A Prayer for Justice

Hello everyone.

Today, I will start my exegesis of Luke 18.  Here is my translation of the verses 1-8:

1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable about how they should always pray and never give up. 2 He said, “There was a judge in a certain city that did not fear God or care about people. 3 But there was also a widow in that city that came to him and said, ‘Grant me justice against my opponent.’ 
4 For some time, he was unwilling to help her, but eventually he said to himself, ‘Even though, I do not fear God or care about people, 5 since this widow continues to annoy me, I will give her justice, so that she doesn’t completely exhaust me by constantly coming to me with her problem.’”
6 Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge is saying. 7 Would God not work to bring justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him, day and night? Would He continually delay their justice? 
8 I tell you, He will bring justice for them quickly.  However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the Earth?

Jesus tells another parable on prayer, with the emphasis on persistence.  Luke says that the parable is about how they “should always pray and never give up.” God is powerful and has the ability to do things that we would consider impossible.  He can rectify any situation.  Jesus is asking us to keep putting the situation before God and never giving up on it. 

The parable involves a judge, who is not concerned about justice. There is much in this short parable about justice, initially denied, but eventually granted. The judge does not fear God, nor he care about people. Jesus even refers to him as ‘the unjust judge.’

The parable's other character is a widow. This widow makes a request for justice. For a long time the judge was content in not giving it to her, bur finally relents because he was so annoyed by her persistence. 

   

The widow has an adversary.  It is not made clear exactly what the situation is, so all we could do is speculate, but what is clear is that she has an unjust situation going on with another person and she seeks justice, and she was not afraid to be a nuisance for her cause.  Ultimately the judge says, “since this widow continues to annoy me, I will give her justice, so that she doesn’t completely exhaust me.” 

The Greek word ἤρχετο (ērcheto) which means ‘she was coming’, is iterative in this context.  That means that her coming to the judge was a repeated constant action.  She was wearing him out. 

The judge refuses to grant her request for a long time, but eventually relents so that she will just leave him alone. 

Luke uses the phrase Παρέχειν μοι κόπον (parechein moi kopon) to describe how the unjust judge feels about the bothersome widow.  It means something like ‘she gives me trouble.' As the widow has been quite a nuisance to the judge, I translated it as “she continues to annoy me.”   So to avoid the constant hassle, he relents and gives her what she wants.

Now the comparison turns to God.  If the widow, through persistence, can change the mind of someone in power, who really doesn’t care, how much more would God, our Father, take up our cause, since He does care.  Through persistence, the widow received justice.  How do God’s chosen ones get justice? By crying out to Him day and night. Like the widow, when we are powerless, we make our appeals to someone with the power and authority to bring us justice. 

Take note that this is a prayer for justice.  God cares about justice, and He will bring it.  Luke says that He will bring justice quickly.  Sometimes, it feels like God’s justice comes very slowly.  It is hard to know what quickly means to God.  But, does tell us that he will bring justice to those who cry out to Him, day and night. God does vindicate His people. 

This passage closes, at the end of verse 8, with the question, “However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the Earth?” What do we do when God’s justice does not come as quickly as we would like?  Do we continue to have faith?  Do we continue to pray?  Jesus wants to find us faithful, never giving up and always trusting in God’s provision and protection.

Tom