Luke 18:7

And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? AND SHALL NOT GOD - not like that unprincipled man, but the infinitely righteous "Judge of all the earth," AND SHALL NOT GOD - not like that unprincipled man, but the infinitely righteous "Judge of all the earth," AVENGE - redeem from oppression, his own elect-who are not like this poor widow in the eye of that selfish wretch, the objects of indifference and contempt, but dear to Him as the apple of the eye (Zechariah 2:8). WHICH CRY DAY AND NIGHT UNTO HIM - whose every cry enters into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth (James 5:4); and how much more their incessant and persevering cries,...

7._And shall not God avenge his elect? _That _judge, _whom Christ has described to us as altogether desperate, as not only hardened against the contemplation of God, but so entirely devoid of shame, that he had no anxiety about his reputation, at length opened his eyes to the distresses of the _widow _We have no reason to doubt that believers will derive, at least, equal advantage from their prayers, provided they do not cease to plead earnestly with God. Yet it must be observed that, while Christ applies the parable to his subject, he does not make God to resemble a wicked and cruel _judge, _but points out a very different reason why those who believe in him are kept long in suspense, and why he does not actually and at once stretch out his hand to them: it is because he _forbears _If at any time God winks at the injuries done to us longer than we would wish, let us know that this is do...

1-8 All God's people are praying people. Here earnest steadiness in prayer for spiritual mercies is taught. The widow's earnestness prevailed even with the unjust judge: she might fear lest it should set him more against her; but our earnest prayer is pleasing to our God. Even to the end there will still be ground for the same complaint of weakness of faith....

Verse Luke 18:7. _AND SHALL NOT GOD AVENGE HIS OWN ELECT_] And will not God the righteous Judge _do justice for his chosen_? Probably this may refer to the cruel usage which his disciples had met with, and were still receiving, from the disobedient and unbelieving Jews; and which should be finally visited upon them in the destruction of their city, and the calamities which should follow. But we may consider the text as having a more extensive meaning. As God has graciously _promised_ to give salvation to every soul that comes unto him through his Son, and has put his _Spirit_ in their hearts, inducing them to cry unto him incessantly for it; the _goodness_ of his _nature_ and the _promise_ of his _grace_ bind him to hear the prayers they offer unto him, and to grant them all that salvation which he has led them by his promise and Spirit to request....

SHALL NOT GOD AVENGE ... - We are not to suppose that the character of God is at all represented by this judge, or that “his” principles of conduct are at all like those of the judge. This parable shows us conclusively that many “circumstances” of a parable are not to be interpreted closely: they are mere appendages to the narrative. The great truth which our Saviour “designed” to teach is what we ought to endeavor to find. In this case there can be no doubt what that truth is. He has himself told us that it is, that “men ought always to pray and not to faint.” This he teaches by the example in the parable; and the argument which it implies is this: * A poor widow, by her perseverance only, obtained from an unjust man what otherwise she would “not” have obtained. * God is not unjust. He is good, and disposed to do justice and to bestow mercy. If, therefore, this “wicked man” by per...

EXPOSITION LUKE 18:1 _The Lord speaks the two parables on prayer_—_the importunate widow, and the Pharisee and publican._ LUKE 18:1 AND HE SPAKE A PARABLE UNTO THEM TO THIS END, THAT MEN OUGHT ALWAYS TO PRAY, AND NOT TO FAINT. The formnla ἕλεγε δὲ καί, literally, "and he spake also," calls attention to the fact that the parable-teaching immediately to follow was a continuation of what had preceded. Indeed, the connection between the first of the two parables, which urges restless continued prayer, and the picture which the Lord had just drawn of men's state of utter forgetfulness of God, is obvious. "The Son of man has been rejected; he has gone from view; the masses are plunged in gross worldliness; men of God are

AND SHALL NOT GOD AVENGE HIS OWN ELECT,.... Who are a select number, a special people, whom he has loved with an everlasting love, so as of his own sovereign good will and pleasure to choose in his Son Jesus Christ unto everlasting life and salvation, through certain ways and means of his own appointing, hence they are peculiarly his: and these he will avenge and vindicate, right their wrongs, do them justice, and deliver them from their adversaries, and take vengeance on them; as may be concluded from his hatred of sin, his justice, and his holiness, from his promises, and from his power, and from the efficacy of prayer, and the regard he has to it: for it follows, WHICH CRY UNTO HIM DAY AND NIGHT; whose prayers he always hears; whose tears he puts up in his bottle; and whose importunity must surely be thought to have more regard with him, than that of the poor widow with the unjust ju...

Luke 18:1. _And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;_ «Not to faint» in their expectation of answers to their supplications, and therefore give up prayer; but to persevere in presenting their petitions at the throne of grace, because prayer is never lost labour. There may be a time during which God does not appear to answer prayer, but he will ultimately answer it; therefore, «men ought always to pray, and not to faint» in prayer. If they do not pray, they will faint in many ways. Their courage will faint. All their hope as to the future will faint, and fall into a dead swoon as it were. So, dear friends, you have your choice between praying and fainting. The doctrine our Saviour laid down was «that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;» and this is the parable which he related in illustration of that truth:...

CHAPTER 18 _ 1. The Unjust Judge and the Avenging of His Elect. (Luke 18:1)_ 2. The Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican. (Luke 18:9) 3. The Little Children and the Required Lowliness. (Luke 18:15) 4. The Rich Young Ruler. (Luke 18:18) 5. Rewards Promised. (Luke 18:28) 6. The Renewed Prediction of His Suffering, Death and Resurrection. (Luke 18:31) 7. The Blind Man near Jericho Healed. ...

PARABLE OF THE UNRIGHTEOUS JUDGE (Lk. only). There is a connexion with the preceding sayings; the Advent may be delayed, yet the disciples should incessantly pray for it it will surely come. The parable has a specific point, it is not simply an exhortation to prayer like Luke 11:5. There is a striking parallel with Sir_35:12-19, even to the idea of vengeance on enemies of the community and the faith. The parable is constructed on the _a fortiori_ principle. God is not compared to but contrasted with an unjust judge. If the one yields to the persistency of an unknown widow, how much more will the other hear and answer His own chosen people, though it is not merely because they pray that He will punish the persecutor. Note the use of the Lord for Jesus in Luke 18:6, as in...