St Luke 18: 1- 8

And he told them a parable, to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor regarded man;

and there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, `Vindicate me against my adversary.'

For a while he refused; but afterward he said to himself, `Though I neither fear God nor regard man,

yet because this widow bothers me, I will vindicate her, or she will wear me out by her continual coming.'"

And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge says.

And will not God vindicate his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?

I tell you, he will vindicate them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

-- Ian (ib@vertifgo.com), October 07, 2004

Answers

an interesting parable that means what?

-- Ian (ib@vertifgo.com), October 07, 2004.

I think the answer lies in the first line, to pray and not lose heart. let's not give up. Prayer requires a measure of faith. Even those who do not have faith in God (if there is a God) will sometimes muster enough faith as to try praying, even if they feel foolish.

But in putting our faith in God through prayer, we also have to put the situation in his hands, something all Christians have struggled with. Because Prayer is faith, we have to close our own eyes and trust in the Father. This means we cannot expect him to work on our time table. Afterall, he alone knows what is best, even if it means we suffer temporary consequences. ACtually, I partially believe that God starts immediately upon our lives, when (and even before) we pray.

We just don't see the results right away. And this is frustrating to our human side that is selfish and childish. In the parable, the widow basically irritates the judge to the point that he gives in. I don't think our praying to the Father irritates him, but the point is that he is listening, and the more we pray about something, the more we are putting faith in him to work his will into it.

In all honesty, who here has not ever doubted the power of prayer?

-- Luke Juarez (hubertdorm@yahoo.com), October 07, 2004.

i can't take issue with what you say Luke, but i wondered if the most literal interpretation was that God is an unjust judge? that would be bizarre. but the parable is just so odd, i think.

he could have told a less ambiguous parable; i am reminded about the tale of the spider, you know, Robert the Bruce and all that stuff.

is He telling us that we can force our way in - that the Carthusians, for example, are going to get in through endless prayer and meditation.

i just wonder.

and what about the last sentence in the parable. isn't taht odd too?

-- Ian (ib@vertifgo.com), October 07, 2004.

The idea from Jesus is that if unjust people do good, when asked in a persistent way, then God Yahweh can give more to those who ask. (As long is permissible, in good taste, not to kill someone,...)

The Christian Yahwist

-- Elpidio Gonzalez (egonval@yahoo.com), October 08, 2004.

The parable does not suggest that God is an unjust judge. Rather, it draws a contrast between the unjust judge and the perfec t Judge. The same idea is expressed in Matthew 7:11 ... "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!" If even a corrupt judge who fears neither God nor man will grant what we ask if we are persistent enough, then certainly the perfect judge, who cares infinitely for both God and us, will grant what we ask. He gives us this assurance several other places in Scripture as well ... "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." (John 14:13- 14)

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), October 08, 2004.