Luke 18
The Parable of The Persistent Widow; The Parable of The Pharisee and The Tax Collector; The Rich Young Ruler; The Healing of a Blind Man near Jericho
There is a theme of humility in this section as Luke described how Jesus graciously received those who came to Him with an awareness of their need for the mercy of God.
The Parable of The Persistent Widow
Because there may be an apparent delay before his return, Jesus told a parable to encourage his disciples. They may suffer injustice from opponents of the gospel, but they must persevere in prayer, confident that God will hear them. - Don Fleming
In chapter 17, Jesus gave an early warning for the coming destruction of Jerusalem. The disciples were going to experience great suffering and great injustice for the cause of Christ in the first century. Jesus is concerned that his disciples will not have the fortitude and steadfastness to trust him when those difficult times arrived. - Brent Kercheville
A Judge and A Widow
Vs. 2-3 - “There was a judge in a certain town who didn’t fear God or respect people. And a widow in that town kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
The unscrupulous judge cares nothing about justice for the widow. Widows were helpless and weak members of society, having virtually no recourse to overcome oppression and exploitation. Even though the widow is at a disadvantage, she uses her strongest weapon: persistence. - Thomas Schreiner
Pray Always
Vs. 1 - Now he told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not give up.
Vs. 7-8 - Will not God grant justice to his elect who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay helping them? I tell you that he will swiftly grant them justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?
If an ungodly judge will give a just judgment to a helpless widow solely to be rid of her ceaseless pleading, how much more will the holy God answer the cries of his persecuted people. - Don Fleming
This parable is like the parable of the Friend at Midnight. It does not liken God to an unjust judge; it contrasts him to such a person. Jesus was saying, "If, in the end, an unjust and rapacious judge can be wearied into giving a widow woman justice, how much more will God, who is a loving Father, give his children what they need?" - William Barclay
Vs. 8 - I tell you that he will swiftly grant them justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?
Unlike the judge, God will quickly grant justice for those who call to Him for it. Perhaps the vindication will not seem quick for people on earth but will be agonizingly slow, so that they may give up on prayer, concluding that God is not just, that He does not punish the wicked…The parable promises that God will answer, despite how long it may seem to take. No one can question God’s faithfulness; the only question is whether human beings will be faithful to the end. - Thomas Schreiner
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
Commentators note that, if there is a relationship between this parable and the previous one, it is difficult to detect. The persistent widow parable was likely connected to the previous section (chapter 17) about the end of the age.
A unique characteristic of both parables in this section is that Luke included an explanation of their teaching purposes before the narrative begins.
Two Men in the Temple
Vs. 10 - Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
The Pharisees generally rejected Jesus and His gospel whereas the tax collectors responded positively (cf. Luke 5:12; Luke 5:27; Luke 7:34; Luke 7:37; Luke 15:1-2; Luke 16:20). They were at opposite ends of the social and spiritual scales in Judaism. The former were the epitome of righteousness and the latter of unrighteousness. - Thomas Constable
Jesus’ continued accusations against the religious, rich, and powerful would have been shocking to His audiences. Powerful positions and plenteous possessions were considered by most to be the evidence of righteousness, not hindrances to it.
The Humble Exalted
Vs. 9 - He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else
This parable is addressed to the self-confident and the self-righteous, those who look down on others with contemptuous disdain. - Thomas Schreiner
Vs. 14 - I tell you, this one went down to his house justified rather than the other, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.
The parable is frequently interpreted as a contrast between self-righteousness and spiritual poverty or humility. At times, the self-righteousness is framed as Jewish legalism. Augustine, followed by a number of others, interpreted the Pharisee and tax collector as representing Jews and Gentiles.
Modern readers must make the effort to realize the shock of Jesus' statement to his first-century Jewish hearers. Jesus called a man righteous who was known to be unrighteous and refused this description for a man whom everyone would consider as a righteous person, one who had done good things, even beyond what the law expected.
Like the elder brother in Luke 15:25-32, who had not transgressed the commands but still had disdain for his brother, the Pharisee thinks he is true to the Torah’s stipulations but does not see the Torah’s intent of love for neighbor. Righteous acts without compassion and love are not considered righteous by God. - Klyne R. Snodgrass
Like A Little Child (Matthew 19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16)
Like the prior parable, this paragraph emphasizes that it is the humble who will be exalted. - Thomas Schreiner
The Disciples Rebuked
Vs. 15 - People were bringing infants to him so that he might touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
The disciples were not boorish and ungracious men. They simply wanted to protect Jesus. They did not quite know what was going on, but they knew quite clearly that tragedy lay ahead and they could see the tension under which Jesus labored. They did not want him to be bothered. - William Barclay
Jesus Invited
Vs. 16-17 - Jesus, however, invited them: “Let the little children come to me, and don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
Incidentally, this tells us a great deal about Jesus. It tells us that he was the kind of person who cared for children and for whom children cared. He could not have been a stern and gloomy and joyless person. There must have been a kind sunshine on him. He must have smiled easily and laughed joyously. - William Barclay
Mark included the details that Jesus tenderly held and blessed the children. The children exemplified the humble way of all who enter the kingdom.
Mark 10:16 - After taking them in his arms, he laid his hands on them and blessed them.
The Rich Young Ruler (Matthew 19:16-30; Mark 10:17-31)
A Ruler’s Question
Vs. 18 - A ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
There is a theme of humility in this section of Luke, and Jesus’ encounter with this rich young ruler continues it. The man’s question was a good one, but his intentions proved self-serving.
Good Teacher
Vs. 19 - “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone.
Jesus immediately questions the ruler about calling him good, stressing that only God is good. Jesus is not admitting sinfulness here, nor is he leading the ruler to the realization of his divinity. He is initially directing attention away from himself to God, reminding the ruler that all goodness comes from him. - Thomas Schreiner
You Know the Commandments
Vs. 20 - You know the commandments:
Vs. 21 - “I have kept all these from my youth,” he said.
When confronted with the teaching that to inherit eternal life requires keeping the commands of God, the only response we can have is that of the tax collector, “Be merciful to me, a sinner!” To answer that we have been keeping the law since our youth is the epitome of arrogance and delusion. - Brent Kercheville
This young man’s self-confidence mirrored that of many Jewish religious leaders at this time. The Mosaic laws were given to be followed, but the sacrificial system was meant to remind God’s people that He related with them, not on the basis of their rule-keeping, but because of His merciful character and covenant love.
Sell All You Have
Vs. 22 - When Jesus heard this, he told him, “You still lack one thing: Sell all you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Mark added the unique detail that Jesus looked with love on this young man.
Mark 10:21 - Looking at him, Jesus loved him and said to him, “You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Jesus’ command to sell all belongings then come, follow Him was designed to show the young man that (1) his covetousness defied the spirit of the 10th commandment, (2) His neglect of the poor defied the commandment to love his neighbor, and possibly (3) his love for his possessions surpassed his love for God, thus breaking the commandment against idolatry. - Charles L. Quarles
The effort of this young man to keep the laws of God was laudable. But, like the praying Pharisee in Jesus’ parable, he had failed to recognize the covetousness and self-righteousness in his own heart. He came to Jesus to promote his piety but was disappointed when Jesus revealed his rebellion.
The great lesson of the Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector, Jesus’ blessing of the children, and Jesus’ encounter with this rich young man is this: God relates to men on the basis of His merciful character, and it is the humble, and not the haughty, who are invited to follow Jesus.
The Eye of a Needle
Vs. 24-25 - Seeing that he became sad, Jesus said, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
The image of the largest animal in Palestine, a camel, passing through a small opening was a frequently used metaphor for impossible events. The salvation of rich people, tempted as they are to trust themselves and their possessions, is possible only by divine miracle. - Charles L. Quarles
Many Times More
Vs. 26-27 - Those who heard this asked, “Then who can be saved?”
He replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
The disciples understand the weight of what Jesus is saying. Notice their response: “Then who can be saved?” If a wealthy ruler who has been good and morally cannot enter the kingdom of God, then who can? If someone who tries to keep the law and is blessed with riches cannot get in, who can? The wealthy were supposed by the people to have the blessings of God. - Brent Kercheville
Vs. 28 - Then Peter said, “Look, we have left what we had and followed you.”
Jesus does not criticize Peter for asking about future rewards; instead, he promises that they will be significant for those who have left everything to follow him. - Thomas Schreiner
Matthew 19:28-30 - Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields because of my name will receive a hundred times more and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
Third Passion Prediction (Mark 10:32-34)
The third passion prediction comes on the heels of the promise of rewards. There will be rewards, but the path to rewards is suffering. - Thomas Schreiner
Everything Accomplished
Vs. 31-33 - Then he took the Twelve aside and told them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. Everything that is written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished. For he will be handed over to the Gentiles, and he will be mocked, insulted, spit on; and after they flog him, they will kill him, and he will rise on the third day.
This passion prediction is distinctive because it stresses the fulfillment of scripture, the role of the Gentiles, and the incomprehension of the disciples. We should not fail to see that the prediction of the resurrection is contained here as well. - Thomas Schreiner
Mark 10:33-34 - The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death. Then they will hand him over to the Gentiles, and they will mock him, spit on him, flog him, and kill him, and he will rise after three days.
Hidden from Them
Vs. 34 - They understood none of these things. The meaning of the saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.
Luke alone repeated three times that the disciples failed to comprehend Jesus’ words. He strongly suggested that their failure was due to God withholding this understanding from them (cf. Luke 24:16; Luke 24:25-26). That is, it was not within God’s purpose for them to understand at this time. - Thomas Constable
Healing of a Blind Man Near Jericho (Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52)
Blind Man Begging
Vs. 35-38 - As he approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. Hearing a crowd passing by, he inquired what was happening. “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by,” they told him.
So he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Matthew recorded that Jesus healed more than one man on His way in and out of Jericho.
Matthew 20:29-30 - As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. There were two blind men sitting by the road.
Mark mentioned only one blind man but included his name.
Mark 10:46 - And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus (the son of Timaeus), a blind beggar, was sitting by the road.
Your Faith Saved You
Vs. 40-42 - Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to him. When he came closer, he asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”
“Lord,” he said, “I want to see.”
“Receive your sight,” Jesus told him. “Your faith has saved you.”
Luke’s primary purpose for including this incident in his narrative seems to have been to show that God, through Jesus, can give insight to those who humbly call on Him for mercy. Here was another humble outcast similar to the tax collector who experienced salvation because of his faith. Jesus not only saved him but also opened his eyes physically and spiritually. - Thomas Constable
Contrary to the response of the religious leaders and the rich young ruler, the little children and blind Bartimaeus came to Jesus in humble faith, and because of this, found blessing and healing.
