Protestants Misunderstand The Pharisee & The Tax Collector (Luke 18)

Dec 21, 2025

Many Protestants argue that the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18 supports justification by faith alone.

Luke 18:9-14- “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

They claim that the story condemns any consideration of (or emphasis on) good works in connection to one’s righteousness. But they are wrong, of course. They misunderstand and misuse the passage. First, as anyone should be able to recognize, the tax collector whom Jesus says departed the temple justified did not rely on faith alone. He actually made a humble confession to God (before New Testament confession had been instituted). He was forgiven by his sincere act of confession to God, which includes a true intention to change his life. Thus, he was not justified by faith alone but by a humble and sincere confession.

Further, the Pharisee was not condemned for acknowledging a connection between good works and righteousness. Rather, he was condemned because he despised others, was full of pride, and trusted in his own righteousness to such an extent that he did not ask for anything to be forgiven him or added to him. Indeed, the very next chapter of Luke’s gospel (Luke 19) shows that an acknowledgment of one’s obedience or good works is not incompatible with righteousness. In Luke 19:8-9 Zacchaeus, another tax collector, tells the Lord that he has given half of his goods to the poor and not defrauded anyone.

Luke 19:8-9- “And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, ‘Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.’”

Zacchaeus recounts his good works to Jesus. Jesus responds by telling him that salvation has come to this house. The Lord would not have responded in this way if the Protestant understanding of salvation were correct.

Further, in Isaiah 38, King Hezekiah, who was near death, sincerely asked the Lord to remember his faithfulness and obedience.

Isaiah 38:2-5- “Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, and said, ‘Please, O Lord, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.’ And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: ‘Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the Lord**, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life**.’”

God accepts the prayer of Hezekiah and grants him 15 more years of life in response.

The very same chapter of Luke’s Gospel (Luke 18) also proves that the Protestants are wrong. In Luke 18:18-25, Jesus tells the ruler that he must keep the commandments and follow Him to attain eternal life. That is of course incompatible with the idea of salvation by faith alone.

Luke 18:18-25- “And a ruler asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’ And he said, ‘All these I have kept from my youth.’ When Jesus heard this, he said to him, ‘One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’ But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, ‘How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

In Luke 12 Jesus also speaks of a “****faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household” (Luke 12:42) who then acts immorally and the Master will “put him with the unfaithful” (Luke 12:46). That clearly indicates that someone who at one time is faithful and justified can cease to be faithful and lose justification as a result of immorality. In that context Jesus also says “you must be ready” (Luke 12:40) and “Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing” (Luke 12:43). In Luke 8:13 we also see that some people “believe for a while, and in the time of testing fall away.”

Those verses completely contradict the idea of faith alone and once justified always justified. These facts demonstrate that the Protestants are not only wrong about the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector but that their false understanding of salvation is refuted by the entire New Testament.