Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible
Commentary
11, 12. stood—as the Jews in prayer (Mr
11:25).
God, &c.—To have been kept from gross iniquities was undoubtedly a just cause of thankfulness to God but instead of the devoutly humble, admiring frame which this should inspire, the Pharisee arrogantly severs himself from the rest of mankind, as quite above them, and, with a contemptuous look at the poor publican, thanks God that he has not to stand afar off like him, to hang down his head like a bulrush and beat his breast like him. But these are only his moral excellencies.
His religious merits complete his grounds for congratulation. Not confining himself to the one divinely prescribed annual fast (Le he was not behind the most rigid, who fasted on the second and fifth days of every week
[Lightfoot], and gave the tenth not only of what the law laid under tithing, but of "all his gains."
Thus, besides doing all his duty, he did works of supererogation while sins to confess and spiritual wants to be supplied he seems to have felt none. What a picture of the Pharisaic character and religion!
From hence we may observe that thanksgiving is apart of prayer. It is said he
prayed,
yet we read not of anyone petition he put up. His standing while he prayed is not to be found fault with, (that was a usual posture used by persons praying, unless the Pharisee made choice of it for ostentation, that he might be the better taken notice of which was too much their fault,
Matthew 6:5
. Whether the term prov eauton, with himself, in this place,
signifieth that he only prayed in his heart, or with a voice that could not be heard, or only that he prayed by himself, I doubt for though our Saviour, who knew men’s thoughts, could easily repeat his prayer, supposing it only mental, or at least with a voice not audible, yet this seemeth not to suit the humour of a
Pharisee, whose whole design was to betaken notice of, seen, and heard by others. He saith,
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