Luke 18:3

“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 persistence. We too are in the same position with God, except that we have One in Whose name we can come, which makes a huge difference.

In the Scriptures widows are always mentioned (along with orphans) as among the neediest, the weakest and the most dependent of people (see Exodus 22:22; Psalms 68:5; Isaiah 10:2; Jeremiah 49:11; Lamentations 5:3; James 1:27). They often have no one directly to look to but God. It is significant that Luke mentions widows nine time compared with Matthew's one mention and Mark's three. This confirms his greater emphasis on and concern about women. But Jesus' use of the idea of a widow possibly has in mind Lamentations 1:1. There Israel in her need is likened to a lonely widow who weeps bitterly in the night, thus here it is a suitable picture of the people of God, especially when they are in periods of distress.

This woman, in her need, came to the judge pleading for justice, and using the only weapon that she had, persistence. The verb is sometimes translated ‘avenge me', but it does not necessarily signify a desire for revenge. It is more concerned with obtaining justice. It is on this case a demand for her legal rights. She is probably wanting what is due to her, or to be protected from interference. We could possibly better translate as ‘give me justice against my adversary' (compare Acts 7:24; Romans 12:19; 2 Corinthians 10:6). But she knew that she had only one weapon, persistence. With her lack of influence that was the only way that she could hope to get a hearing.

If in fact he was a Jewish judge she should have been first in his list, for the Old Testament makes quite clear that judges judge in the place of God (Deuteronomy 16:18; Psalms 82:2) and that special care that should be taken of widows and orphans (see Exodus 22:22; Deuteronomy 10:18; Psalms 68:5; Isaiah 1:17; Jeremiah 22:3). But whether he was or not he does not take her widowhood into account. He is more concerned for an easy life.