⚡

Praying & Waiting

The Unjust Judge

This parable is the second out of the three parables on prayer recorded in the gospels.

Too long; please open your Bible. Luke 18: 1-8
💡

If we observe closely, almost, if not all of the parables discussed in church revolve around a central theme - the kingdom of God. With provocative analogies, instructive allegories and captivating ‘who among you’ -type-of-questions, Jesus revealed the kingdom of God to his disciples and listeners. He spoke of the urgency, importance and of God’s kingdom on earth. This parable is no different.

It is common to interprete the parable as explaining the necessity of prayer, the certainty of God’s hearing prayer, or both especially because of the introduction of the parable in Luke 18:1. While this is accurate, it is not entire.

Analyzing the Parable

  • Jesus used one of the most vulnerable people in the society to reveal the severity of the situation. The passage also clearly states that this unjust judge neither fears God nor respects humans- a violation of the double love command. In some sense, the widow’s cries are likened to the cries of the elect while the unjust judge is in stark contrast with God.
  • This is another ‘how much more’ parable using the standard reasoning of ‘from light to heavy’. There is If even an unjust judge will vindicate a widow who keeps coming to him, how much more will God answer the cries for vindication from his people?

Meaning of the Parable

To understand the point of the parable, we have to read the discourse before the parable.

Too long; please open your Bible. Luke 17:20-35

What did Jesus mean by ‘vindication’ or ‘justice’?

💡

Contrary to popular interpretation of this aspect of the parable, Jesus was not referring to general deliverance from our current unsatisfactory state of comfort, health or any other unfulfilled desires. Instead, Jesus was speaking of ultimate rescue from death, the consequence of the fallen world (wars, injustice, wickedness amongst humans), final deliverance from the devil’s hold on the earth and the full reign of Christ on the earth.

His vindication begun with his death, burial and resurrection. His vindication is in a form ongoing through the new creation but will be utterly completed in his second coming. The second coming of the son of man, where all pain and cruelty are dissolved with the old earth.

The second coming of Jesus is as certain as his first. If he truly came to this earth, died and resurrected, He is coming back again. With his coming brings vindication, judgement and reward.

Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. Matthew 24:30-31
For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done Matthew 16:27
Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. John 5:28-29
Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. Revelation 22:12

We should live conscious of this reality. It may seem like God is delaying to bring justice and vindication but we have the example of Noah and Lot to assure us.

Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. Luke 17:26-29

Our walk of faith as believers should be centered around this truth- that a time will surely come when we will be vindicated and utterly rescued from the brokenness of the earth.

Too long; please open your Bible Isaiah 65:17-20
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Revelation 21: 4
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. Romans 8:22-23

So, what do we do while we wait for God’s Justice? We PRAY and remain FAITHFUL

Prayer is the response of our faith in his coming and vindication. Maintenance of faith depends on persistence in prayer. It is what we do remain in the faith. Through prayer, we are strengthened to walk faithfully and keep ourselves blameless. We are to pray for the full manifestation of God’s kingdom on earth.

…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philipians 1:6
Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1: 7-8

Conclusion

Too long; please open your Bible 2 Thessalonians 1:4-12
Too long; please open your Bible 2 Peter 3: 10-15