 18:14

Went down to his house justified - His sin blotted out; and himself accepted.

Rather than the other - : that is, the other was not accepted, because he exalted himself - he made use of the mercies which he acknowledged he owed to God, to make claims on the Divine approbation, and to monopolize the salvation of the Most High! He was abased, because he vainly trusted that he was righteous, and depended on what he had been enabled to do, and looked not for a change of heart, nor for reconciliation to God. It is a strange perversion of the human mind, to attempt to make God our debtor by the very blessings which his mere mercy has conferred upon us! It was a maxim among the Jews, that whoever brought a sacrifice to the temple returned justified. But our Lord shows that this depended on the state of mind - if they were not humbled under a sense of sin, they were not justified, though they had even offered a sacrifice.

**Other Adam Clarke entries containing Luke 18:14:**

Jeremiah 3:11
Ezekiel 16:52
John 10:22
Romans 1:17

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Luke 18:15 >>

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