THE PARABLE OF THE UNRIGHTEOUS JUDGE (18:1-8). As Luke 18:8 b makes clear, this parable looks directly back to Jesus' prophecy which describes Himself as coming as the Son of Man in Luke 17:24. It is a call to His disciples, and to all Christians, to continue in praying that God will maintain the c... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he spoke a parable to them to the end that they ought always to pray, and not to faint,' This parable is so important that an explanation of its meaning and significance is given at its commencement. It is given as an encouragement and incentive to pray, and to go on praying without wilting. A... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Saying, “There was in a city a judge, who feared not God, and regarded not man,” ' The parable opens with the description of a city judge who is absolutely resolute. He fears neither God nor man. He is seemingly unaffected by anything. He does precisely what he pleases. In this he is like God Who... [ Continue Reading ]
“And there was a widow in that city, and she came to him often, saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.' ” In contrast with the judge was a widow. She was at the opposite extreme, powerless, helpless, with no one to act on her behalf and with few weapons in her armoury. All she had was her p... [ Continue Reading ]
“And he would not for a while, but afterwards he said within himself,” For a while the judge ignored her pleas, putting off her case and hoping that she would go away. But when she kept coming to him continually he gave in. He recognised that she was not just going to go away and that the best thin... [ Continue Reading ]
“ ‘Though I fear not God, nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her, lest she wear me out by her continual coming.' ” In the parable the judge's motives were not good ones. It was not his concern for justice that brought him to his decision, but his concern that he might... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says,” Jesus then said to His disciples, ‘listen well to what this unrighteous judge says'. We can compare here the use of ‘unrighteous' with regard to the estate manager in Luke 16:8. In both cases it indicates that they were unscrupulous and di... [ Continue Reading ]
“And shall not God give justice to (avenge, deal justly with the case of) his elect, who cry to him day and night, and he is longsuffering over them (or ‘even though he wait a long time over them?') ” Thus, says Jesus, ‘if even an unrighteous judge gives way before continual pleading, how much more... [ Continue Reading ]
“I say to you, that he will avenge them speedily.” This could mean that when it finally comes it will come with speed, it will occur suddenly, unexpectedly and without delay. And then all will be put right. And as He then makes clear, this refers to the Second Coming. Alternatively it could mean ‘s... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he spoke also this parable to certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and set all others at nought,' The people described here are in direct contrast with those who will have faith on earth, or who will be the believing ones, when He comes (Luke 18:8). They were confident i... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PARABLE OF THE ONE WHO TRUSTED IN HIMSELF THAT HE WAS SUPREMELY ACCEPTABLE TO GOD, AND WAS NOT, AND THE ONE WHO WAS DOUBTFUL ABOUT HIS ACCEPTABILITY WITH GOD WHO WAS MADE FULLY ACCEPTABLE (18:9-14). The parable that we have just considered demonstrated how God's people were to await the coming... [ Continue Reading ]
“Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee, and the other a public servant.” The contrast is between a Pharisee and a public servant. Now let us be quite clear about this, outwardly the Pharisee lived the better and more religious life. He would be highly respected, and probably a... [ Continue Reading ]
“The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank you, that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this public servant.' ” ‘Stood and prayed thus with himself.' It was normal to pray standing, thus it would not need to be mentioned. The mention of it... [ Continue Reading ]
“I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I get.” It was customary among the Pharisees to tithe even the smallest thing that they received ‘from God', even when it was not required by the Law (Luke 11:42; Matthew 23:23). Furthermore they fasted every Monday and Thursday, as well as on sp... [ Continue Reading ]
“But the public servant, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but smote his breast, saying, ‘God, be you merciful to me (literally ‘be propitiated towards me') a sinner.' ” The public servant was another matter. He really was a sinner, and he knew it and regretted it.... [ Continue Reading ]
“I say to you, This man went down to his house accounted as righteous rather than the other.' Then Jesus pointed out to His listeners that it was the public servant rather than the Pharisee who went away accounted as righteous in God's sight, for the Pharisee had justified himself, and his plea had... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they were bringing to him also their infants, that he should touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.' The scene is a very simple one. The believing mothers, who would have told the young children all about Jesus, now brought them, eager faced and willing, to be received a... [ Continue Reading ]
YOUNG CHILDREN ARE WELCOMED BY JESUS (18:15-17). A special example of the humble who will be exalted, and of those who will be ready for the coming of the Son of Man, is now given in the little children who because of their humility and innocence as children are welcomed into the presence of the Ki... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Allow the little children to come to me, and forbid them not, for to such belongs the Kingly Rule of God.” ' Jesus, however, saw things differently. He told His disciples to let the children come to Him. Indeed, He says, none have more right to the Kingly Rul... [ Continue Reading ]
“Truly I say to you, Whoever shall not receive the Kingly Rule of God in the same way as a little child, he shall in no wise enter into it.” And then He adds a solemn saying, as evidenced by its opening words, the solemn ‘truly I say to you' which occur only seven times in Luke. And the point of Hi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And a certain ruler asked him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Luke tells us that the man was a ruler, either a ruler of the synagogue or someone in authority locally. He may even have been a member of the Sanhedrin (compare John 3:1). But he neither tells us that... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WEALTHY YOUNG RULER AND THE USE OF POSSESSIONS (18:18-30). Following on the delightful response of these children we have a classic example of one who was not ready to receive the Kingly Rule of God as a little child. For he had become tangled up in his riches. This was in complete contrast wit... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? None is good, save one, even God.” ' Jesus challenges his use of ‘good' in this way, asking him to consider what he means by it. He does not deny that it is true, but points out that its usual usage at that time was as something reserved to God. The... [ Continue Reading ]
“You know the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour your father and mother.” Jesus then takes up the question with what was probably a stock reply, so that he can search out the man's thinking. He cites the main part of the covenant of Si... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he said, “All these things have I observed from my youth up.” The ruler recognises that Jesus' reply is not really answering his question, but confirms that from his youth he has kept them all. It is really a polite reply saying, ‘well I know that, but it is not enough'. He is saying by this t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when Jesus heard it, he said to him, “One thing you yet lack, sell all that you have, and distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me.” ' To Jesus the ruler's reply was revealing. It indicated that his thoughts on the matter were rather superficial. He r... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But when he heard these things, he became exceedingly sorrowful, for he was very rich.' When the man heard this he was struck with great sorrow, for he was very rich. Jesus had taken him at his word, and had revealed to him the one thing that was preventing his life from being pleasing to God, and... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Jesus seeing him said, “How hard it will be for those who have riches to enter into the Kingly Rule of God!” So Jesus pointed out to him how hard it was for someone who had riches to come under the Kingly Rule of God. For to be under the Kingly Rule of God means that God holds the reins, that G... [ Continue Reading ]
“For it is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingly Rule of God.” Then Jesus spoke the immortal words known to Christians world over. ‘It is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingly... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” Those who were listening were stood there in amazement. They had grown up to believe that men prospered materially because they were good. Many probably looked on this rich ruler as a model. And if this man with all his privileges and status was... [ Continue Reading ]
But he said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” Then Jesus explains that what is impossible with men is possible with God. He can enable wealthy men to walk humbly before Him as Abraham did, just as He can enable a poor man like Lazarus to do so. He is able to save to... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Peter said, “Lo, we have left our own, and followed you.” ' Impetuous Peter, ever the one to break in, was now stirred in his heart by the thought of the impossibility of salvation without God's working in the heart and cried, ‘Look, we have left all and followed you, like you are asking this... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he said unto them, “Truly I say to you, There is no man who has left house, or wife, or brethren, or parents, or children, for the Kingly Rule of God's sake, who will not receive a great deal more in this time, and in the world to come eternal life.” Then Jesus assured them all that no one who... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he took to him the twelve, and said to them, “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets will be accomplished to the Son of man.” ' Jesus now recognised more clearly than ever that His time was approaching. For quite some time He had lived with His e... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS' DISCIPLES MUST RECOGNISE THAT SHORTLY THEIR LIVES ALSO WOULD BE SHAKEN BY WHAT WAS SOON TO HAPPEN TO HIM. THEY TOO WOULD BE AT A CROSSROADS (18:31-34). So Luke now draws attention to the fact that the rich ruler was not the only one unwilling to face up to the truth. Indeed without the grace... [ Continue Reading ]
“For he will be delivered up to the Gentiles, and will be mocked, and shamefully treated, and spat on, and they will scourge and kill him, and the third day he will rise again.” He then spelled it out in detail. He was to be handed over to the Gentiles. This was the indication of ultimate rejection,... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they understood none of these things, and this saying was hid from them, and they perceived not the things that were said.' We are again reminded that the horrific truth did not come home to the disciples until after it had happened. They could not conceive of such possibilities. They probably... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And it came about that, as he drew near to Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging,' Having crossed the Jordan from Peraea Jesus now approached Jericho on the way to Jerusalem. A meeting with a number of blind men and other beggars there would not be unexpected. At Passover time l... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BLIND MAN'S EYES ARE OPENED AND HE PRESSES INTO THE KINGLY RULE OF GOD (18:35-43). It can be no accident that this incident follows the depicting of the disciples as ‘blind' to the truth about Jesus. They are going forward blindly into Jerusalem, where eventually their eyes will be opened. Comp... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And hearing a crowd going by, he enquired what this meant.' When the blind man became aware that larger crowds than usual were passing along the road he asked what it meant. Being blind he was sensitive to every movement.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they told him, that “Jesus of Nazareth passes by”. He was immediately informed by the helpful crowd in festal mood that “Jesus of Nazareth passes by”. That Jesus was well known to him comes out in that the blind man knew who He was and that He was a son of David. The news excited him for he ha... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he cried, saying, “Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me.” ' Knowing something of Jesus by reputation the blind man saw his main chance. This was perhaps the first time that he had actually been in the same place as Jesus. And he called out to Him for help. ‘Jesus, you son of David.' It is... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And those who went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace, but he cried out the more a great deal, “You son of David, have mercy on me.” ' When those in the forefront of the crowds heard him crying out they told him to be quiet. They probably thought that he was begging for alms. But he... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought to him, and when he was come near, he asked him,' Jesus could never turn from a plea for help and commanded that the man be brought to Him. And on his approach asked him what he wanted.... [ Continue Reading ]
“What do you wish that I should do to you?” And he said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.” ' “What do you wish that I should do to you?” Jesus must, of course, have known. But the man must be made to express his faith in words. And the man now more awed and humbled addresses Him as ‘Lord.' He as... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight. Your faith has made you whole.” ' Whether this man was one of the two men similarly healed in Matthew, or whether they had in turn taken up on his lead resulting in a copycat healing, we do not know. But as there would be a number of blind men there and... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God, and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.' And the ultimate result was that he received his sight and he followed Jesus. His spiritual eyes were opened also. And he glorified God. And he was not alone, for the... [ Continue Reading ]