Evaluation of Christian Education Materials for Kids

Dealing with the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Childrens Bible: Two men in the Temple This Childrens Bible offers a rephrase of the text and is targeted for young children. The section on Luke 18 is accompanied by two images: a bearded man, wearing what looks like a modern Jewish prayer shawl (tallit) and another unadorned shaven man. We can identify the latter as the Tax Collector because his head is bowed and the story says He bowed his head in shame while the figure portrayed in Jewish garb (meant to represent the Pharisee in the story) lifted his face to heaven and raised his hands. Because the two figures bear no resemblance in dress or body hair, it would not be discernible to a reader that these two are actually both representatives of Jewish society. This contrast encourages the reader to associate the scornful, unblessed Pharisee with Jews and the repentant tax collector with something other than the outward Jew. The images, then, help play into the universalism/particarlism distinction often drawn between Judaism and Christianity, suggesting that the Pharisee (who is Jewish) believes that he particularly is blessed, and perpetuates stereotypes of Jewish exclusivism.

In this collection of color-book leaflets for children ages 3-6, the bad characters are always figured with money, beards, and wear kipas (or similar head garments) while the good or innocent person (the character who is redeemed by the parable) is always drawn without facial hair. Right is an example from the Luke 16:1-13 leaflet.

As was the case in the earlier example, here the proud and boastful Pharisee is dressed in a way that children will more readily associate with first century Judaism, while the repentant tax collector looks more like a medieval monk. The Pharisees hat serves to differentiate him from the tax collector. Here, as elsewhere, the Pharisee comes to represent all that is bad, and the lesson is sent that we should Be Humble like the tax collector, who was sorry for his mistakes.