Read the Passage: Luke 18:1-27

Listen to the Redeemed Mind Podcast: Luke 18:1–27

Parables about Prayer (18:1–14)

The parable of the woman and the judge is recorded in Luke 18:1–8. This parable is quite similar to the parable of the persistent friend (cf. Luke 11:5–10), as both of these parables focus on persistence in prayer. Jesus’ intent in this parable is not to compare God with an unjust judge; rather it is to contrast God with the aforementioned judge. The idea here is that if even a callused judge will respond to the persistent pleadings of an unknown widow, how much more will our loving heavenly Father respond to the determined prayers of His children. Indeed, God sometimes does delay in answering our prayers, but it is always with good reason, and once God does act, He “avenge[s] . . . speedily” (Luke 18:8). Believers must persist in prayer, then, for such persistence will: (1) foster our dependence upon God; (2) cause us to examine our prayer requests; and (3) purge and reshape our prayers to be more God-focused.

Jesus’ teachings on prayer in Luke 18:1–8 continue in Luke 18:9–14, as here Christ gives a second parable about prayer—the parable of the Pharisee and the tax-collector. Luke tells us that Jesus gave this teaching specifically “to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others” (Luke 18:9). This parable is an illustration of the doctrine of justification by faith alone. In this narrative, a Pharisee prayed and thanked God for his own good works, as well as for purportedly not being like other men. In contrast to this, a certain tax collector prayed, “God, be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13). Christ teaches that it was not the self-righteous Pharisee, but the humble tax-collector who “went down to his house justified” (Luke 18:14). Indeed, the tax-collector understood the gospel truths revealed in passages such as Gen. 15:6; Hab. 2:4; 2 Cor. 5:21; and Phil. 3:9.

Examples of Faith (18:15–17)

Recall that back in Luke 9:46–48, Jesus appealed to the example of a little child to teach about salvation, saying, “Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.” Here in Luke 18:15–17, Christ again appealed to little children to teach about salvation as He proclaimed, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it” (Luke 19:16–17). Observe that with this teaching, Jesus was not appealing to the nature of little children, which is oftentimes immature, prideful, and self-centered. Rather, Christ was referring to the position of little children, which is one of trust, innocence, and recognized dependence.

Teaching about Riches (18:18–27)

Luke 18:18–27 contains one of Jesus’ more well-known interactions in the Gospels—that is, His discussion with the rich, young, ruler. This interchange, which is reported in each of the Synoptic Gospels, narrates Christ’s response to a certain rich, young, ruler who asked Him, “Good teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 18:18). It is noteworthy that this man possessed the three main things that are coveted by the world: money, sex, and power. Yet, the ruler himself was aware that he still lacked eternal life. Jesus’ reply to this man’s question about salvation, however, is curious. Note that here, as well as elsewhere, when Jesus is asked about salvation, He responds by pointing people to the moral law of God (cf. Matt. 19:16; Mark 10:17; Luke 10:26; John 3:4). This is because, as Paul would later write, “By the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:20).

Christ’s evangelism strategy of pointing people to the law is helpful, in that the law will highlight a person’s immoral condition, which is a necessary precursor to salvation. Yet, in his pride, the rich, young, ruler, did not understand the moral law, as he claimed to have kept it from his youth. Jesus, then, pinpointed the man’s sins, telling him, “Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor” (Luke 18:22). With this command, Christ was not implying that a condition for salvation is the giving up of all one’s material possessions. Rather, in context, Jesus was confronting the rich, young, ruler for his specific sin of turning money into an idol. Furthermore, Christ’s command to give to those in need implies that the rich, young, ruler, detested the poor. Rather than repenting, the rich, young, ruler departed, prompting Jesus’ teaching about the difficultly the rich face in entering the kingdom of God.

Application Questions:

1. What is the relationship between prayer and faith (cf. Jas. 5:15)? It is legitimate to pray for increased faith (cf. Mark 9:24; Luke 17:5)?
2. With the perspective of time, are you thankful that God did not answer some of your past prayer requests?
3. What is the relationship between good works and salvation? How important is humility in the process of salvation?
4. Are children always presented in Scripture in a positive light (cf. Luke 7:32)? Do most believers view children with favor?
5. Does Jesus’ strategy of pointing people to the moral law correspond to modern evangelism methodologies?