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Luke 18

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And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

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Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:

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And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.

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And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;

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Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

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And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

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And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

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I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

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And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

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Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

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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.

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I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

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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.

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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.

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And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

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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.

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Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

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And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

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And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.

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Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.

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And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.

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Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, 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.

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And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

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And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

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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.

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And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?

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And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

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Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee.

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And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake,

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Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.

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Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.

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For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on:

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And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.

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And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.

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And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging:

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And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant.

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And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by.

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And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.

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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.

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And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him,

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Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.

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And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.

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And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.

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Luke 18

Two prayer parables anchor the chapter: the Unjust Judge (persistent widow receives justice from an unjust judge because of shameless persistence — how much more will God answer persistent prayer?) and the Pharisee and Tax Collector (the self-righteous who prays about himself goes home not justified; the sinner who prays God have mercy on me, a sinner goes home justified). The children brought to Jesus for blessing produce the kingdom-belongs-to-such-as-these saying and the receive-the-kingdom-like-a-child instruction. The rich ruler's question about eternal life receives the one-thing-you-lack answer: sell everything, give to the poor, follow me. His sadness because he is very wealthy produces the camel-through-the-eye-of-a-needle saying, the impossible-but-for-God answer, and Peter's all-we-had-we-left response. The third passion prediction — delivered with greatest detail (delivered to the Gentiles, mocked, insulted, spat on, flogged, killed, raised on the third day) and met with the triple non-understanding — precedes the healing of the blind Bartimaeus outside Jericho, whose Son-of-David confession and your-faith-has-saved-you declaration transition the narrative into Jerusalem.

Luke 18:41

What do you want me to do for you? Lord, he replied, I want to see — what do you want me to do for you: the direct question about the specific desire. Lord (kyrie), I want to see (hina anablepso): the simple, specific, direct request. The want-to-see of Bartimaeus is the model prayer — naming the specific need without elaborate qualification.

Luke 18:42

Jesus said to him, receive your sight; your faith has healed you — receive your sight (anablepson, look up again): the command that restores the sight. Your faith has healed/saved you (hē pistis sou sesōken se): the same formula as the sinful woman (7:50), the bleeding woman (8:48), and the Samaritan leper (17:19).

Luke 18:43

Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God — immediately he received his sight: the instantaneous restoration. Followed Jesus: the healed man joins the Jericho-to-Jerusalem procession. Praising God: the orientation of the restored sight is upward — toward God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God: the communal praise that begins the triumphal-entry sequence.

Luke 18:3

And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, grant me justice against my adversary — the widow who kept coming: the persistent, repeated coming is the parable's mechanism. The widow is the most socially vulnerable person in the ancient world — no husband, no male protector, no political influence. Grant me justice against my adversary: the specific legal plea.

Luke 18:4

For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, even though I don't fear God or care what people think — for some time he refused: the persistence of the refusal before the eventual capitulation. The internal monologue acknowledges his own character: even though I don't fear God or care about people.

Luke 18:5

Yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually come and attack me — because she keeps bothering me (dia ge to parechein moi kopon tēn chēran tautēn, because this widow provides me trouble): the persistence finally exceeds the judge's will to refuse. So that she won't eventually come and attack me (hypōpiazō, beat in the face, wear out): the judge grants justice to stop the persistence rather than because justice is right.

Luke 18:6

And the Lord said, listen to what the unjust judge says — the Lord's application: listen to what the unjust judge says. The unjust judge's conclusion is the lesser example against which the greater is set.

Luke 18:7

And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? — the lesser-to-greater argument: if the unjust judge responds to persistence, will God — who is just and who loves his chosen ones — not bring justice? Day and night: the persistence of the prayer matches the persistence of the widow. Will he keep putting them off: the implication is no, while acknowledging the apparent delay.

Luke 18:8

I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth? — he will see that they get justice, and quickly: the promise of the rapid divine response when the time comes. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth: the eschatological question shifts from God's faithfulness (certain) to human persistence (uncertain). The question is whether the community will maintain the persistent prayer until the Son of Man comes.

Luke 18:9

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable — the Pharisee and Tax Collector parable is addressed to the confident-of-their-own-righteousness (tois pepisthumomenois eph' heautois hoti eisin dikaioi, those persuaded about themselves that they are righteous). Who looked down on everyone else (exouthenountas tous loipous, despising the rest): the self-righteousness that produces contempt.

Luke 18:10

Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector — the temple is the common location for the prayer of two radically different men. Two men went up: the going up is the literal ascent to the temple mount and the ritual significance of ascending to the place of prayer.

Luke 18:11

The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself: God, I thank you that I am not like other people — robbers, evildoers, adulterers — or even like this tax collector — the Pharisee stood and prayed about himself (pros heauton, to himself — or about himself): the prayer that is self-directed rather than God-directed. God, I thank you: the prayer begins with gratitude that is actually self-congratulation. Not like other people — robbers, evildoers, adulterers — or even like this tax collector: the self-definition by comparison, the definition of holiness as superiority to others.

Luke 18:12

I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get — twice-weekly fasting (Monday and Thursday were the voluntary fast days of the pious): beyond the Torah requirement (which required only one day per year, Yom Kippur). Give a tenth of all I get: beyond the Torah requirement (which required tithes only of agricultural produce). The Pharisee's religious performance is genuinely exceptional — and the prayer makes it the ground of standing before God.

Luke 18:13

But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, God, have mercy on me, a sinner — stood at a distance: the spatial distance communicates the sense of unworthiness to approach. Would not even look up to heaven: the posture of shame before God. Beat his breast: the physical gesture of self-condemnation. God, have mercy on me, a sinner (ho theos, hilasthēti moi tō hamartōlō): the single petition — hilasthēti is the word for propitiation, the atoning mercy. A sinner (tō hamartōlō, the sinner, the one sinner): the definite article makes it the definitive self-description.

Luke 18:14

I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted — this man rather than the other went home justified (dedikaiōmenos): the verdict is definitive. The tax collector who confessed the truth about himself received the justification that the Pharisee who performed righteousness did not. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled: the reversal principle applied. The parable's conclusion is the Magnificat's theology applied to individual prayer.

Luke 18:15

People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them — babies (brephe, infants) brought to Jesus for blessing: the parental initiative. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them: the disciples' protection of Jesus from what they considered unimportant interruptions.

Luke 18:16

But Jesus called the children to him and said, let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these — let the little children come and do not hinder them: the reversal of the disciples' rebuke. The kingdom of God belongs to such as these: the children's belonging is constitutive — the kingdom belongs to those who share the child's status (dependence, no claim, receiving rather than achieving).

Luke 18:17

Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it — receive the kingdom like a little child: the child's receptivity is the model. The child does not contribute to or earn the kingdom but receives it — the passive reception of the gift that is greater than any achievement.

Luke 18:18

A certain ruler asked him, good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? — a certain ruler (archōn): Luke's addition of the title. The question is the same as the lawyer's (10:25) — what must I do to inherit eternal life? The ruler's question is sincere, unlike the lawyer's test.

Luke 18:19

Why do you call me good? Jesus answered. No one is good — except God alone — why do you call me good: the counter-question that challenges the casual use of the good title. No one is good except God alone: the theological claim that sets the standard for goodness. The question is not a denial of Jesus' goodness but an invitation to clarify what the ruler means by addressing Jesus as good.

Luke 18:20

You know the commandments: you shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother — the commandments cited are the second-table commandments (duties to other humans) from Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. The sequence positions the relational duties before the requirement that the ruler cannot meet.

Luke 18:21

All these I have kept since I was a boy, he said — all these I have kept since I was a boy: the ruler's claim of comprehensive obedience to the cited commandments. The claim is taken at face value — Jesus does not dispute it.

Luke 18:22

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, you still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me — one thing you lack: the single requirement beyond all the commandments. Sell everything and give to the poor: the specific, personal requirement. Treasure in heaven: the alternative investment. Come, follow me: the call to discipleship that will cost the ruler everything.

Luke 18:23

When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy — became very sad (perilypos egeneto, extremely sorrowful): the sadness is genuine grief — the ruler understands the requirement and cannot meet it. Because he was very wealthy: Luke's explanation of the sadness — the wealth is the obstacle.

Luke 18:24

Jesus looked at him and said, how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God — Jesus looked at him: the personal, observant attention before the general principle. How hard it is for the rich: the generalization from the specific case — the ruler is not uniquely hard-hearted, but wealth itself creates a specific obstacle to kingdom entry.

Luke 18:25

Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God — the camel through the eye of a needle is the largest animal common to the Middle East passing through the smallest possible opening: the image of impossible impossibility. Not difficult but impossible — at least by human ability.

Luke 18:26

Those who heard this asked, who then can be saved? — the disciples' response: who then can be saved? If the wealthy (the apparently blessed, the apparently righteous) cannot enter, who can? The question assumes that wealth indicates God's favor.

Luke 18:27

Jesus replied, what is impossible with man is possible with God — what is impossible with man is possible with God: the salvation of the rich (which is humanly impossible) is the divine possibility. The camel through the needle's eye is God's achievement, not the camel's.

Luke 18:28

Peter said to him, we have left all we had to follow you — Peter's observation is the implicit question: we have done what the ruler could not do — left everything. The implication: what is our reward?

Luke 18:29

Truly I tell you, Jesus said to them, no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God — the list of what may be left: home, wife, brothers and sisters, parents, children. The comprehensiveness of the list communicates that the sacrifice of any or all of these for the kingdom's sake produces the promise that follows.

Luke 18:30

Will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life — will fail to receive many times as much in this age: the community that replaces the family (the new family of God). In the age to come, eternal life: the eschatological inheritance. The present-age community and the future-age inheritance together constitute the reward of the everything-left disciples.

Luke 18:31

Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled — the third and most detailed passion prediction in Luke. We are going up to Jerusalem: the journey nears its destination. Everything written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled: the comprehensive fulfillment claim — the entire prophetic testimony about the Son of Man reaches its completion in what is about to happen.

Luke 18:32

He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him — delivered over to the Gentiles: the shift from Jewish rejection (in previous predictions) to Gentile execution. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him: the three public humiliations.

Luke 18:33

They will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again — flogging and killing: the specific Roman execution procedures. On the third day he will rise again: the resurrection prediction is the constant conclusion to the passion predictions. The sequence of humiliation → death → resurrection is the redemptive logic.

Luke 18:34

The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about — the triple non-understanding: they did not understand, the meaning was hidden, they did not know. The same triple non-understanding as after the second prediction (9:45). The divine hiddenness and the human incomprehension work together — the understanding will come only after the resurrection.

Luke 18:40

Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him — Jesus stopped (stas): the journey to Jerusalem is paused for the one man by the road. When he came near: the coming near that the crowd tried to prevent is accomplished.

Luke 18:36

When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening — the blind man's hearing is his primary sense — he cannot see the crowd but hears it and asks the reason.

Luke 18:37

They told him, Jesus of Nazareth is passing by — Jesus of Nazareth is passing by: the information produces the immediate action. The identification by name and hometown communicates that the blind man has heard of Jesus.

Luke 18:38

He called out, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me — Son of David (huie David): the messianic title — the blind man makes the Christological confession that will be confirmed in the triumphal entry. Have mercy on me (eleison me): the prayer for the mercy that can heal.

Luke 18:39

Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, Son of David, have mercy on me — the crowd's rebuke produces more shouting rather than silence. All the more (polly mallon): the persistence in the face of opposition increases rather than decreases. The persistence that the unjust-judge parable modeled is displayed here.

Luke 18:35

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging — Jericho is the last stop before Jerusalem — eighteen miles north of Jerusalem. The blind beggar sitting by the road is the chapter's closing miracle, immediately before the triumphal entry.

Luke 18:1

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up — Luke's explicit statement of the parable's purpose is unusual: always pray and not give up (mē egkakein, not lose heart, not grow weary). The parable is not merely illustrative but prescriptive — its purpose is to ground persistent prayer.

Luke 18:2

He said: in a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought — the judge who neither fears God nor respects people: the negation of the two standards of ancient judicial accountability. The absence of the fear of God and the absence of social accountability makes this judge the most independent possible figure — accountable to no one.