Lukas 15:18-19

15:18 I will get up and go to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned ¹  against heaven ²  and against ³  you. 15:19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me ⁴  like one of your hired workers.”’

Lukas 18:13-14

18:13 The tax collector, however, stood ⁵  far off and would not even look up ⁶  to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, be merciful ⁷  to me, sinner that I am!’ ⁸  18:14 I tell you that this man went down to his home justified ⁹  rather than the Pharisee. ¹⁰  For everyone who exalts ¹¹  himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

[15:18]  ¹ sn In the confession “I have sinned” there is a recognition of wrong that pictures the penitent coming home and “being found.”

[15:18]  ² sn The phrase against heaven is a circumlocution for God.

[15:18]  ³ tn According to BDAG 342 s.v. ἐνωπιον 4.a, “in relation to ἁμαρτάνειν ἐ. τινος sin against someone Lk 15:18, 21 (cf. Jdth 5:17; 1 Km 7:6; 20:1).”

[15:19]  ⁴ tn Or “make me.” Here is a sign of total humility.

[18:13]  ⁵ tn Grk “standing”; the Greek participle has been translated as a finite verb.

[18:13]  ⁶ tn Grk “even lift up his eyes” (an idiom).

[18:13]  ⁷ tn The prayer is a humble call for forgiveness. The term for mercy (ἱλάσκομαι, Jilaskomai) is associated with the concept of a request for atonement (BDAG 473-74 s.v. 1; Ps 51:1, 3; 25:11; 34:6, 18).

[18:13]  ⁸ tn Grk “the sinner.” The tax collector views himself not just as any sinner but as the worst of all sinners. See ExSyn 222-23.

[18:14]  ⁹ sn The prayer that was heard and honored was the one given with humility; in a surprising reversal it was the tax collector who went down to his home justified.

[18:14]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “the other”; the referent (the Pharisee, v. 10) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:14]  ¹¹ sn Everyone who exalts himself. See Luke 14:11. Jesus often called for humility and condemned those who sought honor.