A widow with no power and no connections keeps showing up at a corrupt judge’s door until he finally gives in — not because he develops a conscience, but simply because she wears him down. Two men go up to the temple to pray: one lists his own virtues out loud, the other won’t even lift his eyes off the ground. And when a rich, respected ruler asks what he still lacks, the honest answer costs him more than he is willing to pay.
A study in Luke 18 · Arthur Baldwin · StandUp4Jesus.Org · 26 min read
Shall Not God Avenge His Own Elect
“And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.”
Luke 18:1-3
“The judge who is here pictured had no regard for right, nor pity for suffering. … He wanted to show his arbitrary power, and it gratified him to let her ask and plead and entreat in vain. But she would not fail nor become discouraged.”
Ellen G. White · Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 164
“And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.”
Luke 18:4-5
“Christ here draws a sharp contrast between the unjust judge and God. The judge yielded to the widow’s request merely through selfishness, that he might be relieved of her importunity. He felt for her no pity or compassion; her misery was nothing to him. How different is the attitude of God toward those who seek Him.”
Ellen G. White · Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 165
The parable’s logic is deliberately “from the lesser to the greater.” If even a man who cares nothing for justice can eventually be moved to act, how much more certain is the response of a Father who genuinely loves the one asking.
“And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily.”
Luke 18:6-8
“The widow’s prayer, ‘Avenge me’—‘do me justice’ (R.V.)—‘of mine adversary,’ represents the prayer of God’s children. Satan is their great adversary. He is the ‘accuser of our brethren,’ who accuses them before God day and night.”
Ellen G. White · Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 166
Ellen White ties this parable directly to Zechariah’s vision of the high priest Joshua standing in filthy garments while Satan accuses him before God — the same courtroom picture already central to this site’s own study of the book of Zechariah.
“Notwithstanding the defects of the people of God, Christ does not turn away from the objects of His care. He has the power to change their raiment. He removes the filthy garments, He places upon the repenting, believing ones His own robe of righteousness.”
Ellen G. White · Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 169
“Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”
Luke 18:8
The parable ends not with an assurance but with a question — because persistent prayer, in this teaching, is itself the evidence of the very faith Jesus is asking whether He will find.
God Be Merciful To Me A Sinner
“And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.”
Luke 18:9-10
“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. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.”
Luke 18:11-12
“He looks it, he walks it, he prays it. … He judges his character, not by the holy character of God, but by the character of other men. His mind is turned away from God to humanity. This is the secret of his self-satisfaction.”
Ellen G. White · Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 150
Every word of the Pharisee’s prayer is technically true. He probably does fast, does tithe, does avoid the specific sins he lists. The prayer’s failure is not in its facts but in its direction — addressed, in substance, to himself rather than to God.
“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.”
Luke 18:13
“He knew that he had no merit to commend him to God, and in utter self-despair he cried, ‘God be merciful to me, a sinner.’ He did not compare himself with others. Overwhelmed with a sense of guilt, he stood as if alone in God’s presence.”
Ellen G. White · Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 151
The publican’s prayer is the shortest in the whole Bible, and it names no accomplishments at all — only his need, and the character of the God he is bringing it to.
“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.”
Luke 18:14
“For each of the classes represented by the Pharisee and the publican there is a lesson in the history of the apostle Peter. … He was like the publican in his contrition and repentance, and like the publican he found mercy.”
Ellen G. White · Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 152
Peter’s own path — confident self-assurance, followed by a devastating fall, followed by a look from Christ that broke him and brought him back — is offered as living proof that the road from Pharisee to publican is not fixed at birth. It is a road anyone can still walk, in either direction.
Yet Lackest Thou One Thing
This site’s own studies of Matthew 19 and Mark’s own tenth chapter already cover the blessing of the little children and the story of the rich young ruler in full.
“But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.”
Luke 18:16
Luke’s own word for these children — “infants” (v.15) — is even younger than the word Matthew and Mark use, making the disciples’ impulse to turn them away even less defensible.
“And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? … Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.”
Luke 18:18, 22-23
Only Luke identifies him as a “ruler” rather than simply a young man — someone with public standing and authority, not only private wealth, which makes his walking away that much more consequential.
“For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. … The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”
Luke 18:25, 27
This site’s own study of Matthew’s twentieth chapter and Mark’s tenth chapter already cover the third prediction of the cross that follows.
“Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. … And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.”
Luke 18:31, 34
Luke’s own closing note on this scene is unusually blunt about the disciples’ confusion — not a partial misunderstanding, but a saying entirely “hid from them,” even after Jesus has now predicted His death and resurrection for a third time.
Lord, That I May Receive My Sight
This site’s own studies of Matthew’s twentieth chapter and Mark’s tenth chapter already cover the healing of the blind man at Jericho in full — Mark’s own account is the one that gives him a name, Bartimaeus.
“And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.”
Luke 18:38-39
The crowd’s attempt to silence him only makes him louder — the same stubborn persistence this chapter has already praised once already, in the widow who would not stop asking.
“Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.”
Luke 18:41-42
“And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.”
Luke 18:43
This chapter opened with a parable about prayer that will not stop asking, and closes with a beggar who would not stop asking either. Between the two stands a rich young ruler who, offered exactly what he claimed to want, chose to stop asking and walk away.
