"And he spoke 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 my adversary. 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 troubles me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge says. 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. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, shall He find faith on the earth? And He spoke 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. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank you, 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. 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. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for everyone that exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted.
It is highly probable that a majority of those who read this simple parable fail to learn the lesson from it that they should. They look at it as though it designed to teach that the unjust judge is a type of God, which cannot by any possibility be the case. If it were, then it would poorly serve the object of encouraging men always to pray, and not to grow weary. Few persons would have the heart to hold out against oft-repeated rebuffs.
By Way of Contrast
The parable was spoken in order that men might, according to the Syriac, pray at every opportunity, and not grow weary. Surely this parable would not help men to that end, if it taught that God is like the unjust judge-hard to move. There would be no encouragement in that. Such an idea does violence to the whole tenor of Scripture. Hear what the character of God is: "Like as a father pities his children, so the Lord pities them that fear Him." (Psalm 103:13) "For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers." (1 Peter 3:12) "And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin." (Exodus 34:6-7) "Who is a God like unto you, that pardons iniquity, and passes by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retains not His anger for ever, because He delights in mercy." (Micah 7:18) "I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not; I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name. I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walk in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts; A people that provoke me to anger continually to my face." (Isaiah 65:1-3) "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13) "But God commends His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
Add to all these the following: "Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" (Matthew 7:9-11)
Here Christ is both compared and contrasted with earthly parents. He has the same kind of love for His children who are in need that an earthly parent has for his children, but He is infinitely greater and better, and His love for His children is as much greater than that of an earthly parent for his children, as God is greater than man.
If a person, then, wishes to know how willing God is to answer prayer, let him think of his own willingness, yes, eagerness, to give his children needed things, and then multiply that degree of willingness by infinity. Besides this, we read: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all men liberally, and upbraids not; and it shall be given him." (James 1:5)
He does not upbraid us because we have not asked before, nor because we have squandered that which He has previously given us; when we ask in faith, He gives freely, without taunting us with our short-comings.
Praying at Every Time of Need
Now we can readily understand the parable of the unjust judge. He was utterly hardened. "He feared not God neither regarded man." (Luke 18:2)
It made no difference to him what people said about him. He was sure of his position for this life, and he had no thought of God and the future life. All he lived for was his own selfish pleasure. This poor widow had a just cause; but he knew nothing of justice, and paid no attention to her.
But she persisted; she could not rest without having her cause decided. Her life depended on it. So she kept coming again and again, until finally the judge's comfort was interfered with. So, at last, in order to get rid of her, so that he might enjoy his own pleasures undisturbed, he granted the widow's request. "And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge says. 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)
He who concludes from this that in order to get judgment from God it is necessary to plead and urge as long as the widow did the judge, in order to overcome His indifference, or to gain His attention, maligns the character of God. The parable contrasts God with the unjust judge, instead of comparing them. If the unjust judge, with his callous heart, could be moved to do justice by the importunity of the poor widow, shall not God, who delights in mercy, avenge His own loved ones? Who can doubt it. "Though he bear long with them." (Luke 18:7)
The Revised Version renders this passage literally: "And He is long-suffering over them." (Luke 18:7)
That deepens the contrast. The unjust judge was cruel, and had no care for man; God loves His people, and is tender and compassionate with them. What a world of encouragement there is in this, to pray at every opportunity, at every time of need, and not to grow weary, thinking that God is weary of granting our request.
Not Vain Repetitions
"But," says one, "I thought that we had to strive, to agonize, to enter in; that the kingdom of heaven must be taken by force."
Very true; we must "pray without ceasing;" but that does not necessarily mean that we must importune forever in order to get one thing. We are not heard for our much speaking; God does not wish us to be like the heathen, who imagine that the more frantic they become in their appeals, the more likely they are to be heard.
Note the difference between the prayers of the prophets of Baal, and that of Elijah. "And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleeps, and must be awaked. And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. ... And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their heart back again." (1 Kings 18:26-29, 36-37)
Consider the reverent calmness of the prayer of Christ at the tomb of Lazarus. "Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up His eyes, and said, Father, I thank You that You have heard me. And I know that You hear me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that You have sent me." (John 11:41-42)
Praying in Faith
When we pray, we are to believe that our request is granted, and it is granted. "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them." (Mark 11:24)
The instant Daniel began to pray to God, an angel was dispatched to give him the knowledge he desired. "At the beginning of your supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to show You; for You are greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision." (Daniel 9:23) "Then he said unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that you did set your heart to understand, and to chasten yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I am come for your words." (Daniel 10:12)
Circumstances, and the interests of others, of whom we may know nothing, may delay the messenger, and our faith may thus be tested; but God is not unfaithful. By the cases and the assurances put on record, we may know of a surety that if the answer is delayed, it is coming.
But having received one petition, we are just as needy. And so we must continue "instant in prayer." Romans 12:12. We must not lose heart and become weary. Men ought to pray at every opportunity, at every time of need. This is what the Scriptures mean.
The Pharisee and Publican
The parable of the Pharisee and the publican, which follows, emphasizes this, and shows how readily God answers prayer. It also shows what really constitutes prayer. Since the parable was spoken to those who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others, it is evident that such ones do not offer prayer acceptable to God. The one who would receive anything from God must pray "in faith, nothing wavering." (James 1:6)
But faith does not and cannot exist in that soul that is "lifted up." "Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith." (Habakkuk 2:4)
Faith is dependence on another. Faith comes to a man when self goes out. The man who trusts in himself that he is righteous cannot expect to receive anything from the Lord, because he doesn't ask for anything. Why should he? If he has righteousness by his own works, why should he ask the Lord for it?
This was the case with the Pharisee. He "stood"--struck an attitude-- "and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank you, that I am not as other men are." (Luke 18:11)
He prayed "with himself," and not to God. Apparently he began by thanking God, but actually he was congratulating himself. "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 had no confidence in himself. He did not, like the Pharisee, compare himself with others, to their disadvantage; he had no thought of others, but only of himself as the chief sinner. He used the definite article: "God be merciful to me, the sinner."
He acknowledged his own sin, but didn't confess for anybody else. Thus he put himself directly in the class of those upon whom God delights to have mercy. The prayer was short, but it was long enough to get all that he wanted. "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified ratherthan [instead of] the other." (Luke 18:14)
What had he done to secure this? He had simply trusted in the Lord. He went up to the temple a sinner; he went down to his house a righteous man; not having his own righteousness, but "that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." (Philippians 3:9)--Signs of the Times, August 18, 1890--Luke 18:1-14.