Luke 18:3

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Luke 18:1-8

This parable has its key hanging at the door; the drift and design of it are prefixed. Christ spoke it with this intent, to teach us that men ought always to pray and not to faint, Luke 18:1. It supposes that all God's people are praying people; all God's children keep up both a constant and an occasional correspondence with him, send to him statedly, and upon every emergency. It is our privilege and honour that we may pray. It is our duty; we ought to pray, we sin if we neglect it. It is to... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Luke 18:1-8

18:1-8 Jesus spoke a parable to them to show that it is necessary always to pray and not to lose heart. "There was a judge," he said, "in a town who neither feared God nor respected man. There was a widow in the same town who kept coming to him and saying, 'Vindicate me against my adversary.' For some time he refused. But afterwards he said to himself, 'Even though I neither fear God nor respect man, because she bothers me, I will vindicate this widow, lest by her constant coming she exhausts... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Luke 18:3

And there was a widow in that city ,.... Poor and helpless, and none among men to counsel, direct, and assist her, and take her part: now as in the accommodation of this parable, the elect of God answer to this widow; such an one is rather pitched upon to represent the helpless, desolate, and forlorn condition they are in among men in this world, though they are espoused to one husband, Christ; and especially to signify the state and condition of God's elect among the Jews in those sad... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 18:3

Avenge me of mine adversary - The original, εκδικησον με απο του αντιδικου μου , had better be translated, Do me justice against, or vindicate me from, my adversary. If the woman had come to get revenge, as our common translation intimates, I think our blessed Lord would never have permitted her to have the honor of a place in the sacred records. She desired to have justice, and that only; and by her importunity she got that which the unrighteous judge had no inclination to give, but... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 18:1-7

Continuance in prayer: Divine delay. We have first to consider what is— I. THE ARGUMENT IN THE TEXT . It is one from the less to the greater, or rather from the unworthy to the worthy. If a bad man will, for a poor reason, accede to the request of one for whom he cares nothing, how much more certainly will the Righteous One himself, for a good reason, espouse the cause of those who are so dear to him! The reasons for confidence in God's faithfulness and interposition are... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 18:1-8

The importunate widow. The importance which Christ attaches to prayer is evidenced by the frequency with which he recurs to it in his teaching, and the variety of his illustration of its duty and blessedness. The sermon on the mount enforces it as one of the cardinal virtues of the perfect disciple. In the eleventh chapter of this Gospel both the manner after which we are to pray, and the assurance on which faith should rest, are presented. Again, towards the close of the ministry we are... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 18:1-14

The Lord speaks the two parables on prayer — the importunate widow, and the Pharisee and publican. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 18:1-14

Lessons in prayer. Our Lord, in the two parables composing the present passage, gives the disciples encouragement to pray. The one brings out the need of perseverance and importunity in prayer; the other brings out the spirit of self-abasement which should be cultivated in prayer. They are thus linked together as twin lessons in the art of prayer. I. LET US NOTICE THE NEEDFUL IMPORTUNITY OF GOD 'S ELECT AS ILLUSTRATED BY THE IMPORTUNATE WIDOW . ( Luke... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 18:3

And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary . The petitioner was a woman and a widow, the latter being in the East a synonym for helplessness. With no one to defend her or plead her cause, this widow was ever a prey to the covetous. Not once nor twice in the noble generous words of the chivalrous Hebrew prophets we find this readiness on the part of those in power to neglect, if not to oppress these helpless widow-women, sternly commented... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Luke 18:3

A widow - This is a circumstance that gives increasing interest to the parable. Judges were bound to show special attention to widows, Isaiah 1:17; Jeremiah 22:3. The reason of this was that they were defenseless, were commonly poor, and were liable to be oppressed by those in power.Avenge me - This would have been better translated, “Do me justice against my adversary, or vindicate me from him.” It does not denote vengeance or revenge, but simply that she wished to have “justice” done her - a... read more

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