The widow and the Unjust Judge Study Scripture: Luke 18:1-8 Lesson 7, July 14th, 2018. Key Verse And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? Luke 18: 7. INTRODUCTION Our lesson today deals with the very important topic of prayer. It is peculiar that Jesus would even spend time giving two parables on prayer and its importance, especially since He had already taught His disciples how to pray. For us, and for Jewish men brought up in the Covenant, prayer should be a motherhood issue. But it is important to note that while they, like us, talked about prayer a lot, they had to be warned of its importance. We too do not always pray as much as we should except when we are in dire straits. The Jewish people, like us Gentiles who are believers, only seemed to pray from habit because they were told that they should pray three times a day, or when things are going bad. When things are going well, people congratulate themselves on their great ability to deal with the problems of life, and simply go on to do what they want or desire without any reference to God or to what He wants. Of course, that is an unfortunate, but a normal kind of behavior for people. It is quite commonplace among the people of God. We often do not pray as much as we should. Many will of course deny this, but we observe this lack of prayer everyday. 1
Jesus of course knew that even the men of God did not pray as they should. In these parables told in chapter 18 Jesus taught His disciples about the importance of prayer, urgent, continuous, sustained prayer when things were bad, when there seemed to be no hope. The context of this teaching is extremely important, and if we ignore the context, we will trivialize the lessons being taught by Jesus. Jesus had been teaching the Pharisees and His disciples about the coming of the Kingdom of God. Addressing His disciples, He told them of His Second Coming, and warned them that it would be sudden and unexpected, and that it would take place in catastrophic and terrible conditions where there was much suffering and death. He likened the time of His Coming to the days before the Flood, and the days of Lot when God rained fire and brimstone on the wicked city of Sodom. At that time the righteous should be prepared to leave everything behind and escape the destruction. One can imagine the consternation of the disciples. Jesus comments in chapter 17 assume a condition in which the faithful are persecuted, despised, laughed at, and ignored, just as that which happened to the righteous Noah immediately before the Flood and to Lot before the destruction of the wicked city of Sodom. In that situation, the faithful would be persecuted, and would be praying for vindication, crying out How long will the Lord tarry? Remember that Daniel the prophet had taught that at the time of the End, it would be the time of Jacob s Trouble, during which there would be afflictions and desolations on the land which would be unparalleled in the nation s history. There would therefore be a definite need for much patience, continual strength, fortitude, and a constant reliance and dependence on the influence and protection of the Almighty God. Luke tells us that Jesus made his point by using a technique which involved arguing from the lesser, the Judge, to the greater, which is God. To teach His message in a forceful manner Jesus used the metaphor of contrast In this technique metaphor puts the truth before us in a vivid and striking way. We also often use this form in comparing one thing to another, likening one thing to another to make what we want to covey to others clear. Here Jesus wanted to make very clear that there would be vindication for the people of God. It is therefore most important for us to see how Jesus used contrast. He first says this is a parable and so we are faced with the inescapable choice to pray or to faint, one or the other. There are no alternatives. Some might question this, pointing to persons who seem to live the good life without prayer or religious faith based on the philosophy as one writer describes it that We live in an impersonal universe, which is nothing but a great, remorseless machine, obeying relentless laws in comparison to which we tiny, human creatures are nothing but transient pygmies. 2
Next, there is the contrast of persons; there is the ultimate weak and defenseless type of person personified as a widow, and the hardboiled and unyielding, self-centered, with a cold heart unrighteous power person personified in the powerful office of a judge. The next, and equally critical point of comparison is made by the parable. God is not unrighteous, demanding, cold, grudging and delays His responses without a righteous reason coming from the heart of a all knowing, loving Father who wants the best for His people. Here moreover, it is made abundantly clear that God justifies the ungodly. The ungodly will be saved if they truly repented from the heart. No one therefore need be afraid of the terrible time of trouble to come on the earth in the end time. No matter how bad one is, there will be salvation available, if one calls on God from the heart. There is a right kind of prayer, and only that kind would be acceptable to God. No wonder then that Jesus, after discussing events that would occur in the time of the end, stressed so much the necessity of fervent, sincere prayer. The important of prayer for the people of God therefore cannot be stressed too much. THE TEXT So we can begin by asking the question to all professing believers, namely, Why pray when you can faint? Have you considered what your belief means that Jesus died, was resurrected, ascended to Heaven, is at the right hand of the Father, is interceding for you, and in addition the Holy Spirit is here with you actively working? Verse 1. The AIM of the teaching is clearly stated. Prayer is both a gracious privilege given by God, and it is also a duty. The teaching however was an encouragement to prayer. It was given to remind the disciples, as well as us, that we should persevere in prayer, since it was certain that many trials and afflictions would come on the people of God. The intention of Jesus was to teach that a man should pray as often as he could, that he should be constant and determined in prayer, even if his request to God did not get an immediate answer. This of course rejects our habit of not praying at all, giving up on prayer, or praying only when we are trouble. But note also prayer should not involve vain repetition as was the practice of the heathens. There must be recognition of the fact that the Father knows what a believer needs and His action is always appropriate for the situation. This teaching of Jesus of course supports Paul s teaching in Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints. 3
It also supports Asaph's teaching in Psalm 50: 15 Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. No affliction, temptation, delays in answering prayer, or any other reason should be a cause for fainting or dejection. Verse 2. In order to teach this lesson Jesus spoke about a Judge who behaved totally different from what the Law had called for. Actually, in Israel the rules seem to have been that they should be normally more than one judge hearing a case. But there seemed to have been exceptions. The qualifications for a Judge were clearly stated in Jewish jurisprudence. He should be wise, meek, fear God, hate Mammon (money), love truth, have the love of men, and be master of a good name (or to be of good report) This judge was clearly different and broke all the rules, clearly falling short of the stated qualifications. He should have been disqualified from being a judge since he did not fear God, and therefore would not pay any attention to the righteous demands for justice. He did what he liked, defying the vengeance of God. This would also indicate that he did not have any hatred for sin. He would not have any inclination toward goodness or graciousness. He had no awe of God, and thus would not pay any regard to the word of God. He would not be afraid to declare any sins or iniquities that he did openly, and would laugh at the future judgment. Clearly then, they would be no restraint on him, and he would do as he wished. Not even sinners, much less people of God, would want to deal with a man like that. But not only did this Judge not fear God, but he did not regard men. That meant that he did not respect men or their laws, did not have any of the milk of human kindness, had no regard to doing justice between man and man, did not care what anybody said about him, and had no sympathy for the difficulties of others. Notice too that he is called an unjust judge in verse 6. That meant, that in addition to all of his terrible nature, he was given over to evil. We would expect therefore that he would take bribes, and would do nothing good if it did not benefit him. This man reveled in doing what was not right. Verse 3. A widow is by definition, in that society, poor and helpless. She would have nobody to direct and assist her and take her part. Widows are always pictured as absolutely helpless, forlorn, desolate, and somewhat outcast. In the Scriptures God is always proclaimed as the friend of the widows, and the fatherless. The warning is always given to men that God hates those who oppress the helpless and vulnerable. Rulers should never ever manipulate and ill-treat the poor, and those who cannot help themselves. Sad to say however, even Christians loudly cheer when our governments attack welfare bums, without even investigating the justice of the case. 4
This helpless widow came to the unjust Judge asking for justice. Of course this kind of person couldn't care less about justice, for he had no inclination to do right. Note that the helpless, as well as God's people, have many adversaries. The agents of the corrupt world system will hardly be inclined to help the people of God. Satan and his people are wicked oppressors, and generally have no time for the poor, or for God s people. Verse 4. But the widow, since she had no other option, kept coming to the Judge. When you are desperate, and can see no light at the end of the tunnel, you will be like a drowning man clutching at a straw. The judge was indifferent to her case and her pleas. He paid no attention to her cries, and had no intention to right the wrongs done to her, and deal with her adversary. But because the woman was persistent and refused to give up, (she actually had no other option) this brave soul kept coming and coming. This forced the Judge to condescend to think about her. He could not get her out of his mind. She was his worst nightmare. He accepted that he was a monster, and was proud of it, glorifying in it. But being full of love for himself, he considered his options. At this point we should note what is happening and what it means for believers. One writer warns us not o make a mistake in interpreting what is being declared. He states: We need to look closely at this parable because many believe that it teaches a principle of spiritual persistence. But it does not and neither does the parable of Luke 11:5-8 where Jesus told the story of the man who awakened his sleeping neighbor asking for three loaves of bread and finally succeeded because of his persistence. In this parable, the judge apparently was a Roman who was placed over a city by his government. This man was godless. He had no respect for, nor did he sense any accountability to the Living God and his commandments concerning justice. He had no respect for himself, so how could he respect his fellow-man? He was completely self-absorbed and he obviously needed to protect his space as we would say today Verse 5. The judge stated to himself that the woman was coming to him so often and complaining and crying that she was literally bruising him, just like what boxers do to each other. Because of her persistence and the bothering she brought, he would do what she wanted and give her justice. He used the basest kind of motive to do good. He acted, not because he had any conscience, or any sense of duty, or good character. He simply looked at her as a pest he wanted to get rid of, and this was the only way he could do that. We can get one lesson from this. People sometimes do things that are good from the basest of motives. Their heart is not pure toward God. Therefore, they will get no reward from God. People of God therefore must first have a pure heart, and do good from a pure motive, to be accepted by God. That is why Jesus will say to many people on the Day of Judgment I never knew you, despite their protests that they did mighty miracles in His name. 5
Verse 6. Jesus now draws attention to the behavior of the unjust, evil and wicked judge. He called on the disciples to reason in their minds about what the judge actually did, and why. Verse 7. Jesus now made an application of the Parable. Let us compare. He said that if such a infamous, evil person as this judge could break down and yield to the tears, persistence, constant crying, and many visits of this poor widow, who he did not respect, did not care for, and did not like, just imagine the good one should expect from a infinitely good, infinitely merciful, and infinitely caring and loving God! One writer highlights the situation believers face and warns us to see the world clearly: Jesus said she found a way. Womanlike she proceeded to make life miserable for him (the judge). She gave him no rest day and night. She was continually before his court, hounding him, harassing him, plaguing him until finally the judge was forced to act. He granted her request and she got what she needed! Right here lies the whole point of the story. What is Jesus after? He is simply indicating that this widow found the secret of handling reluctant judges! She discovered, in other words, the key to power. She found the one principle on which even a reluctant judge would act, despite his formidable defenses. Now says Jesus, prayer is the countering principle which is the key to the Father-heart of God. Persistent pressure is the key to this unrighteous judge. Perpetual prayer is the key to the heart of God. When, like the widow, life appears to us to be hopeless and useless, when we are victims of forces which are greater than we can manage (and who of us has not felt life to be like this?), when no openings appear in the wall of pressure which rings us about, when there is no answer to the inescapable problems before us and there is no end in sight but certain failure of loss, Jesus says there is one way out. There is a way to the place of power, there is a way to a certain solution of our problems. There is an answer to the unbearable pressure. It is the answer of prayer, or simply crying out to a God we cannot see but whom we may rest upon, a Father with a father s heart and a father s tender compassion, and a father s willingness to act. Prayer, he says, always stirs the heart of God, always moves God to act. God is by nature compassionate and kind. He desires to save all, and makes available salvation to all, encouraging all to seek His face. When God has a special select number, His special people, the apple of His eyes, whom He loves with an everlasting love, whom He has appointed to eternal life, whom He has justified, would it not be most logical to expect that when they cry to Him day and night He would certainly hear their prayers and act in the most appropriate time? What really is prayer? One writer comments: It is sometimes taught that Jesus is here encouraging what is called prevailing prayer, which is often another way of describing an attempt to belabor God, to give him no peace, to picket the 6
throne of heaven until we get the request we want. That is absolutely un-biblical and totally un- Christian attitude in prayer We cannot hold a pistol to the head of God demanding all His money. God moves on His terms and according to His time schedule and not according to our schedules. God always hears the prayers of His people, and He knows that they are hated by the world, and that they will suffer. It has always been that the righteous suffer more than the wicked. But He will and must act in due time. Because of His long suffering toward the wicked, He has to allow the adversaries and oppressors, who are vessels of wrath, fitted for destruction, to fill the cup of their iniquity, till all the elect are ready to be gathered, and then the time of the suffering of the people will be brought to an end. God will support His people, and give them joy and strength, when they cry day and night for justice. They know they are sure of their salvation, and can be sure of the Father's eternal love and compassion. So what is prayer for us? What does it do for us? One writer sums it up: Prayer is forever the cry of a beloved child to his father, and frequently it I the cry of a lost child who does not know his way, who is lost in dark woods, with noises in the bush, strange frightening noises. The child may cry out to be led to an open road or to be home safe in bed or at least to see a light in the distance so he can know his way, and that prayer, that particular prayer is not always answered that way, for God is a Father and, as Jesus said in another place, he knows already what we have need of before we pray. The genuine characteristic of the elect is that they have no power except from God. They must realize this, and accordingly make God the desire of their heart, and incessantly and continuously seek Him. The elect should never believe that the world will give them anything, but know that the world will instead try to destroy them. They must never expect justice from an unjust world, but be sure of their salvation, and they must seek all things from their Father. Their focus must be on God. Verse 8. God will deal with the world and give them justice speedily. He will save them from ruin, even though it looks as if He is delaying. Yet, Jesus teaches that before He comes to right the wrongs done to His people, the people will have lost so much hope of relief, because of the length of the delay, that there will not be much of the faith left. Note that Jesus does not say, If He comes, but When He comes.but He leaves the question hanging unanswered. He therefore leaves no doubt as to His Return, for this is the choice of the sovereign God who is faithful and will bring the processes of history to pass as He has willed. 7
True prayer is not pleading or cajoling a reluctant God, never! That is not prayer! Prayer is believing, prayer is faith, prayer is thinking instead of complaining, trust instead of trying, rejoicing, accepting, appropriating, receiving that is prayer, says one writer. The evil One will wear out the saints of the Most High. Satan will do his evil work to eliminate the teaching of Scripture, and make people lose faith in the promises of God. It certainly seems that this is an historical reference in the Bible to the time of the end. During this time, the Church is pictured as widowed, that is, desolate, oppressed, weak, vulnerable, and in a defenseless condition. In these circumstances, the only answer for the saints is continuous, persevering prayer for deliverance. Deliverance will not come immediately, and will be delayed, while the need for relief continues. Hope of deliverance will be almost dead, and the faith of Christ will be at a low-level. Make no mistake about it, vindication will come but the saints of God, who live at the time of the end, will be hard pressed. No wonder that the Book of Revelation emphasizes that: He that overcometh will inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving.. shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Let us understand that prayer is the utterance of faith, and that unbelief manifests itself in prayerlessness. Jesus does not like unbelief in His disciples. He therefore prepares His people for the future, and He gives them the tools to enable their survival. In this case however which deals with the suffering of the saints in the last days, Jesus seems almost pessimistic that saints will heed His warning and pray perseveringly. In actual practice, the saints do not pray to the extent recommended. The saints are therefore developing a bad habit, and this will take its toll on them in the time of the end. We therefore should cultivate to a greater extent the practice of prayer, not just ordinary prayer, but constant, persevering, and constant prayer for even the small things, so that when the big, the really big problem comes, we would be ready. Read Ephesians 6 again. In this next Parable, Jesus again deals with the matter of vindication. Let us focus on the fact that God justifies the ungodly who repent, and will certainly save them, and take them into His Kingdom. It is very educational to read on and note the contrast to the openly unrighteous judge, for now Jesus looks at people who were in a similarly great position of authority and trust. Thus, Jesus covered the different bases of evil. These people were, like the unrighteous judge, proud, vain, arrogant, and self-confident. But these were different, because they thought they were righteous, and because of this they openly disdained others, treating them as if they were nothing. 8
Unlike the judge, they exuded goodness, outward holiness, moral behavior, followed observances like giving alms, observing ceremonies, and engaged in religious exercises. On account of these practices they thought that they were very righteous, indeed more righteous than others, and that God accepted them completely. Their trust and confidence in themselves showed that they were ignorant of God s law, and did not regard the impurity in their hearts. They too were unrighteous. Anyone who has a haughty spirit will be laid low, while anyone who humbles himself, will be blessed and lifted up by God. CONCLUSION The parable showed us the kind of spirit that should dominate all our prayer life. We must pray constantly, without ceasing, and never stop praying. This habit will serve us well in times of trouble. The more the pressure builds up, the more intensely we should pray. The longer the problem remains, the longer we should pray. Only God is righteous, and only He can help us. We therefore must focus on Him for mercy and for sustenance, and never stop focusing. We should never look to ourselves. He will never allow us to suffer more than we can bear, or more than his perfect plan calls for. God knows what He is doing, even though we certainly feel like grumbling about how He delays in solving our problems. We must allow patience to have her perfect work, so that we may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. We must simply keep on praying in the correct way, always acting as God instructs us. 9