Luke 18:1-8

The Parable of the Unrighteous Judge (18:1-8).

As Luke 18:8 b makes clear, this parable looks directly back to Jesus' prophecy which describes Himself as coming as the Son of Man in Luke 17:24. It is a call to His disciples, and to all Christians, to continue in praying that God will maintain the cause of His people until that Day. However, the question in 8b makes clear that the way is not necessarily going to be easy. It demonstrates that His people will have to face up to many faith-challenging experiences.

In the chiasmatic analysis of the Section (see introduction to the Section) this parable parallels the healing of the ten skin-diseased men. That healing was proof of what God was going to accomplish in His people, and the skin-diseased man who returned full of gratitude and faith was like these described here who must pray through to the end with the same gratitude and faith, constantly returning to give thanks and praise to the One Who has made them whole. They will be the few among the many whose faith shines through.

In considering this parable we might well ask, why did Jesus not use the illustration of a righteous judge? And the answer is that Jesus wanted to build into the parable the notions of delay and the need for persistence. Neither should occur with a righteous judge. They might occur if he was overwhelmed with work but Jesus would hardly want us to see God as overwhelmed with work. This then brings out what is the stress in the parable, delay and the need for persistence. But the reason for the delay in God's case is that He has a large purpose to carry out that necessitates delay, your salvation and mine, for instance, so that He could not bring about the consummation immediately. The overall point, apart from the need for us to be persistent in prayer, is therefore that God will give His people justice, and will answer their cry at the most suitable time. This may sometimes be locally, but whatever happens there, in the end it will be true at the final consummation. So their future is guaranteed, but as regularly in Scripture, it is to go hand in hand with their persistence in prayer and their faithfulness in life. We pray knowing that we will receive what we ask for, because our praying is a part of how He brings it about.

Analysis.

a He spoke a parable to them to the end that they ought always to pray, and not to faint (Luke 18:1).

b Saying, “There was in a city a judge, who feared not God, and regarded not man,” (Luke 18:2).

c “And there was a widow in that city, and she came to him often, saying, ‘Avenge me of my adversary' ” (Luke 18:3).

d “And he would not for a while, but afterwards he said within himself” (Luke 18:4).

e “ ‘Though I fear not God, nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her, lest she wear me out by her continual coming' ” (Luke 18:5).

d ‘And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says” (Luke 18:6).

c “And shall not God avenge His elect, who cry to Him day and night, and even though He wait a long time over them?” (Luke 18:7).

b “I say to you, that He will avenge them speedily” (Luke 18:8 a).

a “Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8 b).

Note that in ‘a' His people are to believe on, praying in all circumstances, and in the parallel the question is as to whether they will believe on. In ‘b' we have the resolute judge and in the parable the resolute God. In ‘c' we have the request for justice, and in the parallel the promise of justice for His people. In ‘d' the judge speaks to himself, and in the parallel we are to hear what he says. Centrally in ‘e' is the assurance of a guaranteed answer to the plea.