Charles Spurgeon Commentary Luke 18:14

"I say unto you, This man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled; but he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." — Luke 18:14 (ASV)

For every one that exalted himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

God turns things upside down. If we think much of ourselves, he makes little of us, and if we make little of ourselves, we will find that a humble and contrite heart he will not despise. May he teach us so to pray that we may go down to our house justified, as the publican was!

Went down to his house justified rather than the other:

He obtained both justification and the peace of mind that comes from it. God smiled upon him, and set him at ease concerning his sin. The other man received no justification; he had not sought it, and he did not get it. He had a kind of spurious ease of mind when he went into the temple, and he probably carried it away with him, but he certainly was not justified in the sight of God.

I tell you, this man –

This publican, sinner as he had been, though he had no broad phylacteries like the Pharisee had, though he may not have washed his hands before he came into the temple, as no doubt the Pharisee did, – this man, who could not congratulate himself upon his own excellence, "this man" –

Went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

It is God's usual method to reverse what man does, and to turn things the other way upwards: Everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. You remember how the Virgin Mary, in her song, praised the Lord for this very habit of his: He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. That is his regular way of working, and he will continue to do so.

I tell you, this man –

The sinner –