He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up, saying, “There was a judge in a certain city who didn’t fear God, and didn’t respect man. A widow was in that city, and she often came to him, saying, ‘Defend me from my adversary!’ He wouldn’t for a while, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God, nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will defend her, or else she will wear me out by her continual coming.’ ”
The Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says. Won’t God avenge his chosen ones who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them? I tell you that he will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
He spoke also this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others. “Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men, extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 God will have us to continue in prayer, not…
God will have us to continue in prayer, not to weary us, but to exercise us, therefore we must so strive with impatience, that long delay cause us not to break off the course of our prayers.
Yield to afflictions, and adversities, as they do which are out of heart.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv1–14 1 And he spake a parable unto them to…
1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
Ver. 1. Always to pray and not to faint] Gr. εκκακειν, not shrink back, as sluggards in work or cowards in war. Prayer should be redoubled and reinforced, as those arrows of deliverance, 2Ki 13:19. The woman of Canaan prays on when denied; and Jacob holds with his hands when his thigh is lamed. He wrestled with slight and might, he raised dust, as the word signifies, and would not away without a blessing. {a} James, surnamed the Just (Christ’s kinsman), had his knees made as hard as camel’s knees with much praying, as Eusebius writes. Father Latimer, during his imprisonment, was so constant and instant in prayer, that often times he was not able to rise off his knees without help. Yea, Paulus Aemilius, being to fight with Perses, king of Macedonia, would not give up sacrificing to his god Hercules, till he saw certain arguments of a victory. As loathing of meat (saith a divine) and painfulness of speaking are two symptoms of a sick body, so irksomeness of praying and carelessness of hearing, of a sick soul.
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{a} Etiam post naufragium tentantur maria.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 This duty of praying always is inculcated to us…
This duty of praying always is inculcated to us several times in the Epistles, as may appear from those texts quoted in the margin, which we must not interpret as an obligation upon us to be always upon our knees praying; for thus our obedience to it would be inconsistent with our obedience to other precepts of God, relating both to religious duties and civil actions, neither was Christ himself always praying: but it either, first, lets us know, that there is no time in which we may not pray; as we may pray in all places, every where lifting up holy hands without doubting, ( as the apostle saith, 1 1Ti 2:8), so we must pray at any time. Or, secondly, it is as much as, pray frequently and ordinarily; as Solomon’s servants are said by the queen of Sheba to stand always, that is, ordinarily and frequently, before him, 1Ki 10:8; and the Jews are said always to have resisted the Spirit of God, Act 7:51; that is, very often, for they did it not in every individual act of their lives. Or else, in every part of time; knitting the morning and evening (the general parts of our time) together by prayer. Thus the morning and evening sacrifice is called the continual burnt offering, Exo 29:42; Neh 10:33. Or, as it is in Eph 6:18, εν παντι χαιρω, in every season, whenever the providence of God offers us a fair season and opportunity for prayer. Or mentally praying always, intermixing good and pious ejaculations with our most earthly and sublunary occasions. Or, having our hearts at all times ready for prayer, having the fire always on the altar, (as was required under the old law), though the sacrifice be not always offering.
And not to faint, which is the same with that, Eph 6:18, watching thereunto with all perseverance; and Col 4:2, Continue in prayer, and watch in the same. Not fainting either by reason of God’s delay to give us the things we ask of him, or through laziness, and remission of our duty, before our life doth determine. This is now what our Saviour designs to teach us in this parable which followeth.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
William Burkitt 1703 · Public Domain On vv1, 9 There is no duty in Christianity, the practice of…
There is no duty in Christianity, the practice of which our Saviour pressed upon us more frequently than this duty of prayer. To encourage his disciples, (and us in them,) to fervency, importunity, and perseverance in this duty, he propounds here the parable of an unjust judge, who was overcome by an importunate widow, to do her justice contrary to his own inclination.
From whence our Saviour argues, that if importunity will prevail with a sinful man, to grant petitions offered to him; how much more prevalent will such importunity be with the infinitely good God, to relieve the necessities of such as devoutly implore his help. And the force of the argument lies thus: "The judge in the parable was an inferior and subordinate judge, was an unrighteous and unjust judge, was a merciless and hard hearted judge; and yet, upon her importunity, he avenged her: how much more will the sovereign and supreme Judge, the holy and righteous, the merciful and compassionate Judge of all the earth, hear and help his praying people, and be the just Avenger of those that fear him"
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From the whole note,
1. That prayer, or a liberty of making our requests known to God, is an inestimable favor and privilege. He that considers the nature of God, and the nature of man, cannot question it: God is a being of infinite fullness and perfection; a self- sufficient, and an all-sufficient good; and man an indigent, helpless, dependent creature, full of wants, and obnoxious to dangers.
2. That prayer is not only an inestimable privilege, but an indispensable duty. So solicitous is God for our welfare and happiness, that he makes our privilege our duty, by the authority of his command; so that we are at once ungrateful to God, and unjust to ourselves, in the most exalted degree, if we do not pray unto him, and spread our wants before him.
3. That this duty of prayer is not an occasional, but a constant duty: Men ought always to pray; that is,
1. At all seasonable times and fit opportunities. We are said to do it seasonably; now the seasons for prayer are morning and evening. As the morning and evening sacrifice was constant among the Jews, and the fire was always upon the altar, and never went out; so he that prays morning and evening, may be said to be instant in prayer, and to pray without ceasing.
2. Always to pray, is an endeavor always to keep the heart in a praying frame, and to be very frequent in offering up pious exclamations, and short mental prayers to God, as occasion shall offer; when in the field, in the shop, in the bed, when sleep departs, in the journey when alone. This may be done advantageously without loss of time, and acceptably without danger of hypocrisy, which too often mingles itself with our more set prayers.
Observe, 4. We must not only pray constantly, but pray fervently, yea, importunately; if we would pray successfully, we must cry to God as the widow to the judge: vehemency and importunity are both helps and ornaments to prayer; they both fortify and beautify our prayers; they pierce the heavens, and offer an holy violence to God: Tertullian says, "God delights in such importunity."
Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? If by the Son of man’s coming we understand Christ’s coming in judgment against Jerusalem, then the sense is this; "That when he comes to take vengeance on the obstinate Jews, and to destroy their city, he will find but little faith, and patient waiting for help from God in the land of Judea, and consequently little importuning him with incessant cries and supplications as this poor woman did the unjust judge."
If by the Son of man’s coming, we understand Christ’s coming to judge the world at the last day, then the sense is, "When he cometh, he will find but few faithful ones, comparatively speaking; he will find but few sincere and serious Christians, in whom the genuine effectws and fruits are found."
Learn, that when Christ shall come to judgment, he will find comparatively very few whose hearts have not fainted, and very many, who through the power that temptation has upon the frailty of human nature are fallen away: When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? Verily, but little faith, and few faithful ones.
William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On vv1, 9 This parable has its key hanging at the door;…
This parable has its key hanging at the door; the drift and design of it are prefixed. Christ spoke it with this intent, to teach us that men ought always to pray and not to faint, Luk 18:1. It supposes that all God's people are praying people; all God's children keep up both a constant and an occasional correspondence with him, send to him statedly, and upon every emergency. It is our privilege and honour that we may pray. It is our duty; we ought to pray, we sin if we neglect it. It is to be our constant work; we ought always to pray, it is that which the duty of every day requires. We must pray, and never grow weary of praying, nor think of leaving it off till it comes to be swallowed up in everlasting praise. But that which seems particularly designed here is to teach us constancy and perseverance in our requests for some spiritual mercies that we are in pursuit of, relating either to ourselves or to the church of God. When we are praying for strength against our spiritual enemies, our lusts and corruptions, which are our worst enemies, we must continue instant in prayer, must pray and not faint, for we shall not seek God's face in vain. So we must likewise in our prayers for the deliverance of the people of God out of the hands of their persecutors and oppressors.
I. Christ shows, by a parable, the power of importunity among men, who will be swayed by that, when nothing else will influence, to do what is just and right. He gives you an instance of an honest cause that succeeded before an unjust judge, not by the equity or compassionableness of it, but purely by dint of importunity. Observe here, 1. The bad character of the judge that was in a certain city. He neither feared God nor regarded man; he had no manner of concern either for his conscience or for his reputation; he stood in no awe either of the wrath of God against him or of the censures of men concerning him: or, he took no care to do his duty either to God or man; he was a perfect stranger both to godliness and honour, and had no notion of either. It is not strange if those that have cast off the fear of their Creator be altogether regardless of their fellow-creatures; where no fear of God is no good is to be expected. Such a prevalency of irreligion and inhumanity is bad in any, but very bad in a judge, who has power in his hand, in the use of which he ought to be guided by the principles of religion and justice, and, if he be not, instead of doing good with his power he will be in danger of doing hurt. Wickedness in the place of judgment was one of the sorest evils Solomon saw under the sun, Ecc 3:16. 2. The distressed case of a poor widow that was necessitated to make her appeal to him, being wronged by some one that thought to bear her down with power and terror. She had manifestly right on her side; but, it should seem, in soliciting to have right done her, she tied not herself to the formalities of the law, but made personal application to the judge from day to day at his own house, still crying, Avenge me of mine adversary; that is, Do me justice against mine adversary; not that she desired to be revenged on him for any thing he had done against her, but that he might be obliged to restore what effects he had of hers in his hands, and might be disabled any more to oppress her. Note, Poor widows have often many adversaries, who barbarously take advantage of their weak and helpless state to invade their rights, and defraud them of what little they have; and magistrates are particularly charged, not only not to do violence to the widow (Jer 21:3), but to judge the fatherless, and plead for the widow (Isa 1:17), to be their patrons and protectors; then they are as gods, for God is so, Psa 68:5. 3. The difficulty and discouragement she met with in her cause: He would not for awhile. According to his usual practice, he frowned upon her, took no notice of her cause, but connived at all the wrong her adversary did her; for she had no bribe to give him, no great man whom he stood in any awe of to speak for her, so that he did not at all incline to redress her grievances; and he himself was conscience of the reason of his dilatoriness, and could not but own within himself that he neither feared God nor regarded man. It is sad that a man should know so much amiss of himself, and be in no care to amend it. 4. The gaining of her point by continually dunning this unjust judge (Luk 18:5): "Because this widow troubleth me, gives me a continual toil, I will hear her cause, and do her justice; not so much lest by her clamour against me she bring me into an ill name, as lest by her clamour to me she weary me; for she is resolved that she will give me no rest till it is done, and therefore I will do it, to save myself further trouble; as good at first as at last." Thus she got justice done her by continual craving; she begged it at his door, followed him in the streets, solicited him in open court, and still her cry was, Avenge me of mine adversary, which he was forced to do, to get rid of her; for his conscience, bad as he was, would not suffer him to send her to prison for an affront upon the court.
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II. He applies this for the encouragement of God's praying people to pray with faith and fervency, and to persevere therein.
1. He assures them that God will at length be gracious to them (Luk 18:6): Hear what the unjust judge saith, how he owns himself quite overcome by a constant importunity, and shall not God avenge his own elect? Observe,
(1.) What it is that they desire and expect: that God would avenge his own elect. Note, [1.] There are a people in the world that are God's people, his elect, his own elect, a choice people, a chosen people. And this he has an eye to in all he does for them; it is because they are his chosen, and in pursuance of the choice he has made of them. [2.] God's own elect meet with a great deal of trouble and opposition in this world; there are many adversaries that fight against them; Satan is their great adversary. [3.] That which is wanted and waited for is God's preserving and protecting them, and the work of his hands in them; his securing the interest of the church in the world and his grace in the heart.
(2.) What it is that is required of God's people in order to the obtaining of this: they must cry day and night to him; not that he needs their remonstrances, or can be moved by their pleadings, but this he has made their duty, and to this he has promised mercy. We ought to be particular in praying against our spiritual enemies, as St. Paul was: For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me; like this importunate widow. Lord, mortify this corruption. Lord, arm me against this temptation. We ought to concern ourselves for the persecuted and oppressed churches, and to pray that God would do them justice, and set them in safety. And herein we must be very urgent; we must cry with earnestness: we must cry day and night, as those that believe prayer will be heard at last; we must wrestle with God, as those that know how to value the blessing, and will have no nay. God's praying people are told to give him no rest, Isa 62:6, Isa 62:7.
(3.) What discouragements they may perhaps meet with in their prayers and expectations. He may bear long with them, and may not presently appear for them, in answer to their prayers. He is makrothumōn ep' autois - he exercises patience towards the adversaries of his people, and does not take vengeance on them; and he exercises the patience of his people, and does not plead for them. He bore long with the cry of the sin of the Egyptians that oppressed Israel, and with the cry of the sorrows of those that were oppressed.
(4.) What assurance they have that mercy will come at last, though it be delayed, and how it is supported by what the unjust judge saith: If this widow prevail by being importunate, much more shall God's elect prevail. For, [1.] This widow was a stranger, nothing related to the judge; but God's praying people are his own elect, whom he knows, and loves, and delights in, and has always concerned himself for. [2.] She was but one, but the praying people of God are many, all of whom come to him on the same errand, and agree to ask what they need, Mat 18:19. As the saints of heaven surround the throne of glory with their united praises, so saints on earth besiege the throne of grace with their united prayers. [3.] She came to a judge that bade her keep her distance; we come to a Father that bids us come boldly to him, and teaches us to cry, Abba, Father. [4.] She came to an unjust judge; we come to a righteous Father (Joh 17:25), one that regards his own glory and the comforts of his poor creatures, especially those in distress, as widows and fatherless. [5.] She came to this judge purely upon her own account; but God is himself engaged in the cause which we are soliciting; and we can say, Arise, O Lord, plead thine own cause; and what wilt thou do to thy great name? [6.] She had no friend to speak for her, to add force to her petition, and to use interest for her more than her own; but we have an Advocate with the Father, his own Son, who ever lives to make intercession for us, and has a powerful prevailing interest in heaven. [7.] She had no promise off speeding, no, nor any encouragement given her to ask; but we have the golden sceptre held out to us, are told to ask, with a promise that it shall be given to us. [8.] She could have access to the judge only at some certain times; but we may cry to God day and night, at all hours, and therefore may the rather hope to prevail by importunity. [9.] Her importunity was provoking to the judge, and she might fear lest it should set him more against her; but our importunity is pleasing to God; the prayer of the upright is his delight, and therefore, we may hope, shall avail much, if it be an effectual fervent prayer.
2. He intimates to them that, notwithstanding this, they will begin to be weary of waiting for him (Luk 18:8): "Nevertheless, though such assurances are given that God will avenge his own elect, yet, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" The Son of man will come to avenge his own elect, to plead the cause of persecuted Christians against the persecuting Jews; he will come in his providence to plead the cause of his injured people in every age, and at the great day he will come finally to determine the controversies of Zion. Now, when he comes, will he find faith on the earth? The question implies a strong negation: No, he will not; he himself foresees it.
(1.) This supposes that it is on earth only that there is occasion for faith; for sinners in hell are feeling that which they would not believe, and saints in heaven are enjoying that which they did believe.
(2.) It supposes that faith is the great thing that Jesus Christ looks for. He looks down upon the children of men, and does not ask, Is there innocency? but, Is there faith? He enquired concerning the faith of those who applied themselves to him for cures.
(3.) It supposes that if there were faith, though ever so little, he would discover it, and find it out. His eye is upon the weakest and most obscure believer.
(4.) It is foretold that, when Christ comes to plead his people's cause, he will find but little faith in comparison with what one might expect. That is, [1.] In general, he will find but few good people, few that are really and truly good. Many that have the form and fashion of godliness, but few that have faith, that are sincere and honest: nay, he will find little fidelity among men; the faithful fail, Psa 12:1, Psa 12:2. Even to the end of time there will still be occasion for the same complaint. The world will grow no better, no, not when it is drawing towards its period. Bad it is, and bad it will be, and worst of all just before Christ's coming; the last times will be the most perilous. [2.] In particular, he will find few that have faith concerning his coming. When he comes to avenge his own elect he looks if there be any faith to help and to uphold, and wonders that there is none, Isa 59:16; Isa 63:5. It intimates that Christ, both in his particular comings for the relief of his people, and in his general coming at the end of time, may, and will, delay his coming so long as that, First, Wicked people will begin to defy it, and to say, Where is the promise of his coming? Pe2 3:4. They will challenge him to come (Isa 5:10; Amo 5:19); and his delay will harden them in their wickedness, Mat 24:48. Secondly, Even his own people will begin to despair of it, and to conclude he will never come, because he has passed their reckoning. God's time to appear for his people is when things are brought to the last extremity, and when Zion begins to say, The Lord has forsaken me. See Isa 49:14; Isa 40:27. But this is our comfort, that, when the time appointed comes, it will appear that the unbelief of man has not made the promise of God of no effect.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv2–14 Saying, there was in a city a judge,.... In…
Saying, there was in a city a judge,.... In every city in the land of Israel, there was a sanhedrim, or court of judicature; in Jerusalem was the great sanhedrim, consisting of seventy one; and in every city where there were an hundred and twenty men, or more, there was a lesser sanhedrim, consisting of twenty three; and in a city in which there were not an hundred and twenty men, were three judges; for there was no sanhedrim, or court of judicature, that consisted of less than three (l): but
"although there is no judicature less than three, "it is lawful for one to judge", according to the law, as it is said, Lev 19:15 "In righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour"; but according to the words of the Scribes, (only,) when there are three, and two that judge, their judgment is no judgment: one who is publicly approved or authorized, or who has taken a licence from the sanhedrim, it is lawful for him to judge alone, but it is not accounted a judicature; and though it is lawful, it is the command of the wise men, that he set others with him; for lo, they say, do not judge alone, for there is none that judgeth alone, but one (m).''
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It may be, this judge was, an authorized and approved one; however, we have instances of single judges, or of persons that have judged alone, at least by the consent of parties.
"R. Abhu was sitting judge, in a synagogue in Caesarea, by himself, his disciples said to him, did not Rabbi so teach us, do not judge alone? he replied to them, when ye see me sit judge by myself, and ye come to me, as those that have taken upon themselves (or agreed to be judged by me); for the tradition is, of things in which they do not take upon them; but if they take upon them, (or agree to be judged,) one may judge, though alone (n).''
And again, elsewhere (o);
"if he is publicly authorized or approved, he judges, though alone; says R. Nachman, as I judge pecuniary causes alone; and so says R. Chijah, as I judge pecuniary judgments alone. --Mar Zutra, the son of R. Nachman, judged a cause, and erred; he came to R. Joseph, who said to him, if they have received thee upon them (agreed to be judged by thee) thou needst not finish; but if not, go and finish.''
The qualifications of one to be a judge, even of the bench of three, were these (p);
"wisdom, meekness (or modesty), and fear, (i.e. of God,) and hatred of mammon, (or money,) love of truth, and to have the love of men, and to be masters of a good name (or to be of good report).''
But the judge in the text, came greatly short of these qualifications: his character follows,
which feared not God, neither regarded man; and therefore, according to the canon, was disqualified from being a judge, since he was destitute of the fear of God; and seeing he regarded not men, he could neither have any love to men, nor any share in the affections of men, and such an one is very unfit to be a judge, for he cannot be thought to have any regard to his conscience, or his credit, and so not to justice and equity. The former of these characters, is what belongs to every man in a state of unregeneracy; there is no true fear of God before the eyes, or in the heart of any unconverted man; wherever it is, it is put there by the grace of God: this is one of the first things which appears in conversion, and shows itself in an hatred of sin, and in the performance of duties; and is increased by the discoveries of the grace and goodness of God; but the want of this is more visible in some than in others: some, though they have not the grace of fear, yet are under some awe of the Divine Being, and pay a regard to the word of God; and what through the force of education, and the dictates of a natural conscience, dare not go such lengths in sin, as some do: but there are others, who even say there is no God, and at least live as if there was none; they endeavour to work themselves, and others, into a disbelief of the being of God; and set their mouths against heaven, deny his providence, and despise his word; stretch out their hands, and strengthen themselves against the Almighty; and in a fearless manner, run upon the thick bosses of his bucklers; they declare their sin as Sodom, and hide it not, yea, glory in it; they promise themselves impunity, and laugh at a future judgment; and of such a cast was this judge, and therefore a very improper person for such an office; for civil magistrates, and rulers of every sort, ought to be just, ruling in the fear of God: and as for the other part of his character, it is not to be wondered at; for such that fear not God, will have little regard to men; no otherwise, or further, than they are obliged to it: indeed, judges ought not to regard men in judgment; that is, to respect the persons of men, and through affection, or flattery, or bribes, wrest judgment: but this is not the sense of the phrase here, since this agrees not with the other part of the character, and since he is called an unjust judge; but the meaning is, that he had no regard to the laws of men, any more than the laws of God; but made his own will the rule of his actions, and had no regard to doing justice between man and man; nor did he care what any man said of him; he had no concern about his reputation and character, having none to lose.
(l) Maimon. Hilch. Sanhedrin, c. 1. sect. 3, 4. (m) lb. c. 2. sect. 10, 11. (n) T. Hieros, Sanhedrin, fol. 18. 1. (o) T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 5. 1. (p) Maimon. Hilch. Sanhedrin, c. 2. sect. 7.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv1, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14 He spake a parable to them - This and…
He spake a parable to them - This and the following parable warn us against two fatal extremes, with regard to prayer: the former against faintness and weariness, the latter against self confidence.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv1–14 The parable of the importunate widow, 1-8.
CHAPTER XVIII.
The parable of the importunate widow, 1-8.
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Of the Pharisee and the publican, 9-14.
Infants brought to Christ, 15-17.
The ruler who wished to know how he might inherit eternal life,
18-23.
Our Lord's reflections on his case, 24-27.
What they shall receive who follow Christ, 28-30.
He foretells his approaching passion and death, 31-34.
He restores a blind man to sight at Jericho, 35-43.
NOTES ON CHAP. XVIII.
Verse 1. Men ought always to pray] Therefore the plain meaning and moral of the parable are evident; viz. that as afflictions and desolations were coming on the land, and they should have need of much patience and continual fortitude, and the constant influence and protection of the Almighty, therefore they should be instant in prayer. It states, farther, that men should never cease praying for that the necessity of which God has given them to feel, till they receive a full answer to their prayers. No other meaning need be searched for in this parable: St. Luke, who perfectly knew his Master's meaning, has explained it as above.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 6, 9, 11, 13 Luk 18:1. And he spake, &c. — Ελεγε δε…
Luk 18:1. And he spake, &c. — Ελεγε δε και παραβολην αυτοις. He also spake a parable to them. The particle δε, here used, plainly implies, that this parable has a relation to the preceding discourse, of which indeed it is a continuation, but which is improperly interrupted by the division of the chapters. There is in it, and in the following parable, a particular reference to the distress and trouble they were soon to meet with from their persecutors, which would render the duties of prayer, patience, and perseverance peculiarly seasonable. That men ought always to pray — At all times, on all occasions, or frequently, (as the word παντοτε, here rendered always, signifies, Joh 18:20,) and not to faint — Under their trials, not to despond, or yield to evils, as εκκακειν, here used, signifies, so as to be wearied out by them, and cease from prayer, as unavailing to procure relief. It frequently happens, that after men have prayed for any particular blessing, they desist, because God does not immediately grant them their petition. To show the evil of this, and to recommend importunity and perseverance in prayer especially when we are in pursuit of any spiritual mercy or mercies, relating either to ourselves, our friends, or the church of God, the present parable is introduced. As delivered on this occasion, it seems to have been principally designed to inspire the disciples with earnestness and perseverance in their prayers for the coming of the Son of man to destroy the Jewish constitution, notwithstanding God should long defer the accomplishment of their desire. For this event is represented, not only here, but in several other passages of Scripture, as a thing exceedingly to be wished for in those days. The reason was, the Jews in every country were their bitterest persecutors, and the chief opposers of Christianity. See Luk 21:28; Heb 10:25; Jas 5:7; 1Pe 4:7. Independent of this, however, in the course of his ministry, our Lord often recommended frequency, earnestness, and perseverance in prayer, not because God is, or can be, ever tired out with our importunity; but because it is both an expression and exercise of our firm belief of, and confidence in, his power and goodness, without which it would not be fit for God to bestow his blessings upon us, nor would we be capable of receiving and using them. See on Mat 7:7-11; Luk 11:5-8. Of continual praying, see on 1Th 5:17.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 A parable - See the notes at Mat 13:3.
A parable - See the notes at Mat 13:3.
To this end - To show this.
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Always - At all times. That is, we must not neglect regular stated seasons of prayer; we must seize on occasions of remarkable providences as afflictions or signal blessings to seek God in prayer; we must “always” maintain a spirit of prayer, or be in a proper frame to lift up our hearts to God for his blessing, and we must not grow weary though our prayer seems not to be answered.
Not to faint - Not to grow weary or give over. The parable is designed to teach us that, though our prayers should long appear to be unanswered, we should persevere, and not grow weary in supplication to God.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14 Always to pray, i.e. to pray daily, and frequently;…
Always to pray, i.e. to pray daily, and frequently; (Witham) and also to walk always in the presence of God, by a spirit of prayer, love, and sorrow for sin.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
John Nelson Darby 1862 · Public Domain On v1 Luke Chapter 18
Luke Chapter 18
But, in the presence of all the power of their enemies and oppressors (for there would be such, as we have seen, so that they might even lose their lives), there was a resource for the afflicted remnant. They were (chap. 18) to persevere in prayer, the resource, moreover, at all times, of the faithful-of man, if he understand it. God would avenge His elect, although, as to the exercise of their faith, He would, indeed, try it. But when He came, would the Son of man find this faith that waited for His intervention? That was the solemn question, the answer to which is left to the responsibility of man-a question which implies that it could hardly be expected, although it ought to exist. Nevertheless, should there be any faith acceptable to Him who seeks it, it will not be disappointed or confounded.
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It will be observed, that the kingdom (and that is the subject) is presented in two ways among the Jews at that time-in the Person of Jesus then present (Luk 17:21), and in the execution of the judgment, in which the elect ones should be spared, and the vengeance of God be executed in their behalf. On this account, they were only to think of pleasing Him, however oppressive and at ease the world might be. It is the day of the judgment of the wicked, and not that in which the righteous will be caught up to heaven. Enoch and Abraham are more the types of the latter; Noe and Lot, of those who will be spared to live on the earth; only there are oppressors of whom the remnant are to be avenged.Luk 18:31 shews that they must think only of the judgment and connect themselves with nothing as men. Detached from everything, their only hope would be in God at such a moment.
The Lord then resumes, in verse 9 of chapter 18 (Luk 18:9), the description of those characters which were suitable to the kingdom, to enter it now by following Him. From Luk 18:35 [38] the great transition draws near historically. Verse 8, then, of chapter 18 (Luk 18:8), ends the prophetic warning with respect to the last days. The Lord afterwards resumes the consideration of the characters which befit the state of things introduced by grace. Self-righteousness is far from being a recommendation for entrance into the kingdom. The most miserable sinner, confessing his sin, is justified before God rather than the self-righteous. He that exalts himself shall be abased, and he that humbles himself shall be exalted. What apattern and witness of this truth was the Lord Jesus Christ Himself!
The spirit of a little child-simple, believing all that he is told, confiding, of little importance in his own eyes, who must give way to all-this was meet for the kingdom of God. What else would He admit?
Again, the principles of the kingdom, as established by the rejection of Christ, were in full contrast with the temporal blessings attached to obedience to the law, excellent as that law was in its place. Goodness in man there was none: God only is good. The young man who had fulfilled the law in his outward walk is called to leave everything that he may follow the Lord. Jesus knew his circumstances and his heart, and put His finger on the covetousness that ruled him and was fed by the riches he possessed. He was to sell all that he had and follow Jesus; he should have treasure in heaven. The young man went away sorrowful. The riches that, in the eyes of men, appeared to be a sign of God’s favour, were but a hindrance when the heart and heaven came in question. The Lord announces at the same time, that whosoever should forsake anything that he prized for the sake of the kingdom of heaven should receive much more in this world, and, in the next, life everlasting. We may remark that it is only the principle which is here laid down in reference to the kingdom.
At last the Lord, on His way to Jerusalem, plainly tells His disciples in private that He was going to be delivered up, to be ill-treated and put to death, and then to rise again. It was the fulfilment of all that the prophets had written. But the disciples understood none of those things.
If the Lord was to make those who followed Him take up the cross, He could not but bear it Himself. He went before His sheep, in this path of self-denial and devotedness, to prepare the way. He went alone. It was a path which His people had not yet trodden, nor indeed could they till after He had done so.
Footnotes for Luke Chapter 18
38: The case of the blind man at Jericho is, as already noted, the beginning (in all the synoptical Gospels) of the last events of Christ’s life.
John Nelson Darby — Synopsis of the Books of the Bible: the New Testament (c. 1857–1862) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures 1864 · Public Domain On vv1, 9 3. The Judge and the Widow (Luk_18:1-8)
3. The Judge and the Widow (Luk_18:1-8)
1And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men [they1] ought always topray, and not to faint [become discouraged]; 2Saying, There was in a [certain] city a3[certain] judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widowin that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 4And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God,nor regard man; 5Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her6continual coming [coming forever, εἰς τέλος] she weary [stun, or, distract] me. Andthe Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 7And shall not God avenge his ownelect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he [indeed, ἆρα] find faith on the earth?
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EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
Luk_18:1. And He spake.—Although it is possible that between this and the immediately preceding discourse of the Saviour some intervening discourses were delivered (Olshausen, Schleiermacher), yet this hypothesis is not indispensably necessary, as the connection of the parable of the Unjust Judge with the foregoing discourse about the Parusia, strikes the eye at once. The Saviour had already long before announced that heavy times were coming, in which conflicts and oppression would by no means be wanting to His people; what could He now do better than to admonish them to persevering prayer, that, at last, the long-sighed-for ἐκδίκησις, Luk_18:7, might become their happy lot? The parable, according to this, is principally addressed to His disciples (αὐτούς, comp. Luk_17:22), and the not becoming discouraged against which a warning is here given with so much earnestness, is not the neglect of the Christian vocation generally, but especially of prayer, as sufficiently appears from the example of the Widow.
Luk_18:2. A certain judge.—According to Deu_16:18, Israel must have in all the gates of the city judges, who in cases that occurred had to deliver sentence, and were under obligation to administer justice, without respect of persons. See Exo_23:6-9; Lev_19:15. In the days of our Lord, also, such municipal tribunals existed, Mat_5:21-22; and it is not impossible that the narrative before us was taken from life. The character of the judge here delineated is of such a kind that he allows himself, with perfect recklessness, to be controlled by the most shameless selfishness. Of the two impulses which often restrain men from evil—the fear of God and respect to men—neither one is able to move him to strict righteousness. He is destitute of the character of genuine Old Testament piety, φόβοςτ. Θεοῦ, as well as of respect for the judgment of others. Thus does he stand even below the ungodly, who, at least, still have the latter, and what is the worst, he is not even ashamed of this his reckless temper in his soliloquizing.
Luk_18:3. Avenge me.—The widow desires not only that he will at last make an end of her tedious suit (Schleiermacher), but that he will deliver her forever from the hand of a mighty adversary, who is obstinately persecuting the helpless woman. Although now every soul that finds itself in similar distress may, in a certain sense, be compared to such a woman, yet the connection of the discourse gives us occasion to find here in particular an intimation of the Church of the Lord, which before His παρουσία is in apparent defencelessness exposed to the obstinately assailing might of the world and sin, while it a thousand times appears as if she called on God entirely in vain for deliverance and victory.
Luk_18:4. A while, ἐπὶ χρόνον, aliquamdiu, Erasmus. Indefinite indication of the comparatively long time during which all entreaty might appear in vain.—In the days of the great tribulations, Mat_24:21-22. They must be spent in prayer, these days, but reach an end as surely as the widow’s time of trial The justice which the Unjust Judge executes by constraint, the Righteous One bestows at its due time willingly.
Luk_18:5. Yet because.—Comp. Luk_11:8. The judge gives ear to the widow, because her endless complaining becomes unendurable to him. How greatly the beauty of the parable is heightened by the fact that he communicates his resolution in the form of a soliloquy, strikes the eye at once. The tragical fortune of the widow is related in dramatic form.—Εἰς τέλος, not tandem but incessantly, LXX = לָנֵצִה,—ὑπωπιάζειν, properly to beat one black and blue under the eyes, but then also proverbial for the designation of any possible torment, comp. 1Co_9:27. According to Meyer, the judge is to be understood as having really become afraid, or at least having scoffingly presented the case to himself that the woman might become desperate, and undertake to make an attack upon him and strike him in the face. Possible, undoubtedly; but surely this was no feature that would have suited well to the image of a defenceless and supplicating widow, since she in this way would have been transformed into a fury. As to the rest, it appears from the whole monologue that it is only selfishness that determines the judge now to yield, as it had before impelled him to unrighteousness. The Vulgate, Ne sugillet me. Luther’s marginal gloss: “That she may not plague and torture me, as they say of impetuous and wanton people: How much the man plagues me.” Well expressed is the proverbial character of the style of speaking in the Dutch translation: Opdat zy niet kome en my het hoofd breke. [That she may not come and break my head for me.]
Luk_18:6. Hear what.—In surprising wise the Saviour holds the man of power to the word which He has Himself put in his mouth. Here, also, rising from the humanly imperfect to the Divinely perfect as before, Luk_11:5; Luk_16:8 : in which, of course, we have to take careful note of the tertium comparationis. The force of the antithesis in the question: and shall not God, &c, may be better felt than rendered in a paraphrase. As to the rest, here also the Elect are not conceived so much as individuals, but rather as a collective body, although, of course, what is here said is applicable also to every individual in his measure.
Luk_18:7. Though He bear long with them, καὶ μακροθυμεῖ ἐπ’ αὐτοῖς.—In the reading preferred by us it is not necessary to take καί in the sense of καίπερ, quamvis, comp. Act_7:5; Heb_3:9, and elsewhere. With μακροθυμεῖ it is not the idea of forbearance in general, but delaying of help that is to be adhered to, and the second half of the question, Luk_18:7, is, with Meyer, therefore, to be paraphrased: “and is it His way in reference to them to delay His help?” It appears from this that the first member of the question requires an affirmative, the second, on the other hand, a negative, answer; and that the here-designated μακροθυμία stands directly in contrast with the ἑκδίκ. ποιεῖν ἐν τάχει which, Luk_18:8, is promised in the most certain manner. ’Επί designates the ἐκλεκτοί as objects of a delay, in respect to which, according to the Saviour’s word, it cannot be thought that it should endure endlessly. He gives here, therefore, not the assurance that God is forbearing towards His own, which here would not be at all in place, nor yet that He for their sake postpones the punishment of His enemies, which is Indeed taught in other places, but not here; but He denies that God can to the last withhold a help which His elect so ardently entreat from Him.
Luk_18:8. I tell you.—The fixed assurance of the opposite of the negative μακροθ. ἐπ̓ αὐτοῖς. God is so far from being more inexorable than the Unjust Judge, that, on the contrary, He will hasten, after shorter or longer delay, to assure the victory to the cause of right. The ἐκδίκησις runs here parallel with the Parusia of our Lord, at which His enemies are most deeply humbled. While this παρουσία was in the last chapter represented as the terror of the careless, it is here described as the deliverance of the oppressed, and as the hearing of the prayers which have day and night ascended from the hearts of the elect towards heaven.
Nevertheless, when the Son of Man cometh.—After the Saviour has assured His own that God will in no case leave their complaints unheard, He emphatically proposes to them the question, whether they would indeed exhibit so much patience and perseverance in prayer as the Widow had displayed, and shows thereby that He, at least in relation to some of them, doubts thereof. There is not the least ground to understand here any other than the last coming of the Son of Man, which, it is true, presupposes an uninterrupted, continually ascending climax of revelations of His glory. The Saviour transports Himself in spirit to the time of the συντέλεια τοῦ αὶῶνος, which shall be preceded by the last conflict and the deepest tribulation of His church, and which His disciples on earth are to endure in faith, prayer, patient waiting. Will their faith, even after the long time of trial, be yet great and persevering enough to be able to reckon on such a deliverance as this widow obtained? Ἆρα contains a certain intimation of doubt, which must stimulate His own so much the more strongly to remain, along with their praying, watchful also.—τὴν πίστιν designates, not saving faith in general, which recognizes Jesus as the Messiah (Meyer), nor yet the faithfulness of the disciples, which elsewhere, Luk_12:35-48, is demanded of them (De Wette); but faith in God as a Righteous Judge, which alone enables to so persevering prayer, and which in His disciples is most intimately connected with personal faith on the Saviour, comp. Joh_14:1. Plainly our Lord presupposes that this faith will have to sustain a severe conflict, on account of the delay of the hearing of prayer and the delay of the Parusia. There is, however, no need whatever on this account to assume (De Wette), that the present redaction of this parable belongs to a later period, comp. 2Pe_3:3. In other places also it gleams, not obscurely, through the words of the Saviour, that the παρουσία will not come so quickly as some suppose, comp. Mat_25:5; Mat_25:19.
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. In the doctrine of Christian prayer, the parable of the Unjust Judge, preserved to us by Luke alone, may with right be named a locus classicus. In parabolic form the promise is here repeated which in John, Luke 14-16, is given without a parable. It is, however, to be observed, in addition, that “to pray ever” is not exactly “to pray without ceasing,” of which there is mention, 1Th_5:17. By the latter, the uninterrupted living and breathing of the soul in communion with God is designated; here, on the other hand, the unwearied praying and calling for the same thing is meant, as to which one has attained the persuasion that it coincides with God’s will. Paul speaks of the prevailing frame of mind of the believer; the Saviour, on the other hand, of the conflict of prayer of the distressed and suffering disciple.
2. In a striking way is the relation of the Church militant to the hostile world placed before our eyes in the image of the Widow.—“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 redeeming coming. 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. Only we must guard ourselves against the inclination to find here a definite period in the history of the church militant, as, for instance, Vitringa does, who interpreted this parable of the relation of the Roman Emperors to the Christian church, through whom the church was first oppressed, but afterwards protected. The image has, in a greater or less measure, found its fulfilment in all ages, and will in particular be realized in the yet impending grievous times of which Paul speaks, 2Ti_3:1, and elsewhere.
3. This parable deserves so well its place in the Pauline Gospel of Luke for the reason also that the disciples of the Saviour are here very especially represented as ἐκλεκτοί. As such they are, entirely without their own merits, the objects of the gracious complacency of God, and may even regard their cause as His. Persevering prayer is at once the sign and the pulse of their spiritual life, and all their prayers meet in the ἔρχου, which the Spirit and the Bride unceasingly repeat, locking towards the heavenly Bride-groom. Rev_22:17.
4. Before one extols excessively the righteousness and the love of the natural man, it is well worth the, trouble for once carefully to distinguish how much of it, as with the Unjust Judge, is begotten of necessity arid selfishness. This is precisely the character of that external good which man accomplishes outside of union with God; namely, that it is entirely accidental, springs from caprice—not from a fixed principle—and remains a fruit of carnal calculation, but not of spontaneous obedience.
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
The coming of the Saviour must not only be awaited with watching, but also with praying.—Christian perseverance in prayer: 1. A holy; 2. a difficult; 3. a blessed duty.—Injustice here below is not seldom practised under the form of law, and by those who should administer justice.—The image of the church militant: 1. The Widow, Isa_54:1-2; Isaiah 2. the Adversary, 1Pe_5:8; 1 Peter 3. the Judge, Psa_43:1.—God, a Husband of widows and a Judge of orphans.—From His elect God cannot possibly withhold what an unjust judge grants a complaining widow.—God delays long, but only to make haste at last.—All the prayers of the church militant converge at last in longing for the coming of the Lord.—The Lord comes: 1. In order to humble His enemies; 2. in order to redeem His friends; 3. in order on both to reveal His glory.—How small comparatively will the number of those be whose faith and prayer endures to the end.—The Son of Man will, at His coming, find not only careless enemies, but also faint-hearted disciples.—The long postponed deliverance comes certainly, and at last often unexpectedly besides.—The persevering prayer of faith: 1. A widely comprehensive duty of faith; 2. an indispensable support of faith, Luk_18:2; Luke 3. a painful conflict of faith, Luk_18:4 a.; 4 a triumphant might of faith, Luk_18:4 b.; 5 a rare fruit of faith, Luk_18:8.
Starke: Quesnel:—Prayer is a property of the poor, and sighing the salvation of the wretched.—Canstein:—Power in the world often misleads men, so that they concern themselves neither about God nor man.—Where there is no fear of God, there is also no true respect nor regard for man.—Rulers should, according to God’s commandment, take especial care of widows and orphans, Isa_1:17; Jer_7:6.—Complaints are torments, even in the most righteous cause.—God brings to pass justice and righteousness when it pleases Him, even through an unrighteous judge.—Canstein:—One can draw profit even from the worst examples.—Hedinger:—Beware of impatience: God does not what we prescribe to Him, but what He finds good for us, 1Jn_5:14.—Zeisius:—When often before believers’ eyes all appears to be lost, help is often nearest at hand, Psa_12:6.—Heubner:—The question whether prayer is a duty, is as sensible as that whether it is a duty to breathe.—Continuous prayer to God the best help of widows.—The prayer of the elect must at last be heard, for the redemption of the saints is God’s eternal will.—Without faith in God’s father’s heart, prayer is grimace.—Faith is the main thing on which all depends.—Lisco:—Motives for the citizens of the kingdom to persevering in prayer.—Zimmermann:—Persevere in prayer; to that should impel us: 1. The consciousness of our dependence on God; 2. the greatness of our need; 3. the so oft delaying help; 4. the certainty of a final answer.—Gerok:—The course of Christians through the school of prayer: 1. The need which brings before God’s door; 2. the faith that knocks at God’s door; 3. the patience that waits before God’s door; 4. the experience that goes in at God’s door.—F. Arndt:—Why should we persevere in prayer? 1. Grounds in us; 2. grounds in God.
Footnotes:
[1]Luk_18:1.—Αὐτούς. See Lachmann and Tischendorf, ad locum.
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 13, 14 feared not . . . neither regarded--defying the vengeance…
feared not . . . neither regarded--defying the vengeance of God and despising the opinion of men.
widow--weak, desolate, defenseless (Ti1 5:5, which is taken from this).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv1–14 § 98.—PARABLE OF THE UNJUST Judges , vv1-8.
§ 98.—PARABLE OF THE UNJUST Judges , vv1-8.
As in the previous chapter, the discourse has a reference to the Second Coming of the Lord. The Church is a widow in his absence; she has an oppressive adversary, being the persecuting world, or the devil, of whom it is the instrument; God is to her, for the interval, as the relentless, unlistening judge. Great is the danger that her faith should fail, and her prayer grow faint and cease. But, in fact, she has a swift Avenger of whom she should never lose sight. Yet when the Son of man comes to execute that vengeance, though the Church through her long life shall have sent millions to glory, there will peradventure be scarce a faithful remnant on earth!
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1. Unto them—Unto his disciples. Though it was doubtless later in their journey toward the Jordan than the discourse of the coming of the Son of man in the last chapter, yet the impress of that discourse is upon the mind, and the same solemn topic tinges the present parable.
Always to pray—The habit of earnest vocal devotion, public, family, and private, will in due time impregnate the Christian soul with prayer. The human spirit thus attains the temper in which it spontaneously breathes prayer.
And not to faint—Not faint through weariness of the long well doing. It is a sad thing when prayer grows silent on the lips, and faint in the heart. For since prayer is the vital breath of the Christian, without it the Christian life ceases, and the man is spiritually dead.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv1–14 Luk_18:1-8. The Duty of Urgent Prayer. The Unjust Judge.
Luk_18:1-8. The Duty of Urgent Prayer. The Unjust Judge.
1. that men ought always to pray] Rather, that they ought always to pray, since the true reading adds abrovs. It is only here and in Luk_18:9 that the explanation or point of a parable is given before the parable itself. Both parables are peculiar to St Luke. The duty inculcated is rather urgent prayer (as in Luk_11:5-13) than that spirit of unflagging prayer which is elsewhere enforced, Luk_21:36; 1Th_5:17; Eph_6:18. “Prayer is the soid’s sincere desire Uttered, or unexpressed.”
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and not to faint] The word used is a late word meaning to give in through cowardice, or give up from faint-heartedness. It is a Pauline word, 2Co_4:1; 2Co_4:16; Gal_6:9.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv1–14 (1) That men ought always to pray, and not…
XVIII.
(1) That men ought always to pray, and not to faint.—The latter of the two verbs is noticeable as being used in the New Testament by St. Luke and St. Paul only (2Co_4:1; 2Co_4:16; Gal_6:9; 2Th_3:13). The whole verse is remarkable as being one of the few instances (Luk_18:9 being another) in which a parable is introduced by a distinct statement as to its drift and aim.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 Vers. 1-14. The Lord speaks the two parables on…
Vers. 1-14. The Lord speaks the two parables on prayer the importunate widow, and the Pharisee and publican.
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. The formula elege de kai , literally, "and he spake also," calls attention to the fact that the parable-teaching immediately to follow was a continuation of what had preceded. Indeed, the connection between the first of the two parables, which urges restless continued prayer, and the picture which the Lord had just drawn of men"s state of utter forgetfulness of God, is obvious. "The Son of man has been rejected; he has gone from view; the masses are plunged in gross worldliness; men of God are become as rare as, in the days of Abraham, they were in Sodom. What, then, is the position of the Church? That of a widow whose only weapon is incessant prayer. It is only by means of this intense concentration that faith will be preserved. But such is precisely the disposition which Jesus fears may not be found even in the Church at his return" (Godet).
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Vers. 1-8. The importunate widow.
The importance which Christ attaches to prayer is evidenced by the frequency with which he recurs to it in his teaching, and the variety of his illustration of its duty and blessedness. The sermon on the mount enforces it as one of the cardinal virtues of the perfect disciple. In the eleventh chapter of this Gospel both the manner after which we are to pray, and the assurance on which faith should rest, are presented. Again, towards the close of the ministry we are introduced to two parables bearing on it, each with the lesson which the Master would teach clearly defined. The former of these two has this as its object (ver. 1), "that men ought always," i.e. unremittingly, "to pray, and not to faint;" i.e. not to be scared by hindrances, or induced to desist by the sickness which comes through hope deferred. The structure of the parable is very simple. There is a judge who neither fears God nor regards man. A poor widow, who has been wronged, claims his interposition. He pays no regard to her suit. But she importunes him; day by day she presents herself, until, though he has no regard to the justice of her case, he listens to her pleading in order that he may be relieved of her solicitations. If man, unjust and selfish, thus yields to unceasing prayer, how much more, argues Jesus, will he, who is the Absolutely Just and the Infinitely Loving, yield to the cry, day and night, of his own people! Notice three features in the delineation.
I GOD IN CONTRAST WITH THE HUMAN AVENGER. The latter consults his own ease. He acts in mere selfishness. The Eternal Righteousness is ever consistent with itself. "To this man will I look, even to him that is humble and contrite in spirit.
II GOD"S PEOPLE IN CONTRAST WITH THE WIDOW. They resemble her in one thing in the sense of need, of helplessness. But the widow stands in no special relation to the judge. God"s people are his own elect. They are part of the blood-bought, ransomed family. "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God;" and "the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him." Each of them is in the most intimate relation to the Eternal. "I am poor and needy, yet the Lord thinketh on me.
III THE LONG-SUFFERING OF GOD IN CONTRAST WITH THE LONG-SUFFERING OF MAN. The long-suffering of man is in consequence of the indisposition to act; if in the end. it is dispelled, if the action after a lengthened interval follows, it is only that repose may be purchased by the effort, and that the mind may be free to carry out its unloving projects. God bears long with his elect, not because he is unwilling to bless, but that he may draw them closer to himself, that he may prepare them for fuller measures of blessing, that he may chasten their wills into completer union with his will, and so ultimately bestow the higher gifts of his Fatherhood. When they cry, there is much that needs to be corrected; they desire only what they regard as the best or what will relieve them from some pressure. There is still a distance between their will and his; he delays the answer that they may be brought in true self-emptiness to his heart, and that, their faith being purified, they may be enriched out of his exceeding abundance. So the Lord bore long with Job; in him patience had its perfect work; he learned to "abhor himself, and repent in dust and ashes;" he was "attuned also to finer issues" by the charity which led him to pray for his friends. And the Lord turned his captivity when his prayer was thus disciplined and enlarged, and he received "twice as much as he had before." So, too, the woman of Canaan cried, and "the Lord answered her not a word" (Matthew 15). Then came she "and worshipped him." She bowed her whole soul before him, and she received the reward of the "great faith." "Therefore," says the Lord, faint not. " "Pray without ceasing." The heavens above are not brass. There is a flexibility in the ordering of the universe which admits of the answer, direct and real, to prayer. "More things are wrought by prayer than the world dreams of." "O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come." The Lord anticipates a decadence in the belief as to the efficacy of prayer, for he adds a "nevertheless" (ver. 8). Is this loss of faith true of the Church and of Christians in this day?
HOMILIES BY W. CLARKSON Vers. 1-7. Continuance in prayer: Divine delay.
We have first to consider what is
I THE ARGUMENT IN THE TEXT. It is one from the less to the greater, or rather from the unworthy to the worthy. If a bad man will, for a poor reason, accede to the request of one for whom he cares nothing, how much more certainly will the Righteous One himself, for a good reason, espouse the cause of those who are so dear to him! The reasons for confidence in God"s faithfulness and interposition are therefore threefold.
1. If an unprincipled judge amongst men will finally do justice, assuredly the righteous Judge of all the earth will do so. His character is something which cannot fail; we may build on that as on the most solid rock.
2. If justice is granted by us for so poor a reason as that of fearing vexatious annoyance, surely God will listen and will respond to reverent and believing prayer. He is far more certain to be won by that in us which pleases him than is an unjust judge by that in his appellant which annoys him. And our approach to him in prayer, our reverent attitude, our faith in his goodness, our trust in his Word, all this is very pleasing unto our Father.
3. If a man will yield a demand made by one to whom he does not feel himself related, and in whom he is absolutely uninterested, how confident we may be that God will interpose on behalf of those who, as his own sons and daughters, are dear to his parental heart, and who, collectively, constitute "his own elect those who are most tenderly and intimately related to him in Jesus Christ his Son!
II THE SERIOUS FACT OF THE DIVINE DELAY. "Though he bear long with them" (ver. 7), or, "and he delays to interpose in their cause" (Dr. Bruce). It is certain that, from our point of view, God does delay to vindicate his people; his answer does not come as soon as we expect it; it is held back so long that we are ready "to faint" (Lose heart). Thus was it many times in the history of Israel; thus has it been frequently in the history of the Church of Christ. How many times have suffering bands of noble martyrs looked up piteously and despondently to heaven as they cried, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood?" Thus has it been in multitudes of individual instances; men have been oppressed, or they have been embarrassed, or they have been disappointed, or they have been otherwise afflicted; they have appealed to God for his delivering grace; and they have looked long in vain for the Divine response. They say, "O my God, I cry,... but thou hearest not". (Psa_22:2)
III THE EXPLANATION THAT WILL BE FOUND. The time will come when we shall understand why God did delay to answer us. But we may be quite sure that when it comes it will be seen:
1. That it was not in him not in his absence from us, nor his indifference to us, nor his unreadiness to help us.
2. That it, was in us in our unreadiness to receive his interposition, or in the misuse we should make of it, or in the greater and truer good to be gained by our patience than by our relief; and thus in the ultimate gain to our own well-being by his withholding.
IV THE BLESSED FACT THAT IT IS ONLY A DELAY. "I tell you that he will avenge them speedily.
1. It is probable that when God does manifest his power he will work speedy and overwhelming destruction to the guilty; he will avenge "speedily, i.e. quickly, instantaneously. "How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image". (Psa_73:19, Psa_73:20)
2. It is certain that in his own time and way God will defend his people, that he will relieve his children, that he will redeem and bless his "own elect." His faithfulness to his Word; his love for them that love him; his intimacy of relation to those who are "in Jesus Christ; this is a sure and absolute pledge that the appeal to him cannot be and will not be in vain. Men ought continuously, perseveringly, to pray, and never to lose heart. The day of Divine appearing is entered in the books of God. C.
HOMILIES BY R.M. EDGAR Vers. 1-14. Lessons in prayer.
Our Lord, in the two parables composing the present passage, gives the disciples encouragement to pray. The one brings out the need of perseverance and importunity in prayer; the other brings out the spirit of self-abasement which should be cultivated in prayer. They are thus linked together as twin lessons in the art of prayer.
I LET US NOTICE THE NEEDFUL IMPORTUNITY OF GOD"S ELECT AS ILLUSTRATED BY THE IMPORTUNATE WIDOW. (Vers. 1-8) The story is about an earthly judge of unscrupulous character, to whom a widow in her weakness, but with a deep sense of injury, appeals for redress. The weak woman is able by her importunity to extort from the heartless judge the redress which he would give on no other conditions. He even becomes facetious and humorous over it, and declares that he will avenge her, lest "by her continual coming she strike me" Having related this story, our Lord makes certain deductions from it. And:
1. He declares that at his coming there will little faith in his advent. (Ver. 8) Now, this unbelief about his advent can be accounted for on several grounds.
(1) The procession of nature is so uniform. All things seem to continue as they were from the creation. Nature is on so largo and grand a scale that we do not appreciate the real progress, and imagine that we are in the midst of a standstill. Uniformity, however, is not standstill.
(2) Hope deferred will make many hearts sick. And so what has been so long talked of and yet has never appeared will be thought at last as never to appear. And
(3) stoicism will lead many just to take things as they are, and entertain no concern about any change. It is astonishing how easy-going people tolerate manifest wrongs rather than take the trouble either to pray about them or to work for their removal. But:
2. Our Lord acknowledges the wrong to which his elect ones have been exposed. Their cry is for justice, for redress, like the widow. Now, our Lord admits that his people have not got justice from the world. The world has not been worthy of them. The world has made them time after time martyrs. It is a great assurance that the Lord acknowledges his servants" wrongs.
3. He intimates at the same time that, like the widow, they will need importunity. The one weapon must be wielded and wielded incessantly. He keeps us waiting doubtless for our good. If we got all the moment we asked it, how should we ever learn patience? But:
4. He promises a sudden redress. The idea seems to be not "speedily" but "suddenly" he will avenge them. It will be a sharp and decisive deliverance when it comes. We thus see that all life"s discipline is planned to stimulate prayer. And when we have least taste for it, we should, like Luther, pray on. This is the importunity the Lord loves and will answer.
II LET US NOTICE THE SPIRIT OF SELF-ABASEMENT WHICH SHOULD CHARACTERIZE OUR PRAYER AS ILLUSTRATED IN THE PARABLE OF THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. (Vers. 9-14) And in this second story we have a Pharisee first presented whose prayer is an outburst of self-confidence. He thanks God that he is so much better than his neighbours. For in these he recognizes extortioners, unjust men, and adulterers. A self-righteous spirit is censorious; its prayer is a criticism; even a publican"s modesty in standing afar off, and his contrition in smiting on his breast, are set down to his disparagement. Then the Pharisee can congratulate himself on fasting twice a week, and on giving tithes of all he possesses. But he was not a bit the better for all tiffs so-called prayer, this bit of blatant self-praise. On the other hand, the publican, though he remained afar off and hardly ventured to look up, but smote on his breast and cried, "God be merciful to me a sinner!" went down to his house a happier and better man. For the important point is not their consciousness, but God"s attitude towards their respective spirits. To the one spirit God responds by justification and a sense of acceptance. The other is sent empty away. Hence the principles Jesus deduces are twofold.
1. Self-exaltation always precedes abasement. The proud will sooner or later get his fall. The Pharisaic spirit is always humiliated in the end. The man who is filled with self-satisfaction is only demonstrating his own self-ignorance and distance from God and his great ideal.
2. Self-abasement always leads to exaltation. It is when we feel "as a beast" before God, like Asaph in the seventy-third psalm, that we are on the way to spiritual rapture. For God has provided for the abased sinner the pardon he needs, and, besides the pardon, sanctification and everlasting progress. Let us, then, pray in the penitential key continually, and let us pray determined not to be deified; and heights of spiritual exaltation and rapture will be seen rising from our very feet, and inviting us to sit down on them with Jesus. R.M.E.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv1, 9 Men ought always to pray, and not to faint
Luk_18:1-8
Men ought always to pray, and not to faint
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The strange weapon-All-prayer
While Christian was in the Palace Beautiful, they showed him all the remarkable objects in the armory, from the ox-goad of Shamgar to the sword of the Spirit.
And amongst the arms he saw, and with some of which he was arrayed as be left the place, was a single weapon with a strange, new name--All-prayer. When I was a child, I used to wonder much what this could have been--its shape, its use. I imagine I know something more about it in these later years. At any rate, I think Bunyan found his name for it in one of the New Testament Epistles: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit Eph_6:18). It so happens, also, that we have two parables of our Lord given us in the eighteenth chapter of Luke to one end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. One of these parables teaches the lesson of importunity, the other teaches the lesson of sincerity. And it does not need that we draw from this collocation the subtle suggestion that want of importunity and want of sincerity are what weaken the weapon of all-prayer, and render faint the heart of the Christian who wields it. We know that we do not pray always, and that we do not always pray.
I. Let us take up this matter of IMPORTUNITY in the outset. At first sight it gives perplexity to some students of the Bible. We must notice that Christ does not identify His Father, the Hearer of Prayer, with this judge in the parable in any sense whatsoever. The very point of the illustration turns upon his superiority. God is just, and this man was unjust. This petitioner was a lonely widow and a stranger; God was dealing with His own elect. The woman came uninvited; Christians are pressed with invitations to ask, and knock, and seek. The unjust judge never agreed to listen to the widow; God has promised, over and over again, that it shall be granted to those that ask. The judge may have had relations with this womans adversary which would complicate, and, in some way, commit him to an unnecessary quarrel in her behalf, if his office should be exercised in defence; God is in open and declared conflict, on His own account, with our adversary, and rejoices to defeat his machinations, and avenge His own chosen speedily.
Hence, the whole teaching of the story is directed towards our encouragement thus: If we would persist with a wicked judge that regarded nobody, God nor man, then surely we would press our prayers with God. What is the duty then? Simply, go on praying.
II. Let us move on to consider, in the second place, this matter of SINCERITY in prayer, suggested by the other parable. To men of the world it must be a subject of real wonder and surprise, to use no more disrespectful terms, why so many petitions offered by the people of God prove fruitless. To all this, Christians ought to be able to reply that prayer follows laws and respects intelligent conditions, just as every other part of Gods plan of redemption does. We are accustomed to say to each other that God always hears prayer. No, He does not. The wisest man that was ever inspired says distinctly, He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination. And in the New Testament the apostle explains the whole anomaly of failure thus: Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss. For one thing, self-conceit destroys all sincerity in prayer. For another thing, spits against others destroys all sincerity in prayer. Listen to the Pharisees preposterous comparison of himself in the matter of money and merit with the publican almost out of sight there in the corner. Inconsistencies in life also destroy sincerity in prayer. Purity from evil is a prime condition of success. (C. S. Robinson, D. D.)
The duty of persevering in prayer
I. OUR DUTY. That which is here inculcated implies that we pray--
1. Statedly.
2. Occasionally. There are many particular occasions which require us to pray.
(1) Prosperity, that God may counteract its evil tendency (Pro_30:9).
(2) Adversity, that we may be supported under it (Jam_5:13).
(3) Times of public distress or danger, to avert the calamity (2Ch_7:14).
3. Habitually. We should maintain a spiritual frame of mind. To pray thus is our duty; We ought, etc.
(1) It is a duty we owe to God. He, our Creator, Preserver, and Redeemer, has commanded it.
(2) We owe it also to our neighbour. The edification of Christs mystical body depends, not only on the union of every part with the head, but on the whole being fitly framed together, and on every joint supplying its proper nourishment (Eph_4:16 : Col_2:19). But if we be remiss in prayer, we shall be incapable of administering that benefit, which other members have a right to expect from us.
(3) We owe it to ourselves. A spirit of supplication is as necessary to the soul, as food to the body. Nor can we feel any regard for our souls, if we do not cultivate it.
II. THE DIFFICULTIES THAT ATTEND IT. When we set ourselves to the performance of it, we shall find difficulties--
1. Before we begin to pray. Worldly business may indispose our minds for this employment. Family cares may distract and dissipate our thoughts. Lassitude of body may unfit us for the necessary exertions. We may be disabled by an invincible hardness of heart. A want of utterance may also operate as a heavy discouragement.
2. While we are engaged in prayer. The world is never more troublesome than at such seasons. The flesh also, with its vilest imaginations will solicit our attention. Nor will Satan be backward to interrupt our devotions.
3. After we have concluded prayer. When we have prayed, we should expect an answer. But worldliness may again induce a forgetfulness of God. Impatience to receive the desired blessings may deject us. Ignorance of the method in which God answers prayer may cause us to disquiet ourselves with many ungrounded apprehensions. Unbelief may rob us of the benefits we might have received (Jam_1:6-7). Whatever obstructs Gods answers to prayer, disqualifies us for the future discharge of that duty. (Theological Sketch-book.)
The nature and duty of prayer
I. THE NATURE OF PRAYER.
1. An expression of our sense of Gods infinite superiority.
2. An expression of our dependence upon God.
3. A declaration of our obligation to God.
4. A declaration of our faith in Gods ability to grant us anything our circumstances may require. There are several things necessary to constitute true prayer, and which form its constituent parts.
(1) Faith is one essential.
(2) Sincerity is another ingredient in true prayer.
(3) Humility.
II. We notice THE DUTY OF PRAYER. Prayer is a duty, if we consider it--
1. As a Divine injunction.
2. It appears a duty, if we consider God as a prayer-hearing God.
3. It is a duty, if we consider the beneficial effects of prayer.
(1) Prayer brings great benefits to ourselves. It brings us into closer communion with Christ.
(2) Prayer is a powerful antidote to, and one of the most effectual safeguards against, worldly-mindedness.
(3) By prayer we get divinely enlightened.
(4) Prayer brings with it advancement in personal holiness.
(5) Prayer is a powerful stimulant to every Christian grace. He who lives in the habitual exercise of sincere and earnest prayer cannot remain in a lukewarm, inactive, lethargic state. (Essex Remembrancer.)
Men ought always to pray
Why?
1. Because the King wills it. Because it is an edict of eternal wisdom and truth, the command of absolute righteousness and justice, the direction of infinite goodness and love.
2. Because it is an instinct and faculty of our nature, part and parcel of our mental manhood; and as the all-wise Creator has endowed us with the power, and not only the power, but the tendency to pray, we cannot and do not fulfil His will, or rightly use our capabilities, unless we pray.
3. Because it is a privilege, a precious privilege conferred. The maker of the machine can mend and manage it; and He who created us--body, mind, and spirit--invites us to bring our bodily needs, hunger, thirst, aches, pains, and infirmities; our mental cares, griefs, doubts, perplexities, and depressions; our spiritual wants, fears, forebodings, sins, and weakness--to Him in prayer.
4. Because our state and condition is one of perpetual peril, and weakness, and need. The sin on our conscience condemns us, and we cannot undo it. We all get the heartache, and we cannot cure it. We can neither condone our offences, nor lighten our conscience, nor carry our sorrows, nor hush our complainings, nor dry our tears!
5. Because in the infinite love and mercy of God to poor sinners a new and living way hath been opened for us into the presence of God, so that not only doth the sinner gain a hearing, but he has an infinite guarantee that his prayers shall prosper, and his petitions shall be fulfilled.
6. Because our needs, our perils, our personal insufficiency, are always with us; because the throne of prayer is always accessible, and the Hearer of prayer is always willing; and because the power and privilege of prayer has a direct connection with the whole sphere of our daily life, and the whole circle of our daily needs.
7. Because no really earnest and reliant prayers can possibly be in vain. We are apt to faint in our petitionings if the gift we seek is long delayed. (J. J.Wray.)
Prayer
The ought of Christ outweighs all the objections of infidelity, and is stronger than the adverse conclusions of a material science.
1. Prayer should be constant. Can we, indeed, says Augustine, without ceasing bend the knee, bow the body, or lift up the hands? If the attitude and the language of prayer were essential to its being truly offered, the command of Christ would seem to be exaggerated. But understand it as the souls attitude to God, and it is no exaggeration. That soul, says Dr. Donne, which is ever turned toward God, prays sometimes when it does not know that it prays. The testimony of the Christian father accords with this. After admitting that formal, oral prayer must have its pauses and intermissions, Augustine says, There is another interior prayer without intermission, and that is the longing of the heart. Whatever else thou mayest be doing, if thou longest after the Sabbath of God, thou dost not intermit to pray. Thus the whole life becomes, what Origen conceived the life of the Christian should be, one great connected prayer. The importance of constancy in it arises from the place it holds in mans spiritual life. Prayer is to the soul what the nerves of the body are to the mind--its medium of communication with a world that else were unperceived and unrealized.
2. Prayer should be earnest. There is danger of our prayer degenerating into a dead form, or perfunctory service--worse than no praying at all. The simple remedy is to deepen the desire or sense of need which prompts to prayer, and is the essence of prayer. If thou wishest not to intermit to pray, says one of the Christian fathers, see that thou do not intermit to desire. The coldness of love is the silence of the heart; the fervency of love is the cry of the heart. This warmth of desire is the product of a clear persuasion of the value of prayer as a means of help and strength.
3. Another quality of true prayer is, patient confidence in God. Shall not God avenge His own elect which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them. There are two sure and solid grounds of confidence. One is found in Gods righteous character, by which He is constrained to rectify wrong and establish the right; and the other is found in His positive love for the suppliant.
4. One other quarry should mark true prayer, namely, humility. (A. H.Currier.)
The necessity of praying always, and not fainting
Our Lord Jesus Christ, has kindly intimated to all that have business at the court of heaven the necessity of so managing themselves that they still hang on there, and not faint, whatever entertainment they meet with during the dependence of their process.
I. The first thing to be considered, is, OUR LORDS KIND INTIMATION OF THIS WAY OF HIS FATHERS COURT.
1. I shall show the import of Christs making this intimation to petitioners at His Fathers court.
(1) The darkness that is naturally on the minds of poor sinners, with respect to heavens management about them. We may say, as Jer_5:4, Surely these are poor, they are foolish: for they know not the way of the Lord, nor the judgment of their God.
(2) Christs good-will to the sinners business going right there Exo_28:29).
(3) That our Lord sees sinners are in hazard of fainting from the entertainment they may meet with during the dependence of their process Heb_12:3).
(4) That they that shall hang on, and not faint, shall certainly come speed at length.
2. The weight and moment of this intimation. This will appear, if it is considered in a fourfold light.
(1) Jesus Christ, who makes it, has experienced it in His own case. Now, if this was the manner with the great Petitioner, how can we expect it should fare otherwise with us?
(2) He is the great Prophet of heaven, whose office it is to reveal the manner of the court to poor sinners.
(3) He is the only Intercessor there, the Fathers Secretary, the Solicitor for poor sinners there.
II. The second thing to be considered, is, THE WAY OF THE COURT OF HEAVEN, IN TRYSTING PETITIONERS WITH SOME HARDSHIPS, DURING THE DEPENDENCE OF THEIR PROCESS. Here I shall give you--
1. A swatch of that way; and--
2. Some reasons of that way, whereby to account for it in a suitableness to the Divine perfections.
1. (1) Oft-times there is deep silence from the throne (Mat_15:23).
(2) Oft-times they get a very angry-like answer. The woman of Canaan got a couple of them, one on the back of another: But He answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. It is not meet to take the childrens bread, and to cast it to dogs (Mat_15:24; Mat_15:26).
(3) Disappointed expectations are a piece of very ordinary entertainment there: We looked for peace, but no good came: and for a time of health, and behold trouble (Jer_8:15).
(4) Many a time, looking for an answer, Providence drives a course apparently just contrary to the granting of their petition; so is fulfilled that Psa_65:5, By terrible things in righteousness wilt Thou answer us, O God of our salvation.
(5) Oft-times the Lord, instead of easing the petitioner, lays new burdens on him: We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble (Jer_8:15). Instead of curing the old wound,there are new ones given.
2. (1) This way is taken with petitioners in the court of heaven; for thereby God is glorified, and His attributes more illustrated than otherwise they would be. In this view of it, Paul welcomes it in his own case, though it was hard to sense: And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me 2Co_12:9).
(2) Hereby the state of petitioners is tried, and a plain difference constituted between hypocrites and the sincere: He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved (Mat_24:13).
(3) Hereby the graces of believing petitioners are tried, both as to the reality and strength of them; particularly their faith and patience (1Pe_1:6-7).
(4) Hereby believers are humbled, and taught that they hold of free grace. The exalting of grace is the great design of the whole contrivance of the gospel.
(5) This way is taken for honour of the word: Thou hast magnified Thy word above all Thy name (Psa_138:2).
(6) It is taken to make them long to be home.
III. The third thing to be considered, is, THE DUTY OF THE PETITIONERS TO HANG ON, AND NOT TO FAINT, WHATEVER THEY MEET WITH. We may view it in these things following.
1. They must never lift their process from the court of heaven: Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life (Joh_6:67-68).
2. They must never give over praying, but pray always. And Satan sometimes plies distressed souls to give up with it, as what they may see they will do no good with, for that God will not hear them. But that is a deceit of hell which ye must never yield to.
3. They must carry all their incident needs in new petitions to the same throne of grace, where the former petition may have been long lying, and still unanswered; and so pursue all together. The latter must not drive out the former, nor the former keep back the latter. It is one of the ways how the Lord keeps His people hanging about His hand without fainting, by sending them several loads above their burden; which loads He takes off soon at their request; and so makes them go under their burden the more easily. These short incident processes, that get a speedy answer, confirm their faith and hope in waiting on for the answer of the main.
4. They must continue in the faith of the promise, never quit the gripe of it; but trust and believe that it shall certainly be accomplished, though the wheels of providence should seem to drive out over it and in over it Rom_4:19-20).
Consider--
1. If ye faint and give over, your suit is lost, ye have given up with it.
2. He is well worth the waiting on.
(1) Though He is infinitely above us, He has waited long on us.
(2) The longer you are called to wait for a mercy, ye will readily find it the more valuable when it comes.
(3) His time will be found the due time (Gal_6:9); the best chosen time for the mercys coming; witness the time of Isaacs birth.
(4) Ye shall be sure of some blessed of fallings, while ye wait on (Psa_27:14).
3. They have waited long, that have lost all, by not having patience to wait a little longer (Exo_32:1-35.; 1Sa_13:8; 1Sa_13:10). Therefore let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing Jam_1:4); for in due season ye shall reap, if ye faint not Gal_6:9). (T. Boston, D. D.)
Petitioners at the court of heaven encouraged; or, the happy issue of praying always, and not fainting
I. First, I SHALL SHOW WHAT IS THAT TREATMENT PETITIONERS MAY MEET WITH AT THE COURT OF HEAVEN, UNDER WHICH THEY WILL BE IN HAZARD OF FAINTING. I mentioned several particulars at another occasion; I offer now only three things in general.
1. The weight and pressure of their heavy case itself, whatever it is, may be long continued, notwithstanding all their addresses for help.
2. There may be no appearance of relief (Psa_74:9).
3. They may get incident weights laid on them, as a load above their burden (Psa_69:26). These are like drops poured into a full cup, ready to cause it run over; like smart touches on a broken leg, inclining one readily to faint.
II. The second thing to be spoke to, is, WHY PETITIONERS ARE IN HAZARD OF FAINTING FROM SUCH TREATMENT AT THE COURT OF HEAVEN.
1. Natural weakness. All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field (Isa_40:6). On this very view the Lord pitiesHis children (Psa_103:13-14).
2. Conscience of guilt: My wounds stink, and are corrupt; because of my foolishness (Psa_38:5-6). Guilt is a mother of fears, and fears cause fainting.
3. Unacquaintedness with the methods of sovereignty: Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters, and Thy footsteps are not known Psa_77:19).
4. A strong bias to unbelief and walking by sense, quite contrary to our duty and interest (2Co_5:7). We are apt to be impressed more with what we see and feel in Providence, than what we hear from the Word.
III. The third thing to be considered is, WHEREFORE THE LORD GIVES SUCH TREATMENT TO ANY OF HIS PETITIONERS. Negatively.
1. It is not for mere will and pleasure. Satan will be ready to suggest this, and pose the party with such questions as these, For what use is all this delay?
2. It is not because He has no pity on you, nor concern for you under your burden.
3. It is not to signify to you that you should give it over, and trouble Him no more with your petition; as the hasty unbelieving heart is ready to take it, and to give over duty because there is no sensible appearance of success: I said I will not make mention of Him nor speak any more in His Jer_20:9).
4. Lastly, It is not because He is resolved not to hear you at any rate, cry as long as ye will. But positively, in general, it is for holy, wise, becoming ends; it is necessary for His glory and your case.
But particularly--
1. It is for the honour of the man Christ. It contributes to it--
(1) In that thereby the petitioners are conformed to His image, in the suffering part thereof.
(2) Thereby He gets the more employment as the great Intercessor, and is more earnestly applied to than otherwise He would be. Longsome pleas give the advocates much ado; and longsome processes at the court of heaven bring much business to the Mediator, and so much honour.
(3) It affords Him the most signal occasion of displaying His power in combating with and baffling the old serpent, next to that He had on the 2Co_12:9).
2. To magnify the promise.
3. To keep up the mercy, till that time come, that, all things considered, will be the absolutely best time for bestowing it (Joh_11:14-15).
IV. The fourth thing to be spoke to is, WHAT IS THE IMPORT OF THIS INTIMATION MADE FOR THIS END? It imports--
1. That sinners are ready to take delays at the court of heaven for denials.
2. That importunity and resolute hanging on, and repeated addresses for the supply of the same need, are very welcome and acceptable to Christ and His Father. There is no fear of excess here; the oftener ye come, the more resolute ye are in your hanging on, the more welcome.
3. That the faith of being heard at length, is necessary to keep one hanging on without fainting (Psa_27:13).
4. That the hearing to be got at length at the court of heaven is well worth the waiting on, be it ever so long. It will more than counterbalance all the fatigue of the process, that is kept longest in dependence.
V. The fifth thing in the method is, THE CERTAINTY OF SUCH PETITIONERS BEING HEARD AT LENGTH.
1. They are doubtless Gods own children, elect believers, whatever they think of themselves (Luk_17:7).
2. The nature, name, and promise of God, joins to insure it. He is good and gracious in His nature (Exo_34:6-9).
3. Such prayers are the product of His own Spirit in them, and therefore He cannot miss to be heard (Jam_5:16).
4. Our Lord Jesus has given His word on it, and so has impawned His honour they shall be heard: I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.
VI. Sixthly, How THEY SHALL BE HEARD TO THEIR HEARTS CONTENT.
1. They shall at length see that their prayers have been accepted. I do not say they shall at length be accepted, but they shall see they have been so.
2. They shall get an answer of their petitions to their hearts satisfaction Mat_15:28). The needy shall not always be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever (Psa_9:18).
3. They shall be fully satisfied as to the long delay, and the whole steps of the procedure, however perplexing they were before (Rev_15:3).
4. They shall get it with increase according to the time they waited on, and the hardships they sustained during the dependence of the process. The fruit of the promise, the longer it is a-ripening, the more bulky it is.
5. Lastly, their spiritual enemies that flew thick and strong about them in the time of the darkness, shall be scattered at the appearance of this light 1Sa_2:5).
VII. Seventhly, How IT SHALL BE SPEEDILY, NOTWITHSTANDING THE LONG DELAY.
1. It shall be speedily in respect of the weight and value of it when it comes: so that the believer looking on the return of his petition, with an eye of faith perceiving the worth of it, may wonder it is come upon so short onwaiting (2Co_4:17).
2. It shall come in the most seasonable nick of time it can come in Gal_6:9), when it may come to the best advantage for the honour of God and their good: and that which comes in the best season, comes speedily. To everything there is a season; so fools haste is no speed.
3. It shall come as soon as they are prepared for it (Psa_10:17).
4. It shall not tarry one moment beyond the due and appointed time Hab_2:3).
5. Lastly, it will be surprising, as a glaring light to one brought out of a dungeon, though he was expecting it. (T. Boston, D. D.)
The necessity of prayer
I. With regard to the necessity of prayer, THE GERM OF THIS AS OF OTHER REVEALED DOCTRINES, IS TO BE FOUND IN OUR NATURE, and affords one illustration of the truth of that profound exclamation, O testimony of a soul, by nature Christian! Of moral truth there is an inward engraving, a light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. The virtues, says a modern writer, were like plants half developed in some gloomy shade, till Christ poured His sunshine upon them, and made them flourish with luxuriance. It is important, then, to ground the necessity of prayer on the dictates of nature as well as on the teaching of Revelation, thereby resting it on a double authority, each of which lends support to the other. For anything to be original in our nature, it must possess certain properties; in looking back to the beginning of our race it will present itself without any external origin, and it will continue to exist under conditions most diverse and at all times. We examine, then, the history of the past, we take up the book which contains the first records of our race in order to discover whether this communing with God existed from the first--to see what the first human souls did. All the elements of prayer were present in Adams intercourse with his Maker; man, rational and dependent; God, Almighty, Omniscient, and Good; and--communications between the two. We trace the instinct of prayer continuing in fallen man, else it might have been supposed that it was a part of his supernatural equipment, and had no foundation in his natural life. In Adams sons this instinct survived; Cain and Abel offered sacrifices, and sacrifices are the outward expression of prayer; there was an ascent of the mind to God, a real ascent at least in one case, for by faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. In an unfallen state, the instinct of the soul was to turn to the Author of its life, with joy and thankfulness; in a fallen state, the instinct of the soul is to turn to Him through its need of pardon and its sense of weakness; but in both states there is the instinct to turn to Him, though the leading reasons for doing so may be different. Looking back, then, into the past by the light of the only record which can safely guide us, we find the practice of prayer from the first without any external command or origin, and therefore it preserves one mark of an instinct of nature. But an instinct to be acknowledged must not only be able to claim antiquity on its side but also universality. That which is a genuine part of human nature will always be a part of human nature. If that which marked human life in its earlier stages, disappears in times of advanced civilization and culture, it may be doubted whether it was a pure instinct of our nature, and be attributed either on the one side to an original revelation or on the other to a defective or barbarous condition. It must, however, be admitted that in matters of religion, the mark of antiquity in an instinct has a special value; we can see in it natural religion before it has been tampered with. If we want to learn the habits of an animal, we must see it in its native freedom, and not only after it has been trained and domesticated. The instinct of prayer, however, does not lack the second property, universality; we find it both in the highest and lowest states of civilization, in places and races widely sundered both in position and circumstance. If we examine the practices of barbarous nations; if we turn to the ancient religions of the East; if we look at Greece and Rome in the plenitude of their intellectual power, we find that in some form or shape the necessity of prayer and homage to a superior Power is admitted, and in no nation is the instinct entirely obliterated. In the root of human nature there is a sense of dependency, and a sense of guilt; natural religion is based on these two, the correlatives of which are prayer and atonement--the actions respectively proper to the frail, and to the sinful. It is useless to speak of the instinct of prayer as of something imported into our nature: that which is simply imported does not make its home so fixed and sure, that no lapse of time or change of circumstances has the power to dislodge it. I have dwelt at some length on the instinctive character of prayer, because on it I first ground its obligation; we ought to pray out of deference to an instinct with which God has endowed us, for by our higher intuitions and instincts He expresses His will, and to neglect to act in accordance with them, is to disobey His voice within us. Moreover, this instinct of prayer is an imperious one; it is one which will assert itself, even when it has been set aside, and its presence denied. There are moments in life when men are superior to their own principles, and human systems fail to silence the deep cry of the heart; when men pray who have denied the power of prayer. That men ought always to pray, then, is the teaching of nature, and prayer as a matter of natural religion is an express duty.
II. We pass now from the sphere of the natural to the super-natural, from nature to grace, TO FIND ANOTHER BASIS FOR THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER.
Prayer meets us with a two-fold claim in the domain of revealed religion; it is necessary as a means of grace, it is necessary also as a fulfilment of an express command of God; these are two sides, the one objective, the other subjective, of the same truth. It will be observed, that the necessity of prayer viewed in this connection is derived from the prior necessity of grace. Every man is held to pray in order to obtain spiritual goods, which are not given, except from heaven; wherefore they are not able to be procured in any other way but by being thus sought for. In the New Testament, that grace is a necessity for the supernatural life is an elemental truth. Grace is to that life what the water is to the life of the fish, or the air to our natural life--something absolutely indispensable. Being justified freely by His grace. By grace ye are saved. By the grace of God I am what I am; and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain. Grow in grace. He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it. In following the operations of grace from the commencement of the spiritual life to its end, five effects have been enumerated--it heals the soul, it produces a good will, it enables the good which was willed to be brought about in action, it makes perseverance in good possible, it leads to glory. Thus grace is, from first to last, the invisible nourishment of the souls life, and prayer is the means in mans own power of gaining grace; it is through prayer that the different effects of grace are wrought in us. We ask God for spiritual healing--Heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee. O cleanse Thou me from my secret faults. We need Divine help for resisting temptations--When Christ was baptized and prayed, the heavens were opened, showing that after Baptism prayer is necessary to man in two ways, to overcome the inward proneness to evil, and the outward enticements of the world and the devil. Temptations to be resisted with sanctifying effect must be resisted in the power of prayer; slight temptations may perhaps be vanquished by natural effort, or overthrown by an opposite vice, but such victories are not registered in heaven. Again, in order to advance in the spiritual life, in the development of virtues, prayer is a necessity--the apostles prayed, Lord, increase our faith. The increase of the interior life simply consists in the growth of different virtues and graces, and these virtues are formed by the combined action of grace and free-will; these are the two factors, the raw material so to speak, from which the fabric is manufactured. A continual supply of grace is needed for the increase of each virtue, and therefore prayer is needed, not only in general, but also with definite reference to the support of the virtue which we have to exercise, or in which we are most conscious of defect. He says prayer and grace are of the same necessity; grace is necessary for salvation, hence it ought to follow that prayer also is necessary; but why should prayer be ordained in relation to eternity, unless it he for the sake of obtaining grace? There are, however, two limits to the power of prayer which we must not forget in its relation to grace. Prayer is itself dependent on grace in the spiritual life, and an act of prayer for grace is a correspondence with a grace which has been already given. The Spirit, St. Paul says, also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought. Grace, St. Chrysostom asserts, precedes our prayers always. The good thought or desire is a touch from another world; the angels of God descended as well as ascended on Bethels Stair. The beginnings of life, whether natural or supernatural, are from God; but the continuation and increase of life depend also on human co-operation. Again, prayer as a means of grace must not take the place of Sacraments. The revelation which proclaims the necessity of the one, also asserts the obligation of the other. Prayer is the respiration of the soul; Sacraments, its medicine and food; both alike necessary, though the one constantly, the other occasionally.
III. The obligation to pray is NOT, however, TO BE VIEWED SIMPLY IN REFERENCE TO OUR OWN BENEFIT. Prayer is also an act of religion, an act of obedience to a Divine precept which we should be bound to perform, even if no grace came to us from its performance. This objective view of the necessity of prayer is one less familiar, but hardly less important. Now from this doctrine flow two results. The omission and neglect of prayer involve not only a loss of grace, but constitute a distinct sin; it is a sin against religion, and against charity. Religion is a moral virtue, whose province it is to show due honour and reverence to Almighty God; to cease to pray therefore, is to fail to exercise a moral virtue, and that the highest. What justice is towards the creature, religion is towards God--that by which we seek to give Him His due. To neglect prayer, is also to sin against charity. Charity presents three objects--God, ourselves, others--all of whom are to be loved: but when prayer is omitted we fail in the exercise of the love of God, for we desire to hold converse with those whom we love; the love of our neighbour we fail in also, for he needs our prayers; and the love of our soul we fail in, by the neglect of a duty upon which our spiritual life depends. It remains for us to notice when this precept of prayer is binding, so that the omission of it becomes a sin. When Christ says, men ought always to pray, it is evident that He does not mean that no other duty should be fulfilled; but that at all times, whatever we are doing, the spirit of prayer should be preserved.
IV. We have now to view THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER AS A TRANSFORMING INFLUENCE. Those who do not admit that prayer has power with God, yet acknowledge that it has power with us, and allow that it possesses a reflex influence on those who use it. The soul by communing with God becomes like God, receives from His perfections supplies of light, of power, and love according to its needs. The subjective effects of prayer are as manifold as the Divine perfections. It is said that constant intercourse between creatures causes them to resemble one another, not only in disposition and habits, but even in features. Old painters always made St. John like unto his Master in face. They instinctively imagined, that closeness of communion between the beloved disciple and his Lord had occasioned a likeness in features and expression. The first basis of its obligation will remind us that we must not regard our nature as entirely corrupt, and its voice as always misleading, but that in it, fallen as it is, there are vestiges of its original greatness, and intuitions and instincts which are to us an inward revelation of the mind and will of God. The second reason for the necessity of prayer, will explain perhaps the cause of weakness in the hour of temptation--our lack of grace. Further, we must be careful to regard prayer not only as a means of grace but as a duty, and thus fulfil it without reference to our own delight or profit in the act. If, again, we complain of our earthliness and worldliness, and the difficulty which we have in fetching our motives of action from a higher sphere, may it not be that we have failed to realize the importance of prayer in its subjective effect upon character, and have thought to gain a ray of heavenly brightness without the habitual communing with God upon the Mount? (W. H. Hutchings, M. A.)
Necessity of prayer
Prayer is natural to men. The knowledge of our own weakness is soon forced upon us, but with this conviction there comes another, the sense of dependence on One--great, loving, and wise. Out of these springs the necessity of prayer, which is the language of the frail to the mighty--the confession of need, and the instinct of trust. Every known religion attests this irresistible impulse to pray. Men, indeed, will be found to deny, or to undervalue the evidence of this instinct of prayer; but there are times which wring prayer from prayerless lips; times of danger, when all classes find prayer the most appropriate and natural utterance of their lips; times of heartfear, when the whole spirit sends up from the depths of confusion and darkness an exceeding bitter cry, wherein terror and doubt mingle with the unquenchable instinct of prayer; times when, perhaps, death is approaching, and the dark, unexplored confines of the other world begin to loom vast and vague upon an awakening conscience, and the firm citadel of stoutly maintained unbelief is swept away, and prayer rushes forth in such a despairing shriek as burst from the lips of Thistlewood--O God, if there be a God, save my soul, if I have a soul! It is not the approach of danger or the feeling of fear only which calls forth prayer. The irresistible disposition is experienced under the influence of feelings widely different from fear. The contemplation of the universe, and the incomprehensible Being who embraces all things, so wrought upon the mind of Rousseau that, in the restlessness of his transports, he would exclaim, O great Being! O great Being! The majesty and splendour of nature, brightening and kindling under the beams of the sun, rising upon the rocky heights of Jura, and circling the sky with flame, filled the soul of Voltaire with such awe that he uncovered his head, and, kneeling, he cried, I believe--I believe in Thee! O mighty God, I believe! If the language of prayer is thus natural to all men, and forced at times from reluctant lips, it is natural, with an inexpressible sweetness, to hearts accustomed to communion with God. The cultivated instinct becomes a rich enjoyment, and an unutterable relief. The high duty becomes the highest privilege. (Bishop Boyd Carpenter.)
Times unfavourable to prayer
There are times when prayer is natural to the most careless; but there are also times when all things tend to deaden the spirit of prayer in the most thoughtful and prayerful of Gods children. Such times are times of great and extensive activity, when pleasure is busy, and even enjoyments are full of toil. In the ceaseless industry of business and gaiety, amusement becomes hard work. Hard work brings weariness, and weariness is followed by an indisposition for any exertion of the spirit. Such, too, are times of a widespread feeling of uneasiness, when a vague apprehension seems to have seized hold upon the minds of all classes, and a strange sense of insecurity begets an unreasoning and universally felt fear. Such are times of noisy religionism and demonstrative piety, when the minds of men are galvanized into an unnatural activity through the spirit of an unwholesome rivalry; when convictions are degraded into opinions, and toil dwindles into talk, and organized Christian effort is strangled in discussion; when an impracticable tenacity of trifles and a stupendous disregard of principles throws the appearance of vitality over a degenerate and dead pietism. In such times the lulling influences of a strained activity, an undefined terror; and a selfasserting, heart-distracting zealotism steal over the spirits of the most watchful of Christs servants, and often diminish insensibly their vigilance and earnestness in prayer. A convergence of such times into one period Christ described, and on the description He founded His warning that men ought always to pray. (Bishop Boyd Carpenter.)
Patient prayer
One day, returning home from a morning meeting of the Holiness Convention, I came across a little boy standing at a house door, and crying bitterly. I tried to comfort him, but he only cried the more. Just then his mother came out, and when I inquired what was wrong with him, I found he was crying because his mother would not give him his breakfast before the right time. Similarly, we, as Gods children, often make bitter repinings, and have hard thoughts about the Lord, because He does not answer our prayers at the time, and in the way that we expect. His ways are not as our ways, nor is His time always our time; but that in some way or other, and in the right way, and at His own time--not a moment too soon, not a moment too late--He will perform that which is good for us and to His glory. (J. G. Forbes.)
Constant exercise in prayer
When a pump is frequently used, but little pains are necessary to obtain water; the water pours out at the first stroke, because it is high; but if the pump has not been used for a long time the water gets low, and when you want it you must pump a long while, and the water comes only after great efforts. It is so with prayer. If we are instant in prayer, every little circumstance awakens the disposition to pray, and desire and words are always ready. But if we neglect prayer it is difficult for us to pray.
Shall we pray, or shall we not?
A distinguished man of science, an Englishman, was reported in the newspapers the other day to have said to an assembly in the American capital, I am not a praying man. He was not bemoaning himself, or making confession of sin, or even uttering regret. If he did not speak boastfully, he certainly spoke without any sense of shame, and apparently with some degree of superiority over the commonplace and lag-behind people who still think it right to pray. Another distinguished man, an Englishman likewise, not a man of science, but a man of profound thought, was asked on his deathbed how he felt, and his reply was, I can pray, and thats a great thing. In his judgment prayer was the highest service to which a whole man can give himself; not something to be left to the ignorant and feeble, but to be risen to, and aspired after by the greatest intellect and the most illumined mind. Which of the two was right? Which of them possessed the truest conception of the whole duty and privilege of man?
I. Let us see WHAT MAY, JUSTIFIABLY OR UNJUSTIFIABLY, INDUCE A MAN TO TAKE THE POSITION INVOLVED IN THE AVOWAL, I am not a praying man.
1. He may take this position who is conscious of no want which scientific study and material good cannot satisfy. But what shall we say of such a man as this? Is he a true type of our common humanity, or of our most educated humanity? Or, rather, is he not less than a man--only part of a man? The intellect is not the soul, and intellectual pleasure cannot satisfy the soul, or, if there be some souls which profess to be satisfied with it, it only proves how untrue souls may be to their own highest capacities.
2. He may take this position who is separated from mankind by the non-possession of anything of the nature of a religious faculty. An old Greek said, You may find peoples without cities, without arts, without theatres; but you can find no people without an altar and a God. An Englishman, not a believer in Christianity, said that upon accurate search, religion and faith appear the only ultimate differences of man--those which distinguish him from a brute.
3. He who has ascertained that God cannot, consistently with His own laws, or will not, for some other reason, hear prayer, may take the position implied in the saying, I am not a praying man. But where is such a man to be found? To know that God cannot answer prayer consistently with His own laws, implies a knowledge which is properly Divine.
4. He who would justify his position must be conscious that he has no sins to be forgiven. And if any one should aver that his conscience acquits him, we should say (1Jn_1:8; 1Jn_1:10).
5. The man who would justify himself in saying, I am not a praying man, must have already attained all moral excellence, or be conscious of power to attain it by his unaided efforts. In this matter we discern the blindness that has fallen on men. They can see very clearly the power that is needed to produce physical results, but not that which is needed to produce moral. And in this they only prove how much sense has acquired dominion over them.
II. THE REASONS FOR NOT PRAYING WHICH MEN, IF HONEST ABOUT THEMSELVES, WOULD AVOW.
1. Prayer is distasteful to them. They have no heart for it. This is a sure sign of being spiritually out of health. Seek the aid of the Healer of souls.
2. They feel that prayer is inconsistent with their habits of life. Then change those habits. Wash you, make you clean. (J. Kennedy, D. D.)
Hindrances to prayer
1. There Is the objection that, God having infinite wisdom to determine what is best, and almighty power to accomplish His decree, there is nothing for His creatures to do but submit with reverence and trust. If prayer cannot change His mind, it is useless, and, moreover, an impertinence; if it could, it would be a loss, since it would involve a sacrifice of greater wisdom to less--a result which can only be conceived of as a punishment. The answer to this is, that God in giving human beings a real freedom, a power to choose whether certain events shall be one way or the other, has really, so far as we can see, for wise purposes, limited His own. In short, there is a margin of greater or less good, of manageable error, of permissible evil, which God can set apart for our freedom to exercise itself in, without the world escaping His control. The premise, therefore, from which this objection starts, that whatever is, is best, is not true in the large sense of those words. Whatever is best under all the circumstances, under the circumstances of our crime, negligence, or error, but not the best that might have been had we reached forth our hand to take what lay within our power. It may be better if we do not pray, that we should miss some blessings God has in reserve for those who seek Him in love and trust, but this is not the best that might have been. It is the will of God in relation to our negligence; but our trust and importunity would have called into action a higher and more generous law of His loving nature.
2. The next objection is that of the imagination filled and overpowered by the thought of the vastness of the material universe. Do you suppose, men ask, that a petty, individual life, a worm crawling on the surface of one of His smallest planets, can be an object of particular consideration and interest to the Almighty Creator? Why not? Is the Almighty Ruler compelled to distinguish between imperial and provincial cares like an earthly monarch? Because He is here with some suffering infant, taking its inarticulate moan into His mighty and pitiful heart, is He less in the planet Neptune, or is His power withdrawn from the glowing masses of future worlds? There is no egotism in thinking that man--any man--is more important in the Divine regard than a mass of matter, however long it has lain under the Creators eye, and however much it may impose upon our imagination.
3. Practical hindrances to prayer are found where the speculative barriers we have been considering do not exist. Mental indolence is one of the greatest of these hindrances, and mental indolence is a much more prevalent and serious fault than bodily indolence. No one can really pray without using his understanding, engaging his affections, and making an effort of will. Prayer is work, and hard work. We must go to the Saviour, and ask His aid. Lord, teach us to pray. (E. W. Shalders, B. A.)
Belief in prayer the outcome of need realized
As to the so-called scientific challenge to prove the efficacy of prayer by the result of simultaneous petition. A God that should fail to hear, receive, attend to one single prayer, the feeblest or worst, I cannot believe in; but a God that would grant every request of every man or every company of men, would be an evil God--that is no God, but a demon. That God should hang in the thought-atmosphere, like a windmill, waiting till men enough should combine and send out prayer in sufficient force to turn His outspread arms, is an idea too absurd. God waits to be gracious, not to be tempted. But if God is so good as you represent Him, and if He knows all that we need, and better far than we do ourselves, why should it be necessary to ask Him for anything? I answer, What if He knows prayer to be the thing we need first and most? What if the main object in Gods idea of prayer be the supplying of our great, our endless need--the need of Himself? What if the good of all our smaller and lower needs lies in this, that they help to drive us to God? Hunger may drive the runaway child home, and he may or may not be fed at once, but he needs his mother more than his dinner. Communion with God is the one need of the soul beyond all other need; prayer is the beginning of that communion, and some need is the motive of that prayer. Our wants are for the sake of our coming into communion with God, our eternal need. In regard, however, to the high necessities of our nature, it is in order that He may be able to give that God requires us to ask--requires by driving us to it--by shutting us up to prayer. For how can He give into the soul of a man what it needs, while that soul cannot receive it? The ripeness for receiving is the asking. The blossom-cup of the soul, to be filled with the heavenly dews, is its prayer. When the soul is hungry for the light, for the truth--when its hunger has waked its higher energies, thoroughly roused the will, and brought the soul into its highest condition, that of action, its only fitness for receiving the things of God, that action is prayer. Then God can give; then He can be as He would towards the man: for the glory of God is to give Himself. We thank thee, Lord Christ, for by Thy pain alone do we rise towards the knowledge of this glory of Thy Father and our Father. (G. Macdonald, LL. D.)
The adaptability of nature to prayer
A waterfall is a scientific object only in a very rude way. But when every drop of its waters has been manipulated and controlled by the human will till the mills of a Lowell or a Lawrence display from every spindle and shuttle the presence of human intelligence and power, then the untamed river begins to sparkle with the brilliancy of science, and to murmur its praises from every ripple. That is, the more mind-power is mingled with matter-power, the more scientific is the compound result. The uniformity of the waterfall is far less scientific, than the diversity of the waterwheel. Automatic mechanisms, machines that adjust themselves to change, throwing themselves out of gear at the least obstacle or breakage, ringing a bell as a signal of distress, increasing or diminishing combustion, changing position, as in the case of a lathe to meet all the convolutions of a gun-stock, have a far higher scientific character than a carpenters drawing-knife, or a housewifes spinning-wheel, which display less of diversity and more of uniformity. It was once supposed that the solar system is so balanced that the loss of a grain of weight, or the slightest change of motion, would dislocate and destroy the whole system. It was a higher science, not a lower, that has since taught us that exact uniformity is by no means necessary to the stability of the system, but that oscillation and change are fully provided for in the original plan. The principle holds good that the modifications of a mind power introduced into a material mechanism advance its scientific rank, and increase rather than diminish the proof of the presence of law and order in its working. I was riding, a few years since, about one of the rural cities of the State of New York with one of the most distinguished preachers at the metropolis. We were speaking of the curious fallacies involved in Tyndalls famous prayer-gauge conundrum. Just then we drove up to the city water-works. I told him that if he would go in with me I thought we could find a good illustration of the manner in which God may answer prayer without interfering with any of the laws of nature. The point, let us remember, is, that the power of an intelligent will can be so introduced among the forces of matter as to have perfect uniformity in the working of those forces, while diversity appears in their results. The building we entered was furnished with a Holley engine. As we stood by the steam gauge we observed constant and considerable changes in the amount of steam produced. As there was no cause apparent in or about the engine itself, we asked for an explanation. That, said the engineer, is done by the people in the city. As they open their faucets to draw the water the draft upon our fires is increased. As they close them, it is diminished. The smallest child can change the movements of our engine according to his will. It was the design of the maker to adjust his engine so that it should respond perfectly to the needs of the people, be they great or small. Just then the bell rung, the furnace-drafts flew open, the steam rose rapidly in the gauge, the engineer flew to his post, the ponderous machinery accelerated its movement. We heard a general alarm of fire. How is that? we asked. That, he said, was the opening of some great fire-plug. And how about the bell? What did that ring for? That, he said, was to put us on the alert. You saw that the firemen began to throw on coal at once. A thousand things have to be looked after when there is a great fire. It wont do to leave the engine to itself at such times. In a moment there came a lull. The great pumps moved more deliberately. In another minute a roar of steam told us the safety-valve had opened, and soon the great engine had returned to its ordinary, sleepy motion. Wonderful, said my friend; the whole thing seems alive. I almost thought it would start and run to the fire itself. I think this one of the grandest triumphs of science, said the engineer, as he bade me good-bye. The illustration is a good one, but others of the same sort are at our hand on every side. The uniformity of nature is, in fact, one of its lesser attributes. Its great glory is in its wonderful adaptability. Its greatest glory is its unlimited capacity to receive mind-forces, and to mingle them with its matter-forces in perfect harmony, and in infinite variety of combination. If human science has been able to do so much to overcome the eventless uniformity of nature in its wildness and crudeness, shall we deny to the Divine omniscience the power to effect the slightest modifications necessary in answering the prayers of His children? Nay, shall we deny to Him the power so to adjust the original mechanism of the universe that prayer with its appropriate action may directly modify that mechanism, as the childs thirst and his little hand can open a faucet and change the action of the great water-works miles away. Or, is it at all unscientific to believe that other intelligent agents may, in answer to prayer, be caused to fly swiftly, as the little bell aroused the engineer. Or can science offer any valid objection if we say that God Himself holds the forces of nature in His own hand; waiting, for high moral reasons, to be inquired of by the house of Israel to do these things for them ? (Prof. J. P. Gulliver.)
Prayer answered after death
Let me tell you that if any of you should die with your prayers unanswered, you need not conclude that God has disappointed you. I have heard that a certain godly father bad the unhappiness to be the parent of some five or six most graceless sons. All of them as they grew up imbibed infidel sentiments, and led a libidinous life. The father who had been constantly praying for them, and was a pattern of every virtue, hoped at least that in his death he might be able to say a word that should move their hearts. He gathered them to his bedside, but his unhappiness in dying was extreme, for be lost the light of Gods countenance, and was beset with doubts and fears, and the last black thought that haunted him was, Instead of my death being a testimony for God, which will win my dear sons, I die in such darkness and gloom that I fear I shall confirm them in their infidelity, and lead them to think that there is nothing in Christianity at all. The effect was the reverse. The sons came round the grave at the funeral, and when they returned to the house, the eldest son thus addressed his brothers:--My brothers, throughout his lifetime, our father often spoke to us about religion, and we have always despised it, but what a sermon his deathbed has been to us! for if he who served God so well and lived so near to God found it so hard a thing to die, what kind of death may we expect ours to be who have lived without God and without hope? The same feeling possessed them all, and thus the fathers death had strangely answered the prayers of his life through the grace of God. You cannot tell but what, when you are in glory, you should look down from the windows of heaven and receive a double heaven in beholding your dear sons and daughters converted by the words you left behind. I do not say this to make you cease pleading for their immediate conversion, but to encourage you. Never give up prayer, never be tempted to cease from it. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Prayer is manly
Men ought to pray. Let none misunderstand us when we lay stress on the word men. Of course, Christ does not mean one sex merely; He immediately afterwards speaks of a certain widow. His reference is to the human race at large. We are assured by Paul that in Him there is neither male nor female. Nevertheless, we eagerly take advantage of the word thus used by our Saviour that we may affirm and maintain the manliness of prayer. The assertion is far from unnecessary, and every one who is acquainted with public opinion will, we think, agree with us. Is there not a notion abroad that prayer is a somewhat feeble, sentimental, effeminate pursuit? Are we not often reminded by travellers on the continent of the fact that churches and cathedrals are chiefly filled by women? Sandy Mackaye, in Alton Locke, describes a certain congregation as made up of babies and bonnets, and we know what the inference is. Dr. J. Martineau felicitously speaks of those who regard it a fond superstition and womanly weakness to ask God anything. Dont we all recollect the account given of Tom Brown when, on arriving at school, he was pelted, chaffed, and ridiculed, because he kneeled beside his bed? Perhaps the last-named incident is more significant than any or the whole of the preceding ones, since there is nothing about which boys are so ambitious as to seem manly. The occurrence is, therefore, a feather which, as it flies, shows the way of the wind. The idea that prayer is unworthy of us as men is utterly unreasonable and untrue. Is it not manly to do right? No one disputes it. We get our word virtue from the Latin vir, a man; to be moral is to be manly. By parity of argument, to do right generally must be manly; prayer is right, God would not will it were it not; therefore it is manly. (T. R. Stevenson.)
Universal prayer
Remember, you can pray for any need--for lengthened life, as Hezekiah did; for help, as Daniel did; for light, as Bartimeus did; for mercy, as David did; for rain, as Elijah did; for a son, as Hannah did; for grace, as Paul did. You can pray, too, anywhere; in the deep, like Jonah; on the sea or the house-top, like Peter; on your bed, like Hezekiah; in the mountain, like Jesus; in the wilderness, like Hagar; in the street, like Jairus; in a cave, like David; on the cross, like the dying thief. You can pray, too, anyhow; short, like Peter and the publican; long, like Moses at the consecration of the Tabernacle, or Solomon at the dedication of the Temple. You can pray in silence, as Hannah did in the Temple; in your secret thoughts, as Nehemiah did before Darius; or aloud, like the Syro-Phenician woman; in tears, like Magdalen; in groans, or songs, as David did. You can pray any time. In the morning, like David; at noon, like Daniel; at midnight, like Silas; in childhood, like Samuel; in youth, like Timothy; in manhood, like the centurion; in age, like Simeon; in sickness, like Job; or in death, like Jacob and the dying Christ. And all of them were heard by the Hearer of prayer. I pray you, learn to pray! Link yourselves to the throne of God. Prayer will stand you in good stead every day of your mortal life! will make you joyful in the hour of death; and by the power of prayer you shall scale the mount of God! Pray! (J. D. Wray.)
Perseverance in prayer: or, strike again
Gods seasons are not at your heel: If the first stroke of the flint doth not bring forth the fire, you must strike again. That is to say, God will hear prayer, but He may not answer it at the time which we in our own minds have appointed; He will reveal Himself to our seeking hearts, but not just when and where we have settled in our own expectations. Hence the need of perseverence and importunity in supplication. In the days of flint and steel and brimstone matches we had to strike and strike again, dozens of times, before we could get a spark to live in the tinder; and we were thankful enough if we succeeded at last. Shall we not be as persevering and hopeful as to heavenly things? We have more certainty of success in this business than we had with our flint and steel, for we have Gods promise at our back. Never let us despair. Gods time for mercy will come; yea, it has come, if our time for believing has arrived. Ask in faith, nothing wavering; but never cease from petitioning because the king delays to reply. Strike the steel again. Make the sparks fly and have your tinder ready: you will get a light before long.
Answers to prayer
In reply to the question, What place has prayer for temporal blessings in your system of natural law in the spiritual world? Professor Drummond, as reported, said, in one of his talks at Lakeview:--A large, splendidly equipped steamship sailed out from Liverpool for New York. Among the passengers were a little boy and girl, who were playing about the deck, when the boy lost his ball overboard. He immediately ran to the captain and shouted, Stop the ship; my ball is overboard! The captain smiled pleasantly, but said, Oh no, my boy; I cannot stop the ship, with all these people, just to get a rubber ball. The boy went away grumbling, and confided to the little girl that it was his opinion the captain didnt stop the ship because he couldnt. He believed the ship was wound up some way in Liverpool, and she just had to run, day and night, until she ran down. A day or so afterward the children were playing on deck again, when the little girl dropped her doll down into the engine-room, and she supposed it, too, had gone overboard. She said, Ill run and ask the captain to stop the ship and get my dolly. Its no use, said the boy; he cannot do anything. Ive tried him. But the little girl ran on to the captain with her story and appeal. The captain came and peeked down into the engine-room, and, seeing the doll, said, Just wait here a minute. And, while the ship went right on, he ran down the stairway and brought up the little girls doll, to her delight, and to the boys amazement. The next day the cry rang out, Man overboard! and immediately the bell rang in the engine-room, by orders from the lever in the hands of the captain; the great ship stood still until boats were lowered and the life rescued. Then she steamed on until she reached her wharf in New York. As soon as the ship was tied up the captain went up town and bought the boy a better ball than the one he had lost. Now, said the professor, each of the three prayers was answered. The little girl received her request without stopping the ship; the little boy by a little waiting received his also; and yet for sufficient reason the ship was stopped by a part of the machinery itself, not an afterthought, but something put into the ship when it was made.
Hours spent in prayer
One is bowed down with shame to read of the long hours spent day by day in prayer by many holy men whose lives are given to us. Nor is it less humiliating to know of the extraordinary delight experienced by some good men in these long hours of prayer. It is related of St. Francis de Sales that in a days retreat, in which he continued most of the day in prayer, he was so overwhelmed with the joy of this communion with God that he exclaimed, Withdraw Thyself, O Lord, for I am not able to bear the greatness of Thy sweetness! and the saintly Fletcher, of Madeley, on one occasion prayed for less delight in prayer, fearing it would become more of an indulgence than of a duty.
There was in a city a Judge which feared not God, neither regarded man
The unjust judge and the importunate widow
1. There are points of resemblance between Gods people and this widow. In Satan, have not we also an adversary to be avenged on? Are not we also poor and needy? She had known happy days; and so also had man. By death she had lost her husband; and by sin we have lost our God. Poor and friendless, she had no means of avenging, of righting herself; no more have we--we were without help when Christ died for the ungodly. The sons of Zeruiah, cried David, are too many for me; and so are sin and its corruptions, the world and its temptations, the devil and his wiles, for us.
2. There are likewise some points of resemblance between God and this unjust judge. Long had he stood by and, without one effort on her behalf, seen this poor woman spurned and oppressed; and long also God seemed to stand by when His people were ground to the dust in Egypt; in old Pagan and in more modern Popish times, when their cruel enemies shed the blood of His saints like water, and, immured in dungeons, bleeding on scaffolds, hiding in the caves of our mountains, His elect cried to Him day and night, and the Church, helpless as a widow, implored Him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary! And this is true also of His dealings with individual believers. How long in their corruption are the messengers of Satan left to buffet them? Weary of the struggle with some besetting sin, and hating it as a slave his cruel tyrant, they cry, How long, O Lord, how long? how often, all but despairing, are they ready to exclaim with Paul, Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
3. But there are important points of disparity between this judge and our God: and in these I find assurance of final victory, and the highest encouragements to instant, constant, urgent prayer. A bad man, with a heart cold as ice and hard as iron, was he moved by importunity to redress the wrongs of one for whom he felt no regard, whose happiness or misery was nothing to him?--how much more will God be importuned to grant our prayers! Just, and more than just, He is merciful and gracious, long-suffering and slow to wrath, abundant in goodness and in truth. (T. Guthrie, D. D.)
The importunate widow
I. First, then, consider our LORDS DESIGN IN THIS PARABLE--Men ought always to pray, and not to faint.
1. Our Lord meant by saying men ought always to pray, that they ought to be always in the spirit of prayer, always ready to pray. Like the old knights, always in warfare, not always on their steeds dashing forward with their lances in rest to unhorse an adversary, but always wearing their weapons where they could readily reach them, and always ready to encounter wounds or death for the sake of the cause which they championed. Those grim warriors often slept in their armour; so even when we sleep, we are still to be in the spirit of prayer, so that if perchance we wake in the night we may still be with God.
2. Our Lord may also have meant, that the whole life of the Christian should be a life of devotion to God. Men ought always to pray. It means that when they are using the lapstone, or the chisel, when the hands are on the plough-handles, or on the spade, when they are measuring out the goods, when they are dealing in stocks, whatever they are doing, they are to turn all these things into a part of the sacred pursuit of Gods glory. Their common garments are to be vestments, their meals are to be sacraments, their ordinary actions are to be sacrifices, and they themselves a royal priesthood, a peculiar people zealous for good works.
3. A third meaning which I think our Lord intended to convey to us was this: men ought always to pray, that is, they should persevere in prayer.
4. I cannot leave this part of the subject without observing that our Lord would have us learn that men should be more frequent in prayer. Prayerfulness will scarcely be kept up long unless you set apart times and seasons for prayer.
5. Our Lord means, to sum up the whole, that believers should exercise a universality of supplication--we ought to pray at all times.
II. In enforcing this precept, our Lord gives us a parable in which there are TWO ACTORS, the characteristics of the two actors being such as to add strength to His precept. In the first verse of the parable there is a judge. Now, herein is the great advantage to us in prayer. Brethren, if this poor woman prevailed with a judge whose office is stern, unbending, untender, how much more ought you and I to be instant in prayer and hopeful of success when we have to supplicate a Father! We must, however, pass on now to notice the other actor in the scene--the widow; and here everything tells again the same way, to induce the Church of God to be importunate. She was apparently a perfect stranger to the judge. She appeared before him as an individual in whom he took no interest. He had possibly never seen her before; who she was and what she wanted was no concern to him. But when the Church appears before God she comes as Christs own bride, she appears before the Father as one whom He has loved with an everlasting love. And shall He not avenge His own elect, His own chosen, His own people? Shall not their prayers prevail with Him, when a strangers importunity won a suit of an unwilling judge?
III. The third and last point: THE POWER WHICH, ACCORDING TO THIS PARABLE, TRIUMPHED.
1. This power was not the womans eloquence, I pray thee avenge me of mine adversary. These words are very few. Just eight words. Verbiage is generally nothing better in prayer than a miserable fig-leaf with which to cover the nakedness of an unawakened soul.
2. Another thing is quite certain, namely, that the woman did not prevail through the merits of her case. He does not say, She has a good case, and I ought to listen to it. No, he was too bad a man to be moved by such a motive--but she worries me, that is all, I will attend to it. So in our suit--in the suit of a sinner with God, it is not the merit of his case that can ever prevail with God. If thou art to win, anothers merit must stand instead of thine, and on thy part it must not be merit but misery; it must not be thy righteousness but thy importunity that is to prevail with God. However unworthy you may be, continue in prayer. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Parable of the importunate widow
I. Consider THE PARABLE ITSELF.
II. Inquire, WHAT IS MEANT BY IMPORTUNITY IN PRAYER.
1. Attention.
2. Ardour.
3. Frequency.
4. Regularity.
III. Let us next consider WHY IMPORTUNITY IS SAID TO PREVAIL WITH GOD.
1. Because it consists in the exercise of pious and amiable feelings.
2. Because the frequent exercise of such feelings has a tendency to form pious and virtuous habits; and such habits are qualifications for higher society and purer happiness than this world affords.
3. Because the frequent excitement of such feelings fits us for receiving the blessings we ask.
IV. We may shortly observe, from what our Saviour has said in the seventh and eighth verses, that HE SEEMS TO INSINUATE THAT SOMETHING LIKE A STATE OF PERSECUTION WILL TAKE PLACE ABOUT THE TIME OF HIS SECOND COMING. For why should the elect be represented as crying to God day and night, unless they were in a suffering state?
1. We may conclude that many will despond and cease to believe that God will interfere in their favour.
2. It also necessarily follows that, after the second coming of Jesus, God will avenge His elect, and that suddenly and completely. (J. Thomson, D. D.)
Pray without ceasing
How can the conduct of this selfish tyrant to a helper sufferer be any illustration of a just and merciful Gods dealing with His own elect? One thing, at least, is certain, that in this, and, by parity of reasoning, in all like cases, it does not follow, because two things are compared in one point, that they must be alike in every other. The only points of contact are the mutual relation of the parties as petitioner and sovereign, the withholding of the thing requested and its subsequent bestowal. In all the rest there is, there can be no resemblance; there is perfect contrariety. Why, then, was this unsuitable image chosen even for the sake of illustration? Why was not the Hearer of Prayer represented by a creature bearing more of His own image? Because this would not have answered our Lords purpose, but would only have taught feebly by comparison what is now taught mightily by contrast. The ground of confidence here furnished is not the similitude of God to man, but their infinite disparity. If even such a character, governed by such motives, may be rationally expected to take a certain course, however alien from his native disposition and his habits, there can be no risk in counting on a like result where all these adverse circumstances favour it. The three main points of the antithesis are these--the character, the practice, and the motive of the judge--his moral character, his official practice, and his motive for acting upon this occasion in a manner contrary to both. His official practice is intimated by the word unjust applied to him near the conclusion of the parable. The interior source of this exterior conduct is then described in other terms. He feared not God. He neither reverenced Him as a sovereign, nor dreaded Him as an avenger. Among the motives which may act upon this principle, not the least potent is the fear of man. This may include the dread of his displeasure, the desire of his applause, and an instinctive shrinking even from his scorn. Shame, fear, ambition, all may contribute to produce an outward goodness having no real counterpart within. This is particularly true of public and official acts. They can consent to risk their souls, but not to jeopard their respectability. There would thus seem to be three grounds for expecting justice and fidelity in human society, and especially in public trusts. The first and highest is the fear of God, including all religious motives--then the fear of man or a regard to public sentiment--and last, the force of habit, the authority of precedent, a disposition to do that which has been done before, because it has been done before. These three impulsive forces do not utterly exclude each other. They may co-exist in due subordination. The same is true of a regard to settled usage, or even to personal habit, when correctly formed. Indeed, these latter motives never have so powerful an influence for good, as when they act in due subordination to the fear of God. It is only when this is wanting, and they undertake to fill its place, that they become unlawful or objectionable. And even then, although they cannot make good the deficiency in Gods sight, they may make it good in mans. Although the root of the matter is not in them a short-lived verdure may be brought out and maintained by artificial means. The want of any one of these impulsive forces may detract from the completeness of the ultimate effect. How much more the absence of them all! In other words, how utterly unjust must that judge be who neither fears God nor regards man. If this widow has not the means of appealing to his avarice, how clear it seems that his refusal to avenge her is a final one, and that continued importunity can only waste time and provoke him to new insult. I dwell on these particulars to show that, in their aggregate, they are intended to convey the idea of a hopeless case. She hopes against hope. An indomitable instinct triumphs over reason. She persists in her entreaties. The conclusion which we have already reached is, that the widow in the parable did right, acted a reasonable part, in hoping against hope, and still persisting in her suit when everything combined to prove it hopeless. She would have had no right to sacrifice the comfort and tranquillity, much less the life or the salvation of her children to her own despondency or weariness of effort. But let us suppose that he had been an upright, conscientious, faithful judge, whose execution of his office was delayed by some mistake or want of information. How much less excusable would she have then been in relinquishing her rights or those of others in despair! Suppose that, instead of knowing that the judge was in principle and habit unjust, she had known him, by experience, to be just and merciful, as well as eminently wise. Suppose that she had been protected by him, and her wrongs redressed in many ether cases. How easy must it then have been to trust! How doubly mad and wicked to despair! There seems to be room for only one more supposition. Exclude all chance of intellectual or moral wrong. Enlarge the attributes before supposed, until they reach infinity or absolute perfection. What, then, would be left as the foundation or the pretext of a doubt? The bare fact of delay? If she was wise in hoping against hope, what must we be in despairing against evidence? If she was right in trusting to the selfish love of ease in such a man, how wrong must we be in distrusting the benevolence, the faithfulness, the truth of such a God! Every point of dissimilitude between the cases does but serve to make our own still worse and less excusable, by bringing into shocking contrast mens dependence on the worst of their own species, with their want of confidence in God. (J. A. Alexander.)
Times adverse to prayer
There is a rude sense of right in most mens breasts; and the appeal of outraged helplessness is not often made in vain. But this judge was in his very nature incapable of understanding or feeling the force of such an appeal: he was an unjust judge. Again, even in cases where man have no natural and conscientious sympathy with righteousness, the instinct of retribution frequently arouses a fear of God, which impels them to acts of justice; but in the case of the unjust judge there seemed no avenue for the approach of such a feeling: he feared not God. Nor was he moved by that which, as a last motive, is powerful in the most debased natures, the regard for the opinion of other men. He was of that cold, hardened, and unaccommodating character that he neither feared God nor regarded man. What did our Master intend by thus sketching the judge?… The unjust judge is not the portrait of what God is, but of what, owing to circumstances of trial, and misrepresentations of unreasonable and wicked men, the suffering, waiting people of Christ will be almost tempted to think Him. All about them they hear a language which haunts them with hideous dread; the voice of the enemy and the blasphemer are heard whispering, Is there knowledge in the Most High? He will never regard it; or deepening into the hoarse utterance of half wish, half fear--There is no God! Harassed by doubts, wounded and terrified by the oft-reiterated assaults and assertions of her enemies, driven to despair at the seeming unbroken stillness of the unanswering heavens, the Church of Christ is as the lone helpless widow, powerless and povertystricken. But she is mighty. Though this hideous portraiture of grim and impassive godhead is thrust upon her, she will have none of it. She will not abandon her plea, or accept the description. With this picture of hard, inexorable justice before her, she will not abandon her plea. If it be so, that she is thus weak and poor, and dealing with one whom no cries for pity, or claims for justice, can arouse, and no aspect of misery touch and soften; then nothing remains for her but the might of her weakness in its unceasing supplications, which will take no denial; nothing remains but to weary Him out into compliance. (Bishop Boyd Carpenter.)
Oriental judges
A judge in an Oriental city must not be regarded precisely as a judge among us, nowadays, nor yet with all the peculiar powers and duties of the ancient judges of Israel, whose powers somewhat resembled that of a king. Those ancient judges, more like ancient kings than anything else, were yet officers or rulers of such a peculiar sort, that the Romans transferred the name of their dignity into Latin--at least of their Carthaginian counterparts. Out of the Shemitic shofet they made suffetes. But in the time of Christ the judge, where not a Roman official, had still some power equivalent to that of the sheriffs of our country. He was head judge and head executioner of his sentences. Never till our own times, or those of two of three generations ago, has the world worked out the problem of wholly separating the legislative, the judicial, and the executive functions. Nor is it always accomplished by a nominal separation; nor can that separation ever be entirely actual, even as much so as required by theory. As long as the legislative or judicial power has anything to do, it must be gifted with some slight executive powers. But this is only one instance in the physical and metaphysical universe of the failure of human divisions to cover all that the one Spirit has made or is working. The prayer of the widow to the unjust judge--and here unrighteous is better; for attention is directed not very closely to his merely judicial function--regards rather his executive function than anything else. She does not call--in words at least--for a hearing of her cause, but for an order ofenforcement. In modern times that would be by sending a zabtieh or two, soldier police, to apply the necessary force. This might be done even without hearing, or before hearing, the case. To this day, in the East, it is necessary for poor suitors to be very importunate. It would be easy to give examples; but it might be tedious. A woman will frequently beg and beg a judge to attend to her case, or to execute a decree in a case he has passed upon and rendered judgment, and generally promise or ask to kiss the judges feet. But a little money from the other side will effectually stop the judges ears. (Prof. Isaac H. Hall.)
A widow
The Churchs widowhood
This parable sets before us, under the figure of a widow--a feeble and injured widow--the true character and standing of the Church of God on earth, during the present age. In numbers she is few--a mere election, a gathering out, no more; in power, slender; in honour, little set by; in alliances, little courted. That such is the case, nay, that such must be the case, appears from such things as these:--
1. The Fathers purpose concerning her. That purpose has great things in store for her, in the ages to come; but at present her lot is to be weakness, poverty, hardship, and the endurance of wrong.
2. Her conformity to her Lord. He is her pattern, not merely as to character, but as to the whole course of life. In Him she learns what her lot on earth is to be. He, the rejected one, even among His own, she must be rejected too.
3. Her standing by faith. It is the worlds unbelief that so specially makes it the world; so it is the Churchs faith that makes her what she is, the Church. We have known and believed the love that God hath to us.
4. The condition of the world out of which she is called. It is an evil world.
5. Her prospects. She is an heir of God, and a joint heir with Christ Jesus. The world loves not the faithful widow, and would fain seduce her to a second marriage--a marriage with itself. Decked in costly array, it would admire her, and give her its willing fellowship. But dressed only in the widows mournful garb, it cannot tolerate her. Her faithfulness to her Lord condemns it. Her seclusion and separation rebuke it. Her continuing in supplication and prayers night and day it cannot away with. The widows cry sorely disturbs the worlds peace, and, ringing nightly through its glittering halls of pleasure, turns all its music into discord. Nor less does Satan dislike the widows weeds and the widows cry. For they remind him that his day is short, and that he who is to bind him in chains, and cast him out of his dominions, will soon be here. (H. Bonar, D. D.)
The importunate widow a type of Gods elect people
I. GOD HAS AN ELECT PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, scattered up and down among men found in various places, and in almost all communities, as his chosen ones. Men may take this principle in a light which does not belong to it, and affirm that they can deduce conclusions from it which in the Bible are directly and distinctly denied. There are, I might observe, two things which always make it appear to me, not only in a light that is harmless, but in a light that is most beneficial.
1. The one is, that it is never separated from its moral influences. Predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. Chosen that we may be blameless and harmless, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. And here, in the passage before us, it stands allied with a devotional character and with a praying habit of mind: and we are sure of this, that, practically felt in the mind, it does humble, prostrate, purify, inspire, and awaken within the lowest gratitude, and, at the same time, the loftiest and the holiest joy.
2. The other thing that I would wish to remark respecting it is, that it interferes not in any degree with the universal invitations of the gospel.
II. THE ELECT OF GOD ARE DISTINGUISHED BY THEIR DEVOTIONAL CHARACTER--THEIR PRAYING FRAME OF MIND. Shall not God avenge His own elect who cry day and night before Him? The evidence that we are chosen of God, called into His Church, made partakers of His mercy, is in this, that we recognize His providence; that we live in daily dependence upon His bounty; that we lift up our hearts to Him in supplication; that believing we pray, and that praying we confide. Then I would add, that an elect and praying people are beautiful in the eyes of God, and His ears are ever open to their cry.
III. Their prayers particularly regard THE RETRIBUTION UPON THE ENEMY, AND THE COMING OF THE KINGDOM. Shall not God avenge His own elect, who cry day and night unto Him? There is emphasis on the word cry. Abels blood did cry; there was a shrill, piercing, importunate voice in it. Just before God came down to deliver the Israelites in Egypt, on account of their bondage and oppression, it is said they did sigh and cry: and we find the Church, when distressed and in anguish by reason of the enemy, is said to cry. A widow, a desolate person, sustaining injury, bleeding under injustice, cries, and asks the judge for justice; and precisely in the same way the Church is said to cry to God for justice. And against whom? The answer is, against Satan, the great adversary, who has established a tyranny and an usurpation in this world, who has built up his kingdom amidst darkness, and violence, and blood. And we ask for justice upon him, and pray God to bruise him under our feet, and to do it quickly. The Son of God was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil; and we call on the Son of God in the exercise of His supremacy to do His work.
IV. THE PRAYER OF THE ELECT CHURCH FOR JUSTICE SHALL BE HEARD AND ANSWERED WHEN THE LORD COMETH. I am not sure that the word avenge here is the right one: if the widow had asked vengeance on her enemy, peradventure the judge would not have granted it; but it means more properly justice. Though He bear long with them, says the text. A very learned critic, on the authority of many ancient manuscripts, observes it ought to be though He compassionate them: that is, while they cry, though God appeareth not to attend to them, yet He does hear them and tenderly compassionates them. If we take it as being correctly avenge, I beg to remark that the world and the wicked have had their time of vengeance. Here is a picture! All that pass by clap their hands at Thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem. With ferocious face they clapped their hands, and hissed, and wagged their heads, saying, Is this the city that men call the perfection of beauty, the icy of the whole earth? All Thine enemies have opened their mouth against Thee: they hiss and gnash the teeth: they say, We have swallowed her up: certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen it. Unholy vengeance! Revenge, in the true and strict sense of the expression, awful to contemplate! That was mans day; that was the day of the adversary: and God stood silent by. But God has His day: the day of the Lord cometh: and this is referred to in the text.
V. We come to the last thing, when the Lord shall come to execute His justice, FAITH WILL BE AT A LOW EBB ON THE EARTH. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh shall He find faith on the earth? when He cometh to execute justice. It is very observable that in almost every great and signal instance in which God has remarkably come for a purpose specified in the passage, it has been suddenly, in a moment, and when there is no belief of it. (J. Stratten.)
God hears the prayers of His elect
I. GOD HAS AN ELECT PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, WHO ARE A PRAYING PEOPLE. This character of a praying people is confined to them.
II. GOD WILT AVENGE HIS OWN ELECT, WHO CRY DAY AND NIGHT UNTO HIM. Though men see not, He is in the world; though men see Him not, He is not far from any one of us; though men see not His work, He is carrying it on; He has been building up His Church, and establishing its progress.
III. THE STRIKING REBUKE WHICH CHRIST UTTERS: When the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith upon the earth? What a thought; how we ought to humble ourselves! (I. Saunders.)
Gods response to the cry of the elect
Alexander Peden, one of the Scotch covenanters, with some others, had been at one time hard pursued by Claverhouses troops for a considerable way. At last, getting some little height between them and their pursuers, he stood still and said, Let us pray here, for if the Lord hear not our prayer and save us, we are all dead men. He then prayed, saying, O Lord, this is the hour and the power of Thine enemies; they may not be idle. But hast Thou no other work for them than to send them after us? Send them after them to whom Thou wilt give strength to flee, for our strength is gone. Twine them about the hill, O Lord, and cast the lap of Thy cloak over the poor old folk and their puir things, and save us this one time, and we will keep it in remembrance, and tell to the commendation of Thy goodness, Thy pity and compassion, what Thou didst for us at sic a time. And in this he was heard, for a cloud of mist immediately intervened between them and their persecutors, and in the meantime orders came to go in quest of James Renwick, and a great company with him.
Shall He find faith on the earth?--
The faith of the Church
I. THE IMPORTANCE ATTACHED BY CHRIST TO THE FAITH OF HIS PEOPLE. The faith of the Church is important, because it is at the root of all Christian activity and zeal. What wonder is it, then, that Christ attaches such importance to the faith of His people?
II. THOUGH THE FAITH OF THE CHURCH IS TRIED BY THE DELAY OF THE DELIVERANCE, YET THERE ARE ABUNDANT REASONS WHY IT SHOULD HOLD
ON. There is nothing mere remarkable in the history of Christ than the calm faith which He had in His own mission--in its success and ultimate triumph. He stood alone; and to be alone in any enterprise or sorrow is to most men hard and trying. Truth is truth if only embraced by one; truth is not a whir more true when ten thousand believe it. But we like sympathy. No one in the wide world understood His mission; but His faith never wavered for a moment. He was not careful to engrave His words on stone, or write them on parchment; He simply spoke. A spoken word--it stirs the air, it is like a pebble thrown into the ocean of air, causing a few ripples to spread, and it is soon lost like a pebble. Christ flung His words into the air, spoke on the mountain, by the sea-shore, in the Temple, in the synagogue, in the village, by the grave; and He knew that His words were living, and would continue to live, that they were not like a snowflake on the river, a moment white, and then gone for ever, but that they were destined to spread and to revolutionize the world. We learn, however, that notwithstanding His unshaken faith, He could see clouds in the future, persecution, corruption, iniquity, abound ing, love waxing cold, eras of apparent retrogression and failure. And seeing all this, He asks, When the Son of Man cometh, shall He find this faith on the earth?
III. He supposes THAT THE CHURCH MAY BECOME WEARY OF THE DELAY. (James Owen.)
The search for faith
Faithfulness is established in the very heavens: but what of faithfulness upon the earth?
I. I notice with regard to our text, first, that IT IS REMARKABLE IF WE CONSIDER THE PERSON MENTIONED AS SEARCHING FOR FAITH. When the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?
1. When Jesus comes He will look for precious faith. He has more regard for faith than for all else that earth can yield Him. Our returning Lord will care nothing for the treasures of the rich or the honours of the great. He will not look for the abilities we have manifested, nor the influence we have acquired; but He will look for our faith. It is His glory that He is believed on in the world, and to that He will have respect. This is the jewel for which He is searching.
2. When our Lord comes and looks for faith, He will do so in His most sympathetic character. Our text saith not, When the Son of God cometh, but When the Son of Man cometh, will He find faith on the earth? It is peculiarly as the Son of Man that Jesus will sit as a refiner, to discover whether we have true faith or not.
3. Further, I would have you note well that the Son of Man is the most likely person to discover faith if it is to be found. Not a grain of faith exists in all the world except that which He has Himself created.
4. Besides, faith always looks to Christ. There is no faith in the world worth having, but what looks to Him, and through Him to God, for everything. On the other hand, Christ always looks to faith; there never yet was an eye of faith but what it met the eye of Christ.
5. The Son of Man will give a wise and generous judgment in the matter. Some brethren judge so harshly that they would tread out the sparks of faith; but it is never so with our gracious Lord; He does not quench the smoking flax, nor despise the most trembling faith. The tender and gentle Saviour, who never judges too severely, when He comes, shall even He find faith on the earth?
6. Once more, I want to put this question into a striking light by dwelling on the time of the scrutiny. When the Son of Man cometh, etc. I know not how long this dispensation of longsuffering will last; but certainly the longer it continues the more wantonly wicked does unbelief become.
7. I want you to notice the breadth of the region of search. He does not say, shall He find faith among philosophers? When had they any? He does not confine His scrutiny to an ordained ministry or a visible Church; but He takes a wider sweep--Shall He find faith on the earth? As if He would search from throne to cottage, among the learned and among the ignorant, among public men and obscure individuals. Alas, poor earth, to be so void of faith!
II. Let us somewhat change the run of our thoughts: having introduced the question as a remarkable one, we will next notice that IT IS EXCEEDINGLY INSTRUCTIVE IN CONNECTION WITH THE PARABLE OF WHICH IT IS PART. When the Son of Man cometh shall He find upon the earth the faith which prays importunately, as this widow did? Now, the meaning is dawning upon us. We have many upon the earth who pray; but where are those whose continual coming is sure to prevail?
III. In the next place, our text seems to me to be SUGGESTIVE IN VIEW OF ITS VERY FORM. It is put as a question: When the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?
1. I think it warns us not to dogmatize about what the latter days will be. Jesus puts it as a question. Shall He find faith on the earth?
2. This question leads us to much holy fear as to the matter of faith. If our gracious Lord raises the question, the question ought to be raised.
3. As far as my observation goes, it is a question which might suggest itself to the most hopeful persons at this time; for many processes are in vigorous action which tend to destroy faith. The Scriptures are being criticized with a familiarity which shocks all reverence, and their very foundation is being assailed by persons who call themselves Christians. A chilling criticism has taken the place of a warm, childlike, loving confidence. As one has truly said, We have now a temple without a sanctuary. Mystery is discarded that reason may reign.
4. Do you not think that this, put in a question as it is, invites us to intense watchfulness over ourselves? Do you not think it should set us scrutinizing ourselves as our Lord will scrutinize us when He comes? You have been looking for a great many things in yourself, my brother; let me entreat you to look to your faith. What if love grow cold!
IV. My text is very IMPRESSIVE IN RESPECT TO PERSONAL DUTY. When the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth? Let faith have a home in our hearts, if it is denied a lodging everywhere else. If we do not trust our Lord, and trust Him much more than we have ever done, we shall deserve His gravest displeasure. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Christ looking in vain for faith
If I venture for a moment to look into the reasons of these things, perhaps I might particularize the following: It is always in the indolent and grossser nature of man to prefer the present and the visible, to the future and the unseen. The heart gravitates to practical materialism as a stone gravitates to the ground. It is always a special act to make a man feel the invisible, live in the invisible. For in fact, all faith is miracle. And days of great science, such as these, are always likely to be days of proportionate un-belief-because the power of the habit of finding out more and more natural causes, is calculated, unless a man be a religious man, to make him rest in the cause he sees, and not to go on to that higher cause of which all the causes in this world, are, after all, only effects. And familiarity, too, with Divine things--which is a particular characteristic of our age, has in itself a tendency to sap the reverence, which is at the root of all faith. But still more, the character of the age we live in is a rushing selfishness. The race for money is tremendous; men are grown intensely secular; the facilities are increased, and with them, the covetousness. You are living under higher and higher pressure, and everything goes into extremes; all live fast. And the competition of business is Overwhelming, and the excitement of fashion intoxicating. How can faith, which breathes in the shade of prayer and meditation--live in such an atmosphere as this? Let me just throw out one or two suggestions to you about faith. Remember faith is a moral grace, and not an intellectual gift. It lives among the affections; its seat is the heart. A soft and tender conscience is the cradle of faith; and it will live and die according to the life you lead. If you would have faith, you must settle with yourself the authority, the supremacy, and the sufficiency of the Bible. Then, when you have done that, you will be able to deal with promises. Feed upon promises. We take the spiritual character of what we receive into our minds, just as the body assumes the nature of the food it eats. Act out the very little faith you have. Faith is a series of continual progression, and each fresh step is accompanied by a moral effort which reacts to make another. Take care that you are a man of meditative habit. There cannot be faith without daily, calm, quiet seasons of thought. (J. Vaughan, M. A.)
Loss of faith in the Christian verities
I cannot but think that this faith is the faith once delivered to the saints, the faith of the gospel, and the creeds--the faith in Christ, the eternal Son of God Incarnate, crucified, risen, ascended, and returning. This faith will be in the pages of Scripture, and in the creeds of the Church. It may not, perhaps, be denied, but it will not be held. And yet without the realization of these great eternal verities there can be no faith, in the New Testament sense of the word. Already this faith grows weaker and weaker. It has been said that faith is turned inward, and a miserable turning it is: for what is there within the sinner to raise him up to God and unite him to the Supreme? It is the exhibition of the love of God in His Son which breeds faith in the soul, It is the same exhibition which sustains it, and the same which perfects it. (M. F. Sadler.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14 1. They ought always to pray. Prayer is a…
1. They ought always to pray. Prayer is a privilege and a duty. Not to faint. Persistence in prayer is requisite to making it effectual. See Eph. 6:18. “God reserves for thee that which he is slow to give thee, that thou mayest learn to entertain a supreme desire and longing for it.”—Augustine.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary 1892 · Public Domain On vv1, 9 Luk_18:1 And He spake a parable.—This parable is closely…
CRITICAL NOTES
Luk_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. Luk_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 1Th_5:17. To faint.—A military metaphor: to abandon anything from cowardice, sloth, or despondency.
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Luk_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.
Luk_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 Luk_18:5; Luk_18:7-8); “consider my case, and free me from the evil practices of my oppressor.”
Luk_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.
Luk_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.
Luk_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.
Luk_18:8. Speedily.—I.e., soon, though the time seems long. Cf. 2Pe_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.—Luk_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 (Luk_18:20-37), and is recurred to in Christ’s question at the end of Luk_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 Luk_18:1-14
Luk_18:1-14. Lessons on Prayer.
I. A lesson on prayer.
II. A lesson from a widow’s urgency (Luk_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 Luk_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.
Luk_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.
Luk_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.
Luk_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.
Luk_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.
Luk_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.
Luk_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 1Co_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.
Luk_18:6. “Hear what the unjust judge saith.”—Cf. Luk_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.”
Luk_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 (Rev_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 (Joh_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 (Mat_14:24-25).—Trench.
Luk_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. Mat_24:12 : “Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.
William B. Godbey 1900 · Public Domain On vv1, 8, 9 Luk 18:1-8. This paragraph on the Lord’s second coming…
CHAPTER 15
THE UNJUST JUDGE AND THE INDEFATIGABLE WIDOW
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Luk 18:1-8. This paragraph on the Lord’s second coming begins with the twenty-second verse of the seventeenth chapter, and runs through the eighth verse of the eighteenth chapter. Of course you know there is no significance arising from the division into chapters and verses, as it was never made by an inspired hand, but by men of quite modem date, whose knowledge of the Scripture was, to say the least, very ordinary, as in many instances they seriously mar the trend of truth by breaking up the connection. This is one of those noted cases where they have inserted the eighteenth chapter in the middle of this beautiful paragraph revelatory of our Lord’s return to earth. “And He spoke to them a parable to the end that they themselves ought always to pray, and not to faint.” The E. V. insertion of “men,” which you see by the italics is not in the original, is quite misleading; as you see our Savior is addressing His disciples directly, and here uses the definite pronoun, showing clearly that His disciples are the subject of the verb “pray.” As this passage is generally entirely misconstrued as to both the subject and the object of he prayer, I hope you will see the connection, and understand the deliverances of our Lord in this paragraph. N. B. — The leading thought-in this paragraph is His second coming, while His disciples are the subjects addressed, because the world neither knows nor cares anything about either the first or the second advent. Having emphasized so forcibly the fact and the importance of His return, He now tells His disciples they should constantly pray for it, as E. V.,
“ought always to pray, and not to faint,” remembering that His disciples (as “ought” means) are under obligation — i. e., it is our duty to Him as our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, glorious Lord, and coming King — always to pray for His coming, and never to faint; i.e., never give way to indifference or despondency so that we cease to pray incessantly and importunately for the return of our ascended Lord. This conclusion is abundantly and transcendently sustained by the following parable, and consequently no mistake about it. “Saying, There was a certain judge in a certain city, neither fearing God nor regarding man.” You will see that this unjust judge emblematizes God Almighty in point of independency. Our Savior here gives us one of His grand a-fortiori arguments. “And there was a widow in that city, and she continued to come to him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.” While the unjust judge here, as to independency, represents God, the widow is the Church, which is constantly typified by a woman, and now in widowhood, because her Divine Husband has ascended up to heaven. Now this poor widow has an awful enemy — i. e., the devil — who troubles her incessantly. Ercheto, “continued to go,” is in the imperfect tense, showing an existing custom; i.e., this woman has been going night and day, and pleading with God to send Jesus back to the earth, that He may put the devil out, and reign without a rival. “And he was not willing for a time; and after these things he said in himself, Even though I fear not God, nor regard man, because this widow giveth me trouble, I will avenge her, lest coming on forever she may smite me in the face.” You see our translation is much stronger than the E. V. Hupopiadze is from hupopion, “the cheek bone,” and here in the verb form; so the literal meaning is, “Hit me on the cheek-bone” — i. e., “Smite me in the face;” or to use an American phrase, “Give me a black eye.” This old tyrant, who neither fears God nor regards man, is so annoyed by the widow coming incessantly and pleading with him to deliver her from her intolerable adversary, that, though he really cares nothing about the matter, he finally concludes to grant her request, because he believes that if he does not, she will come on indefinitely, annoying the life out of him, and finally, becoming desperate, actually smite him in the face. In view of, these stringent considerations, he resolves to avenge her of her adversary, simply in order to get rid of her. Jesus is not only the plainest, but the most forcible Preacher the world ever saw. N. B. — This is an a-fortiori argument, which always commands a sweeping and overwhelming conclusion; e.g., if this reckless old tyrant, centered all in self, would avenge this widow simply to get rid of her, how infinitely, inconceivably, and overwhelmingly conclusive the argument that our loving Heavenly Father, having all power in heaven and in earth, and at the same time full of kindness, pity, sympathy, and the tenderest Fatherly affection and superabounding in redeeming love, will certainly avenge the poor widowed Church, who, through the ages, continues to come, and under no circumstances will she be put off or relax her importunity, praying night and day to her Heavenly Father to send Jesus back to cast the devil out, because he torments her night and day, laying a thousand stratagems to capture her children and drag them into hell!
“And the Lord said, Hear ye what the unjust judge says. And must not God execute vengeance in behalf of His own elect, who cry day and night unto Him, and lie suffereth long in their behalf? I say unto you that He will execute vengeance in their behalf quickly. Moreover, the Son of man having come, will He then find faith on the earth?” We must leave everything where the Lord puts it. By this powerful a-fortiori argument He proves His own return to the earth, responsive to the prayers of His disciples, represented by this importunate widow, who is none other than the Church, bereaved of her ascended Lord, and during His absence suffering awful and intolerable harassment by the devil, who, “knowing his time is short,” is stirring earth and hell to get the regions of woe well populated before the Lord comes and casts him out. (Rev 20:3) Now you see that when the Lord comes, He will find but little faith on the earth. How is that? Why, everything must be left where Jesus put it. Do you not see that this question, which evidently involves a negative answer, warranting the conclusion that faith will be quite scarce on the earth when the Lord returns, winds up this paragraph of twenty-three verses on the Lord’s coming? Therefore you see it means faith appertaining to this subject; i.e., involving the conclusion that when the Lord comes, it will be an awful and shocking surprise to all the people on the earth, good and bad, with the exception of a few, represented by this importunate widow — i.e., the true, holy Church of Christ — who, in all ages has been praying for His return, living night and day in anticipation of His coming. To her it will be no surprise, as she will run to meet Him with a shout. After these tremendously urgent and stringent deliverances of our Lord on the subject of His second coming, admonishing all of His disciples to pray for it incessantly, and not to faint — i. e., never waver nor hesitate, nor doubt the propriety of so doing--how strange that so few who claim to be the disciples of Christ are actually praying the Father to send Him down on the throne of His glory, that He may cast the devil out and reign forever! When they see this positive affirmation of Jesus to His disciples that they ought constantly to pray for His coming and never cease, how strange that we find even holiness people, not only neglecting to preach this glorious truth and pray the Father to send back His Son, but even attempting to lay an embargo on those who do preach these grand truths and pray for His corning! As we see here that very few will He find on the earth who have faith for His coming, and are consequently looking for Him, is not that sufficient inspiration to stir up every reader of these pages to aspire to a place in that small number who have faith in His coming, are praying for His return, and on the constant outlook?
William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Sermon Bible 1900 · Public Domain On v1 Luk 18:1-2
Luk 18:1-2
I. This parable does not teach us to pray. There is no need that it should. Like the belief in a God, the moral sense of right and wrong, the hope of immortality, the expectation of a judgment, prayer seems as much an instinct of the soul as breathing, eating, drinking are instinctive actions of the body, which we need neither to be told, nor to learn, to do.
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II. It teaches us how to pray. The point here is the fervour and frequency, the constancy and perseverance, or what has been called, in one word, the importunity of prayer. This implies, at least on our part, stated daily praise. To omit prayer is to go to battle, having left our weapons behind us in the tent; is to go to our daily labour without the strength imparted by a morning meal; is to attempt the bar where breakers roar and rocks hide their rugged heads without taking our pilot on board.
II. The parable teaches persevering prayer. It is hard, fainting work—praying. It is harder to pray than to preach. We do not believe what we profess, nor feel what we say, nor wish what we ask; or, if we do, we do not take the right way of getting it. And how can we expect God to answer prayer when He sees, what we ourselves might see, that we are not earnest? If we were we would be urgent, praying in the house, by the way, on our beds, at our business—prayer sounding or silent, a constant flowing stream. By constant dropping the water wears a hole in the hardest stone. And who, as he sat on a jutting crag, amid the spray of the roaring, flashing cataract, has not marked how by her constant flow the river has polished its rugged sides, and worn out smooth runnels for its streams. So, as it is only perseverance in grace that can carry us up to heaven, it is only perseverance in prayer that can bring its blessings down. Such is the plan of redemption, the ordinance of God. "The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force."
T. Guthrie, The Parables in the Light of the Present Day, p. 126.
References: Luk 18:1-5.—H.W. Beecher, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xx., p. 125; vol. xxxii., p. 214. Luk 18:1-8.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xv., No. 856; Homiletic Quarterly, vol. iii., p. 346; vol. xiii., p. 331; H. Calderwood, The Parables, p. 147; A. B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve, p. 51; A. Murray, With Christ in the School of Prayer, p. 117; H. W. Beecher, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxii., p. 7. Luk 18:1-14.—Preacher’s Monthly, vol. i., p. 382.
Luk 18:3
The Church’s Widowhood. That the Church is, nay must be, in a state of widowhood appears from such things as these:—
I. The Father’s purpose concerning her. That purpose has great things in store for her, in the ages to come; but at present her lot is to be weakness, poverty, hardship, and the endurance of wrong. Through much tribulation she must enter the kingdom.
II. Her conformity to her Lord. He is her pattern, not merely as to character, but as to the whole course of life. In Him she learns what her lot on earth is to be. He, the rejected One, even among His own, she must be rejected too; He, the hated One, she must be hated too. Better treatment than He met with she is not entitled to expect: nor should she wish to have.
III. Her standing by faith. It is the world’s unbelief that so specially makes it the world; so it is the Church’s faith that makes her what she is, the Church. As one believing in a kingdom to come, she shakes herself free from the entanglements of time. She becomes a stranger here, having no continuing city, but satisfied with the tent of the desert, till she reach the city of habitation.
IV. The condition of the world out of which she is called. It is an evil world. It lieth in wickedness, and her calling is to come out from it, and, like Noah, to condemn it. She has nothing in common with it. All is uncongenial.
V. Her prospects. She is an heir of God, and a joint-heir with Christ Jesus. An everlasting kingdom, an unfading crown, an eternal weight of glory—these are her prospects. What has she, then, to do with a world where all these are unrecognised, nay, despised or disowned? In her orphanage, or strangership, or widowhood, she still moves before us as the separated, rejected, lonely one, in the midst of an unfriendly world, that far outnumbers her, and that feels itself strangely incommoded and made uncomfortable by the presence of one who sets light by all the precious and pleasurable things of earth, having her eye and her heart fixed upon something more glorious, of which the world knows nothing.
H. Bonar, Short Sermons, p. 376.
References: Luk 18:3-5.—Homiletic Magazine, vol. vii., p. 81. Luk 18:4.—Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxvii., p. 199. Luk 18:5.—Expositor, 1st series, vol. iv., p. 32. Luk 18:6.—Homilist, vol. v., p. 284.
Luk 18:6-7
I. What is the central thought of this parable? The answer to this question is obvious. The central thought of the parable is the advantage to be derived from importunity in prayer. And the general fact which the story conveys is this: with man importunity will succeed, when the power of justice or affection would wholly fail. No one, I suppose, can doubt that there are many cases in which this is true, and so far the parable presents no difficulty.
II. But it is quite otherwise when we come to ask—What lesson is the parable meant to teach? What parallel is here drawn between the dealings of men with each other and the dealings of God with men? It is no merit, but a fault, in the selfish friend or the unjust judge, that importunity is needed to wring from them that which should have been given to love or justice. How can we argue that because importunity has succeeded with the selfish men, and that altogether by acting on their selfishness, it will therefore succeed with one whose nature is wholly different? A selfish man is teased into granting a request to save himself from personal annoyance. Does this afford any probability that an unselfish man can be similarly influenced. Yet certainly this seems to be the argument of the parable. Here is the only a fortiori argument drawn from the parable which appears to be admissible: we may expect importunate prayer to succeed better with God than with man, not because the means used is stronger in the one case than in the other, but because it has no resistance to overcome. Delay in granting the petition there may be; even ultimate refusal there may be; but both are dictated by the wise mercy of God; and the obstacles by which the selfishness of humanity blocks the way of the petitioner find no place with Him.
J. H. Jellett, The Elder Son and Other Sermons, p. 68.
Reference: Luk 18:7.—Preacher’s Monthly, vol. ii., p. 97.
Luk 18:8
I. Notice the peril—that of losing faith. Now, faith in reference to questions of revelation has three degrees, and only the last represents it in its completeness, though, indeed, as things go now we are apt to accept even, and only the first, with a sort of thankful surprise. (1) First, there is faith in a personal God, Maker and Owner of the universe, who, in the far distant past, in the mystery of His infinite power and wisdom, summoned everything into being. What theology calls by the cold name of Deism is, however, far beyond the reach of some thinkers now. Because science cannot discover God, reason is pertly bidden to treat Him as if He could not be discovered. (2) Then there is another table-land, whereon faith recognises, not only the being of God, but also His government; refuses to suppose that, exhausted with the labours of creation, He has ever since left the universe to take its own course, or, if after a fashion governing it, handcuffed by His own laws. (3) The third and final stage of Christian faith is, where the spirit of man worships the God of the creeds. God, that is, revealed and reconciled in His Incarnate Son, who, after He had perfected our redemption by His death, rose from the grave, and went back to heaven, from whence He sent His Holy Spirit to build up His Church among men, until in the end of the days He comes back with His holy angels to judge both the quick and the dead. It is this faith—with a few all of it, with many some of it—that seems now to be perishing out of our midst, so as already to justify the Saviour’s mournful question, "When I come back who will there be to believe on Me?
II. Such is our peril, but what is our safeguard? (1) We must each do the work given him to do, each be at his post. Let us more thoroughly master, more minutely examine, more devoutly study, more sincerely Love, the great doctrines of our religion, never treating them as if they were something to be ashamed of, unfit for reasoning men and this superior time. (2) Then let us use, and enjoy, and deepen our faith by sharing it with others. The brightest, and bravest, and strongest, and blessedest souls, are those which feel their religion a trust; their faith a profession before many witnesses; their warfare not only fighting for themselves, but contending for their Master; their crown, when it comes to them from the King’s hand sparkling beyond the brightness of the firmament, with the precious salvation of a brother’s soul.
Bishop Thorold, Good Words, 1880, p. 60.
I. Faith may mean no more than an assent to what is told. But the true account of faith is this—a belief in every revelation made by God, an acceptance of Divine grace in every mode and channel through which it is conveyed.
II. Why should Christ look for faith above all spiritual graces on His return? Because faith is the organ by which we accept both revelation and grace. Therefore, so far as His influence on man is concerned, Almighty God depends upon our faith. It is a condition of the success of His work; it is the only force which we can employ to frustrate His infinite power.
III. You cannot pray unless you have faith that the thing you want is in the hand of God to give.
IV. Besides men’s faith in prayer, Christ’s words point to their ready will to welcome Him on His return.
C. W. Furse, Sermons at Richmond, p. 85.
I. Christ will come again after His Resurrection in three different senses:—(1) He will come again finally, and in the highest sense, when this world shall end, and we shall all rise to judgment; (2) He will come to each one of us finally, in the highest sense, when we each of us receive His call to die; (3) He has come more than once, and I believe He will come more than once again, not finally, nor in the highest sense, either to all mankind or to each individual, but in a lower sense, and affording a sort of type or image of the higher: I mean, when He comes to bring upon the earth, or on some one or more nations, a great season of suffering, in which "the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low." In this sense, He is said to have come when he destroyed Jerusalem; in this sense, also, He came more than three hundred years afterwards, when He destroyed the empire of Rome.
II. Now let us mark His own question. "When the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith upon the earth?" And let us see what would be the answer to it, supposing that His coming in each one of the three senses which I have spoken of should be near, even at the doors. (1) May we for a moment be allowed to conceive the unspeakable awfulness of His coming in the highest sense of all? Should we then be filled with fear in our inmost hearts, as if certain death were coming upon us? or should we look up to Him whom we beheld amidst the blessed company of His saints and angels, as to one whom we have long known, long loved, long desired to see? (2) What would be our feelings were God to come in our generation in the lower sense of the term, if He were to visit this nation with a season of great misery, with famine and pestilence and war? Blessed are they who, like the three men in Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace, walk in their souls unhurt amidst the furnace of evil times, because the Son of God is with them. (3) When the Son of man cometh to us at death, shall He find faith in us? If we have no faith in Him now, we shall have none when He cometh; the lamp is not burning in us, but gone out. And when the cry strikes our ears that the Bridegroom is coming it will be too late to kindle it again; for while we are vainly going about to buy the oil, He comes, and they who are ready—not who hope to be ready by-and-by—can alone go in with Him to the marriage.
T. Arnold, Sermons, vol. v., p. 15.
References: Luk 18:8.—A. P. Stanley, Church of England Pulpit, vol. iii., p. 229; J. Vaughan, Fifty Sermons, 2nd series, p. 66; Preacher’s Monthly, vol. viii., p. 242. Luk 18:9.—F. W. Robertson, The Human Race and Other Sermons, p. 36; C. Jones, Church of England Pulpit, vol. x., p. 543. Luk 18:9-14.—Homiletic Quarterly, vol. i., p. 346; Ibid., vol. iv., p. 478; Ibid., vol. xiii., p. 332; Clergyman’s Magazine, vol. iii., p. 81; R. C. Trench, Notes on the Parables, p. 500; H. Calderwood, The Parables, p. 79; A. B. Bruce, The Parabolic Teach ing of Christ, p. 312.
Luk 18:10-13
There are five points in which the Pharisee and the publican agree; there are five points in which they differ, and there are five special lessons which the incident urges upon the attention of all men in all ages.
I. The points in which they agree are obvious. (1) They had the same object. Their object was to pray. (2) They got to the same place. Two men went up into the Temple. They met on common ground; they both spoke in the Temple. (3) They were in the Temple at the same time. That is clear from the fact that the Pharisee said with a contemptuous side-nod of his lofty head, "or even as this publican." (4) They addressed the same God. (5) Each of the men talked about himself. Each described his own case.
II. Look next at the five points of dissimilarity. (1) The one was self-satisfied, the other was self-discontented. Not one word of self-depreciation escapes the lips of the Pharisee; not one word of self-praise is uttered by the publican. (2) The Pharisee was socially contemptuous, the publican was self-condemned. The Pharisee made short work of other men. He detached himself from society, standing loftily above it, and awarding to it the most self-complacent maledictions. The publican made no reference to other men. He was filled with self-shame and self-sorrow. The question lay between himself and God, not between himself and other men. (3) The one lived in duty; the other hoped in mercy. He only truly lives who lives in hope of the mercy of God. The Pharisee showed a well-brushed coat, the publican pointed to a wounded heart. (4) The Pharisee saw separate points of excellence, whereas the publican was stunned by the condition of the whole character. (5) The one was flippant, the other was reverent. Where there is no reverence, there can be no worship.
III. What are the lessons which the incident urges upon the attention of men in all ages? (1) That self-righteousness is unrighteousness; (2) that self-trust is practical atheism; (3) that social contempt is not personal piety; (4) that self-boasting goes before destruction: (5) that man’s only standing-ground before God is the ground of God’s sovereign mercy.
Parker, City Temple, vol. i., p. 145.
References: Luk 18:10.—Homiletic Quarterly, vol. iv., p. 428; A. P. Stanley, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xii., p. 136; Preacher’s Monthly, vol. x., p. 219; R. S. Browne, Sussex Sermons, p. 153; Bishop Lightfoot, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxvii., p. 65. Luk 18:10-14.—Homilist, new series, vol. iii., p. 158; vol. iv., p. 465. Luk 18:11.—J. Keble, Sermons for Sundays after Trinity, part i., p. 406; H. P. Liddon, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxxii., p. 113. Luk 18:12.—Preacher’s Monthly, vol. ii., p. 236; A. Plummer, Church of England Pulpit, vol. xxi., p. 207. Luk 18:13.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. iv., No. 216; J. Vaughan, Fifty Sermons, 7th series, p. 65; 4th series, p. 199; G. Brooks, Five Hundred Outlines of Sermons, p. 245; Clergyman’s Magazine, vol. i., p. 74; R. Scott, University Sermons, p. 182.
Luk 18:14
Self-Righteousness.
I. We are not saved from the danger of self-righteousness by our full knowledge and hearty recognition of the doctrines of grace. The Pharisee did not dream of taking to himself the credit of the excellence which he supposed himself to have attained to. He acknowledged it to be all God’s work in him. He carries with him the spirit of trusting to himself that he is righteous, and despising others, at the very moment that he is thanking God who has made him to differ from them.
II. Righteousness is not self-righteousness. The irreligious man is apt to set down as self-righteous every one who can claim to be better than he pretends to be. There is nothing wrong in being righteous, or in doing good works. The only thing to be frightened about is, if the righteousness be not real, or the works not truly good. The less the real righteousness, the greater the danger of self-righteousness.
III. The best practical rule for avoiding the dangers which arise from comparing ourselves with others is to strive to keep ever before our minds as our rule of life, the character of Him who gave us an example, that we should follow in His steps. There is no example, but one, which may not mislead us—mislead us even when we have succeeded in arriving at the standard we aim at, or in going beyond it. There is but One in striving to resemble whom we can never be led astray; One whose character the more closely we study and the more thoroughly we love, the more nearly we approach to be perfect, even as our Father which is in heaven is perfect. The contemplation of such an Example, and the contrast which you know yourself to be, cannot but deepen your sense of sin, and drive you to the supplication—"God, be merciful to me sinner.
G. Salmon, Non-miraculous Christianity, p. 187.
References: Luk 18:14.—R. Winterbotham, Sermons and Expositions, p. 243; Clergyman’s Magazine, vol. v., p. 31. Luk 18:15, Luk 18:16.—J. Vaughan, Sermons to Children, 3rd series, p. 72. Luk 18:15-17.—Shepherd, Thursday Penny Pulpit, vol. vi., p. 309. Luk 18:15-27.—A. B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve, p. 251.
Luk 18:16
I. One sense in which this text is true is, that the great company of those who are indeed the Saviour’s people is made up of those who resemble little children in certain distinctive features of their character. The Church Militant, and far more the Church Triumphant, consists of such as these unsophisticated ones, fresh from God who is our home—their birth, perhaps, for what we know, a sleep and a forgetting; and the heaven they came from still around them in their infancy, as a poet of the purest inspiration has sung—such in temper, in disposition, in character. Of all things you could point to in this world, the thing that could give you the best idea of the essential spirit that is most childlike, is the spirit of an innocent and happy little child. Like teachable, like humble, like gentle, like affectionate, like confiding—should all true Christians be. Even worldly genius has told how beautiful it is to see something yet of the child’s warm heart in the man with hoary hairs; something of the unspoiled freshness of infancy and its home-bred simplicity, abiding still with one who has seen the great world, and borne an honoured part in its conflicts and toils; one of those who, as St. Paul would have it, in malice are children, but in understanding are men.
II. There is another sense in which these words may be taken, which may well be cherished by most of our firesides. I believe that we may take these words of our Saviour in their literal meaning, as implying that the kingdom of God, the assembly of redeemed souls in heaven, is in great measure made up of little children. All that die in infancy are saved, and half the human beings born into this world die in infancy. If the entire human race should be gathered, sanctified, and forgiven, before the throne above, still each second one there would never have known more of this sinful and sorrowful world than comes within the brief experience of early childhood.
"God took them in His mercy, as lambs untasked, untried;
He fought the fight for them; He won the victory, and they are sanctified."
A. K. H. B., Graver Thoughts of a Country Parson, 3rd series, p. 141.
References: Luk 18:16.—Sermons for Boys and Girls, p. 102; Outline Sermons to Children, p. 171; S. A. Brooke, Christ in Modern Life, p. 275. Luk 18:17.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxiv., No. 1439; E. W. Shalders, Christian World Pulpit, vol. viii., p. 3. Luk 18:22.—E. R. Conder, Drops and Rocks, p. 249. Luk 18:25.—Expositor, 1st series, vol. iii., p. 369. Luk 18:27.—Homiletic Magazine, vol. xvi., p. 233. Luk 18:28-30.—H. B. Bruce, The Training of Twelve, p. 262. Luk 18:29.—H. P. Liddon, Christian World Pulpit, vol. viii., p. 153. Luk 18:30.—Phillips Brooks, Twenty Sermons, p. 316.
Luk 18:31
Why Christ suffered.
I. The answer to this question is very simple. He suffered as a sacrifice for the sin of the world. It was the ultimate and perfecting act of His obedience, to carry down into death that death-sentenced nature which He had taken into the Godhead; to subject His Divine Person to the dark—and to us utterly mysterious—contact with the actuality of death; and to put by His almighty power of casting off from Himself the sentence of death which He bore about Him. This is why Christ died; that He might in His own Body, as the Second Head and including Representative of mankind, pay the penalty of death which rested on that manhood which was summed up in Him. The Godhead of our blessed Lord is an element absolutely necessary to the belief of even the least portion of the benefits and effects of His death. If a man do not firmly and clearly hold that, he has not a notion of what is meant by the doctrine of Christ’s atonement for sin. His entire oneness with the Father lies at the very root of all.
II. I proceed to our second enquiry. Granted, that it was necessary for Christ to submit to death in order to the taking away of the sin of the world, why did He die as He did? First I say in answer, that we cannot tell how much of deep humiliation and desertion and anguish was absolutely necessary, in the covenant which infinite wisdom arranged, to make that death the full and sufficient sacrifice, oblation and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world. The analogy of the Redeemer’s whole life leads us to the humble inference that nothing less than such an amount of self-denial, and endurance of pain, and contradiction of sinners, was enough for the accomplishment of His mighty purpose, even in its hidden and unfathomable recesses, where it flowed forth from unity with the Father’s will. (2) But if we look at this same matter from another and a human point of view, even to us there may be made plain and full and sufficient reason why these sufferings should have been undertaken. Our blessed Lord sums it up for us in a few simple words "I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto Me." These stupendous sufferings of the Son of God were undertaken to put away sin; the sin of the world; the sin of each man; and they were undertaken that each man might be mightily constrained by the power of the Divine love shown in them, to take up the freedom thus purchased for him; to see himself complete in Christ his satisfaction before God; to live as Christ’s freeman, prevailing over and conquering sin, and daily renewed with God.
H. Alford, Sermons on Christian Doctrine, p. 166.
Luk 18:31-36
I. The announcement by Christ of His approaching sacrifice was the announcement of the solution to the enigma which all the ages of mankind had been endeavouring to solve—how to obtain peace with a justly offended God. The need of such a propitiation combined with a deep sense of human misery, runs through all heathen religious systems; all have their legends of a bygone golden age, when gods and men lived in closer union, when the earth brought forth of its own accord all that could minister to man’s requirements or delight, and universal justice prevailed among mankind. All religions have been occupied with the sense of sin, its origin and its abolition. Under the deep sense of the need of reconciliation, the heathen of old thought that they could actually of themselves do what would atone for their sins. We see in their sacrifice a strange admixture of what is highest and what is lowest, a miserable delusion, and yet a near guess at the true solution of the problem that they were unable to solve.
II. The sacrifice of Christ at once sanctioned and abolished all the sacrificial worship that preceded it; and, as a matter of history, we find that after the sacrifice of Christ, animal sacrifice with shedding of blood came suddenly to an end, while henceforth sacrificial terms and expressions began to group themselves round one Person and one Head—the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world. And this faith affords a wondrous confirmation of the death of Christ as the true atonement for the sins of the whole world, we cannot understand sacrifice rightly until we survey from the height of Golgotha; until we seek to understand it from this point of view, we are like the disciples in the text, who, when our Lord spoke of His approaching sacrifice, "understood none of these things."
R. Baker, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxiii., p. 81.
References: Luk 18:31.—Clergyman’s Magazine, vol. ii., p. 89; J. M. Neale, Sermons in a Religious House, vol. ii., pp. 321, 331; H. J. Wilmot-Buxton, Sunday Sermonettes for a Year, p. 49. Luk 18:31-34; A. B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve, p. 282. Luk 18:34.—Plain Sermons by Contributors to "Tracts for the Times," vol. viii., p. 60; Preacher’s Monthly, vol. vii., p. 211; J. Keble, Sermons for Holy Week, p. 1. Luk 18:35.—Homilist, vol. v., p. 52. Luk 18:35-43.—T. Birkett Dover, The Ministry of Mercy, p. 196; Homiletic Quarterly, vol. i., p. 56. Luk 18:36.—Parker, Christian Commonwealth, vol. vi., p. 539. Luk 18:36-37.—J. Stoughton, Christian World Pulpit, vol. v., p. 113. Luk 18:37.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xv., No. 906; Christian World Pulpit, vol. xvii., p. 95. Luk 18:41.—Homiletic Magazine, vol. xii., p. 80. Luk 18:42.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xx., No. 1162; Preacher’s Monthly, vol. iv., p. 89; J. Keble, Sermons from Septuagesima to Ash Wednesday, p. 191. Luke 18—F. D. Maurice, The Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven, p. 277.
The Sermon Bible, ed. William Robertson Nicoll (1888–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
F. W. Grant 1903 · Public Domain On v9 Section 5. (Luk 18:9-34.)
Section 5. (Luk 18:9-34.)
Man with God: the conditions and hindrances.
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The last section here closes with the consideration of man’s being with God, the moral conditions and the hindrances. It reviews in this way some things we have had before, but to emphasize some points of special importance in this particular interest, which for man is surely second to no other.
1. The first point here is that of righteousness; in which, however, the righteousness in which we stand before God is rather suggested than developed. Indeed, so much is this the case that the actual reference to it is passed over commonly, both in translations and commentaries. Here it surely supplies what would otherwise be a serious deficiency, when the object is to depict the true righteousness in opposition to the false.
The Pharisee and the publican; or tax-gatherer, furnish here, as so often; the contrast which He would present. He is speaking directly to "some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:" things which naturally go together. The two men in question are shown us going up into the temple to pray. The position that they take is taken before God, not man. As for the tax-gatherer, that is evident; no one would question it. But as for the Pharisee, though he compares himself with the other, yet he is not presented as seeking credit with men in any way: he is self-righteous, but not a hypocrite. That he prays, however, with himself, (or toward himself) shows how little in the presence of God he really is, even while he addresses himself to Him. His actual requests we do not hear; they are of no importance, even if we are to suppose he makes any. The whole of it that we hear is a thanksgiving for his own good condition; and here he forms a class by himself, in advance of those whom he vain-gloriously puts down as "the rest of men." They are "extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or like this publican," -of whom the less he knows, the more he can imagine. But that is only the negative side: positively, it is enough to say, "I fast twice in the week; I tithe all that I acquire" -all my profit. In either case he went quite beyond the law.
There is not a hint that he was insincere in this self-admiration. He was indeed but too thoroughly a believer in himself; and his conduct may have been all that he here claims for it. Outwardly correct, morally; ceremonially, going beyond what was legally required: that was what he honestly thought to be enough for God; and indeed enough to give him that unique place quite beyond others, which, as we see, he claimed. The law, in which he trusted would have told him differently; but when did a law-keeper for righteousness ever take his measure from the law? Nay, that was meant for the destruction of legality, and the "Oh wretched man that I am!" which men learn to cry under it, is at least far different from jubilant Pharisaism.
The man’s picture is complete, and no comment upon it is needed further. No one believes in him except himself, just as he himself believes fully in no one else. Moses has given sentence against them all that "there is none righteous, no, not one," and we know that whatever the law saith, it saith to them that are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God."
Now we turn to look at the other man. The Pharisee lifts up his head, because he sees nothing. The tax-gatherer is in a Presence that he dares not approach, nor lift up his eyes to. Smiting upon his breast, as if his heart were viler than his life, he lays hold upon the horns of the altar with the cry, "God be propitiated towards me, the sinner."
That is certainly the full force of his words, and the prevalent objection to its being "pressed" is quite unaccountable. The common version gives "God be merciful" only; the revised puts "be propitiated" in the margin as an alternative, but keeps the other in the text. The "Variorum" Bible, with its clippings from every source, has not even a word with regard to it. Yet propitiation by sacrifice was, as must be acknowledged, one of the leading features of the temple ritual, that temple in which the speaker stood. Moreover it is the Lord, the One who could say of just this sacrificial system, "In the volume of the book it is written of Me" (Psa 40:7), who gives us this parable. And the direct purpose of it is to show what is true righteousness before God in contrast with the righteousness in oneself in which men have ever trusted. Yet, says Van Oosterzee, "It is entirely unnecessary to press the word hilaskesthai in such a way as to see intimated in it the dogmatic conception of atonement"!
On the contrary, here is the very way of mercy which a sinner needs appealed to by one who realizes himself to be in as unique a way "the" sinner, as the Pharisee is in his own thoughts uniquely righteous. For such an, one no vague idea of God’s mercy could satisfy the soul; least of all could the Lord allow it to be supposed that it could; and that where Jewish altars were proclaiming day by day, that "without shedding of blood is NO remission." How simple, how natural, to one taught of God, and in the representation of a divine Teacher, that a convicted soul should say, "Let that blood avail for me!"
"I tell you," says the Lord, "that this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other." Here again; a wrong use is made, surely, of the comparison between the two. It does not mean that the publican was justified more than the other, nor would such comparative justification be of much comfort to one in his condition. That which avails before God is the whole question; and as the Pharisee had decided as to himself, that he, rather than the tax-gatherer, would be found righteous before God, so the Lord decides that it will be the reverse of this, the tax-gatherer rather than the Pharisee. In each case this means, the one, and not the other. And it is to the one who in the most distinct way disclaims all righteousness, that righteousness is ascribed, or imputed; but not, surely, merely because he owns himself a sinner, but because there is provided for sinners that propitiation for sin to the value of which before God, even though feebly, his faith appeals.
Thus we see again, as we have seen elsewhere, how near to Paul’s is the doctrine of Luke, although it brings us only to the threshold of it. Beyond this, still, there are things which cannot be opened to us until the Spirit of God is come from a glorified Christ in heaven, to reveal what neither eye has seen nor ear has heard.
2. The last verse in the previous part opens the way to the present one. The self-abased tax-gatherer has been exalted, the self-exalted Pharisee has been abased. And now they bring babes to Him that He may touch them, and the disciples (too much akin to the Pharisees in spirit) rebuke them for doing so. But Jesus declares that of such the Kingdom of God is, and that whoever would enter it must receive it in the spirit of a little child. Where God is known and rules, man must needs shrink into his native nothingness. Look at the earth from the sun. and what has become of its lofty peaks and granite ranges? The truly wise will own this from the heart: the pride of life, equally with the lusts of the flesh and of the eye, is not of the Father, but of the world.
3. The last portion has brought us fairly into the track of the previous Gospels, and to the end of this division we still pursue it. The story of the rich ruler shows us now the hindrance of worldly possessions, with one in other respects exemplary, and with an apparently earnest craving for eternal life. Yet he turns his back upon the Lord, -sorrowfully indeed, but none the less really; and the Lord’s comment upon it generalizes so sad a case alarmingly. If it were as hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God as for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, then who can be saved? ask the disciples. But salvation is of God; and all things are possible with Him. In fact, if a man has realized his need of salvation; God, it way be hoped, has begun that work in his soul which will make the far off country a place of intolerable famine to him, which lands or gold will be unable to satisfy. He can hardly be called "rich who has that famine-fever upon him.
4. The question of Peter thereupon shows doubtless a modified form of the rich man’s trouble, so far as disciples may be affected by it. They bad left all, -little or much as it might be, -to follow Him: what would they have for it? It is evident that what they have given up has still some value for them, then: and what will be their compensation for it is a matter of concern. The Lord’s answer seems one of encouragement, which has with it also a certain blending of reproof. They shall have what the rich man might well crave -eternal life; but in the present also -and had they not begun to taste that blessing yet? -"manifold more" than all that they had given up. Such is God’s mercy towards those who, whatever they may have deemed themselves to have renounced for Christ, were in fact but bankrupt beggars when His grace laid hold of them!
5. Once more, therefore, He puts before them what was the way that was opening now before Himself. Here indeed was sacrifice -such as yet they prove unable even to comprehend. The end for Him is in resurrection, in which the life of service taken up once more, His joy is accomplished in what for them and us secures all blessing and the glory of God.
F. W. Grant, The Numerical Bible (4th ed., 1903) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Alexander MacLaren 1905 · Public Domain On vv1, 8, 9 Luk 18:1 - Luk 18:14.
Luke
THREE KINDS OF PRAYING
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Luk 18:1 - Luk 18:14.
The two parables in this passage are each prefaced by Luke’s explanation of their purpose. They are also connected by being both concerned with aspects of prayer. But the second was apparently not spoken at the same time as the first, but is put here by Luke as in an appropriate place.
I. The wearisome widow and the unrighteous judge.
The similarities and dissimilarities between this parable and that in Luk 11:5 - Luk 11:8 are equally instructive. Both take a very unlovely character as open to the influence of persistent entreaty; both strongly underscore the unworthiness and selfishness of the motive for yielding. Both expect the hearers to use common-sense enough to take the sleepy friend and the worried judge as contrasts to, not parables, of Him to whom Christians pray. But the judge is a much worse man than the owner of the loaves, and his denial of the justice which it was his office to dispense is a crime; the widow’s need is greater than the man’s, and the judge’s cynical soliloquy, in its unabashed avowal of caring for neither God nor man, and being guided only by regard to comfort, touches a deep depth of selfishness. The worse he was, the more emphatic is the exhortation to persistence. If the continual dropping of the widow’s plea could wear away such a stone as that, its like could wear away anything. Yes, and suppose that the judge were as righteous and as full of love and wish to help as this judge was of their opposites; suppose that instead of the cry being a weariness it was a delight; suppose, in short, that, to go back to Luk 11:1 - Luk 11:54, we ‘call on Him as Father who, without respect of persons, judgeth’: then our ‘continual coming’ will surely not be less effectual than hers was.
But we must note the spiritual experience supposed by the parable to belong to the Christian life. That forlorn figure of the widow, with all its suggestions of helplessness and oppression, is Christ’s picture of His Church left on earth without Him. And though of course it is a very incomplete representation, it is a true presentation of one side and aspect of the devout life on earth. ‘In the world ye shall have tribulation,’ and the truer His servants are to Him, and the more their hearts are with Christ in God, the more they will feel out of touch with the world, and the more it will instinctively be their ‘adversary.’ If the widow does not feel the world’s enmity, it will generally be because she is not a ‘widow indeed.’
And another notable fact of Christian experience underlies the parable; namely that the Church’s cry for protection from the adversary is often apparently unheard. In Luk 11:1 - Luk 11:54 the prayer was for supply of necessities, here it is for the specific blessing of protection from the adversary. Whether that is referred to the needs of the Church or of the individual, it is true that usually the help sought is long delayed. It is not only ‘souls under the altar’ that have to cry ‘How long, O Lord, dost Thou not avenge?’ One thinks of years of persecution for whole communities, or of long, weary days of harassment and suffering for individuals, of multitudes of prayers and groans sent up into a heaven that, for all the answers sent down, might as well be empty, and one feels it hard to hold by the faith that ‘verily, there is a God that’ heareth.
We have all had times when our faith has staggered, and we have found no answer to our heart’s question: ‘Why tarry the wheels of His chariot?’ Many of us have felt what Mary and Martha felt when ‘Jesus abode still two days in the place where He was’ after He had received their message, in which they had been so sure of His coming at once when He heard that ‘he whom Thou lovest is sick,’ that they did not ask Him to come. The delays of God’s help are a constant feature in His providence, and, as Jesus says here, they are but too likely to take the life out of faith.
But over against these we have to place Jesus’ triumphant assurance here: ‘He will avenge them speedily.’ Yes, the longest delay may yet be ‘right early,’ for heaven’s clock does not beat at the same rate as our little chronometers. God is ‘the God of patience,’ and He has waited for millenniums for the establishment of His kingdom on earth; His ‘own elect’ may learn long-suffering from Him, and need to take to heart the old exhortation, ‘If the vision tarry, wait for it, for it will surely come, and will not tarry.’ Yes, God’s delays are not delays, but are for our profit that we may always pray and not faint, and may keep alight the flame of the sure hope that the Son of man cometh, and that in His coming all adversaries shall be destroyed, and the widow, no longer a widow, but the bride, go in to the feast and forget her foes, and ‘the days of her mourning be ended.’
II. The Pharisee and the publican.
Luke’s label on this parable tells us that it was spoken to a group of the very people who were personated in it by the Pharisee. One can fancy their faces as they listened, and how they would love the speaker! Their two characteristics are self-righteousness and depreciation of every one else, which is the natural result of such trust in self. The self-adulation was absolute, the contempt was all-embracing, for the Revised Version rightly renders ‘set all others at nought.’ That may sound exaggerated, but the way to judge of moral characteristics is to take them in their fullest development and to see what they lead to then. The two pictures heighten each other. The one needs many strokes to bring out the features, the other needs but one. Self-righteousness takes many shapes, penitence has but one emotion to express, one cry to utter.
Every word in the Pharisee’s prayer is reeking with self-complacency. Even the expression ‘prayed with himself’ is significant, for it suggests that the prayer was less addressed to God than to himself, and also that his words could scarcely be spoken in the hearing of others, both because of their arrogant self-praise and of their insolent calumnies of ‘all the rest.’ It was not prayer to God, but soliloquy in his own praise, and it was in equal parts adulation of himself and slander of other men. So it never went higher than the inner roof of the temple court, and was, in a very fatal sense, ‘to himself.’
God is complimented with being named formally at first, and in the first two words, ‘I thank thee,’ but that is only formal introduction, and in all the rest of his prayer there is not a trace of praying. Such a self-satisfied gentleman had no need to ask for anything, so he brought no petitions. He uses the conventional language of thanksgiving, but his real meaning is to praise himself to God, not to thank God for himself. God is named once. All the rest is I, I, I. He had no longing for communion, no aspiration, no emotion.
His conception of righteousness was mean and shallow. And as St. Bernard notes, he was not so much thankful for being righteous as for being alone in his goodness. No doubt he was warranted in disclaiming gross sins, but he was glad to be free from them, not because they were sins, but because they were vulgar. He had no right to fling mud either on ‘all the rest’ or on ‘this publican,’ and if he had been really praying or giving thanks he would have had enough to think of in God and himself without casting sidelong and depreciatory glances at his neighbours. He who truly prays ‘sees no man any more,’ or if he does, sees men only as subjects for intercession, not for contempt. The Pharisee’s notion of righteousness was primarily negative, as consisting in abstinence from flagrant sins, and, in so far as it was positive, it dealt entirely with ceremonial acts. Such a starved and surface conception of righteousness is essential to self-righteousness, for no man who sees the law of duty in its depth and inwardness can flatter himself that he has kept it. To fast twice a week and to give tithes of all that one acquired were acts of supererogation, and are proudly recounted as if God should feel much indebted to the doer for paying Him more than was required. The Pharisee makes no petitions. He states his claims, and tacitly expects that God will meet them.
Few words are needed to paint the publican; for his estimate of himself is simple and one, and what he wants from God is one thing, and one only. His attitude expresses his emotions, for he does not venture to go near the shining example of all respectability and righteousness, nor to lift his eyes to heaven. Like the penitent psalmist, his iniquities have taken hold on him, so that he is ‘not able to look up.’ Keen consciousness of sin, true sorrow for sin, earnest desire to shake off the burden of sin, lowly trust in God’s pardoning mercy, are all crowded into his brief petition. The arrow thus feathered goes straight up to the throne; the Pharisee’s prayer cannot rise above his own lips.
Jesus does not leave His hearers to apply the ‘parable,’ but drives its application home to them, since He knew how keen a thrust was needed to pierce the triple breastplate of self-righteousness. The publican was ‘justified’; that is, accounted as righteous. In the judgment of heaven, which is the judgment of truth, sin forsaken is sin passed away. The Pharisee condensed his contempt into ‘this publican’; Jesus takes up the ‘this’ and turns it into a distinction, when He says, ‘this man went down to his house justified.’ God’s condemnation of the Pharisee and acceptance of the publican are no anomalous aberration of divine justice, for it is a universal law, which has abundant exemplifications, that he that exalteth himself is likely to be humbled, and he that humbles himself to be exalted. Daily life does not always yield examples thereof, but in the inner life and as concerns our relations to God, that law is absolutely and always true.
Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture (1904–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. R. Dummelow 1909 · Public Domain On v1 The Unjust Judge. The Pharisee and the Publican. The…
The Unjust Judge. The Pharisee and the Publican. The Rich Ruler
1-8. The Unjust Judge (peculiar to Lk).
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There is a close connexion with what precedes. The mention of the Second Advent leads Christ to speak of the need of prayer and watchfulness in view of it. The main lessons of the parable are: (1) The duty of continual prayer; (2) the certain answer to prayer, if it be only persistent enough; (3) the certainty that in the end God will maintain the cause of His elect against their adversaries; (4) a warning against failure of faith in times of seeming abandonment by God.
The moral difficulty that in this parable God seems to be compared to an unjust judge, is best met by saying that in reality God is not so much compared as contrasted with him. The argument is, If justice can be obtained by persistence even from an unjust judge, how much more can it be obtained from the Author of all justice. It is true that God is said, like the unjust judge, to delay justice. But His motive is entirely different. His delay is due to love, love of the saints, whose faith He designs to purify and strengthen by much waiting, and love of their adversaries, to whom He gives a space for repentance before the day of vengeance comes.
1. Perhaps this is our Lord's own comment on the parable. Always to pray] On the other hand, the rabbis taught that God must not be fatigued by too frequent prayer. Three times a day was enough. 'If a man comes to address you every hour, you say that he holds you cheap: the same is true of God, whom no man ought to fatigue by praying every hour.' The words are to be taken literally, because even purely secular acts, when done to God's glory, are acts of devotion. The whole lives of the faithful should be, in Origen's words, 'one great connected prayer.' Faint] i.e. become weary.
2. A judge] Probably a heathen judge, because, (1) The local Jewish tribunals consisted of three judges, and (2) Jewish judges (at least in NT. times) had no such evil reputation. They were required to have this sevenfold qualification, 'prudence, gentleness, piety, hatred of mammon, love of truth, that they, be beloved, and of good report.' Yet see on Mar_12:40.
3. Avenge me] better, 'Give me justice against my adversary.' Her 'adversary' was probably a rich neighbour, who, taking advantage of the death of her husband, had stolen her land. The offence of violently appropriating the property of widows and orphans is often alluded to in the OT., and forbidden with threats of divine vengeance (Exo_22:22-24, etc.).
5. Weary me] lit. 'give me a black eye.'
7. Avenge his own elect] i.e. the members of His Church. Christ comforts His disciples who are discouraged by the persecutions which are even now threatening, by promising that God will visit their persecutors (the Jews and afterwards the heathen) with condign punishment. This was literally fulfilled in the calamities which overtook the Jews and the chief heathen persecutors of the Christians.
Though he bear long with them] better, 'though he is slow to act for them,' i.e. though His coming seem to be delayed.
8. Speedily] cp. Rev_22:20; 2Pe_3:8-10. Christ's coming, though it may seem to be long delayed, will be as speedy as the scheme of God's providence, which takes account of the needs of the whole world, will permit. It will not be delayed an instant longer than is necessary.
Nevertheless, etc.] The sense is, 'Nevertheless, in spite of the warning and encouragement I am giving you, the faith of many will have waxed cold at the time of My return.' Christ does not mean that the elect will have lost their faith altogether, but that on account of the trials and disappointments which will precede the Second Advent, and also on account of its unexpected delay, they will be discouraged.
Faith] or, rather, 'the faith,' i.e. the unshaken confidence in the certainty of My Second Coming, which I hope to find.
9-14. The Pharisee and the Publican at Prayer (peculiar to Lk). This parable is apparently addressed not to the Pharisees themselves, but to certain of the disciples of Jesus who were proud of their spiritual attainments, and lacking in the virtues of humility and penitence.
10. Into the temple] Probably into the second court, 'The Court of the Women,' at one of the stated hours of prayer. The Temple, like modern Christian churches, was used for private as well as public prayer.
Publican] see on Mat_5:46.
11. Stood] i.e. placed himself conspicuously in the attitude of prayer: see on Mat_6:5. God, I thank thee] The words of the Pharisee can hardly be called a prayer. He asks for nothing, and feels his need of nothing. The Pharisee did, indeed, acknowledge that his virtues were derived from God, but he took all the merit of them to himself, and boasted of them before God and man.
12. Twice in the week] viz. on Mondays and Thursdays: see on Mat_6:16-18. Of all that I possess] RV 'of all that I get.' The Pharisee prided himself on his works of supererogation, i.e. works done over and above what God required: see on Mat_17:7-10. The Law commanded only one fast in the whole year (viz. Day of Atonement, Lev_16:29). The Pharisee fasted twice a week. The Law tithed only the fruits of the field and the increase of cattle. The Pharisee tithed mint and cummin (Mat_23:23), and indeed his whole income (cp. Tob_1:7-8).
13. Afar off] viz. from the Pharisee, whom, in his humility, he thought far more righteous than himself. Would not lift up] Since the rabbis forbade the eyes to be raised to heaven during prayer (see Mat_6:5), it is necessary to suppose that there was some special indication of humility in the publican's attitude. Be merciful, etc.] lit. 'be propitiated to me the sinner.' 'As the Pharisee had singled himself out as the one holy in the world, so the publican singles himself out as the chief of sinners, the man in whom all sins have met—a characteristic trait! for who, when first truly convinced of sin, thinks any man's sins can equal his own (1Ti_1:15)?' (Trench).
14. Justified] A favourite word of St. Paul's, employed in St. Paul's sense, as is natural in the Pauline Gospel. 'Justify' in the NT. means always 'to regard as just,' not 'to render just,' or 'sanctify.' Rather than the other] This probably means that the publican was justified, and that the Pharisee was not; not that the Pharisee was regarded as righteous, and the publican as more than righteous.
For every one] Mat_23:12; Luk_14:11.
15-17. Jesus and the children (Mat_19:13; Mar_10:13). See on Mt.
18-30. The rich young ruler. The reward of those who forsake all (Mat_19:16; Mar_10:17). See on Mt.
31-34. The passion and resurrection predicted (Mat_20:17; Mar_10:32). See on Mt.
35-43. The blind man at Jericho (Mat_20:29; Mar_10:46). See on Mt.
J. R. Dummelow, A Commentary on the Holy Bible (Macmillan, 1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. W. McGarvey 1914 · Public Domain On v10 J. W. McGarvey's The Fourfold Gospel [XCVII. Pharisee and…
J. W. McGarvey's The Fourfold Gospel [XCVII. Pharisee and Publican].
XCVII. PARABLE OF THE PHARISEE AND PUBLICAN. cLUKE XVIII. 9-14.
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c9 And he spake also this parable unto certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and set all others at nought [It is commonly said that this parable teaches humility in prayer, but the preface and conclusion (see Luk_18:14) show that it is indeed to set forth generally the difference between self-righteousness and humility, and that an occasion of prayer is chosen because it best illustrates the point which the Lord desired to teach. The parable shows that the righteousness in which these parties trusted was devoid of that true charity or heart-love toward God and man without which our characters are worthless in the sight of God-- Pro_30:12, Pro_30:13, Isa_65:5, 1Co_13:1-3]: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray [The temple was the appointed place for Jewish prayer. To it the Jew went if near at hand, and towards it he prayed it afar off. The stated hours of prayer were 9 A. M. and 3 P. M., but men went there to pray whenever they felt like it]; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. [The two represent the extremes of Jewish social and religious life--see Rev_3:17, Rev_3:18), and he makes the sinful record of the publican a dark background on which to display the bright contrast of his own character--a character for which he was thankful, and apparently with reason.] 12 I fast twice in the week [the law appointed one fast in the year, [536] viz.: on the Day of Atonement ( Lev_16:29, Lev_16:30), but the Pharisees fasted on Mondays and Thursdays of each week]; I give tithes of all that I get. [I give the tenth part of my income. The law required that tithes be given from the corn, wine, oil, and cattle ( Deu_14:22, Deu_14:23), but the Pharisees took account of the humblest herbs of the garden, and gave a tenth of their mint, anise, and cummin ( Mat_23:23). Thus he confessed his virtues rather than his sins.] 13 But the publican, standing afar off [remote from the Holy Place], would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven [ Psa_123:1, Psa_123:2, Psa_40:12, Ezr_9:6], but smote his breast [as if to remind himself of the stroke of God which he so richly deserved-- Nah_2:7, Luk_23:48], saying, God be thou merciful to me a sinner. [He makes full confession of his sin without excuse or justification, and without offset of righteousness. Moreover, he petitions for no temporal blessings, but simply asks for mercy-- 1Ti_1:15.] 14 I say unto you, This man went down to his house justified rather than the other [we are taught here, as in the parable of the prodigal son, that the penitent unrighteous are more acceptable to God than the righteous who make no confession of their sins]: for every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled; but he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. [Luke xiv. 11, see p. 494. The Pharisee was an example of the first, and the publican of the second.]
[FFG 536-537]
J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On vv1, 8, 9, 13 See "Armageddon" Rev 16:14; Rev 19:17. (See Scofield "Rev…
Wheresoever
See "Armageddon" Rev 16:14; Rev 19:17. (See Scofield "Rev 19:17").
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Arno C. Gaebelein 1922 · Public Domain On v1 1. The Unjust Judge and the Avenging of His…
CHAPTER 18
1. The Unjust Judge and the Avenging of His Elect. (Luk 18:1-8)
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2. The Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican. (Luk 18:9-14)
3. The Little Children and the Required Lowliness. (Luk 18:15-17)
4. The Rich Young Ruler. (Luk 18:18-27)
5. Rewards Promised. (Luk 18:28-30)
6. The Renewed Prediction of His Suffering, Death and Resurrection. (Luk 18:31-34)
7. The Blind Man near Jericho Healed. (Luk 18:35-43.)
Luk 18:1-8
The parable of the unjust judge is closely connected with the preceding announcement of His second coming. “When the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?” Apostasy and darkness will rule the day. But a faithful remnant of His people, His elect, will suffer and cry day and night to Him for help and deliverance. His coming will avenge them. The resources in those days will be prayer, as prayer is always the resource of the Saints of God. In the Psalms the Spirit of God has recorded the prayers of the suffering Jewish Saints during the great tribulation.
Luk 18:9-14
This parable also is found only in Luke. It is a continuation of the great subject of this Gospel, that the lost are saved and the self-righteous rejected. “Every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” The self-righteous Pharisee trusted in himself; pride and self-conceit are expressed in his prayer. He speaks of a negative goodness “not as other men” and then he speaks of his good works, which are even more than God demanded in His law. God did not demand tithes of all possessions. The Publican did not lift his eyes to heaven. His prayer was more than asking for mercy. It means literally translated, “God be propitiated towards me, the sinner.” He felt the need of a sacrifice. It is interesting to note that the Greek word “be merciful to” is found only once more in the New Testament. In Heb 2:17 it is applied to our Lord “making reconciliation.”
Arno C. Gaebelein, The Annotated Bible (1913–1922) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On vv1, 6, 9, 13 The Importunate Widow.
The Importunate Widow.
The unjust judge:
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v. 1. And He spake a parable unto them to this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint,
v. 2. saying, There was in a city a judge which feared not God, neither regarded man,
v. 3. And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
v. 4. And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God nor regard man,
v. 5. yet, because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
The revelations of Jesus concerning the last days of the world and His coming to Judgment would naturally fill the disciples with consternation and apprehension. It was evident that, with such afflictions and desolations coming upon the land, they would have need of much patience and continual fortitude, but also of the constant protection of God, To be instant and importunate in prayer, therefore, would be a necessity of the last days for such as intended to heed the warnings of the Master. The story was to teach the disciples the obligation always to pray, to be persistent and persevering in prayer, in spite of all temptation to unbelief, notwithstanding all delay on the part of God. Not to grow weary, not to be overwhelmed by fatigue, that is the secret of the conquering prayer. For the point of the story is not that God does not delay in answering prayer. This fact is only too well known from the experience of many Christians. But the cause, reason, or motive for delay in the case of God is entirely different from that of the judge. The judge represents God only in so far as the Lord often appears to a sorely tried heart as a hard and unreasonable Master, otherwise there is no similarity.
A judge was in a certain city. According to Deu 16:18, the Jews were to have, in all the gates of the city, judges, whose work consisted in hearing cases and pronouncing judgment. They were supposed to administer justice without respect of persons, Exo 23:6-9; Lev 19:15; Mat 5:21-22. But the judge here spoken of feared not God, he paid no attention to the calls of justice; and he had no respect for man, he was unmoved even by such complaints as required immediate adjustment. An utterly unprincipled man, controlled by shameless selfishness. Now there was a widow in the same city that had been defrauded, that had suffered an injustice, and she naturally brought her complaint to the official whose business it was to adjudicate matters of that kind. Her cry was: Vindicate me from my adversary, see to it that I get justice, provide a square deal for me. She continued to come again and again, and she became more insistent as time went by. For a considerable time he stood it, for he had no inclination to exert himself, since he was living for his own ease only. But finally he thought the matter out within himself. Though he had no fear of God in his heart and no respect for men in his mind, yet his selfishness thought very highly of his own comfort and peace of mind. To escape the bother which she was making for him, to spare himself disagreeable hours, since she was rendering life miserable for him, he wanted to secure justice for her, lest she at last, in the height of bitterness and rage, literally put her fists into his eyes, punish him, in the language of the prize-ring. The condition of his heart was not changed in a single particle, but he disliked being bored to distraction.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv1, 3, 6, 9, 11, 13 Connecting Statement:
Connecting Statement:
Jesus begins to tell a parable as he continues to teach his disciples. This is the same part of the story that began in Luke 17:20. Verse 1 gives us a description of the parable Jesus is about to tell. (See: Parables)
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Then he
"Then Jesus"
discouraged, saying
A new sentence could begin here: "discouraged. He said"
a certain city
Here "certain city" is a way to let the listener know that the narrative that follows takes place in a city, but the name of the city itself is not important. (See: Types of Writing)
did not respect people
"did not care about other people"
translationWords
parable
pray
judge, judges
fear
God
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14 18:1-8 The parable of the persistent widow follows naturally…
18:1-8 The parable of the persistent widow follows naturally from Jesus’ teaching about coming troubles (17:20-37). Believers can face trials and persevere through persistent prayer.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.