Εἶπε δὲ καὶ πρός τινας τοὺς πεποιθότας ἐφ’ ἑαυτοῖς ὅτι εἰσὶ δίκαιοι, καὶ ἐξουθενοῦντας τοὺς λοιποὺς, τὴν παραβολὴν ταύτην·
A Pronoun That Reveals a Theological Fault Line
In Luke 18:9, Jesus addresses “some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and treated others with contempt”. This verse introduces the well-known parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. Yet within its framing clause lies a syntactic structure of profound theological significance: the reflexive pronoun ἑαυτοῖς (“themselves”) in the phrase τοὺς πεποιθότας ἐφ’ ἑαυτοῖς.
This is no mere grammatical filler. The reflexive ἑαυτοῖς, paired with the preposition ἐφ’ and the perfect active participle πεποιθότας, functions not only as a syntactic complement but as a linguistic mirror — one that exposes the inner logic of self-justification. In this article, we will examine how the use of ἑαυτοῖς serves to anchor moral identity within the self rather than in God, thereby revealing a deep anthropological and soteriological critique embedded in the grammar itself.
Morphological and Syntactic Analysis of ἑαυτοῖς
Let us begin with the key term:
| Term | Root | Form | Literal Translation | Syntactic Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἑαυτοῖς | ἑαυτοῦ | Dative Masculine Plural of the Reflexive Pronoun | “to themselves” | Dative complement of the verb πέποιθα (“I trust”), indicating the object of misplaced confidence |
The phrase πεποιθότας ἐφ’ ἑαυτοῖς forms a participial construction modifying τινας: those who are characterized by having placed their trust upon themselves. The compound preposition ἐφ’ (for ἐπὶ + ἑαυτοῖς) intensifies the reflexive force, emphasizing not just reliance but exclusive reliance on the self for moral standing.
The Reflexive Turn: ἑαυτοῖς as a Semantic Marker of Anthropological Pride
Reflexive pronouns in Greek often serve to mark coreference — pointing back to an antecedent already mentioned. But in πεποιθότας ἐφ’ ἑαυτοῖς, the reflexive does more than point back; it points inward. It marks a subject whose identity and righteousness are defined from within, not toward without. Unlike faith directed toward God (πιστεύειν εἰς θεόν), which is common in Lukan theology, this is faith directed inward (πιστεύειν ἐφ’ ἑαυτοῖς), a self-contained righteousness.
This inward turn has profound theological implications. In Pauline terms, it reflects σοφία κατὰ σάρκα — wisdom according to the flesh (cf. 2 Cor 1:12; Gal 6:14). In Lukan terms, it contrasts sharply with the posture of dependence exemplified by the poor, the hungry, and the repentant sinners who populate Jesus’ parables. The dative ἑαυτοῖς thus becomes a linguistic marker of spiritual pride — not merely ethical failure, but epistemological misdirection.
Discourse Structure: The Reflexive as a Thematic Anchor
The placement of ἑαυτοῖς immediately after πεποιθότας ἐφ’ creates what discourse analysts call a marked constituent order — a deviation from expected syntax that draws attention to the content being emphasized. By placing the reflexive so early in the sentence, Luke foregrounds the object of misplaced trust before even introducing the parable itself.
Moreover, the reflexive is followed by the relative clause ὅτι εἰσὶ δίκαιοι (“that they are righteous”), which further defines the nature of their self-trust. The structure reads:
> “those trusting upon themselves that they are righteous…”
This sequence reveals a circularity of self-perception: the subjects define their own righteousness through their own judgment. There is no external standard, no divine measure — only self-certification. The reflexive thus becomes a semantic loop, trapping the speaker within a closed system of moral evaluation.
Voice as Identity
In Luke 18:9, the reflexive ἑαυτοῖς does more than complete a grammatical construction — it crystallizes a theological reality. It names the moment when ethics collapse into anthropology, when righteousness becomes self-referential, and when salvation is imagined as internal rather than eschatological.
By using ἑαυτοῖς in this context, Luke does not simply describe a group of people; he unmasks a posture — one that stands in sharp contrast to the humility of the tax collector and the dependence of the childlike believer. The reflexive pronoun becomes the linguistic analog of spiritual blindness: looking inward for justification, yet seeing only oneself.
Thus, voice becomes identity, and in this case, identity becomes idolatry — all encoded in the quiet precision of a single dative reflexive.
