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Luk 18:13. Μάκροθεν, from a distance, afar off) not presuming to draw near.-ἑστὼς) Neither σταθεὶς (Luk 18:11), taking his stand (confidently), nor falling on his knees, lest he should be looked at in praying.-οὐρανὸν, heaven) In the case of repentance, either fear is the predominant feeling, or else shame. Shame is a more ingenuous feeling than fear: ch. Luk 15:18; Luk 15:21 (the prodigal son); Eze 16:52.[200] Better it is when the heart is melted and softened, than when it is merely bruised and broken with terror and the fear of punishment. The particles, after the rock has been bruised into sand, retain their previous hardness; whereas the heart of flesh, which has been made out of a heart of stone, pleases God, as being His own work, and in a greater degree gives glory to Him.-ἔτυπτεν, was smiting) [continued smiting] through grief of mind. Where there is grief, there is a hand [to smite one’s self in self-reproach, as Ephraim when repentant, “After that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh”], Jer 31:19.-στῆθος, breast) The scat of the conscience.-ἱλάσθητί μοι, be propitious to me [propitiated towards me]) He does not dare to make mention of God and of himself in immediate connection. His trust was in the Divine mercy. [This same form of expression is used both by true penitents and by hypocrites. In fact, these latter steal from Scripture the services of words; and when they fell upon formulas much noted in Scripture, they seek “refuges of lies” in them, however utterly alien they may be to the very power and spirit of them. It is thus that they make their plea the dying thief (robber) seeking grace at the last hour; as also Paul “glorying in his infirmity.”-V. g.]-τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ) to me, who am the sinner.[201] He thinks of no other man save himself.
[200] And 63, “That thou mayest remember and be confounded, and never open the mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God.”-E. and T.
[201] So Beng. translates it unequivocally in the Vers. Germ.: “Gott, sey versuhnet mir dem sunder.” Alford is rather too rashly dogmatic in denying this force of τῷ. So as to ἱλάσθητι, as if “no doctrinal meaning could be” in it. Had the Jews no idea of propitiation in their sacrifices?-E. and T.