Parables Of Jesus Christ: The Self Righteous
by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

The Messiah's parable of the self-righteous (i.e. the arrogant who "trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others"):

"18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee [see Pharisees], and the other a publican [see Publicans]. 18:11 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. 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
18:13 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.

18:14 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)

"In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men"

The Pharisees were not atheists. Nor were they followers of some other religion than that of the Messiah. But, until some of them repented by means of the Holy Spirit (see Was Paul Among Them? and The Cure For The Carnal Mind), the manner that they chose to "obey" the LORD (who was Christ - see 'The God Of The Old Testament' and 'Before Abraham Was, I AM' - they claimed to obey the LORD while disobeying Him as He stood right among them) was in keeping with their own established self-righteous traditions.

The Ten Commandments
"15:1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, 15:2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread [see Did Jesus Break The Law?].
15:3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? 15:4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. 15:5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 15:6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. 15:7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (Matthew 15:2-3 KJV)

Many Christian-professing people believe that the parable is just about the religious authorities of Judah back in the time when they rejected the Messiah. But the reality is that millions of Christian-professing people are doing the very same thing today. Consider carefully Christ's warning to those "Christians" who merely base their religion upon His Name, they use Christian, without actually doing what Christ commanded to do to obey Him (including their blasphemously replacing Christ's Sabbath with the Satanic Roman "sun day" - see Christ The Creator and Sun Worship; also What Is A Halo?).

"7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:21-23 KJV)

Fact Finder: The Pharisees disobeyed the LORD by replacing much of God's Law with their own self-righteous and self-serving traditions. As plainly proven in Matthew 7:21-23 (quoted above), many Christian professing people (Roman Catholic and "Protestant") have done the same as the Pharisees. But has the Christian professing world gone even farther, by claiming that God's Law is "done away" or that it's "dead works"?
See Works Means Obedience