Luke
18:1-14
Lesson 145
18:1-14
Lesson 145
Luke 18:1-14
Two parables on prayer 1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? 9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. |
Margin notes:
"Men ought always to pray." (18:1) - A message so important, it is repeated in Romans 12:12, Ephesians 6:18 and Colossians 4:2. "Not to faint." (18:1) - Means, "don't lose heart." "Which feared not God, neither regarded man." (18:2) - "Who didn't respect God or people." "Avenge me of mine adversary." (18:3) - "Protect me from my enemy." "He said within himself." (18:4) - "He said to himself." "This widow troubleth me." (18:5) - "This widow pesters me." "Unjust judge." (18:6) - "Evil judge." "Though he bear long with them?" (18:7) - "Will He take long to help them?" "The Pharisee stood and prayed." (18:11) - See Matthew 6:5 to read Jesus' opinion on standing up in public to pray. "Publican." (18:10) - Publicans were tax collectors. Some manned customhouses and collected duty on imported and exported trade goods. Others collected taxes on everything that was bought or sold. There were taxes to cross bridges, to use the roads or the harbor, to enter the marketplace or to ship merchandise. There were taxes on wagons and the animals that pulled them. To the disgruntled population it seemed like everything was taxed. The publicans paid Rome for the right to collect the taxes and then paid themselves by overcharging (Luke 3:12-13) and keeping the difference. Couple this with the fact that tax collectors worked for the oppressive Romans occupying their land and you can understand why they were not popular with the Jewish population. Publicans were considered sinners (Luke 19:7) and lumped together with harlots (Matthew 21:31-32). "God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are." (18:11) - The Pharisee thought he was "pure" (Proverbs 30:12). "I fast." (18:12) - "I abstain from eating." Devout Jews would not eat during a time of prayer, but these types of "good deeds" can not save us. "I give tithes of all that I possess." (18:12) - Is this enough? Listen to Jesus (Matthew 23:23). "Smote upon his beast." (18:13) - "Beat his chest." "God be merciful." (18:13) - Except through God's mercy, mankind can not earn forgiveness or save itself. "This man went down to his house justified rather than the other." (18:14) - For Jesus to tell His audience that a hated tax collector was forgiven before a respected Pharisee would have been earth shattering. "Every one that exalteth himself shall be abased." (18:14) - "Everyone who praises himself will be humbled." This teaching can also be found in the Old Testament (Proverbs 29:23; Ezekiel 21:26). Jesus repeated it in Matthew 23:12 and Luke 13:30 and reinforced it again 14:11. |