The Persistent Widow
(Luke 18:2-8)
By Jonathan Mitchell
Luke editorially inserts an introduction to this parable, in verse 1:
"Now He went on [and] told them a parable (an illustration cast alongside) with a view facing the [circumstances for] them, [that] it is of necessity at all times and in all circumstances to be constantly thinking, speaking and active with an aim toward having goodness, ease and well-being (or: to keep praying), and not to give in to the bad or worthless [situation or conditions] (or: to dwell within an ugly mood or a disposition of poor quality; or: to respond badly in [something]),"
This is Luke's synopsis of the meaning of the parable. We should keep this in mind as we consider our Lord's words. Along with the "persistent widow," the other main character is an "unjust judge" - most probably someone appointed by Herod or the Romans for a town or city. In this parable, there is contrast between judges of the domination system and their extreme opposite: God (vs. 7). Let us proceed to the words of Jesus:
2. proceeding in saying, "A certain judge was living within a certain city [who was] not in the habit of fearing or reverencing God, and also was not normally respecting (turning himself back upon so as to concern himself for; or: shamed by) people.
3. "Now there was a widow in that city, and she kept on coming (or: going) to him, repeatedly saying, 'Decide the case from our custom and take up my cause by avenging and vindicating me from my adversary at law (or: plaintiff)!'4. "And yet for some time he continued unwilling and would not. But after these [repeated pleas] he said within himself, 'Although (or: Even if) I am not normally fearing, being wary of or reverencing God nor respecting, concerned about, or shamed by, people,
5. "'yet in fact, because of the [situation with] this widow constantly holding wearisome labor at the side for me (or: continually furnishing me with trouble and vexation while affording me personal cuts; or: = keeps pestering me), I will proceed deciding the case for her and continue avenging her (or: giving her justice, with a favorable ruling), so that with [her] continual coming, unto [the] end [of the matter], she may not repeatedly hit me in the face [with it] (or: = treat me severely and wear me out with pestering; or: = give me ‘a black eye').'"
6. So the Lord said, "Listen to, and hear, what the judge of the disregard for what is right (the injustice; the actions which were not in accord with the way pointed out; = the dishonesty) is here saying!
7. "Now [think about it]! Would (or: Should) not God by all means make the situation right (or: do that which will bring the fairness; produce equity and justice) for His picked out and chosen people - those constantly crying, or calling, out to Him day and night? And thus, does He continue pushing anger far away and is He repeatedly long before rushing with passion upon them? (or: Also, is He now continuing to delay acting and keep them waiting?; or: And so, He continues with patient endurance on them).
8. "I am now laying it out and telling you that He will proceed in quickly making the situation right concerning them (or: doing that which will bring their justice; forming of and from them the fairness and equity that proceeds from the right and just Way). But more than this, in coming and going (traversing), will the Son of the Man (= Adam's Son; = the anticipated messianic figure), really (or: consequently) continue finding trust upon the Land (or: faith and loyalty on the earth)?" (or: Moreover, when coming and going, the Human Being will in fact progressively find faithfulness on this country and region.")
The judge, in this parable, is the farthest from the character of God. So if he, for his own personal situation, would bring justice, how much more so would "the Judge of all the earth do right" (Gen. 18:25) by His people (vs. 7a)! Verses 1-5 show us that this is a civil case - the widow WANTS judgment from the judge, so that he would
"take up [her] cause by avenging and vindicating [her] from [her] adversary at law."
This is not a parable about God judging humans for being worthless or unbelieving, but rather, it is about God
"quickly making the situation right concerning [us]" (vs. 8).
Putting the second part of vs. 7 as a rhetorical question, it begs the answer, "No, of course He does not and is not." Reading it as an affirmative statement gives the similar result, emphasizing His patient endurance, or, as in the question, His pushing His anger far away, and waiting a long time before "rushing with passion" into their situation. Verse 8a is a direct restatement of what He is saying in vs. 7. Jesus' words echo Ps. 9:8,
"And He shall judge the habitance with justice; He shall adjudicate the folk with equity." (CVOT)
And then, in Ps. 9:12b,
"He does not forget the cry of the humble ones" (ibid), and Ps. 68:5 speaks of "The Father of orphans and Adjudicator of widows - Elohim (God) in His holy habitation" (ibid; expansion added).
Ps. 72, speaking of the king, the royal son, requests of God, "May he adjudicate Your people with righteousness, and Your humble ones with redress" (vs. 2; ibid). Ps. 76:9 reminds us of the Beatitudes, (in Mat. 5), "When God rose for judgment (or: to establish justice), to save and deliver all the humble of the Land (or: earth)." Ps. 82:3 admonishes: "Redress the poor and the orphan; to the humbled and destitute grant justice!" (CVOT)
But now He poses an enigmatic question about finding trust (etc.) on the Land in His coming and going as "the messianic figure." However, this can be rendered as a positive statement, as given in the final parenthetical expansion.
"The Human Being (Son of man) WILL, in fact, progressively find faithfulness on that country and region."
Jonathan
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