{Standing afar off} (makrothen hest(9373)). Second perfect
active participle of hist(886d)i, intransitive like statheis
above. But no ostentation as with the Pharisee in verse  11 . At
a distance from the Pharisee, not from the sanctuary. {Would not
lift} (ouk (8874)helen oude ep(8372)ai). Negatives (double) imperfect
of {thel(937d), was not willing even to lift up, refused to lift
(ep(8372)ai, first aorist active infinitive of the liquid compound
verb, ep-air(935c)). Smote (etupte). Imperfect active of 	upt(935c),
old verb, kept on smiting or beating. Worshippers usually lifted
up their closed eyes to God. {Be merciful} (hilasth(8874)i). First
aorist passive imperative of hilaskomai, an old verb, found
also in LXX and inscriptions (exhilaskomai, Deissmann, _Bible
Studies_, p. 224). {A sinner} (	(9369) hamart(936c)(9369)). The sinner, not
a sinner. It is curious how modern scholars ignore this Greek
article. The main point in the contrast lies in this article. The
Pharisee thought of others as sinners. The publican thinks of
himself alone as the sinner, not of others at all.