The Persistent Widow Pleads With the Unjust Judgeby Heloise
18:6Luke 18:6
And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
The Lord bids hearers to mark what the unjust judge admits, making his words the starting point of the lesson. That judge feared no God and respected no person, and though he felt no pity he granted justice from selfishness merely to be rid of trouble and annoyance. By sharp contrast God is altogether different, considering the appeals of need with infinite compassion and love rather than selfishness or indifference. The parable was told to this end, that men ought always to pray and not lose heart, with special reference to the perils just before the second coming. He will hear and vindicate His own elect who cry to Him day and night, and avenge them speedily, so believers are to urge their case again and again without wavering or weariness until the answer is realized.
Judge's Words and Character
Hear what the unjust judge says, for his own admission is made the starting point of the lesson. His words are held up to draw a sharp contrast between selfish human injustice and God's care for His people who cry to Him persistently. He neither feared God nor regarded man, with self as his god, and his selfishness and corrupt desires had ruined his judgment. His heart was cold like ice, feeling no pity or compassion and counting the widow's misery as nothing to him.
He is held up to show to what depths of degradation men can sink when they yield their powers to Satan, filled with satanic attributes with the lower nature fully developed. Appetite and passion had destroyed his powers of perception, so that even when human life was in the balance he decided the question according to debased, perverted sentiments and degraded standards. Though feeling no pity, he decided to grant the widow justice because her repeated, constant, earnest appeals troubled and wearied him, to save himself trouble and annoyance lest by her continual coming she weary him. He yielded merely from selfishness to be relieved of her pleading and importunity, and to protect his reputation and save publicity by avoiding exposure of his biased, partial, one-sided judgment as many complaints made his injustice and course of action conspicuous. The widow kept returning again and again to ask for justice, though repeatedly torn from the judgment seat and repulsed with rough treatment and contempt for her persevering patience, yet her determination was not quenched until her perseverance and importunity alone gained its reward and the favor she asked. Her persistence was sustained by Christ, who gave her courage and determination, and the confidence He planted in her was not left unrewarded.
Parable's Purpose and Setting
The verse belongs to a parable told to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint. It teaches people to pray continually without losing heart, to keep bringing their needs to God and to persist when an answer is delayed, waiting patiently and trusting His wisdom rather than trying to force the outcome. It was spoken after telling of the perils through which followers must pass, with special reference to the period just before the second coming. Its teaching strengthened wavering faith by holding before the disciples the reminder to keep praying drawn from the persistent widow.
Christ used the unjust judge to portray the unjust judgments He Himself would face at His trial. By that portrayal He warned that His people may have little support from earthly rulers in times of adversity, since those who obey God may meet hostile officials and adversaries as He did.
God Contrasted with Judge
The lesson turns on sharp contrast: the judge yielded to constant earnest importunity merely from selfishness, to be relieved of pleading and to save himself trouble and annoyance, without pity or compassion, while God is altogether different toward those who seek Him. Though the judge neither feared God nor respected people, he granted justice because repeated appeals troubled and wearied him, and he acted to save his reputation and avoid publicity exposing his partial, one-sided, biased judgment, for the widow's misery was nothing to him. Set against that selfish human injustice, God does not hear prayer out of selfishness or indifference, but considers the appeals of need and distress with infinite compassion and love, caring for His people and delivering them whom He loves.
If even an unjust judge with no concern for the widow can be moved to act to end her appeals, God will much more hear and vindicate His own elect who cry to Him day and night continually and persistently. He will answer the cries of His own people and bring them justice and vindication, even when justice seems delayed and He seems to bear long with them and not to respond immediately. He will avenge them speedily, never turning away from them indifferently, and this gives strong ground for confidence that He hears prayer, met by importunate prayer that claims His promise instead of giving way to unbelief and distrust.
As the just Judge, unlike the unjust judge, He turns away no one who comes to Him sincerely and humbly, He hears even the weakest person's cry, no sincere prayer is lost, and He cares for His struggling church, so those who feel unworthy may entrust their case to Him. Those who belong to God by creation and by redemption should remember they are His property and that He has an interest in them when they make Him their dependence and pray to Him as earnestly as the defrauded widow prayed to the unjust judge. The widow's helplessness also illustrates humanity's lack of any means of salvation apart from Christ, through whom people are brought near to the Father.
End-Time Trial and Vindication
The importunate widow stands for the position of God's people in this world and the trials they will endure through the injustice of men placed in positions of trust who fear not God neither regard man. As the close of earth's history nears, those who fear and honor God can hope for little justice and must expect injustice and oppression at the hand of those who regard neither God nor man. Those loyal to His truth and commandments will have adversaries driven by evil and will face continual temptation, even as Christ did when He faced unjust judgments at His trial. This shows how little the afflicted can depend on earthly judges and rulers in times of adversity, especially when those judges disregard the Bible and follow their own impulses and when officials are hostile to those who obey God.
The church will be tested until Christ appears in the clouds, and near the close of its history on earth the oppressed people of God will raise a united, persistent cry to heaven for deliverance. The elect cry to Him day and night, and their prayer is answered as they persevere, depend on the Holy Spirit, and walk in the light of God's commandments. Christ is their refuge, as He was the importunate widow's, and those who obey God amid hostile officials may look to Him when they have little support from earthly rulers. His followers are to commit their case to God, as Christ did, rather than vindicate or deliver themselves by accusing, condemning, or using force.
When troubles assail, church members must not go for help to lawyers not of their faith, open church difficulties before those who do not fear God or obey His requirements, or depend for help on those who do not have the wisdom that comes down from above. The unjust judge, who neither feared God nor respected people and whose selfishness and corrupt desires had ruined his judgment, represents those who use responsibility to decide matters by degraded standards, and even present-day judges may be similarly corrupted. Trusting such counsellors to settle difficulties in the church shows lack of faith in God and dishonors Him by appealing to unbelievers, with no gain from opening the supposed wrongdoings of fellow members to lawyers. Instead God's people should agree as touching the thing they desire and unite in offering persevering prayer to God for deliverance, seeking it from Him rather than turning church disputes over to lawyers who do not obey Him.
Together with the parable of the friend at midnight, this parable teaches perseverance and entreaty in prayer, bringing soul and body under consecration to God in obedience to His command to call upon Him. It also admonishes those who claim to be righteous to respect the cause of the poor, hear the needy, show mercy, and practice justice without partiality. Those who fear God and accept Christ as Saviour reveal God's character by defending truth and caring for people in distress.
Living Out Persistent Prayer
The verse calls believers to keep praying and not lose heart, firmly urging their case before God again and again without wavering, weariness, or giving in to darkness and distrust, until the full answer is realized, holding firmly to promise while waiting, watching and praying in humble contrition many times a day with weeping and rejoicing. Faith holds firmly to God's promises and word, claiming the hoped-for answer as done while waiting, and must not become so burdened with objections that the Lord cannot work through it. Earnest, persistent petitions in times of trouble show strong confidence in God rather than unbelief and distrust; awareness of need leads to earnest prayer that claims His promise, and the heavenly Father is moved by such supplications.
Such prayer is joined with good works, purity of life, self-denial, benevolence, diligence, and perseverance, and with walking in the light of God's commandments and dependence on the Holy Spirit; those who knowingly walk contrary to His expressed will should not expect to receive from Him. When an answer is delayed, believers should keep bringing needs to God, lay all plans at His feet, and wait patiently, trusting His wisdom, purposes, way, and time that bring glory to His name rather than their own plans or trying to force the outcome, assured that if the request is for His name's glory He will grant it according to the word asked. Petitions are offered in Jesus' name and with the Holy Spirit's help and reach the mercy seat, and victory comes by laying hold of God through Jesus Christ.
The lesson applies to pleading earnestly for God's blessing and for power to live as His children. It applies to persistent prayer for an afflicted father and for Brother Thomas's restoration to health, asking many times a day with weeping and rejoicing. It supports holding fast and praying patiently for those slow to receive truth. It calls God's people to wrestle with God and supplicate day and night for unseen power to rescue the tempted and fallen.
It calls ministers to persistent, prevailing faith expressed in unceasing prayer and work when truth seems powerless and souls are not stirred, wrestling earnestly for spiritual blessings rather than sitting at ease in discouragement. Small results come from lack of faith and fruit of grace in heart and life, and remaining destitute of spiritual blessings without earnest wrestling consents to Satan's triumph, while persistent prevailing faith brings closer companionship with Christ. It calls believers to seek God earnestly and pray for help to carry out the work of showing people their sins, a diligent seeking that deepens and strengthens spiritual experience, warning that neglecting this prayerful seeking leads to loss.
The Lord bids hearers to mark what the unjust judge admits, making his words the starting point of the lesson. That judge feared no God and respected no person, and though he felt no pity he granted justice from selfishness merely to be rid of trouble and annoyance. By sharp contrast God is altogether different, considering the appeals of need with infinite compassion and love rather than selfishness or indifference. The parable was told to this end, that men ought always to pray and not lose heart, with special reference to the perils just before the second coming. He will hear and vindicate His own elect who cry to Him day and night, and avenge them speedily, so believers are to urge their case again and again without wavering or weariness until the answer is realized.
Judge's Words and Character
Hear what the unjust judge says, for his own admission is made the starting point of the lesson. His words are held up to draw a sharp contrast between selfish human injustice and God's care for His people who cry to Him persistently. He neither feared God nor regarded man, with self as his god, and his selfishness and corrupt desires had ruined his judgment. His heart was cold like ice, feeling no pity or compassion and counting the widow's misery as nothing to him.
He is held up to show to what depths of degradation men can sink when they yield their powers to Satan, filled with satanic attributes with the lower nature fully developed. Appetite and passion had destroyed his powers of perception, so that even when human life was in the balance he decided the question according to debased, perverted sentiments and degraded standards. Though feeling no pity, he decided to grant the widow justice because her repeated, constant, earnest appeals troubled and wearied him, to save himself trouble and annoyance lest by her continual coming she weary him. He yielded merely from selfishness to be relieved of her pleading and importunity, and to protect his reputation and save publicity by avoiding exposure of his biased, partial, one-sided judgment as many complaints made his injustice and course of action conspicuous. The widow kept returning again and again to ask for justice, though repeatedly torn from the judgment seat and repulsed with rough treatment and contempt for her persevering patience, yet her determination was not quenched until her perseverance and importunity alone gained its reward and the favor she asked. Her persistence was sustained by Christ, who gave her courage and determination, and the confidence He planted in her was not left unrewarded.
Parable's Purpose and Setting
The verse belongs to a parable told to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint. It teaches people to pray continually without losing heart, to keep bringing their needs to God and to persist when an answer is delayed, waiting patiently and trusting His wisdom rather than trying to force the outcome. It was spoken after telling of the perils through which followers must pass, with special reference to the period just before the second coming. Its teaching strengthened wavering faith by holding before the disciples the reminder to keep praying drawn from the persistent widow.
Christ used the unjust judge to portray the unjust judgments He Himself would face at His trial. By that portrayal He warned that His people may have little support from earthly rulers in times of adversity, since those who obey God may meet hostile officials and adversaries as He did.
God Contrasted with Judge
The lesson turns on sharp contrast: the judge yielded to constant earnest importunity merely from selfishness, to be relieved of pleading and to save himself trouble and annoyance, without pity or compassion, while God is altogether different toward those who seek Him. Though the judge neither feared God nor respected people, he granted justice because repeated appeals troubled and wearied him, and he acted to save his reputation and avoid publicity exposing his partial, one-sided, biased judgment, for the widow's misery was nothing to him. Set against that selfish human injustice, God does not hear prayer out of selfishness or indifference, but considers the appeals of need and distress with infinite compassion and love, caring for His people and delivering them whom He loves.
If even an unjust judge with no concern for the widow can be moved to act to end her appeals, God will much more hear and vindicate His own elect who cry to Him day and night continually and persistently. He will answer the cries of His own people and bring them justice and vindication, even when justice seems delayed and He seems to bear long with them and not to respond immediately. He will avenge them speedily, never turning away from them indifferently, and this gives strong ground for confidence that He hears prayer, met by importunate prayer that claims His promise instead of giving way to unbelief and distrust.
As the just Judge, unlike the unjust judge, He turns away no one who comes to Him sincerely and humbly, He hears even the weakest person's cry, no sincere prayer is lost, and He cares for His struggling church, so those who feel unworthy may entrust their case to Him. Those who belong to God by creation and by redemption should remember they are His property and that He has an interest in them when they make Him their dependence and pray to Him as earnestly as the defrauded widow prayed to the unjust judge. The widow's helplessness also illustrates humanity's lack of any means of salvation apart from Christ, through whom people are brought near to the Father.
End-Time Trial and Vindication
The importunate widow stands for the position of God's people in this world and the trials they will endure through the injustice of men placed in positions of trust who fear not God neither regard man. As the close of earth's history nears, those who fear and honor God can hope for little justice and must expect injustice and oppression at the hand of those who regard neither God nor man. Those loyal to His truth and commandments will have adversaries driven by evil and will face continual temptation, even as Christ did when He faced unjust judgments at His trial. This shows how little the afflicted can depend on earthly judges and rulers in times of adversity, especially when those judges disregard the Bible and follow their own impulses and when officials are hostile to those who obey God.
The church will be tested until Christ appears in the clouds, and near the close of its history on earth the oppressed people of God will raise a united, persistent cry to heaven for deliverance. The elect cry to Him day and night, and their prayer is answered as they persevere, depend on the Holy Spirit, and walk in the light of God's commandments. Christ is their refuge, as He was the importunate widow's, and those who obey God amid hostile officials may look to Him when they have little support from earthly rulers. His followers are to commit their case to God, as Christ did, rather than vindicate or deliver themselves by accusing, condemning, or using force.
When troubles assail, church members must not go for help to lawyers not of their faith, open church difficulties before those who do not fear God or obey His requirements, or depend for help on those who do not have the wisdom that comes down from above. The unjust judge, who neither feared God nor respected people and whose selfishness and corrupt desires had ruined his judgment, represents those who use responsibility to decide matters by degraded standards, and even present-day judges may be similarly corrupted. Trusting such counsellors to settle difficulties in the church shows lack of faith in God and dishonors Him by appealing to unbelievers, with no gain from opening the supposed wrongdoings of fellow members to lawyers. Instead God's people should agree as touching the thing they desire and unite in offering persevering prayer to God for deliverance, seeking it from Him rather than turning church disputes over to lawyers who do not obey Him.
Together with the parable of the friend at midnight, this parable teaches perseverance and entreaty in prayer, bringing soul and body under consecration to God in obedience to His command to call upon Him. It also admonishes those who claim to be righteous to respect the cause of the poor, hear the needy, show mercy, and practice justice without partiality. Those who fear God and accept Christ as Saviour reveal God's character by defending truth and caring for people in distress.
Living Out Persistent Prayer
The verse calls believers to keep praying and not lose heart, firmly urging their case before God again and again without wavering, weariness, or giving in to darkness and distrust, until the full answer is realized, holding firmly to promise while waiting, watching and praying in humble contrition many times a day with weeping and rejoicing. Faith holds firmly to God's promises and word, claiming the hoped-for answer as done while waiting, and must not become so burdened with objections that the Lord cannot work through it. Earnest, persistent petitions in times of trouble show strong confidence in God rather than unbelief and distrust; awareness of need leads to earnest prayer that claims His promise, and the heavenly Father is moved by such supplications.
Such prayer is joined with good works, purity of life, self-denial, benevolence, diligence, and perseverance, and with walking in the light of God's commandments and dependence on the Holy Spirit; those who knowingly walk contrary to His expressed will should not expect to receive from Him. When an answer is delayed, believers should keep bringing needs to God, lay all plans at His feet, and wait patiently, trusting His wisdom, purposes, way, and time that bring glory to His name rather than their own plans or trying to force the outcome, assured that if the request is for His name's glory He will grant it according to the word asked. Petitions are offered in Jesus' name and with the Holy Spirit's help and reach the mercy seat, and victory comes by laying hold of God through Jesus Christ.
The lesson applies to pleading earnestly for God's blessing and for power to live as His children. It applies to persistent prayer for an afflicted father and for Brother Thomas's restoration to health, asking many times a day with weeping and rejoicing. It supports holding fast and praying patiently for those slow to receive truth. It calls God's people to wrestle with God and supplicate day and night for unseen power to rescue the tempted and fallen.
It calls ministers to persistent, prevailing faith expressed in unceasing prayer and work when truth seems powerless and souls are not stirred, wrestling earnestly for spiritual blessings rather than sitting at ease in discouragement. Small results come from lack of faith and fruit of grace in heart and life, and remaining destitute of spiritual blessings without earnest wrestling consents to Satan's triumph, while persistent prevailing faith brings closer companionship with Christ. It calls believers to seek God earnestly and pray for help to carry out the work of showing people their sins, a diligent seeking that deepens and strengthens spiritual experience, warning that neglecting this prayerful seeking leads to loss.