Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:
(Luke 18:1) And He spoke a parable to them that men ought always to pray and not to weary,
Jesus had been journeying to Jerusalem with His disciples and others following, stopping in villages along the way, healing and teaching. He now began a parable that taught men to always pray without ceasing and not to grow weary.
(2) Saying, "There was in a city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man."
Jesus told of a judge in a certain city who neither feared God nor had any regard or respect for the rights of men.
(3) "And there was a widow in that city, and she came to him, saying, "Avenge me of my adversary."
There was also a widow in the city who came to the judge and asked that he give her justice against her adversary, or vindicate her from him.
(4) "And he would not for a while, but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, (5) Yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her lest by her continual coming she weary me.'"
In the beginning and for a while, the judge did not help the woman. However, it appears the woman did not give up and she kept coming back and asking him to intervene for her. Finally, not because he feared God or had any regard for her innocence, he decided to rule in her favor just because he was tired of her continually coming to him and nagging him about her problem.
(6) And the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said."
Jesus told them to really hear and understand what an unjust judge had said. He called the judge unjust because he did not dispense justice as he ought. He had only given in to the woman because she bothered him so and he wanted to be rid of her.
(7) "And shall not God avenge His own elect who cry day and night to Him though He bears long with them?"
Jesus asked if even an unjust judge would relent and eventually do justice after persistent pleading, how much more would a good God avenge His own elect who prayed to Him continually? Even though He may delay for a while perhaps to try their faith or to refine it, or perhaps even showing patience to the one who might be causing the trouble for the one crying out for justice, you can be sure that God will eventually answer those requests.
(8) "I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"
Jesus confirmed that God would indeed avenge His elect suddenly and unexpectedly. It might be after long suffering to the point that one might think it was hopeless that God shows up in a big way. I have experienced just that. It has seemed that prayers might not be answered in the way I desired but all the sudden God acts and things move and change very quickly. I believe that is God's design. In the long suffering patience, we grow in love and dependence on the Lord, and then when He acts, there is no doubt it was God changing things and we grow in faith because we learn that He is indeed trustworthy and completely deserving of our faith. However, Jesus asked that when He returned, if he would find any faith on earth. It may seem that Jesus has delayed His second coming to the point of seeming slack in His promise to return and avenge His elect, but 2 Peter 3:9 assures us that the Lord is not slack but rather patient, not wanting any of His children to perish but giving them time to all come to repentance. Jesus wondered just how many would endure till the end and would He find faith on earth at that time.
(9) And He spoke this parable to certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others.
Jesus began a parable specifically to some among those listening to Him who trusted that they themselves were righteous and they had contempt for those they believed were not as righteous as they were.
(10) "Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a publican."
Jesus told of two men who had gone to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
(11) "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not as other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.'"
Jesus told how the Pharisee stood and prayed apparently silently to himself. He thanked God that he was not like other men, sinners, extortionists, adulterers, unjust, or even as the publican who was also in the temple praying.
(12) "'I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'"
Jesus went on to tell more that the Pharisee prayed. He praised himself to God that he fasted and tithed regularly.
(13) "And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven but struck his breast, saying, 'God be merciful to me a sinner.'"
The publican or tax collector, on the other hand, stood a distance away and would not even lift his eyes up to heaven as he prayed. He struck his breast, recognizing that he was a sinner and prayed for God's mercy.
(14) "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other, for everyone who exalts himself will be abased and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Jesus told His listeners that the tax collector who humbled himself before God was counted as just in the sight of God and the Pharisee was not. He declared that everyone who exalted themselves would be abased or humbled. Anyone who sings his own praises and doesn't recognize that he is a sinner as we all are, not only lies but is guilty of pride, one of the sins that God hates most (Proverbs 6:17 and 16:5). Anyone who humbled himself before the Lord would be exalted as his sins might be forgiven and not visible in the sight of God. This is a most beautiful promise of the Lord! Though one may not be able to boast of righteousness equal to the Pharisees and cannot be justified according to the law, yet he may be justified freely through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:24).
(15) And they brought to Him also infants that he would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
People brought infants to Jesus that He might lay His hands on them. However, when the disciples saw them bringing babies to Jesus, they rebuked them, probably thinking they were troubling Him.
(16) But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Allow little children to come to Me and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of God."
However, Jesus called those who had brought the children to Him and told His disciples to allow them to come to Him, for it was of such innocent children that made up the kingdom of God.
(17) "Verily, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no way enter in."
Jesus told them assuredly that anyone who did not receive the kingdom of God as a little child would never be able to enter it. One who was proud and vain could not enter the kingdom of God, but if one humbled himself to the level of a child, meek and lowly, not proud or vain or prejudiced, then he would be able to enter in.
(18) And a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
Then a ruler asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life, calling Him Good Master.
(19) And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? None is good, except One, God."
Jesus asked the man why he called Him good, because there was no one good except God. His point may have been to show the ruler that he acknowledged that the man realized who He was, but even more it added to the lesson Jesus was about to give this ruler about just what "good" would get him.
(20) "You know the commandments, 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"
Jesus then began to answer the man's question by suggesting first that he surely already knew the commandments, and He quoted several of them.
(21) And he said, "All these I have kept from my youth up."
The ruler replied that he had obeyed all the commandments since he was a child. In this, he was a bit like the Pharisee in that he believed he did only good. Yet he must have realized something was missing to ask if he needed more to obtain eternal life.
(22) Now when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "Yet you lack one thing; sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
Jesus told the ruler that he lacked one thing. The commandments He had first mentioned to the man dealt with how he should treat others, but what He mentioned now was how he approached God. He told the ruler to sell all he had, give it to the poor, and that his treasure would be in heaven, and He asked him to follow Him. Was he willing to give all to God and not put his possessions over God?
(23) And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful, for he was very rich.
When the ruler heard that answer, he was very sorrowful because he was very rich and knew he could not give all that away. He probably had felt that he loved God very much but thought he could have both God and riches. And it's not that he couldn't have both; rich men can serve God, but in this ruler's case he wasn't willing to choose God over his riches. You cannot serve God and money equally (Matthew 6:24).
(24) And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, "How hard for those who have riches to enter into the kingdom of God!"
Jesus saw that the ruler was genuinely sorry and remarked how hard it was for the rich to enter the kingdom of God. For that reason, we should feel very blessed when we don't have as much to prevent us from salvation!
(25) "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."
Jesus then told His listeners that it was easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. That would mean it was impossible. Many commentators have gone to great lengths to explain that He didn't mean it was impossible, that the word "camel" was actually meant to be "cable," or that the Needle's Eye was some small gate in the Jerusalem wall. However, it was a proverbial expression that just meant something was extremely difficult, but actually Jesus would admit that it was impossible with man alone.
(26) And they who heard, said, "Who then can be saved?"
Those people who heard what Jesus said were astonished at this and asked how then could anyone be saved it was impossible for them.
(27) And He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."
Jesus answered that although it was impossible for man to save himself, it was possible with God. God draws us to Him and changes our hearts' desires and makes it possible for us to put Him before everything.
(28) Then Peter said, "Lo, we have left all and followed you."
Then Peter told Jesus that they, His disciples, had left everything and followed Him. Whether it was a boasting that they had left everything to follow Him, something the rich ruler had not been able to do, or whether he was asking if they had done enough, it is not clear.
(29) And He said to them, "Verily, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children for the kingdom of God's sake, (30) Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time and in the world to come life everlasting."
Jesus answered His disciples saying that there was no one who had left his home and his family for the sake of the kingdom of God who would not receive many times more in the present and in the everlasting life to come. This is not to be understood as more houses and more family and more possessions, but the blessings that would come as a result of one giving up everything to God would be immensely greater than those worldly things. They would have great treasures in heaven and eternal life which is what that rich ruler had been seeking.
(31) Then He took the twelve and said to them, "Behold, we go to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man will be accomplished."
Jesus then took His twelve disciples aside and told them they would be going to Jerusalem where all the things that had been prophesied by the prophets concerning Him would be accomplished.
(32) "For He shall be delivered to the Gentiles and would be mocked and spitefully treated and spit on."
Jesus told His disciples how He would be delivered up to the Gentiles and how He would be mocked and shamefully treated and spit on.
(33) "And they shall scourge Him and put Him to death, and the third day He shall rise again."
He told them they would also scourge Him and would put Him to death, but on the third day He would rise again.
(34) And they understood none of these things, and this saying was hid from them, neither did they know the things which were spoken.
The disciples understood none of what Jesus said. You might understand why they didn't understand about Jesus rising again on the third day, but He was pretty plain in His speech about what the Gentiles would do to Him in Jerusalem. However, the disciples still expected their Messiah king to be a temporal prince and conqueror, so the things Jesus said made no sense at all to them. It was not revealed to them in their hearts and spirits what exactly was to happen to Jesus.
(35) And it came to pass that as He was come near to Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the wayside begging.
As Jesus and His disciples were on their way to Jerusalem, they passed near Jericho, and there was a blind man sitting by the side of the road begging.
(36) And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant.
It appears that many people followed along with Jesus as there was a multitude of people passing by the blind man, and he asked what it meant.
(37) And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth passed by.
Some of the people told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by him.
(38) And he cried, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
The blind man seemed to know at once that Jesus was the promised Messiah from the line of David and cried out to Him to have mercy on him.
(39) And they who went before rebuked him that he should hold his peace, but he cried all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Those who went ahead of Jesus and probably some of the ones who had told the blind man that it was Jesus who was passing by him, rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he only cried all the more, still proclaiming who Jesus was and asking Him to have mercy on him.
(40) And Jesus stood and commanded him to be brought to Him, and when he had come near, He asked him, (41) Saying, "What do you want Me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, that I may receive my sight."
Jesus stopped among the crowd and commanded that they bring the blind man to Him. When he was near Him, Jesus asked what it was that the blind man wanted Him to do for him. Of course, Jesus already knew what the man wanted, but He wanted to hear it again from the man himself. He answered that he wished to receive his sight.
(42) And Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has saved you."
Jesus told the blind man to receive his sight, that his faith had saved him. I find that an interesting choice of words, just receive your sight. I wonder how many times we just need to receive our blessings. We go around stuck in our circumstances and we need only to receive our blessing from God to remedy them. Jesus told the man that his faith had saved him. He had had faith in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of David, and he didn't let the people rebuking him stand in his way. That is a beautiful picture of how we should we willing to accept Jesus into our hearts although the world and Satan may put stumbling blocks in our way, tempting to forbid us. And thusly, our faith may save us, too.
(43) And immediately he received his sight and followed Him, glorifying God, and all the people when they saw, gave praise to God.
The blind man immediately received his sight and followed Jesus, glorifying God, and all the people in the crowd who had seen him receive his sight, gave glory and praise to God, as well. This is an example of how we may be an inspiration to others who witness Jesus's saving grace in us.
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