CRITICAL NOTES
Luke 18:1 And He spake a parable.—This parable is closely connected with the preceding discourse about the second coming of Christ. The widow is the Church; the judge is God, who long forbears to avenge her wrongs. The parable is of a somewhat paradoxical nature, like that of the Unjust Steward, and like that of the Selfish Neighbour (chap. Luke 11:5). “The argument is: If such be the power of earnest entreaty that it can win right even from a man sunk in selfishness and fearing neither God nor man, how much more will the right be done by the just and holy God, in answer to the continued prayers of His elect!” (Alford). Always to pray.—It is rather urgent prayer that is here commended than a prevailing state of mind, as in 1 Thessalonians 5:17. To faint.—A military metaphor: to abandon anything from cowardice, sloth, or despondency.
Luke 18:2. Which feared not God, etc.—A common form of expression to describe an unprincipled and reckless character. Probably the second clause of the description—“neither regarded man”—brings into stronger light his recklessness, and consequently the apparent hopelessness of the widow’s case; regard for the good opinion of others being, with many, a stronger motive than fear of God.
Luke 18:3. A widow.—One of a class more exposed to injustice and wrong in Eastern society than among us. Avenge me.—Probably too strong an expression; rather “do me justice” (so in Luke 18:5; Luke 18:7-8); “consider my case, and free me from the evil practices of my oppressor.”
Luke 18:4. Though I fear not, etc.—This intensifies the situation, as it brings into clearer light the shamelessness of the judge. He deliberately admits to himself the villainy of his own character, so that no conscientious scruples are seen to affect him from beginning to end.
Luke 18:5. Her continual coming.—Lit., “her coming to the end”—“her coming for ever.” Weary me.—“Wear me out” (R.V.). This rendering seems rather weak, as there does not seem much difference of degree between “trouble” and “weary,” or “wear me out.” The word is a pugilistic term, and means literally “to give any one a black eye.” May there not be a half-humorous fear expressed, lest the widow should lose patience and strike him? There is no example of the word being used figuratively to mean “weary,” though the corresponding Latin word (obtundere) is often so used.
Luke 18:7. Shall not God? etc.—Over against “the Unjust Judge” is set God, the righteous judge, and over against “the widow” His elect. Though He bear long with them.—If “bear long” is here an allusion to God’s long-suffering or compassion, the rendering in the A.V. yields no sense. In the R.V. the passage runs: “And He is long-suffering over them.” The word, however, which means “slow-minded,” may denote “to be slow in avenging or assisting them.” So that, literally rendered, the passage would be: “Though He be long-suffering [towards their enemies] in their behalf.” On the whole, the latter interpretation seems preferable.
Luke 18:8. Speedily.—I.e., soon, though the time seems long. Cf. 2 Peter 3:8-9. Faith.—I.e., this kind of faith which continues in prayer without fainting. It implies that, in consequence of the delay, importunate prayer for His coming will be the exception rather than the rule. There is no prophecy in the words that the number of believers will then be few.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Luke 18:1-8
Persevering Prayer.—The difference between this parable and that of the Selfish Neighbour (ch. 11) should be kept in view. That taught the general lesson of perseverance in prayer: this deals with perseverance in prayer for a particular thing—namely, the coming of the Son of Man for judgment, which has been the theme of the preceding chapter (Luke 18:20-37), and is recurred to in Christ’s question at the end of Luke 18:8.
I. The story.—The judge is one of those, too common always in the East, who poison the fountain of justice at its source, and are “companions of thieves.” His character is painted in dark colours, and the darker they are, the more do they serve to bring out the contrast between him and the Judge to whom Christians have to pray. That contrast is the very point of the parable. So far gone in selfish wresting of his office is this man that he is fully conscious of his own baseness, and does not even attempt the farce of varnishing it, but, with cynical frankness, acknowledges his motives to himself. His delay in granting the widow’s petition, and his final yielding, come from the same motive—his own convenience. It was troublesome to do as she wished, but when it became more troublesome not to do it, he did it. The judge is meant to be as much unlike our Judge as can be conceived. The widow is meant to be like the true disciple. She is the figure of God’s “own elect, which cry day and night unto Him”; and that not only in her persistence, but in her desolation. Whether we bring into connection the frequent Scriptural emblem of the bride, and think of the state of the Church during her Lord’s absence as widowhood, as we should probably do, or content ourselves with the vaguer interpretation, which regards her simply as afflicted, and the prey of oppressors, she represents the state of the Church in the absence of her Lord. The Eastern widow has no protectors, and, therefore, many oppressors; and if she can find no redress from the law, she is desolate indeed. Her prayer does not breathe so fierce a spirit as “avenge” suggests. What she asks is deliverance for herself, rather than vengeance on her foe. The deliverance cannot, indeed, be accomplished without retribution on the oppressor, but that is not the primary burden of her prayer.
II. Our Lord’s comment.—The argument is a “much more.” Every point in the description of the Unjust Judge is to be reversed, and then we shall have the picture of our Judge. He does not delay for His own ease; He is not careless to our sorrows, nor deaf to our prayer. If His judgment seems to slumber, the delay is the tarrying of love, and is for the good of the Church. When the intervention comes, it will not be wrung from an indifferent hand by fear of being troubled, but be the loving gift of Him who knows when, as well as how, to grant deliverance. The whole teaches—
1. That the Church will have to pass through a period of desolation and oppression, which will only end with Christ’s coming.
2. That its true attitude during that time should be earnest desire and prayer for that coming.
3. That there will be long delay.
4. That this delay is not the result of carelessness towards the Church’s need and cry, and so that no delay should deaden faith or silence entreaty. Jesus adds further an assurance and a sad question. The assurance is that whensoever deliverance comes, the thing will be done suddenly. The law of God’s judgments is that they travel slowly, but come suddenly at last, and are “a short work.” The final question is really a sad prediction. “But”—notwithstanding the certainty, and My assurance of it—“the faith” in His coming (not merely “faith” in the wider sense of the word) will have waxed dim. This closing word at once shows the correctness of the interpretation, which gives a special direction to the persevering prayer enjoined, and enforces the exhortation by the consideration of the danger to which the waiting servants are exposed.”—Maclaren.
SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON Luke 18:1-14
Luke 18:1-14. Lessons on Prayer.
I. A lesson on prayer.
II. A lesson from a widow’s urgency (Luke 18:2-5).—
1. An unjust judge will listen to an urgent suitor. How much more will a holy, righteous, and merciful God!
2. A friendless widow, by perseverance, gained her cause. How much more will God’s “own elect,” His own children, get a speedy answer when they cry to Him!
III. Lessons from a Pharisee and a Publican.—Contrast the attitude, the prayer, the failure, of the one, with the attitude, the prayer, the success, of the other.—W. Taylor.
A Parable on Prayer.—Luke’s second parable on prayer (see Luke 11:5-14), peculiar to his gospel. Summing up the whole widowed life of the Church in her life of prayer. How to pray (1–9). How not to pray (12–14). An impressive instance of Luke’s method of balance by contrast.—Alexander.
Luke 18:1-8. Perseverance in Prayer.—From the lessons Jesus taught His disciples on perseverance in prayer, it appears how well aware He was that God shows Himself so little like a Father that those who trust in Him are tempted to think Him rather like a man of selfish spirit, or like an unjust judge, who is indifferent to right. The relevancy of this parable requires that this character should be regarded as representing God, not as He is indeed, but as He seems to tried faith. The didactic drift of the parable is: You will have to wait on God, possibly till hope deferred make the heart sick; but it is worth your while to wait.—Bruce.
“Always to pray.”—The story and the lesson in this parable are not as parallel rods, but the one is laid across the other, and they touch only at one point. That one point is “always to pray, and not to faint.” Thus, “the key of this parable is hung up on the door.” This parable teaches how to pray for ourselves. Put all your soul and strength into your prayers; keep on praying under God’s delays.
I. The helpless.—In the East widows are the most helpless of beings. Your soul is even as this widow. It is in great need. There is no help for you in yourself.
II. The helper.—God has boundless store, and is not troubled by your coming to Him. Turn to the Mighty for help.
III. The appeal.—Let it be definite, earnest, for things good and right. God’s delays are not denials. So we must persevere in prayer.
IV. Encouragements.—God loves to be pressed. The lesson is taught by contrast and unlikeness. Would you make God worse than a godless judge?—Wells.
“Continue in prayer.”
Many get discouraged in praying because the answer does not come at once.—It should be settled in the mind—
I. That God always hears the true prayer, and that He will always send an answer, though it may not always be the answer we desire. God’s plans reach out widely, and work slowly.
II. The reason of God’s delay may be to increase our earnestness.—The story of the Syro-Phenician woman illustrates this.
III. Many prayers are never answered because men faint at God’s delay.—A little longer patient perseverance would have brought you a great reward. Many lose heart just when the answer is about to be granted.—Miller.
A Strong Argument.—The argument, as in the case of the Unjust Steward, is à fortiori: “If such be the power of earnest entreaty that it can win right, even from a man sunk in selfishness, and fearing neither God nor man, how much more will the right be done by the just and holy God, in answer to the continual prayer of His elect!”—even though, when this very right is asserted in the world by the coming of the Son of Man, He may hardly find among His people the power to believe it; though few of them will have shown this unweariedness of entreaty which the poor widow showed.—Alford.
Luke 18:1. “Men ought.”—
1. Prayer a duty.
2. Binding on all.
3. Always to be maintained.
4. To be offered fervently.
“To faint.”—Said properly of a coward in battle. Prayer is here spoken of as a militia or warfare. The arms of the Church are prayers. The Church militant is the Church supplicant. Her congregations for public prayer are her armies of soldiers storming the gates of heaven with a siege of prayers.—Wordsworth.
Discouragement.—The danger of discouragement arises from the delay in receiving an answer, while the adversary continues to harass.
Luke 18:3. “A widow.”—In its struggles with the world, and with sin within or around it, while feeling abandoned by God (of which condition we have a picture in the case of Job), and left without earthly support or help, the soul resembles a widow, who in vain entreats the assistance of a wicked judge. But perseverance in prayer overcomes at last even the severity of heaven.—Olshausen.
Loneliness and Helplessness.—Every soul conscious of its loneliness, conscious that it has no help, save in God only, is a widow.—Augustine.
Luke 18:3. “Avenge me of mine adversary.”—Here we see the Church, which in her nature and her destiny is the bride of Christ, and waits for His festal appearance, in the form of a widow. Matters have the look as if her betrothed spouse were dead at a distance. Meanwhile, she lives in a city where she is continually oppressed by a grievous adversary, the prince of this world. But since she continually calls on God for help, it may, in a weak hour, appear to her as if He had become the Unjust Judge over her—as if He were dealing entirely without Divine righteousness and without love to man. But she perseveres in prayer for His coming to redeem her, and although this is long delayed, because God has a celestially broad mind and view, and accordingly trains His children for Himself to the great spiritual life of eternity, yet it comes at last with surprising quickness.—Lange.
Luke 18:4. “Would not.”—The only way in which to move such a man was either
(1) to bribe him, or
(2) to intimidate him, or
(3) to weary him into attending to the petition. The widow’s poverty and weakness left her with only the third resource.
Luke 18:5. “Weary me.”—The word ὑπωπιάζω is well known to have been a pugilistic term, corresponding to the word “punish” in the slang of the “ring,” but having special reference to the eyes of an antagonist. St. Paul uses the word in a sense less removed from the primary in 1 Corinthians 9:27, “I punish my body.” In our Lord’s parable the word has departed still further from its primary sense, and in the mouth of the Unjust Judge is clearly “slang.” It is the poor widow who is to “bruise” the lazy judge, not by blows nor by unsparing treatment, but simply by importunity. I know of no English equivalent which at all preserves the metaphor, except the slang word “bore,” and that is founded, apparently, on a different though not very dissimilar analogy. I suppose that a man is “bored” when the sharp pertinacity of another threatens, as it were, to drill a hole into him, as the ceaseless turning of a metal point will bore the hardest rock. The Greek equivalent is the more expressive of the two. It is well known that the constant repetition of a very light stroke upon the body will produce a painful bruise at last. I do not know, however, how the sentence can be better rendered in English than, “lest by her continual coming she bore me.”—R. Winterbotham.
Luke 18:6. “Hear what the unjust judge saith.”—Cf. Luke 16:8, where another lesson is drawn from the conduct of an unrighteous man. “Though the language of the Unjust Judge be revolting, yet take notice of it and observe the lesson that may be drawn from it.”
Luke 18:7. “Shall not God?”—Since
(1) He is not an unjust, but a righteous judge, and
(2) the supplicant is not a stranger, but His own elect.
“Cry day and night.”—The best illustration of this text is to be derived from the prayer of the souls of the elect of God, under the altar (Revelation 6:9-10), which cry with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth”?—i.e., on the powers of this world.
Conditions of Importunate Prayer.
I. Sense of need.
II. Desire to get.
III. Belief that God has in store what we desire.
IV. Belief that, though He withholds awhile, He loves to be asked.
V. Belief that asking will obtain.—Arnot.
“Speedily.”—The relief, which to man’s impatience tarries long, indeed arrives speedily; it could not, according to the far-seeing and loving counsels of God, have arrived a moment earlier. Not while Lazarus is merely sick—not till he has been four days dead—does. Jesus obey the summons of the sisters whom He loved so well (John 11:6). The disciples, labouring in vain against a stormy sea, must have looked often to that mountain where they had left their Lord; but not till the last watch—not till they have toiled through a weary night—does He bring the aid so long desired (Matthew 14:24-25).—Trench.
Luke 18:8. “Nevertheless.”—The fear is not that the judge will delay granting the succour needed, but that the supplicants will cease asking for it.
“Shall He find faith?”—Our Lord spoke these words to show that when faith fails, prayer dies. In order to pray, then, we must have faith; and that our faith fail not, we must pray. Faith pours forth prayer; and the pouring forth of the heart in prayer gives steadfastness to faith.—Augustine.
“Find faith.”—Cf. Matthew 24:12: “Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”