Albert Barnes Commentary Luke 18:11

"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican." — Luke 18:11 (ASV)

Stood and prayed thus with himself. Some have proposed to translate this as, "stood by himself" and prayed. In this way it would be characteristic of the sect of the Pharisees, who dreaded the contact of others as polluting, and who were disposed to say to all, "Stand by yourselves." The Syriac translates it this way, but it is doubtful whether the Greek will allow this construction. If not, it means he recounted to himself what he had done and the basis on which he expected God's favor.

God, I thank thee. There was still in the prayer of the Pharisee an appearance of real religion. He did not profess to claim that he had made himself better than others. He was willing to acknowledge that God had done it for him, and that he owed God gratitude for it.

Hypocrites are often the most orthodox in opinion among any class of people. They know the truth, and admit it. They use it frequently in their prayers and conversation. They will even persecute those who happen to differ from them in opinion, and who may be really wrong. We are not to judge the piety of people by the fact that they admit the truth, or even that they use it often in their prayers.

It is, however, not wrong to thank God that He has kept us from the gross sins that other people commit; but it should not be done in an ostentatious manner, nor should it be done forgetting that we are still great sinners and need pardon. These were the faults of the Pharisees.

Extortioners. Rapacious; avaricious; those who take away the goods of others by force and violence. It also means those who take advantage of the necessities of others, the poor and the oppressed, and extort their property.

Unjust. Those who are not fair and honest in their dealings; who get the property of others by fraud. They are distinguished from extortioners because those who are unjust may have the appearance of honesty, while in the other case, they do not.