The Unjust Judge – Luke 18:1-8

Description

There is a lot of injustice in our world. How are we to respond? What are believers to do when confronted with persecution and affliction? Jesus told a parable to teach us about this in Luke 18:1-8.

In this parable, Jesus uses an unjust judge and a widow seeking justice to teach us about praying persistently.  The judge doesn’t fear God or care what people think.  The widow desperately needs justice.  For some time, the judge ignores her pleas for justice; but, eventually her persistence wears him down and he gives in.

Jesus uses the story of the unjust judge to teach us about God.  Rather than comparing God to the unjust judge, Jesus contrasts the two.  He argues that if an oppressed widow from town can eventually persuade an unrighteous, unfeeling, uncaring judge to give her justice by her persistence; HOW MUCH MORE will the Righteous Judge, Almighty God, be persuaded by HIS PEOPLE, whom he has chosen, to give THEM justice, when they cry out to him DAY and NIGHT!

Luke places this parable in the context of Jesus’ teaching about the Kingdom of God and the coming of the Son of Man.   In this case, Jesus uses a parable about prayer in general to us about praying for the return of the Lord.