Day 18: December 18, 2019

Once again in chapter 18 Jesus addresses two groups of people with two different parables, the first were disciples and the second were “some who were confident in their own righteousness (18:9).”  The first parable describes a widow who is persistent in presenting her case to a judge. The same persistence should be a trait of believers as we pray to God. We pray with hope because God is good and faithful. The second parable confronts the self-righteousness of the Pharisees by comparing the pompous prayers of a Pharisee with the humble prayers of a tax collector. Again, Jesus makes a person of lowly relputation in Jewish society into the example to follow. This further enrages the religious leaders. Luke continues to reveal Jesus’ true identity as the Son of God through interactions like the one with the rich ruler. Jesus says, “No one is good but God alone.” And the one speaking those words was God himself, who despite His teaching and healing ministry, is misunderstood by his very own disciples.

Luke 18

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Let the Children Come to Me

15 Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 17 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

The Rich Ruler

18 And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” 21 And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” 28 And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time

31 And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. 32 For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. 33 And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” 34 But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.

Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar

35 As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 And he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, he asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me recover my sight.” 42 And Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.” 43 And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.


Is your prayer life more characterized by giving up or hanging tough (18:1-8)? Why? What does the content of your prayers say about your relationship with the Lord?


5 thoughts on “Luke Chapter 18

  1. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

    My flesh instincts are always to think about myself first. My prayer today is for the Lord to keep a kingdom mindset in front of me.

  2. God! Be merciful to me, a sinner.

    Lord, hear my prayer and help me to always be mindful of my wretched state without You…an awful sinner! But thanks be to God for who I am in Christ and for His gift to me of forgiveness and eternal life with Him! Amen!

  3. After reading verses 11 & 12, my husband commented that the Pharisee was praying as if he were providing God with his resume: the kinds of people he claimed not to be, and the things that he was pleased with himself for. It is so easy for me to criticize that Pharisee, but oh, how I need to recognize that it is so easy for me to fall into that prayer pattern, which is not really a prayer (asking) at all. May the Lord help me to be like the man of low repute, the tax collector, who was willing to throw himself down in his own eyes when he realized the magnitude of God. I really appreciate the line from the devotional paragraph above: “Jesus makes a person of lowly reputation in Jewish society into the example to follow. “

  4. The widow’s persistence is admirable and worthy of reward. It’s not just what we say to God, but how we say it, believing that he hears us and because he can respond, expectant of his response.

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