Luke 18

The Story of the Widow Who Would Not Give Up

1 Jesus told his disciples a story. He wanted to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

2 He said, "In a certain town there was a judge. He didn't have any respect for God or care about people.

3 A widow lived in that town. She came to the judge again and again. She kept begging him, 'Make things right for me. Someone is doing me wrong.'

4 "For some time the judge refused. But finally he said to himself, 'I don't have any respect for God. I don't care about people.

5 But this widow keeps bothering me. So I will see that things are made right for her. If I don't, she will wear me out by coming again and again!' "

6 The Lord said, "Listen to what the unfair judge says.

7 "God's chosen people cry out to him day and night. Won't he make things right for them? Will he keep putting them off?

8 I tell you, God will see that things are made right for them. He will make sure it happens quickly. "But when the Son of Man comes, will he find people on earth who have faith?"

The Story of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

9 Jesus told a story to some people who were sure they were right with God. They looked down on everybody else.

10 He said to them, "Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee. The other was a tax collector.

11 "The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself. 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people,' he said. 'I am not like robbers or those who do other evil things. I am not like those who commit adultery. I am not even like this tax collector.

12 I fast twice a week. And I give a tenth of all I get.'

13 "But the tax collector stood not very far away. He would not even look up to heaven. He beat his chest and said, 'God, have mercy on me. I am a sinner.'

14 "I tell you, the tax collector went home accepted by God. But not the Pharisee. Everyone who lifts himself up will be brought down. And anyone who is brought down will be lifted up."

Little Children Are Brought to Jesus

15 People were also bringing babies to Jesus. They wanted him to touch them. When the disciples saw this, they told the people to stop.

16 But Jesus asked the children to come to him. "Let the little children come to me," he said. "Don't keep them away. God's kingdom belongs to people like them.

17 What I'm about to tell you is true. Anyone who will not receive God's kingdom like a little child will never enter it."

Jesus and the Rich Ruler

18 A certain ruler asked Jesus a question. "Good teacher," he said, "what must I do to receive eternal life?"

19 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good except God.

20 You know what the commandments say. 'Do not commit adultery. Do not commit murder. Do not steal. Do not give false witness. Honor your father and mother.' "(Exodus 20:12-16; Deuteronomy 5:16-20)

21 "I have obeyed all those commandments since I was a boy," the ruler said.

22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You are still missing one thing. Sell everything you have. Give the money to those who are poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me."

23 When the ruler heard this, he became very sad. He was very rich.

24 Jesus looked at him. Then he said, "How hard it is for rich people to enter God's kingdom!

25 Is it hard for a camel to go through the eye of a needle? It is even harder for the rich to enter God's kingdom!"

26 Those who heard this asked, "Then who can be saved?"

27 Jesus replied, "Things that are impossible with people are possible with God."

28 Peter said to him, "We have left everything we had in order to follow you!"

29 "What I'm about to tell you is true," Jesus said to them. "Has anyone left home or family for God's kingdom?

30 They will receive many times as much in this world. In the world to come they will live forever."

Jesus Again Tells About His Coming Death

31 Jesus took the Twelve to one side. He told them, "We are going up to Jerusalem. Everything that the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will come true.

32 He will be handed over to people who are not Jews. They will make fun of him. They will laugh at him and spit on him. They will whip him and kill him.

33 On the third day, he will rise from the dead!"

34 The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them. So they didn't know what Jesus was talking about.

A Blind Beggar Receives His Sight

35 Jesus was approaching Jericho. A blind man was sitting by the side of the road begging.

36 The blind man heard the crowd going by. He asked what was happening.

37 They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by."

38 So the blind man called out, "Jesus! Son of David! Have mercy on me!"

39 Those who led the way commanded him to stop. They told him to be quiet. But he shouted even louder, "Son of David! Have mercy on me!"

40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When the man came near, Jesus spoke to him.

41 "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked. "Lord, I want to be able to see," the blind man replied.

42 Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight. Your faith has healed you."

43 Right away he could see. He followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

Luke 18 Commentary

Chapter 18

The parable of the importunate widow. (1-8) The Pharisee and the publican. (9-14) Children brought to Christ. (15-17) The ruler hindered by his riches. (18-30) Christ foreshows his death. (31-34) A blind man restored to sight. (35-43)

Verses 1-8 All God's people are praying people. Here earnest steadiness in prayer for spiritual mercies is taught. The widow's earnestness prevailed even with the unjust judge: she might fear lest it should set him more against her; but our earnest prayer is pleasing to our God. Even to the end there will still be ground for the same complaint of weakness of faith.

Verses 9-14 This parable was to convince some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others. God sees with what disposition and design we come to him in holy ordinances. What the Pharisee said, shows that he trusted to himself that he was righteous. We may suppose he was free from gross and scandalous sins. All this was very well and commendable. Miserable is the condition of those who come short of the righteousness of this Pharisee, yet he was not accepted; and why not? He went up to the temple to pray, but was full of himself and his own goodness; the favour and grace of God he did not think worth asking. Let us beware of presenting proud devotions to the Lord, and of despising others. The publican's address to God was full of humility, and of repentance for sin, and desire toward God. His prayer was short, but to the purpose; God be merciful to me a sinner. Blessed be God, that we have this short prayer upon record, as an answered prayer; and that we are sure that he who prayed it, went to his house justified; for so shall we be, if we pray it, as he did, through Jesus Christ. He owned himself a sinner by nature, by practice, guilty before God. He had no dependence but upon the mercy of God; upon that alone he relied. And God's glory is to resist the proud, and give grace to the humble. Justification is of God in Christ; therefore the self-condemned, and not the self-righteous, are justified before God.

Verses 15-17 None are too little, too young, to be brought to Christ, who knows how to show kindness to those not capable of doing service to him. It is the mind of Christ, that little children should be brought to him. The promise is to us, and to our seed; therefore He will bid them welcome to him with us. And we must receive his kingdom as children, not by purchase, and must call it our Father's gift.

Verses 18-30 Many have a great deal in them very commendable, yet perish for lack of some one thing; so this ruler could not bear Christ's terms, which would part between him and his estate. Many who are loth to leave Christ, yet do leave him. After a long struggle between their convictions and their corruptions, their corruptions carry the day. They are very sorry that they cannot serve both; but if one must be quitted, it shall be their God, not their wordly gain. Their boasted obedience will be found mere outside show; the love of the world in some form or other lies at the root. Men are apt to speak too much of what they have left and lost, of what they have done and suffered for Christ, as Peter did. But we should rather be ashamed that there has been any regret or difficulty in doing it.

Verses 31-34 The Spirit of Christ, in the Old Testament prophets, testified beforehand his sufferings, and the glory that should ( 1 Peter. 1:11 ) that they would not understand these things literally. They were so intent upon the prophecies which spake of Christ's glory, that they overlooked those which spake of his sufferings. People run into mistakes, because they read their Bibles by halves, and are only for the smooth things. We are as backward to learn the proper lessons from the sufferings, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ, as the disciples were to what he told them as to those events; and for the same reason; self-love, and a desire of worldly objects, close our understandings.

Verses 35-43 This poor blind man sat by the wayside, begging. He was not only blind, but poor, the fitter emblem of the world of mankind which Christ came to heal and save. The prayer of faith, guided by Christ's encouraging promises, and grounded on them, shall not be in vain. The grace of Christ ought to be thankfully acknowledged, to the glory of God. It is for the glory of God if we follow Jesus, as those will do whose eyes are opened. We must praise God for his mercies to others, as well as for mercies to ourselves. Would we rightly understand these things, we must come to Christ, like the blind man, earnestly beseeching him to open our eyes, and to show us clearly the excellence of his precepts, and the value of his salvation.