The Pharisee...Justified?

Drawing near toward a higher calling often requires a willingness to acknowledge heaviness, casting these burdens into Divine hands. This is what the publican did, & he was justified in his faith. Along with this are we reminded to trust in Divine hands whole-heartedly than our own understand. which when we look at the prayer of the pharisee, the greatest difference between him & the publican is his attempt to justify himself in his own standard.

There is an Apostle foreshadowed in this parable named Saul, who embodies the character of the Pharisee in this parable. This is a man:

“Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin. An Hebrew of the Hebrews; As touching the law, a pharisee. Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” -Philippians 3:5-6

Saul as a pharisee, went from breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples to proclaiming their same gospel in the synagogues at the revelation & experience of that light. Blindness from that light became his burden to bear. Afflicted for three days at which he neither ate nor drank anything, but was led by hand and brought into Damascus, into the house of Judas where he remained in prayer.

In the process of these things, there was a disciples at Damascas called Ananias, & to him the lord called in a vision:

Arise, & Go into the street which is called straight, & enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus for, behold, he prayer, & hath seen in a vision of a man named Ananias coming in, & putting hhis hands on him, that he might receive his sight. -Acts 9:11-12

Ananias was perplexed at the vision of his higher calling. He had already heard about this man Saul, & how he had great authority from the chief priests to persecute any disciples that also “answer the calling.” Yet ananias was assured in spirit, that this is Sha’ul, the vessel of a man chosen to bear that same calling before gentiles, kings, as well as the children of Israel. A new creature

& So at this, Ananias went in the way that he was sent, to lay hands on his brother Saul, that he might receive his sight, & be filled with the anointing. & as he did these things there fell scaled from the eyes of Saul, as if it being the removal of pride. & in this, he received his sight, & arose, & was baptized.