Luke 18:6

6 And the Lord said, `Hear ye what the unrighteous judge saith:

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:


FOOTNOTES:

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

Luke 18:6 In-Context

4 and he would not for a time, but after these things he said in himself, Even if God I do not fear, and man do not regard,
5 yet because this widow doth give me trouble, I will do her justice, lest, perpetually coming, she may plague me.'
6 And the Lord said, `Hear ye what the unrighteous judge saith:
7 and shall not God execute the justice to His choice ones, who are crying unto Him day and night -- bearing long in regard to them?
8 I say to you, that He will execute the justice to them quickly; but the Son of Man having come, shall he find the faith upon the earth?'
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.