Luke 18:6

6 And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge says.

Luke 18:6 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 18:6

And the Lord said
The Lord Jesus Christ, who delivered out this parable to his disciples:

hear what the unjust judge saith;
and take encouragement from hence to be frequent and importunate in prayer with God; for if such a cruel, merciless, and unjust judge is to be wrought upon by importunity to do justice, who has no principle to influence him, how much more will not God, who is a just judge, the judge of widows, and of the oppressed, a God of great mercy and compassion, who delights in the prayers of his people, knows their cases, and is able to help them, and who has an interest in them, and they in him? how much more will not he regard their importunate requests, and arise, and save them much such like reasoning this is used by the Jews:

``says R. Simeon ben Chelphetha, an impudent man overcomes a good man, or a modest man, (by his importunity,) how much more the goodness of the world itself ^F17?''

that is, how much more will a man, by his continual prayer, prevail with God, who is goodness itself? And they have another saying ^F18, that agrees with this:

``says R. Nachman, impudence (i.e. importunity) even against God is profitable.''

The application of this parable follows:

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 T. Hieros. Taaniot, fol. 65. 2.
F18 T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 105. 1.

Luke 18:6 In-Context

4 For a while he refused; but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God nor regard man,

5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will vindicate her, or she will wear me out by her continual coming.'"

6 And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge says.

7 And will not God vindicate his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?

8 I tell you, he will vindicate them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?"