Chapter 18 Luke 18
The Parable of the Widow and the Judge (vv. 1-8)
1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to teach them that they should always pray a and never become discouraged. 2 “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. b 3 And there was a widow c in that same town who kept coming to him and pleading for her rights, saying, ‘Help me against my opponent!’ 4 For a long time the judge refused to act, but at last he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or respect man, 5 yet because of all the trouble this widow is giving me, I will see to it that she gets her rights. If I don’t, she will keep on coming and finally wear me out!’ ” d
6 And the Lord continued, “Listen to what that corrupt judge said. 7 Now, will God not judge in favour of his own people who cry to him day and night for help?
e Will he be slow to help them? f 8 I tell you, he will judge in their favour and do it quickly. g But will the Son of Man find faith on earth when he comes?” h
Interesting Stuff:
a Jesus’ teaching went beyond that of the Jews, who tended to limit the times of prayer lest they weary God. Three times a day was accepted as the maximum.
b The judge was unconcerned about the needs of others or about what they thought of him.
c The widow was a symbol of helplessness. She was vulnerable and helpless because she had no family to uphold her cause. She was in no position to bribe the judge and had no protector to bring pressure upon him. She had nothing except that justice was on her side and she had her own persistence.
d The phrase ‘wear me out’ means literally ‘give a black eye to’. Luke uses language that is borrowed from the boxing ring, and portrays the fearless judge cornered and slugged by the least important in society. Jesus was thus emphasising the astonishing initiative and persistence of a supposedly helpless woman in the face of injustice.
e If an unjust judge who feels no sense of right or wrong is forced by persistence to deal justly with a helpless individual, how much more would God who is just answer prayers.
f God would not delay His support of His chosen ones when they are right. He is not like the unjust judge who had to be pestered until he got weary and gave in.
g We should understand that this is in terms of God’s time in which one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day (2 Pe 3:8). Jesus’ assurance is that we can be sure God will take speedy action on our behalf even though we may not know His timing.
h Jesus was probably talking about loyalty and faith that perseveres in prayer.
Questions:
- Why did Jesus tell the parable of the widow and the judge to his disciples (v. 1)?
2. Relate the parable of the widow and the judge (vv. 2-5).
3. What did Jesus say after he had finished the parable (vv. 6-8)?
Summary of Section:
- Jesus told his disciples the following parable to teach them to always pray and not become discouraged:
a) In a certain town, there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man.
b) There was a widow in that same town who kept coming to him and pleading for her rights. She wanted him to help her against her opponent.
c) For a long time the judge refused to act.
d) Eventually he decided to help her even though he did not fear God or respect man but because she gave him a lot of trouble by coming again and again to see him. He was afraid that she would wear him out in the end. - Jesus told them to listen to what the corrupt judge said. He added that surely God would be quick to judge in favour of His people who cry to Him day and night. And He would do it quickly.
- He asked, however, whether the Son of Man would find faith on earth when he comes again.
Nuggets of Wisdom
- Jesus’ teaching here on the need for his disciples to always pray and not lose heart stands as the climax to his earlier teaching on faithfulness at his coming again. God’s people would be the objects of unjust actions within an unjust world and they needed to know that they had a God who would stand by them as they turn to Him.
- Jesus emphasised two points in his parable:
i) His disciples were to trust that God is faithful and just and He will act on behalf of His chosen people. Jesus was not likening God to an unrighteous judge. He was pointing out that if an unjust judge would finally grant justice even if though it was from bad motives, how much more would God do what is right!
ii) They were to persevere in faithfulness in the midst of trouble or injustice and trust that despite delay, God does listen to His people in their distress and He would act in their favour. - He ended by asking whether such faithfulness in the face of difficulties and injustice would be found among God’s people when he comes back to earth.
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (vv. 9-14)
9 Jesus also told this parable to people who were sure of their own goodness and despised everybody else. 10 “Once there were two men who went up to the Temple to pray: i one was a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood apart j by himself and prayed, k ‘I thank you, God, that I am not greedy, dishonest, or an adulterer, like everybody else. I thank you that I am not like that tax collector over there. 12 I fast two days a week, l and I give you one tenth of all my income.’ m 13 But the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even raise his face to heaven, but beat on his breast n and said, ‘God, have pity on me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you,” said Jesus, “the tax collector, and not the Pharisee, was in the right with God o when he went home. For everyone who makes himself great will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be made great.”
Interesting Stuff:
i Periods for public prayer in the Temple were fixed daily in connection with the morning and evening sacrifices. People could also go there any time for private prayer.
j Standing was the normal posture for praying. Here the Pharisee purposely distanced himself from others because he considered himself more righteous than they.
k His prayer expresses the essence of Pharisaism – separation from others (refer to ‘The Pharisees’, p. xiii). This in itself was not wrong because Pharisaism first began because there was the need for a distinctive group to keep Judaism pure in the face of corrupting Greek or Hellenistic influence. With time, however, this hardened into self-righteousness on the part of many of the Pharisees.
l Fasting was not commanded in the Law except for the fast on the Day of Atonement. The pious were in the habit of fasting more than the Law required. They fasted twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays.
m The Law required tithes of certain kinds of income only. The Pharisee took pride in the fact that he went beyond what was commanded by the Law and gave a tenth of everything. So he saw himself as more righteous than all the ’other people’ named in his prayer.
n Lifting up eyes to heaven when praying was normal but the tax collector’s sense of unworthiness prevented him from doing this. He kept beating his breast, which was a sign of sorrow. He did not plead his good works but God’s mercy in forgiving his sins because mercy was the only thing he dared ask for. This was in contrast to the Pharisee who thought so highly of himself that he thanked God for his own goodness.
o God forgave his sins, and he was made right in his relationship with God again.
Questions:
- Why did Jesus tell the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (v. 9)?
2. What did these men say in their prayers (vv. 11-13)?
3. According to Jesus which of them was justified before God, i.e., restored to a right relationship with God (v. 14)?
What comment did Jesus give (v. 14)?
4. List down what you see as the differences in character between the Pharisee and the tax collector.
Summary of Section:
- Jesus told the following parable to those who were proud of their own goodness and despised everybody else:
a) Once there were two men, a Pharisee and a tax collector, who went up to the Temple to pray.
b) The Pharisee stood apart by himself and thanked God that he was not sinful – greedy, dishonest, an adulterer – like everybody else, and especially like the tax collector standing over there.
c) He told God that he fasted twice a week and gave a tenth of all his income.
d) The tax collector stood at a distance and would not even look up to heaven. He beat on his breast and asked God to have pity on him because he was a sinner. - Jesus told his listeners that it was the tax collector who was in the right with God when he went home, not the self-righteous Pharisee.
- He added that everyone who makes himself great would be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself would be made great.
Nuggets of Wisdom
- As in the previous section, Jesus used prayer to speak to the issue of what kind of people, in terms of their attitudes, behaviour and commitment, were fit for the Kingdom of God.
- Here again, Jesus looked for people who recognised their own sinfulness and were humble enough to consider themselves unworthy in God’s eyes. As in the previous section, people of low social rank (widows and tax collectors) were singled out as examples for his disciples to follow.
- Jesus’ purpose was not so much to condemn a particular group of people like the Pharisees but to warn those listening (v. 9) against having self-righteous attitudes that were in opposition to the ways of the Kingdom of God. But because the Pharisees exhibited such attitudes, it is not surprising that Jesus used a Pharisee to represent such a character in his parable.
- Jesus’ message was clear. The one who was convinced of his own righteousness and satisfied with his own acts of piety, asked for nothing from God and therefore received nothing from God. The other came to God in humility asking for mercy, and received what he asked for, forgiveness and acceptance by God.
Jesus Blesses the Children (vv. 15-17)
15 Some people brought their babies p to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. The disciples saw them and scolded them q for doing so, 16 but Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the children come to me and do not stop them, because the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. r 17 Remember this! Whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”
Interesting Stuff:
p During the first century, children were susceptible to adverse conditions of all kinds, resulting in a high death rate among children. Jesus’ touch would have communicated divine blessing, perhaps even healing for the children.
q Children were viewed as ‘not adults’ and thus were seen as having little value as human beings. This, together with the fact that many of them die young, contributed to their being viewed as of no importance. ‘Little children’ was a term used for household slaves and children! It was most likely therefore that the disciples did not think Jesus should have his time taken up by such persons who were of no importance.
r The comparison is that children are more open and receptive than adults. The Kingdom of God belongs to those who, like children, with wholehearted trust, are prepared to receive the kingdom as a gift from God. They recognise they are helpless and that it is only by God’s grace and not their good works that they can enter His kingdom.
Questions:
- Why did some of the people bring their babies to Jesus (v. 15)?
2. How did the disciples react to what they did (v. 15)?
Why do you think they reacted that way?
3. What was Jesus’ response to his disciples’ attitudes (vv. 16-17)?
Summary of Section:
- Some people brought their babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them.
- The disciples saw them and scolded them.
- Jesus, however, called the children to him and told the disciples to let the children come to him and not to stop them.
- He said that the Kingdom of God belonged to people like them. Whoever did not receive the Kingdom of God like a child would never enter it.
Nuggets of Wisdom
- The disciples failed to understand God’s concern for those held in lowest regard by their society and thus failed to behave with humility towards such people. In denying the children access to Jesus because they saw them as unimportant, the disciples had refused to welcome them, i.e., to accept and honour them and treat them in ways reserved for those of higher social class.
- Here we see Jesus again teaching his disciples that God’s values are very different from those of the world. The world honours only those who have status and rank but his disciples are called to treat with similar honour those whom the world pushes aside and considers as unimportant.
- According to Jesus, it is the childlike, those with a whole-hearted trust like that of a child, to whom the Kingdom of God belongs.
The Rich Jewish Leader (vv. 18-30)
18 A Jewish leader s asked Jesus, “Good t Teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?”
19 “Why do you call me good?” u Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery; do not commit murder; do not steal; do not accuse anyone falsely; respect your father and your mother.’ ” v
21 The man replied, “Ever since I was young, w I have obeyed all these commandments.” x
22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “There is still one more thing you need to do. Sell all you have y and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; z then come and follow me.” 23 But when the man heard this, he became very sad, because he was very rich. a’
24 Jesus saw that he was sad and said, “How hard it is for rich people to enter the Kingdom of God! 25 It is much harder for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.”b
26 The people who heard him asked, “Who, then, can be saved?” c’
27 Jesus answered, “What is impossible for man is possible for God.” d’
28 Then Peter said, “Look! We have left our homes to follow you.”
29 “Yes,” Jesus said to them, “and I assure you that anyone who leaves home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the Kingdom of God 30 will receive much more in this present age and eternal life in the age to come.” e’
Interesting Stuff:
s Other translations have the term ‘ruler’. This term is a very general one. Most likely the person was from among the ruling classes, someone of high social standing and importance in the synagogue.
t No rabbi was ever addressed as ‘good’ because the Jews tended to reserve that attribute only for God. He could be trying to flatter Jesus, and so caused Jesus to confront him with that question.
u Jesus was not denying his own goodness but was forcing the man to recognise that his only hope was in total dependence on God who alone can give eternal life.
v All the five commandments spoken by Jesus have to do with kinship and relationship with community. They forbid wrong actions and attitudes against one’s fellowmen.
w Some translations have ‘since I was a boy’. This probably referred to the age of 13, when a Jewish boy would be considered as an adult and would thus assume personal responsibility for obeying the commandments.
x The man spoke sincerely because for him, keeping the Law was a matter of external actions.
y There is no indication that Jesus’ command to the man was meant for all Christians. However, the man’s primary problem was his riches (see v. 23) and therefore Jesus’ solution to him was to get rid of it.
z This refers to the gift of eternal life, a treasure which is not earned by self-denial or the giving away of one’s possessions but which is received by following Jesus. In giving away his riches, the man would have removed the obstacle that kept him from trusting in Jesus.
a’ His tragic decision to turn away showed that he had a greater love for his possessions than for eternal life.
b’ This was an expression to point out an impossible situation. The camel was the largest animal found in Palestine. Thus the idea of the largest animal going through the smallest opening represents something that is humanly impossible.
c’ It was commonly held that riches were a sign of God’s blessing. The people thus questioned that if the rich could not be saved, then what hope would there be for others like them.
d’ Jesus’ answer made it very clear that salvation is totally the work of God. Any attempt to enter the kingdom based on achievement or merit is useless for apart from the grace of God, no one can be saved.
e’ These two terms ‘present age’ and ‘age to come’ represent all of time from the fall of man to final state of living eternally with God.
Questions:
- What did the Jewish leader ask Jesus (v. 18)?
2. What was Jesus’ reply to him (vv. 19-20)?
3. How did the leader reply to Jesus (v. 21)?
4. What was the ‘one more thing’ the man needed to do (v. 22)?
5. How did the leader react to Jesus’ words (v. 23)?
Why did he react in this way (v. 23)?
6. What did Jesus then say in response (vv. 24-25)?
7. Why do you think it is hard for rich people to enter the Kingdom of God?
How would it be possible then for anyone to be saved (v. 27)?
8. What did Jesus say to assure those who had left everything to follow him (vv. 29-30)?
Summary of Section:
- A Jewish leader approached Jesus, addressed him as ‘Good Teacher’ and asked what he must do to inherit eternal life.
- Jesus asked him why he called him ‘good’ because no one is good except God Himself. Then he directed the man to the Ten Commandments.
- Jesus quoted the commandments on not committing adultery, murder, stealing or accusing anyone falsely, and on respecting one’s father and mother.
- The man said that he had obeyed all these since he was young.
- Jesus told him that there was still one more thing he had not done. He was to sell all he had and give his money to the poor and he would have riches in heaven. Then he was to come and follow Jesus.
- But when the man heard this, he became very sad because he was very rich.
- Jesus saw his sadness and said that it was very hard for rich people to enter the Kingdom of God. It was much harder than for a camel to go through the eye of the needle.
Nuggets of Wisdom
- This leader was probably part of the crowd who had been listening to Jesus’ teaching so far, especially with regards to the kind of people who are welcomed into the Kingdom of God – the humble and those of low status. Because he was wealthy it is thus of no surprise that he wanted to know how he might gain eternal life. However, his very question and later his response, shows that he had understood very little of Jesus’ message thus far.
- It was not only the Jewish leader who misunderstood God’s values and concerns and what was important to enter His kingdom. The crowd’s understanding was also that it was the rich and those with power and position who were blessed by God and who should be the first to be saved. That was why they responded with the protest of who then could be saved.
- Jesus’ reply to them was that no one could except for help from God. Peter recalled that he and the others had done precisely what Jesus had asked of the Jewish leader. Jesus assured them that it is those who have given their wealth to help the poor, who have set aside the priority of home and family to follow after Jesus, who will be blessed by God now and will inherit eternal life.
Jesus Speaks about His Suffering and Death (vv. 31-34)
31 Jesus took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, “Listen! We are going to Jerusalem where everything the prophets wrote about the Son of Man f’ will come true. 32 He will be handed over to the Gentiles, g’ who will make fun of him, insult him, and spit on him.
33 They will whip him and kill him, but three days later he will rise to life.”
34 But the disciples did not understand any of these things; the meaning of the words was hidden from them, h’ and they did not know what Jesus was talking about.
Interesting Stuff:
f’ This is sometimes referred to as the third prediction of Jesus’ death although the total number is more than three. The first distinct prediction is in 9:22 and the second in 9:43-45.
g’ Jesus mentioned for the first time the Gentiles as his executors.
h’ The behaviour of the disciples up to this point showed that they had not fully internalised the values of the Kingdom of God. Thus they could not understand the meaning of Jesus’ suffering and death within God’s purpose.
Questions:
- What did Jesus talk to the 12 disciples about (vv. 31-33)?
2. What was the response of the disciples to what he said (v. 34)?
Summary of Section:
- Jesus took the 12 disciples aside and told them that they were going to Jerusalem where everything that the prophets wrote about the Son of Man would come true.
- He would be handed over to the Gentiles who would make fun of him, insult and spit on him, whip and kill him. But three days later he would rise to life.
- However, the disciples did not understand anything of what he was saying because the meaning of the words was hidden from them.
Nuggets of Wisdom
- Jesus pointed out to his disciples that God’s purpose for him which included rejection, abuse and humiliation, death and resurrection was written in the Scriptures. Even though his disciples had already begun their journey of discipleship, they had not fully internalised the values of the Kingdom of God. Thus they were kept from understanding the significance of Jesus’ message and mission.
- Jesus’ earlier prediction (9:22) of his passion, i.e., his suffering and death, mentioned only the involvement of the Jewish leadership. Jesus included now the role of the Gentiles in his death as well.
Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar (vv. 35-43)
35 As Jesus was coming near Jericho, i’ there was ablind man j’ sitting by the road, begging. 36 When he heard the crowd passing by, he asked, “What is this?”
37 “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by,” they told him.
38 He cried out, “Jesus! Son of David! k’ Have mercy on me!”
39 The people in front scolded him and told him to be quiet. But he shouted even more loudly, “Son of David! Have mercy on me!”
40 So Jesus stopped and ordered the blind man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?”
“Sir,” l’ he answered, “I want to see again.”
42 Jesus said to him, “Then see! Your faith has made you well.”
43 At once he was able to see, and he followed Jesus, giving thanks to God. When the crowd saw it, they all praised God.
Interesting Stuff:
i’ Jericho was a very ancient city located about 24 km (15 miles) northeast of Jerusalem (see chap. 10, note p). During Jesus’ time, the OT Jericho was largely abandoned but a new city, south of the old one, had been built by Herod the Great.
j’ In the Gospel of Mark, the beggar’s name was Bartimaeus (Mk 10:46).
k’ This was a messianic title. As the long awaited descendant of David, Jesus was supposed to reestablish the throne of David, deliver Israel from her enemies and reign forever.
l’ Many translations have the word ‘Lord’.
Questions:
- What was the blind man doing by the road (v. 35)?
What did he do when he heard that Jesus was passing by (vv. 36-38)?
2. What was his reaction when he was scolded by the crowd for shouting (v. 39)?
3. How did he answer when Jesus asked him what he wanted Jesus to do for him (vv. 40-41)?
4. How did Jesus respond to his request (v. 42)?
5. What was his response after the healing (v. 43)?
6. Where did this incident take place (v. 35)?
7. What is the significance of the title ‘Son of David’?
Summary of Section:
- As Jesus was coming near Jericho, there was a blind man sitting by the road, begging.
- When he heard the crowd passing by, he asked them what was happening. He was told that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.
- The man cried out to Jesus, calling him ‘Son of David’ and asking Jesus to have mercy on him.
- When the people in front scolded him and asked him to be quiet, he shout- ed even more loudly.
- So Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. Jesus then asked the man what he wanted Jesus to do for him.
- The man said that he wanted to see again.
- Jesus answered his request. He told him to see and that his faith had made him well.
- Immediately the man was healed and he followed Jesus, giving thanks to God. When the crowds saw what happened, they all praised God as well.
Nuggets of Wisdom
- Luke mentions Jericho as an indication that Jesus was nearing Jerusalem since Jericho was only about 24 km away. This gives a heightened sense of urgency of what was to come because Jesus’ final destination was almost in sight.
- Again like the disciples in v. 15, the crowd did not consider the blind beggar as worthy of Jesus’ time and attention. He, however, is the only person in the Gospel of Luke to address Jesus by his Messianic title of ‘Son of David’. Somehow he had the insight into Jesus’ identity that many, including Jesus’ disciples, were blind to.
- He believed that as the Son of David, Jesus was the one through whom divine blessing was shown. So like the widow in the parable in v. 3, he refused to be set aside, and persisted in his cries to the Son of David to help him. And so Jesus responded to his faith.
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