PARABLE OF THE UNJUST JUDGE (LUKE 18:1-8)

“I consider this one of the more difficult parables.” – Snodgrass, Stories With Intent  There are several reasons he gives for this statement:

Problem 1: Those who treat the authority figures in parables as representing God (as is true in many other cases) are rightly confused when they hear that the judge fears neither God nor man, a denial of the two great love commandments. That particular problem can be easily disposed of once one realizes that there is a contrast between God and the judge intended here, not a comparison.

Problem 2: There is the problem of how the parable itself fits in with its introduction and concluding explanation. In addition, there is the question of whether this parable was originally told by Jesus at the same time as the Parable of the Neighbor at Midnight but re-located by Luke to its present position. The latter is a real possibility since Luke often tends to group his material by common themes rather than taking the more chronological approach of Matthew and Mark. However, the safest approach is to only consider the present setting of the parable and its explanation and not speculate any on its possible pre-history.

Problem 3: The meaning of the parable seems to be that we should keep on pestering God with the same request and not stop praying just because He hasn't answered yet. But this idea is at odds with the examples of Jesus and Paul who both prayed that burdens be lifted from them, but stopped praying after only three requests were made.

Problem 4: The statement that God will answer our requests speedily often doesn't ring true when compared to our own experiences. And that is especially true if the parable specifically refers to requests for God's Kingdom to come, which has been delayed for 2,000 years so far.

Problem 5: The ending of verse 8 is confusing at best and seems to be understood differently by various translators.

Biblical Context This parable fits well in the context of 17:20-37 with its concern about the Second Coming. Similarly, the mention of prayer connects it with 18:9-14. (Kistemaker)  In addition, Snodgrass connects these last two with common wording (righteous, unjust, vindicate) and notes that both have explanations which come before the parable instead of at the usual conclusion. In the first parable God will vindicate the saints; in the second those who confess they are sinners are vindicated. (Kistemaker)

And as already mentioned, this parable has often been considered to be a companion piece to the Parable of the Friend at Midnight in Luke 11:5-8. Interestingly, as earlier mentioned, that particular parable can be viewed as an expansion of the prayer for our daily bread in the Lord's Prayer. In the same manner, one can view the Parable of the Unjust Judge as a comment on our prayer for God's Kingdom to come.

Literal Picture

The judge may be a Gentile (forbidden by Pharisaical law, but people would go to them if they couldn't get satisfaction elsewhere.). She can't afford a lawyer so she asks him to be both judge and lawyer. (Kistemaker) Snodgrass quotes contradictory, and later, Jewish laws: three judges are needed to decide monetary cases according to the Mishnah while the Talmud says that only one judge is needed. We really don't know which set of laws, if any, was applicable during Jesus' time, and the inclusion of only one judge in the story may have only been to simplify the story and eliminate the necessity of the woman having to pester multiple judges.

The plight of a widow in those times is well known. Since a woman generally married quite young, she might also be a young widows left without support for the many remaining years of their life. She could not inherit her husband's estate, would be treated poorly if she remained in her husband's household, her family would have to forfeit any money exchanged at the wedding if she returned to their house, and she might have even been sold as a slave.

This was probably a financial matter in which the judge was waiting for a bribe, which the widow could not afford to pay. (Marshall)

Verse 1: This teaching is contrary to the Jewish custom of only praying three times daily to avoid disturbing God. (Geldenhuys)  But it certainly doesn't mean emulating the Pharisees who felt they could be heard by their long prayers. However, to “pray always” does not mean to keep praying for the same thing over and over, but instead to never give up on the power of prayer (i.e., not continuous, but continuing or continual). (Fitzmyer)   This is also the meaning of similar teachings found in Ephesians 6:18 and I Thessalonians 5:17. Trench says that prayer should be “the continual desire of the soul after God.” A concrete example may be found in Matthew 15 where a Canaanite woman tries to get help from Jesus and and the disciples ask Jesus, “Send her away for she keeps shouting at us.” But the woman keeps imploring Jesus for help, which he provides.

Verse 3: “adversary” = the powers of darkness and the world. (Trench) There is a key word in this verse which has been variously translated as vengeance, justice or vindication. It also appears in Revelation 6:9 where the souls under the altar ask God for the same thing. In this present context, vengeance should not be the interpretation.

Verse 5: “Wear out” has the basic meaning literally of “hit under the eye” meaning “cause much trouble.” (Geldenhuys)

Verse 7: The last part of this verse is the most problematic in terms of possible interpretations:

(a) Will not God be patient with their complaint?

Will not God be patient with the wicked?

He is long-suffering over them

though he bear long with them. (KJV)

(b) Can he just endure their plight? (Geldenhuys)

while he listens patiently to them (NEB)

while he delays to help them

even if he keeps them waiting for him. (Marshall, Jerusalem Bible)

(c) Will he keep putting them off? (NIV, NRSV, TEV, NASB)

The last meaning is probably the best.

Crying indicates intense prayer while “day and night” means regular prayer.

Verse 8a Another difficult phrase is en tachei, which can be translated as either “soon” or “suddenly.” 

If it refers to the Last Judgment, as the context of the chapter suggests, then the only possible meaning 

is “suddenly.” This is especially in light of the preceding teachings in Luke 17 on this subject. 

Habakkuk 2:3: “For there is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end, and dos not lie. If 

it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay.” “Suddenly” means without undue 

delay or warning while “soon” indicates a short duration of time. 

 

Snodgrass summarizes the situation in vv. 7-8 to say that “God's people need to examine themselves as 

they await the vindication of God. While the vindication is still future (vv. 7a and 8a), God's patience is 

at work in the present (v. 7b, which explains the switch to the present tense).” In this way, the parable 

addresses both “an overly realized eschatology and doubt that deliverance will come.”

 

The parable taken by itself is almost always understood as an argument from the lesser to the greater. In Snodgrass' words, that means: “If even an unjust judge will vindicate a widow who keeps coming to him, how much more will God answer the cries for vindication from his people.” But in addition, there may be the secondary themes of being faithful in prayer and not giving up and the certainty that God will hear our prayers.

Verse 8b Snodgrass notes that besides the assurance that God will answer pleas from his people for deliverance, there is also the important question: “Will his people remain faithful?” This question bookends the parable together with verse 1 and explains faithfulness as not losing heart, rather than referring to Christian “faith.” Keep in mind that the injunction to pray without ceasing is to be understood in the same way that Peter was told to forgive his brother 70 x 7 times. In both cases, it refers to the thoroughness of our actions, not the number of times we perform them.