Are You A Publican?

I want to talk about publicans today. There are a few references to publicans in the bible and this is for a reason. I have found it 23 times. Let’s start again with the definition of the topic we are going to discuss.

Publican

PUB'LICAN, n. [L.publicanus, from publicus.]

1. A collector of toll or tribute. Among the Romans, a publican was a farmer of the taxes and public revenues,and the inferior officers of this class were deemed oppressive.

As Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. Mat 9.

2. The keeper of a public house; an innkeeper.

This is the definition found in Webster’s 1828 dictionary. Now let’s look at how the word translates into the original Greek.

τελώνης telōnēs tel-o'-nace

a tax farmer, that is, collector of public revenue: - publican.

Ok, from these two definitions we can say that a publican is a tax collector. A person who goes around and collects taxes to give to the local or state government would be a publican. So why is it so bad to be a publican? Why did the people hate the publican so much? Let’s look at some scriptures on publicans.

9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, 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. Luke 18:9-14 (KJV)

Are you a publican? This verse says in the beginning that, he spake this parable unto certain which TRUSTED IN THEMSELVES THAT THEY WERE RIGHTEOUS, AND DESPISED OTHERS. Do you trust in yourself? Do you think that you are someone that everyone else needs? Do you think that you are righteous because of things you do, or because you help people? Do you despise others, especially other Christians? I have actually heard a Christian brother say to his family, “we don’t get shunned we do the shunning”. I heard this not long before they decided to shun us because we tried to hold them accountable for their publican activities. We as Christians are supposed to be the most humble, quiet, meek, loving and caring people on Earth. It should bring tears to our eyes when a fellow Christian steps out of line and it should bring tears to our eyes when someone rejects Jesus as Lord. We must do what the scriptures tell us to do, but it should be done out of love and humility, not vengeance and hatred. Let’s get back to the description of the publicans.

12 Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? 13 And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. 14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages. Luke 3:12-14 (KJV)

Here we have John the Baptist baptizing people. The sinners asked what do I need to do now and John told them to sin no more. The publican took more money than he was supposed to and John told him to, exact no more than that which is appointed to you. So from this we can see the publicans sometimes took more than they were supposed to take, making there pockets a little fatter.

46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Matt 5:46-47 (KJV)

Here we see that the publicans love only the people who love them. They salute only the people like them and do not for others. Now we are getting a picture of what the publicans were. A quick review will show us that the publicans would steal money from the people by collecting more that they were supposed to, they would love only those that loved them back, and they would only welcome those that were like themselves. This sounds a lot like many Christians around today. Especially the parts that say the publicans only loved those that loved them and they only welcomed those that were like them. We can relate to the publicans in many ways. This is the reason we were given the examples of the publicans. In the first passage we read in Luke 18, we saw that the publican was very repentative. He was truly sorrowful for his sins. Now let’s look at some more scriptures.

1 And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. 4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. 6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. 8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. 9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19:1-10 (KJV)

Zacchaeus was a sinner and he knew he was a sinner. When he saw Jesus he knew he needed Jesus. Zacchaeus was going to give half of everything he had to the poor and he was going to pay back what he stole from people fourfold. This is a man that his heart is right with God. The difference between the publican and the Pharisee was one knew he was a sinner and needed to repent and the other thought because he had God he was not a sinner anymore.

28 But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. 29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. 30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. 31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him. Matt 21:28-32 (KJV)

Publicans and harlots will go into the kingdom of God before you. The publicans and harlots accepted that they were sinners. They accepted that they were not perfect and they needed help. None of us are perfect and none of us deserve going to Heaven. We must never say things like the Pharisee said in the first passage. I have said before, that if you think you are better than anyone then you are in need of repentance and you need prayer. So, how can we stop ourselves from becoming like the Pharisee? We must never forget where we came from. We must always remember how far God has brought us. God should be the one who is glorified not us. If you think that you are some kind of gift to people, you are a Pharisee. I heard a woman say one time that other women think of her as a god, and then they are surprised when they meet her that she is not. Women think of her as a God because she portrays herself that way to them. We must never portray ourselves as anything more than servants of God. We have made it to where we are because of God’s grace, not because of who we are. We have our testimonies to use to glorify God and to help other sinners come to the throne of grace. We must let our faults be known. The title of this message is, Are you a Publican. Our first reaction to this question is, no I am not. From the passages above it is clear we do not want to have the Pharisee's attitude, but if we get the publican’s attitude we just might make to our destination. We must be willing to give all. We must be willing to admit all. We must be real to everyone else around us, not just to those we relate to. We have to be willing to show love to everyone. Love should flow from us naturally. We should not have to try to love, because love should is already in us if the Holy Spirit is in us. Praise God for His love. Let's be like Jesus.