The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Did you Know? 

• The temple was in Jerusalem. It was the main place of worship for Jews.


• Sometimes Jews had to fast (not eat food).


• Jews had to give one-tenth of their income to the poor.

The Meaning of the Story

Here’s another story that Jesus told to teach people about God’s kingdom and how to enter it. The prayers of the two men were very different. The Pharisee’s prayer showed that he was proud and thought he was better than other people. He despised the tax collector. Which do you think is more important to God? Not to eat food for two days or to treat other people with respect and kindness? I am sure he thought God was his friend. He is going to receive a very big shock.

The tax collector knew he had done many bad things. He knew that God was not happy with how he had lived. So, he confessed that he was a sinner. He was a humble man. I am sure he thought God did not want to be his friend.

Jesus said that people who admit they’ve done wrong things and ask God to forgive them are God’s friends. But people who think they are better than others will never be part of God’s family.

Who is Jesus?

Jesus taught us that only people who know they have broken God’s laws and say they are sorry could enter God’s kingdom. These kinds of people are humble.

Humble people know they need God. Humble people treat other people with love and respect.

Thinking about the Story 

1. Why do you think the Pharisee stood by himself to pray?


2. Why did God not like the Pharisee’s prayer?


3. Why did the tax collector stand far away and beat his chest?


4. How did the tax collector please God?


5. What does it mean to be humble?


6. Why is God happy with humble people?