What Will You Do?
Luke 18:1-8 – April 24, 2022
Where to begin? Luke 17:22. Through v37 then a chapter break that is unfortunate as at least the first 8 verses of Luke 18 is a continuation of Jesus’ address to His disciples in beginning in 17:22
Luke 18:1. The word translated as faint or not give up or not lose heart is ekkakeō, where Strong’s gives us to be (bad or) weak, i.e. (by implication) to fail (in heart):—faint, be weary. But Thayer’s Greek Lexicon comes closer to what Jesus is saying here, where ekkakeo is defined as to be utterly spiritless, to be wearied out, exhausted. The Cambridge Bible says this, The word used is a late word meaning to give in through cowardice, or give up from faint-heartedness.
Luke 18:2. This judge was governed by atheistic principles, had no moral foundation from God or religion to do justice; plus as a very powerful individual, he did not care what anyone said or thought of him..
Luke 18:3.Many versions have avenge me of my adversary, but she is asking for justice. Being a widow was a synonym for being helpless, with no one to defend her or plead her cause, this widow was ever a prey to the covetous.
Luke 18:4-5. For some time … the wheels of justice turn slowly as some of us know. Sometimes without rhyme or reason the wheels seem to stop as well especially when the court does not care about those involved.
However, because this woman has protested so long and so consistently, she has become an aggravation, an irritant to him. She is wearing him out.
Luke 18:6. Pay attention. A powerless woman through her persistence got a judge to finally rule on her case.
Luke 18:7. This is not to compare God to the unjust judge, but to contrast Him with the unjust judge. Jesus makes the statement God will bring about justice!
Luke 18:8. God will see that justice comes. But again, going back to verse one, will Jesus when He returns find faith on the earth?
WHAT ABOUT US?
Ezekiel 33:30. 30 “As for you, son of man, your people are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, ‘Come and hear the message that has come from the Lord.’ 31 My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. 32 Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.
Joshua 24:15. 15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Or As for me and my house we will pray to the Lord.
Acts 5: 27-29. 27 The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” 29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!