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“And He told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.”  Luke 18:1

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The Gospel according to Luke 

Review – In the last lesson, Jesus talked about His coming in glory, how it would be similar to two Old Testament judgments, and what to look for beforehand. “Remember Lot’s wife,” Jesus cautioned them.

Vss, 18:1-8a.

Jesus says that men (all of us) ought always to pray and not to lose heart. In these verses, He tells a parable about persistent prayer with an encouraging ending.

But why would someone ‘lose heart’ when they pray?  Maybe because after praying for a long time, they still saw no answers. Sound familiar?  I have a couple of prayers that I’ve been praying for seemingly forever.

The Apostle Paul encouraged prayer, too. (And remember, Dr. Luke probably heard these as he traveled and worked with the apostle.)

For example, here are a few of Paul’s exhortations.

• Romans 1:9 – “…without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers…”
• Romans 12:12 – “…be constant in prayer.”
• Ephesians 6:18 – “…praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.”
• 1 Thessalonians 5:17 – “Pray without ceasing.”
• 2 Thessalonians 1:11 – “To this end, we always pray for you…”

And so, Jesus tells this little parable that reflects those times well.

Judges were often corrupt, or at least self-interested.  Widows were “on the bottom of the pile” in Jewish hierarchy.  A woman without a husband or son had no standing, no voice at all in the community.

And yet, in Jesus’ story, there is a very persistent widow.

“In a certain city, there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man.”   He was a thoroughly wicked, selfish, and unrighteous man.

“And there was in that city a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’”   The woman had a legitimate grievance. A person, probably a man, was harassing her unjustly. As a widow, she had no one to turn to except this vile judge.

“Go away, woman!”

“Stop bothering me!”

“You?? Are you here again?  I said, stop bothering…  Oh, give me your problem. I’ll deal with it, so you will STOP. BOTHERING. ME with your continual coming!”

So… was the widow’s problem solved?

Yes. But not because the judge had any compassion.  He was selfish. He helped her to get some relief for HIMSELF.

But our Father in Heaven is not like that.  

Jesus said, “Hear what that unrighteous judge said.  And will not God give justice to His elect, who cry to him day and night?  Will He delay long over them?  I tell you, He will give justice to them speedily.”

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Vss. 18:8b.

Then Jesus asks what seems to be a rhetorical question.  “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes (back), will He find faith on the earth?”

Jesus had earlier been telling them of His return, comparing it to the judgments in Noah’s and Lot’s times.  In the first instance, ONLY Noah (with his family) had faith and was saved. (Hebrews 11:7)  In the story of Sodom, ONLY Lot (with his daughters) had a semblance of faith. (2 Peter 2:7-8)

So, today?  Soon, when Jesus returns?  How many will He find and take away who TRULY BELIEVE?  (Matthew 7:14, “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”)

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Vss. 18:9-14.

Perhaps thinking of who HE considered righteous (like Noah and Lot) and who others thought were righteous (religious leaders), and maybe even who was outright Unrighteous (that judge), Jesus told another parable.

It was shocking to the Pharisees who listened. The point of the story was to point out “those who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and who therefore had contempt for all others.”

 (But I bet it made Matthew’s heart joyful.)

“TWO men went up into the temple to pray, a Pharisee and a tax collector.”

(Right, you could already see the sneers on the faces of the listening Pharisees.)

“The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men … extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 

“I fast TWICE a week.  I give tithes on ALL I get.”

(Can you see this man parading around, chest out, eyes peering down over his nose to the “low-life?”)

However, Jesus goes on with His story, aggravating His pompous listeners.

“But… the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”

Jesus then probably looked deep into the eyes of His listeners, and said, “I tell you, this man went down to his house JUSTIFIED, rather than the other, for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Everyone vs the one.

In this one parable, Jesus taught His listeners HOW to pray, and WHO will have faith when He returns.