The Gospels · New Testament
Luke 18
Luke 18: the persistent widow, the publican’s prayer, and Jericho
General context
Jesus speaks a parable about praying always and not fainting: a judge who feared not God nor regarded man finally avenges a widow because her continual coming wearies him, and Jesus asks whether God will not avenge his own elect. A second parable, aimed at people who trusted in themselves and despised others, sets a Pharisee's prayer beside a publican's, and the publican goes down to his house justified. Infants are brought for him to touch, the disciples rebuke those who bring them, and he says the kingdom of God belongs to such. A certain ruler asks what to do to inherit eternal life, says he has kept the commandments from his youth, and becomes very sorrowful when told to sell all and distribute to the poor, for he was very rich. Jesus speaks of the camel and the needle's eye, and Peter says they have left all. Taking the twelve aside, he says the Son of man will be delivered to the Gentiles, mocked, spitefully entreated, spat on, scourged and put to death, and will rise the third day, and the narrator says they understood none of it. Near Jericho a blind beggar calls him Son of David, is rebuked, cries out more, and receives his sight.
Cited passages: Luke 18:1, Luke 18:2, Luke 18:3, Luke 18:5, Luke 18:6, Luke 18:7, Luke 18:8, Luke 18:9, Luke 18:10, Luke 18:11, Luke 18:12, Luke 18:13, Luke 18:14, Luke 18:15, Luke 18:16, Luke 18:18, Luke 18:20, Luke 18:21, Luke 18:22, Luke 18:23, Luke 18:25, Luke 18:26, Luke 18:27, Luke 18:28, Luke 18:31, Luke 18:32, Luke 18:33, Luke 18:34, Luke 18:38, Luke 18:42
Luke 18 (KJV)
1And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
2Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
3And there was a widow in 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 her continual coming she weary me.
6And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
7And shall not God avenge his own elect, 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 find faith on the earth?
9And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
10Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
15And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
16But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
17Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.
18And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
19And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.
20Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.
21And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.
22Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
23And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
24And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
25For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
26And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?
27And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
28Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee.
29And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake,
30Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.
31Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.
32For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on:
33And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.
34And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.
35And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging:
36And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant.
37And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by.
38And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
39And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
40And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him,
41Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.
42And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.
43And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.
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Historical context
The judge, the widow, the Pharisee, the publican, the ruler and the blind beggar all go unnamed. The ruler is introduced only as a certain ruler, and the narrator adds that he was very rich without saying what he ruled or where. Both opening parables come with a stated purpose attached by the narrator before the story starts. The prediction to the twelve lists the specific harms, delivery to the Gentiles, mocking, spitting, scourging and death, and the narrator states plainly that they understood none of these things. The setting marker is only that he came nigh unto Jericho; no date is supplied. The crowd names him Jesus of Nazareth, while the blind man addresses him twice as thou Son of David, and the text does not comment on the difference.
Cited passages: Luke 18:1, Luke 18:2, Luke 18:3, Luke 18:9, Luke 18:10, Luke 18:13, Luke 18:18, Luke 18:23, Luke 18:31, Luke 18:32, Luke 18:33, Luke 18:34, Luke 18:35, Luke 18:37, Luke 18:38, Luke 18:39
Literary context
Two men in this chapter talk to themselves, and the text uses nearly the same phrase for both: the unjust judge said within himself, and the Pharisee prayed thus with himself. One is a parable about persistence, the other about self-regard, and the pairing puts private speech under scrutiny twice. The saying about exalting and humbling closes the second parable in nearly the same words used at the meal in chapter 14. After the parables the chapter runs three approaches in a row, infants, a rich ruler and a beggar, and in two of them the people around push the approach away, the disciples rebuking those who brought the children and the crowd rebuking the blind man to hold his peace. The passion prediction is followed at once by the note that the saying was hid from them, and then by a man who asks to receive his sight and does.
Cited passages: Luke 18:1, Luke 18:4, Luke 18:9, Luke 18:11, Luke 18:13, Luke 18:14, Luke 18:15, Luke 18:16, Luke 18:22, Luke 18:23, Luke 18:25, Luke 18:31, Luke 18:32, Luke 18:33, Luke 18:34, Luke 18:38, Luke 18:39, Luke 18:41, Luke 18:42, Luke 18:43, Luke 14:11
Key moments
- The widow wearies the judge (Luke 18:5). The judge avenges her to stop her continual coming.
- Two men go up to pray (Luke 18:10). A Pharisee and a publican pray in the temple.
- The publican justified (Luke 18:14). Jesus says the publican went home justified rather than the other.
- Suffer little children (Luke 18:16). He calls the infants to him and rebukes the disciples’ objection.
- Very sorrowful, very rich (Luke 18:23). The ruler hears the demand to sell all and is very sorrowful.
- They understood none of it (Luke 18:34). The narrator says the passion saying was hid from the twelve.
- Receive thy sight (Luke 18:42). The blind man is told his faith has saved him.
For reflection
The disciples push back the people bringing infants, and the crowd tells the blind man to be quiet. What does the chapter show about who is treated as worth interrupting for?