Lucas 18
Steven Cole · Citado em PreceptAustin
Lucas 18
Cole comments on the little phrase to me - He doesn’t lump himself with others: “We all have done wrong.” He didn’t assume that he would get into heaven on the group plan, because he was a Jew or because his parents had been faithful synagogue members. He was dealing with God on a personal basis. That’s the only way into heaven. You must come to God personally, just you and Him. (The Wrong and Right Way to Approach God)
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Cole on ought - The word ought has the idea of necessity. Prayer is not an optional activity for the more committed. It is a necessity for every believer because it acknowledges our total dependence on God. Not to pray is arrogance, because I am really saying, “Thanks, God, but I can handle this by myself.” But the truth is, I can’t handle anything by myself apart from God’s grace and power! (Luke 18:1-8 Persevering in Prayer) Warren Wiersbe on praying and losing heart (fainting) - If we don’t pray, we will faint; it’s as simple as that! The word faint describes a believer who loses heart and gets so discouraged that he or she wants to quit. I can recall two occasions when I have fainted physically, and it is the most helpless feeling I have ever experienced. I felt myself “going,” but I couldn’t seem to do a thing about it! There is a connection between what our Lord said in Luke 18:1 and His statement in Luke 17:37. If society is like a rotting corpse, then the “atmosphere” in which we live is being slowly polluted, and this is bound to affect our spiritual lives. But when we pray, we draw on the “pure air” of heaven, and this keeps us from fainting.(Bible Exposition Commentary) Not to lose heart (egkakeo) - Literally means “not to give in to the bad" which is very apropos for as Paul writes "the days are evil" (Eph 5:16b+, cf 2Ti 3:1-4+). To not lose heart is a repeated refrain in the NT. All believers are prone to lose heart! The world, the flesh and the devil wear away at us seeking to curb our resolve to press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call in Christ Jesus (Php 3:14). This admonition is especially relevant to losing heart in praying (I speak from personal experience). Here Jesus turns it around so that praying precedes not losing heart. The practical application is to pray at all times, because the tendency of our fallen flesh is to cause us to lose heart in the promises of God. We see ourselves in the "here and now" and His promises many times in the "then and there" of the future kingdom. We forget that faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen, such as Messiah's glorious future earthly kingdom in the present context. In short, persistent prayer is one of God's great preventatives and antidotes for flagging faith and weakening of our heart in this present evil age (Gal 1:4+, Eph 5:16+). Why would a disciple lose heart? Keeping the context in mind (the immediately preceding section Lk 17:20-37+), they might lose heart because of the delay in the Lord's Second Coming. In the parable the widow is praying for justice and we as Jesus' disciples are to pray persistently for justice for God's people, which will ultimately be meted out on this godless, Christ hating world when Christ returns. One thinks immediately of all the Christians who are martyred each year by godless Christ haters (see Voice of the Martyrs). We are also tempted to lose heart because of the afflictions and hardships of life. In Acts we read Paul and Barnabas were "strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God." (Acts 14:22+) The King of that Kingdom is returning to bring in the visible aspect of the Kingdom for 1000 years on earth. In the meantime many tribulations are our lot. Recall Jesus' last words summarizing the "Upper Room Discourse" when He declared "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." (Jn 16:33) So let us not lose heart (egkakeo) or hope that Jesus is returning, even though many mockingly ask (I've actually even heard believers asking "What's the big deal about His return?") "Where is the promise of His coming?" (2 Peter 3:4+). Peter warned the first century saints "Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts." (2 Peter 3:3+). They will live lives of lust, lifestyles that in effect deny the Second Coming of Christ, the One "Who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom." (2 Ti 4:1+). As followers of Jesus, we can rest assured that we will be ridiculed for saying that Jesus is coming again (cf 2 Ti 3:12+, Php 1:29+), but we are not to lose heart or become cowardly. Instead, we are to pray for His return at all times! Guzik on not lose heart (egkakeo) - Often we fail in praying because we lose heart. We become discouraged, and then no longer pray as we should. It is easy to lose heart in prayer because prayer is hard work that we too often approach lightly. In Colossians 4:12+, Paul praised a man named Epaphras because he was always laboring fervently…in prayers. Paul knew that prayer was hard work that required fervent labor (ED: NOTE ALSO THAT EPAPHRAS WAS A BONDSERVANT OR SLAVE OF JESUS. A SLAVE BELONGS TO AND OBEYS HIS MASTER'S VOICE. JESUS TELLS US TO PRAY AT ALL TIMES. WE ARE MOST LIKE HIS SLAVE WHEN WE OBEY HIM. DO YOUR WORDS AND ACTIONS DEMONSTRATE YOU ARE A SLAVE OF JESUS?).. Morrison tried to explain why prayer was difficult, because three parts of the human being are engaged in prayer: “There is the understanding, by which we work intelligently; there is the heart, but which we labour willingly, there is the will by which we labour doggedly.” (Morrison) It is easy to lose heart in prayer because the Devil hates prayer. If prayer were powerless, it would be easy.. It is easy to lose heart in prayer because we are not always convinced of the reality of the power of prayer. Too often, prayer becomes a last resort instead of a first resource. Remember that Jesus lived a prayerful life, and He lives on the pray for His people (Hebrews 7:25). We must therefore not lose heart in prayer. The woman of Canaan kept praying though she was first denied. Jacob refused to let go even when his leg was crippled. Rachel said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I die!” (Luke 18 Commentary) Stein on not lose heart (egkakeo) ("and not give up" = NIV) - The thought is not to give up in light of the delay of the consummation (ED: of the Kingdom of God on earth). Matthew Henry's comments deal more with prayer in general - 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 (in a regular or fixed manner. in a stated or alleged manner), and upon every emergency. It is our privilege and honor that we may pray. It is our duty; we ought to pray, we sin if we neglect it. It is to be our constant work; we ought always to pray, it is that which the duty of every day requires. We must pray, and never grow weary of praying, nor think of leaving it off till it comes to be swallowed up in everlasting praise. But that which seems particularly designed here is to teach us constancy and perseverance in our requests for some spiritual mercies that we are in pursuit of, relating either to ourselves or to the church of God. When we are praying for strength against our spiritual enemies, our lusts and corruptions (Mt 6:13+), which are our worst enemies, we must continue instant in prayer (Col 4:2KJV+), must pray and not faint, for we shall not seek God’s face in vain. So we must likewise in our prayers for the deliverance of the people of God out of the hands of their persecutors and oppressors. Parable (3850)(parabole from para = beside, near + ballo = throw, cast; English "parable") is literally a throwing beside or placing of one thing by the side of another (juxtaposition as of ships in battle in classic Greek). The metaphorical meaning is to place or lay something besides something else for the purpose of comparison. (Mt 24:32, Mk 13:28, Mk 3:23, Lk 14:7). An illustration (Mt 13:3). In Hebrews 9:9 the idea is of something (OT Tabernacle) that serves as a model or example pointing beyond itself for later realization and thus a type or a figure. Luke's uses of parabole - Lk. 4:23 = "proverb"; Lk. 5:36; Lk. 6:39; Lk. 8:4; Lk. 8:9; Lk. 8:10; Lk. 8:11; Lk. 12:16; Lk. 12:41; Lk. 13:6; Lk. 14:7; Lk. 15:3; Lk. 18:1; Lk. 18:9; Lk. 19:11; Lk. 20:9; Lk. 20:19; Lk. 21:29 All times (always) (3842)(pantote from pás = all, every + tóte = when, then) an adverb which literally is "every when" means always, at all times, ever (more), on all occasions. In English always is defined - invariably, forever, perpetually, on every occasion, throughout all time, without variation. Continually, regularly, repeatedly or constantly during a certain period, or regularly at stated intervals (eg Mephibosheth - 2Sa 9:10KJV = "alway"); At all convenient times. Without exception. Every time. Pantote - all times(1), always(40). Matt. 26:11; Mk. 14:7; Lk. 15:31; Lk. 18:1; Jn. 6:34; Jn. 7:6; Jn. 8:29; Jn. 11:42; Jn. 12:8; Jn. 18:20; Rom. 1:10; 1 Co. 1:4; 1 Co. 15:58; 2 Co. 2:14; 2 Co. 4:10; 2 Co. 5:6; 2 Co. 9:8; Gal. 4:18; Eph. 5:20; Phil. 1:4; Phil. 1:20; Phil. 2:12; Phil. 4:4; Col. 1:3; Col. 4:6; Col. 4:12; 1 Thess. 1:2; 1 Thess. 2:16; 1 Thess. 3:6; 1 Thess. 4:17; 1 Thess. 5:15; 1 Thess. 5:16; 2 Thess. 1:3; 2 Thess. 1:11; 2 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:7; Phlm. 1:4; Heb. 7:25 Pray at all times - This is a frequent Pauline exhortation... Romans 12:12+ rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, Ephesians 6:18+ With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, Philippians 4:6+ Be anxious (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Colossians 4:2+ Devote (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; Colossians 4:12+ (A GODLY EXAMPLE) Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. 1 Thessalonians 5:17+ pray (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) without ceasing Ought (1163) (dei from deo = to bind or tie objects together, put in prison and also root of doulos, bond-servant) refers to what is not optional but needful (binding) out of intrinsic necessity or inevitability. Dei refers to inward constraint which is why it is often translated "must". Dei describes that which is under the necessity of happening or which must necessarily take place, and as stated above, conveys a sense of inevitability. To express the sense of necessity dei is translated "one ought", "one should", "one has to" or "one must". Dei in Luke in Acts - Lk. 2:49; Lk. 4:43; Lk. 9:22; Lk. 11:42; Lk. 12:12; Lk. 13:14; Lk. 13:16; Lk. 13:33; Lk. 15:32; Lk. 17:25; Lk. 18:1; Lk. 19:5; Lk. 21:9; Lk. 22:7; Lk. 22:37; Lk. 24:7; Lk. 24:26; Lk. 24:44; Acts 1:16; Acts 1:21; Acts 3:21; Acts 4:12; Acts 5:29; Acts 9:6; Acts 9:16; Acts 14:22; Acts 15:5; Acts 16:30; Acts 17:3; Acts 19:21; Acts 20:35; Acts 23:11; Acts 24:19; Acts 25:10; Acts 25:24; Acts 26:9; Acts 27:21; Acts 27:24; Acts 27:26 To pray (4336)(proseuchomai from pros = toward, facing, before [emphasizing the direct approach of the one who prays in seeking God’s face] + euchomai = originally to speak out, utter aloud, express a wish, then to pray or to vow. Greek technical term for invoking a deity) in the NT is always used of prayer addressed to God (to Him as the object of faith and the One who will answer one’s prayer) and means to speak consciously (with or without vocalization) to Him, with a definite aim (See study of noun proseuche). Proseuchomai encompasses all the aspects of prayer -- submission, confession, petition, supplication (may concern one's own need), intercession (concerned with the needs of others), praise, and thanksgiving. Vine says that proseuchomai carries with it a notion of worship (but see the Greek word for worship = proskuneo) which is not present in the other words for prayer (eg, aiteo, deomai, both of which involve spoken supplication)
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Cole - One of the most difficult aspects of prayer is persevering when it seems that God is not answering. Jesus instructed us to pray that the Father’s kingdom would come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And yet here we are, almost 2,000 years later, and that prayer, prayed millions of times by millions of Christians down through the centuries, is still not answered. In spite of years of prayer and missionary efforts, some of the Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu sections of the world seem as resistant to the gospel as ever and so it is easy to become discouraged about praying for world missions. On a personal level, all of us have requests that we have brought before God for years—requests that would be to His glory to answer—and yet it seems like God isn’t answering His phone and He doesn’t even have an answer machine! In light of these problems, it is easy to lose hope and even to give up praying. The Lord Jesus knew the weakness of our flesh and that we all are prone to lose heart. In light of that, He graciously gave His disciples and us this parable “to show that at all times they [and we] ought to pray and not lose heart.” This instruction fits in with the preceding context where the Lord told the disciples that the days would come when they would long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but they would not see it (Luke 17:22). During the time between His ascension and His Second Coming, the world would go on in its disregard of God, much as it had in the days of Noah and of Lot. The church would be much like this widow, left without her heavenly Bridegroom, much maligned and persecuted by the ungodly. During this time of waiting and struggle, how can the saints persevere? Jesus shows that we will persevere as we continue in believing prayer. (Luke 18:1-8 Persevering in Prayer) In the following passages related to praying without ceasing, notice the repetitive use of the present imperative and the present tense. Seek (Qal imperative) the LORD and His strength; Seek (Qal imperative) His face continually. (1Chronicles 16:11) Ask (present imperative = commands continual asking), and it shall be given to you; seek (present imperative = commands continual seeking), and you shall find; knock (present imperative = commands continual knocking), and it shall be opened to you. (Mt 7:7+) Keep watching (present imperative = commands continual attention to) and praying (present imperative = command to continue in an attitude of prayer), that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41+) Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray (present tense = continually, as the habit of their life) and not to lose heart (Luke 18:1+) But keep on the alert (present imperative = commands continual attention) at all times, praying (present tense = continually, as the habit of their life) in order that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man. (Luke 21:36+) rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to (imperative sense, present tense - always be prayerful) prayer (Ro 12:12+) With all prayer and petition pray (present tense = continually, as the habit of their life) at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints (Eph 6:18+) Devote (present imperative = commands continual attention to) yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving (Col 4:2+) Pray without ceasing. (1Th 5:17+) Comment: Adialeiptos is used to describe that which is continuously done - uninterrupted necessary payment of hard taxes, continual uninterrupted cough, repeated military attacks, continual failing of a military effort, regular and consistent production of fruit. We've all had an unceasing, hacking cough. What happens? When you get a tickle in your throat, you cough. Applying this thought to unceasing prayer, when opportunity knocks or the Spirit gives you a "tickle" (a "burden" ~ Praying in the Spirit), then your reflex reaction should be to pray. Keep the telephone receiver off the hook so that you are ready to speak to Heaven at moment's notice! Therefore I want the men in every place to pray (present tense = continually, as the habit of their life), lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension. (1Ti 2:8) The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit (both verbs aorist imperative = do this now! don't delay!) for the purpose of prayer. (1Pe 4:7+) Pray without ceasing - Out of approximately 667 recorded prayers in the Bible, there are about 454 recorded answers. This should encourage and motivate us to pray without ceasing! Daniel "prayed without ceasing", in fact making it a practice to pray three times each day, even when he knew it might well cost him his life in a lion’s den Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. (Daniel 6:10+) David "prayed without ceasing"... Evening and morning and at noon, I will complain and murmur, And He will hear my voice. (Ps 55:17).
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Cole on unwilling - The reason for the delay with the widow was that the unjust judge was unwilling, but that is never the reason with our loving Father in heaven. The unjust judge was acting out of selfish motives, even when he finally granted her request. But God always acts out of self-sacrificing love, as seen supremely in the Cross of Christ. This judge was only concerned for his own relief, but God acts out of wise concern for the well-being of His people. Four-year-old Caitlin was impatient for a sibling. One morning she told her mother, “Maybe if we both prayed out loud, God would hear us.” So they prayed together. As soon as they finished, Caitlin asked, “What did He say?” Her mother explained that it doesn’t work that way; sometimes it takes a long time to get an answer. Caitlin was indignant: “Do you mean we were praying to an answering machine?” (Reader’s Digest [12/94], p. 154.) Sometimes it seems like it, doesn’t it! God doesn’t usually explain in advance why He is delaying the answers to our requests. But we need to cling to the fact that His delays are always for our good, even if we don’t understand the reasons why. (Persevering in Prayer) But afterward - ("but later," "but finally") - Here we see a combination of a term of contrast and an expression of time. The contrast marks a "change in direction," a "change of mind," while the time phrase "afterward" relates to her relentless efforts to get him to give her legal protection. He said to himself even though I do not fear (phobeo)) God nor respect (entrepo) man -The phrase "to himself" identifies this as a soliloquy, a speech one makes to himself. He is like another "bad character," the "prodigal son" who also spoke to himself when he had come to his senses. (Lk 15:17-19+). The prodigal was repentant while the judge was just irritated. It is interesting that Luke has several other soliloquies (identified by "to himself" - Lk 7:39, Lk 12:17, Lk 16:3) and there are none ("to himself") in all the other Gospels. The judge makes an amazing statement! He's a self-confessed wretch. He doesn't even try to rationalize it or hide it. He has no noble motive. Notice that Lk 18:2 was Jesus' assessment of His character, the man himself readily acknowledges his wicked estate! In other words, he agrees with Jesus in full! He knew he was evil and even in a sense "glories" in it! That is surely one of the basic aspects of what it means to be totally depraved, and reminds us of those unrighteous people in Romans 1:32+ who "although they know (epiginosko = fully know) the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them." Luke 18:5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.'" yet because this widow bothers me: Lu 11:8 Jud 16:16 2Sa 13:24-27 she will wear me out: Lu 18:39 Mt 15:23 Mk 10:47,48 Luke 18 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 18:1-8 Persevering in Prayer - Steven Cole Luke 18:1-8 - Persistent Prayer for the Lord's Return - John MacArthur Yet because this widow bothers me - She was in his court every day pleading her case and it had become very troublesome to the judge. His change of heart only because of his regard for himself (bothers me). He still has no regard for God and no respect for man, as he has just declared (Lk 18:4). He could care less about what pleases God or men. But he certainly did care for what pleased him. And this woman's relentless pursuit of justice did not please him. Otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out (hupopiazo) - He explains his change of heart. The word continually is eis telos, which literally means "to the end," and is used 6 times in the NT (speaking of one who is genuinely saved as he who endures "to the end" in Mt. 10:22; Mt. 24:13 and Mk. 13:13; Lk. 18:5; Jn. 13:1 "loved them to the end"; 1Th. 2:16 = "to the utmost") The idea of the idiom eis telos is “completely, perfectly, fully, or comprehensively, to the uttermost.” The uses in Matthew and Mark in context can refer to the end of one's life. Applying that to this widow, the judge is reasoning to himself that she will keep pleading until she dies! (In as sense he is actually inferring that she would be the "death of him" so to speak). Wear me out misses the sense of the interesting verb hupopiazo which is more intense, as it means beating someone or punching them silly (so to speak), giving them a black eye, which figuratively is exactly what she was doing to the judge for a "black eye" would be equivalent of a damaged reputation. In fighting lingo, she had landed enough blows to get a "verdict" from the judges of a "TKO," a technical knockout! Her relentless blows to his body (really his mind) caused him to give up the fight! Steven Cole - This widow had no attorney, no advocate to plead her case, but we have the Holy Spirit to help us pray as we ought (Ro 8:26,27+) and the Lord Jesus Himself interceding at the right hand of the Father on our behalf (Ro 8:34+, Hebrews 7:25+). She had no guarantee of getting what she desired, but we have the Lord’s promise that whatever we ask in His name, He will do it (Jn 16:23-24 but see caveat in 1 Jn 5:14, 15+). What made this widow persist is that she knew her great need. Sometimes the Lord delays to answer us because we do not see how needy we really are until He keeps us waiting for a while. It is only when we sense our own insufficiency that we begin to pray, as
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Cole - Jesus refers to His people here as His elect. This means that you do not follow Jesus because you first chose Him, but rather because He first chose you. He chose you totally apart from anything that He saw in you. He did not choose you because He saw a spark of goodness in you. He did not choose you because He saw that you would choose Him. He chose you unconditionally while you were a rebellious sinner, so that His unmerited favor would shine forth through you. If you do not believe in the doctrine of God’s sovereign, unconditional election, you don’t believe what Jesus believed and you rob yourself of a source of great comfort. Even when God’s answers to your prayers are delayed, you can trust Him knowing that you are one of His elect. (Luke 18:1-8 Persevering in Prayer) Don't get put off by Jesus' choice of the term elect, which often sets off an emotional firestorm in many folks! Think of it as "sons" or "daughters" in the family of God. Leave the mystery of election to God. Enjoy the intimacy of the family relationship because of our justification by faith in Jesus "through Whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand." (Ro 5:2+) We have entree into the Throne Room of the Father through His Son (Heb 4:16+) and we need to cry out day and night.
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Cole on quickly - What does Jesus mean when He says that justice will come quickly? Here we are almost 2,000 years later, and Jesus has not returned to rescue His needy people. We all know stories of faithful saints who have prayed for something all their lives, but their prayers went unanswered. What does quickly mean? We must understand it from God’s timetable, not ours. With the Lord, a thousand years are like a day or as a watch in the night (2 Pet. 3:8+; Ps 90:4 "For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it passes by, Or as a watch in the night."). He told Noah that there would be a flood (cf Luke 17:26-27+), but over 100 years went by without a drop of rain while Noah endured his mocking neighbors (ED: MOST GET THIS TIME OF >100 YEARS FROM Ge 6:3). He promised Abraham a son, but he watched Sarah go through menopause and 25 years elapsed before Isaac was born. He promised Joseph in his teenage years through his dreams that his father and brothers would bow down to him, but he spent his twenties in an Egyptian dungeon. He promised to deliver His people from bondage in Egypt, but 400 long years went by before He raised up Moses, and that only after Moses spent 40 years in the desert after his failure. He promised to send His Messiah, but His people had to wait 400 years after the last prophet before (cf Mal 3:1+), in the fullness of time, God sent His Son (Gal. 4:4). Quickly by God’s "calendar" is not quickly by ours! One answer to the problem of delayed answers to our prayers is to get a proper view of God. (Luke 18:1-8 Persevering in Prayer) When the Son of Man comes refers not to the Rapture but His visible Second Coming at the end of this present evil age. And remember that Jesus has just described what it will be like when He returns.... “And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: 27 they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 “It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; 29 but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 “It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. 31“On that day, the one who is on the housetop and whose goods are in the house must not go down to take them out; and likewise the one who is in the field must not turn back. 32“Remember Lot’s wife. (Luke 17:26-32) So clearly from this passage in Luke 17 Jesus tells us “It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed." In other words, the earth will be filled with evil, filled with people who lack faith in Him, just as they did in the days of Noah and Lot, both in describing judgment, which will also be the case when the Son of Man is revealed. And so He asks will He find faith on earth? When the Son of Man comes - The specific name Son of Man is found 6 times in the concluding eschatological section of the previous chapter (Lk. 17:22+; Lk. 17:24; Lk. 17:26; Lk. 17:30) which is further evidence that this parable is closely linked with that eschatological section. All of Luke's uses of Son of Man - Lk. 5:24; Lk. 6:5; Lk. 6:22; Lk. 7:34; Lk. 9:22; Lk. 9:26; Lk. 9:44; Lk. 9:56; Lk. 9:58; Lk. 11:30; Lk. 12:8; Lk. 12:10; Lk. 12:40; Lk. 17:22; Lk. 17:24; Lk. 17:26; Lk. 17:30; Lk. 18:8; Lk. 18:31; Lk. 19:10; Lk. 21:27; Lk. 21:36; Lk. 22:22; Lk. 22:48; Lk. 22:69; Lk. 24:7 MacArthur assumes you may be asking "How do you know this is a Second Coming section?" Lk 18:8 is the key for at the end of the verse Jesus asks "when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" Will He find this kind of persevering faith? Will He find this kind of persevering prayer? Will He find this kind of enduring confidence? This is definitely eschatological praying. We don't know when the events that are the Second Coming will begin. We don't know when the day of the Lord is going to come, but 2,000 years have passed by. Believers have been waiting and suffering at the hand of sinners. And sin escalates while evil men grow worse and worse. We see the pollution inside and outside Christendom. False teachers abound. And followers of Christ continue to endeavor to endure and remain true and faithful, trusting in the Word of God. We have been promised that He will come. We believe that He will come. And here He says, "Keep praying for that event." He will come but part of the means of His coming is our prayer life. Prayer moves God to accomplish His work and therefore having accomplished His work, bringing it to its great culmination in His Second Coming. He will come. He promises He will come. He will be faithful to His elect. He will bring judgment to the ungodly. He will vindicate the saints. He will exalt Himself. He will establish His throne on earth. He will reign in a kingdom on earth and after that He will establish the new heaven and the new earth. And that is what we are to pray for relentlessly. This takes us back to Matthew 6:10 and Luke 11:2. "When you pray, pray like this: ‘Our Father who art in heaven, Thy kingdom come.’" This is kingdom praying. This is praying for the kingdom to come, for the Lord to punish the ungodly, reclaim the earth, mete out righteous judgment, vindicate His elect, establish His glory on the earth, vanquish Satan, take His throne, and establish the glorious fulfillment of all His promises. So again I say: The key to the parable hangs at the front door. We know what this story is about. We are to be living our lives saying, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." (Luke 18:1-8 - Persistent Prayer for the Lord's Return) Darrell Bock on will He find faith - When Jesus returns, will He find faith on earth—that is, will people persevere in looking for His return? Ryrie on will He find faith on the earth - Does not argue for improved spiritual conditions in the world before Christ's return. MacArthur Study Bible - This suggests that when He returns, the true faith will be comparatively rare—as in the days of Noah (Lk 17:26), when only 8 souls were saved. The period before His return will be marked by persecution, apostasy, and unbelief (Mt 24:9–13, 24).
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Cole - I read of a guy who said that his greatest fear is that he would be standing in line at the Pearly Gates behind Mother Teresa, and hear Saint Peter say to her, “Well, you didn’t quite make it.” But the fact is, if Mother Teresa is in heaven, it isn’t because of her good deeds. Line up the very best humans who have ever lived and they all have sinned and fall hopelessly short of the glory of God. He cannot and will not tolerate any sin in heaven. So it is useless to compare ourselves with one another. God’s perfect righteousness is the only standard. (The Wrong and Right Way to Approach God) David
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Cole - Some years ago, a researcher surveyed 7,000 Protestant youths from many denominations, asking whether they agreed with the following statements: “The way to be accepted by God is to try sincerely to live a good life.” More than 60 percent agreed. “God is satisfied if a person lives the best life he can.” Almost 70 percent agreed. “The main emphasis of the gospel is on God’s rules for right living.” More than half agreed. (Morton Strommen, Five Cries of Youth [Harper and Row], 1974, p. 76.) (ED: Most Americans Believe in Heaven). (The Wrong and Right Way to Approach God) My own experience in talking with people about how to be right with God bears out these findings. When I have asked, “If you were to die and stand before God and He asked, ‘Why should I let you into heaven?’ what would you say?” the most frequent answer I hear is, “I am a basically good person.” Or, “I’ve always tried to do the best that I can.” Or, “I’ve never intentionally hurt anyone.” Most people, including those who would call themselves “Christian,” think that the right way to approach God is to present their good works at the gate of heaven. All of the world’s religions (except biblical Christianity) teach that we approach God through our good works. This was the main issue that split the Reformers from the Roman Catholic Church. Rome taught (and still teaches) that a person is saved by grace through faith in Christ, but not by grace through faith alone. Rather, in addition to believing in Christ, a person must add his own good works both to preserve and increase his right standing before God. The Roman Catholic Church spells out these official doctrines in the Canons and Decrees of Trent, which The Second Vatican Council in the 1960’s declared to be “irreformable.” Here are some statements from the Canons and Decrees of Trent (scroll down to read these Canons): If any one saith, that by faith alone the impious is justified, in such wise as to mean, that nothing else is required to cooperate in order to the obtaining the grace of Justification, ... let him be anathema. (Canon 9) If any one saith, that justifying faith is nothing else but confidence in the divine mercy which remits sins for Christ’s sake; or, that this confidence alone is that whereby we are justified: let him be anathema. (Canon 12) If any one saith, that the justice received is not preserved and also increased before God through good works; but that the said works are merely the fruits and signs of Justification obtained, but not a cause of the increase thereof: let him be anathema. (Canon 24) (ED COMMENT: Compare Paul's words in Ephesians 2:8-10+ "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.") ...Since the salvation of a person’s soul depends on believing the gospel as revealed in God’s Word, it is of vital importance that we all understand what Scripture teaches. It is important to you personally, so that you are clear about the basis of your own salvation. And it is important so that you can explain it to others who mistakenly think that we are saved by our good works. If you witness to a Roman Catholic, this is the issue you must endeavor to make clear, so that he can be saved. (Luke 18:9-14 The Wrong and Right Way to Approach God) Sugar-Pill Beliefs Read: Luke 18:9-14 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, "God, I thank You that I am not like other men.. —Luke 18:11 Studies show that sugar pills, or placebos, can actually alleviate symptoms if a sick person believes they are an effective medication. Some research showed that many people found them helpful even after being told the pills were placebos. This illustrates that a belief may be temporarily effective even when it is founded on something that isn’t true. Think of the startling implications this has for religious faith. Just as sugar pills can bring temporary relief, wrong beliefs about God can result in false feelings of peace and happiness. When this occurs, an individual may feel no need to trust Christ as his Savior from sin. The Pharisee in Luke 18 is an example of one who swallowed ideas about himself that made him feel close to God. Convinced that they were true, he had a false sense of well-being, confidence, and happiness. Yet, his actual spiritual condition remained terminal. He congratulated himself before God, but the only one cured that day was the repentant sinner who saw the truth about himself and called upon the Lord for mercy. Sugar-pill beliefs about God and sin may seem to work, but don’t depend on them. The only cure for sin is found in knowing Christ. He gives permanent relief. True faith in Christ will never fail, It's fixed upon a solid base; Nor does it set aside the mind But rests on God's unchanging grace. —DJD Feelings are no substitute for facts and faith. Luke 18:10 "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. Two men went up into the temple to pray: Lu 1:9,10 19:46 1Ki 8:30 Ac 3:1 a Pharisee and the other a tax collector: Lu 7:29,30 Mt 21:31,32 Ac 23:6-8 26:5 Php 3:5 Luke 18 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 18:9-14 The Wrong and Right Way to Approach God - Steven Cole Luke 18:9-14 Who Can Be Right with God? Part 1 - John MacArthur Luke 18:9-14 Who Can Be Right with God? Part 2 - John MacArthur Stairs up to Southern Wall of Temple Two men went up into the temple to pray (proseuchomai cf Lk 18:1) , one a Pharisee (pharisaios) and the other a tax collector (telones) - At the outset both are identical. The temple is on a hill (Temple Mount) in Jerusalem, so both men would go up to gain entrance. Of course this is a parable and not an actual event but it is reasonable to assume that Jews coming to pray at the time of the morning and evening sacrifices would utilize the the southern stairs which would allow them to enter the Temple grounds (cf Peter and John "going up to the Temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer." Acts 3:1). Those stairs can still be seen (another picture) if one visits the Temple Mount area in Jerusalem. Southern Wall Stairs - An enormous flight of steps leads to the Southern Wall from the south. They were excavated after 1967 by archaeologist Benjamin Mazar and are the northernmost extension of the Jerusalem pilgrim road leading from the Pool of Siloam to the Temple Mount via the Double Gate and the Triple Gate. These are the steps that Jesus of Nazareth[2][3] and other Jews of his era walked up to approach the Temple, especially on the great pilgrimage festivals of Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot. [2] The stairs that lead to the double gate are intact and "well-preserved."[4] The steps that lead to the triple gate were mostly destroyed.[4] / The risers are low, a mere 7 to 10 inches high, and each step is 12 to 35 inches deep, forcing the ascending pilgrims to walk with a stately, deliberate tread.[2] The pilgrims entered the temple precincts through the double and triple gates still visible in the Southern Wall.[5][2] Together, the double and triple gates are known as the Hulda Gates, after the prophetess Huldah.[2] In chapter 1 Luke had alluded to some aspects of the Morning and Evening Sacrifices in the Temple... Now it happened that while he (the priest Zacharias) was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering. (Lk 1:8-10+). If you are interested in more background, Alfred Edersheim has a detailed discussion of the various aspects of the Temple service in his chapter The Morning and Evening Sacrifice. Bailey comments that on reading Edershiem "one can almost smell the pungent incense, hear the loud clash of cymbals, and see the great cloud of dense smoke rising from the burnt offering." (Borrow - Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels). Kenneth Bailey adds that "In English, we commonly use the word pray to refer to private devotion and the word worship to refer to what a community does together. In Semitic speech, whether Aramaic, Hebrew, Syriac or Arabic, “to pray” is used for both. On Sundays, the Christian in the Arab world says to his friend, “I’m going to the church to pray,” and the friend knows the speaker is on his way to attend public worship." (Borrow - Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels).
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Cole - To justify means that God bangs the gavel at His judgment bench and declares, “Not guilty!” Not only does He remove the guilt of our sins, He also credits to our account the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ, the substitute who suffered the penalty of God’s wrath. This man walked into the temple as a guilty, despicable tax collector, who ripped off people because of his own greed. He walked out of the temple righteous before God. How could this be? The answer is, he received a righteousness not his own, imputed to him.Was that perfect righteousness imputed to him because of his works or his promise to be different? No, it was imputed to him by God’s grace through faith. (The Wrong and Right Way to Approach God)
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Cole - Years ago, a man was about to make a purchase in a drug store when a detective laid his hand on the man’s shoulder and said, “You’re under arrest. Come with me.” Stunned, the man said, “What did I do?” The detective calmly replied, “You know what you did. You escaped from the Albany penitentiary several years ago. You went west, got married, and then came back here to live. We’ve been watching you since you returned.” Quietly, the man admitted, “That’s true, but I was sure you’d never find me. Before you take me in, could we stop by my house so I can talk to my family?” The officer agreed. When they got to his home, the man looked at his wife and asked, “Haven’t I been a kind husband and a good father? Haven’t I worked hard to make a living?” His wife answered, “Of course you have, but why are you asking me these questions?” He then proceeded to explain what had happened and that he was now under arrest. He apparently had hoped that his record as an exemplary husband and father would impress the officer. But the fact was, he was an escaped criminal and he had to return to prison. You may be a good person, a faithful churchgoer, and a decent citizen of this community. But God knows the many sins of your heart. All the good deeds in the world cannot pay for the many times you have broken His holy law. If you come into God’s court on judgment day and present your good works, you will be condemned. But if you come as an unworthy sinner who has pleaded for mercy on the basis of Jesus Christ who shed His blood to pay the penalty you deserve, God will declare, “Not guilty!” Make sure first that you understand and apply this personally; then, share with others the wrong and the right way to come to God. Nothing less than yours and their eternal destiny is at stake! (The Wrong and Right Way to Approach God) The Tombs -- In his book Great Themes of the Bible, Louis Albert Banks told of the time D.L. Moody visited a prison called “The Tombs” to preach to the inmates. After he had finished speaking, Moody talked with a number of men in their cells. He asked each prisoner this question, “What brought you here?” Again and again he received replies like this: “I don’t deserve to be here.” “I was framed.” “I was falsely accused.” “I was given an unfair trial.” Not one inmate would admit he was guilty. Finally, Moody found a man with his face buried in his hands, weeping. “And what’s wrong, my friend?” he inquired. The prisoner responded, “My sins are more than I can bear.” Relieved to find at least one man who would recognize his guilt and his need of forgiveness, the evangelist exclaimed, “Thank God for that!” Moody then had the joy of pointing him to a saving knowledge of Christ—a knowledge that released him from his shackles of sin. What an accurate picture of the two contrasting attitudes spoken of in Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the publican! As long as the sinner claims innocence and refuses to acknowledge his transgressions before the Lord, he does not receive the blessings of redemption. But when he pleads guilty and cries out, “Lord, be merciful to me a sinner,” he is forgiven. God’s pardon is available to everyone, but it is experienced only by those who admit guilt and trust Christ. To be “found,” a person must first recognize that he is “lost.” TWO HEART ATTITUDES TWO DESTINATIONS For everyone who exalts (hupsoo - present tense = habitually exalts) himself will be humbled (tapeinoo) - For is a term of explanation which begs the question what is Jesus explaining? (See my youtube video on this "hinge word" FOR) In this context clearly He is explaining the rationale of why one unworthy man was justified and one self-righteous man was not justified. Note that this truism or proverbial like statement is all inclusive. EVERYONE! There are no exception clauses in the "fine print." ALL men during their short lives will choose to walk down one of two roads leading to one of two eternal destinations from which there is no return. This is the first of what are in effect two conditional statements linked to two definitive promises. This is the path that leads to eternal destruction, the path tread by all who depend on their self-righteousness to merit entry into the Kingdom of God. This person will be humbled by being sentenced to eternal confinement in hell, the place of eternal loss and eternal punishment! Self-exaltation will end in self being eternally judged! Jesus' declaration of the fate of these two heart attitudes parallels His clear warning given in the Sermon on the Mount "Enter (aorist imperative - speaks of urgency! Do this now! Do not delay! Clearly this requires the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit to obey) through the narrow gate; (WHY?) for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For (explaining why many enter onto the broad way) the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Mt 7:13-14+) James reiterates this basic divine principle declaring that “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” (James 4:6+) Peter H Davids comments that in James 4:10+ "The picture is that of someone prostrate before an oriental monarch, begging mercy. The monarch leans down from the throne and lifts the petitioner's face from the dust. The person rises with grateful joy, knowing he or she is forgiven. This metaphor occurs in the Old Testament for God’s action in restoring the fortunes of the poor: “The lowly he sets on high, and those who mourn are lifted to safety” (Job 5:11). God also will not reject these Christians, if they repent and reject their sin" (Understanding the Bible Commentary 8 ratings). One of my favorite pictures of the generous, beneficent hand of the LORD God is in the beautiful words of Isaiah, words each of us have experienced if we are believers in Jesus Christ, and words that should encourage us when we fail and fall and find ourselves in need of His gracious reviving... For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, "I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite. The Septuagint version is also beautiful - Thus saith the Most High, Who dwells on high for ever, Holy in the holies, is His Name, the Most High resting in the holies, and giving patience (makrothumia) to the faint-hearted (oligopsuchos), and giving life (zoe) to the brokenhearted (suntribo): Luke has actually recorded this proverbial principle several times... (Mary's proclamation of praise to God) “He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted (hupsoo) those who were humble. HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS; And sent away the rich empty-handed. " (Lk 1:52-53+) “And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted (hupsoo) to heaven, will you? You will be brought down to Hades! (Lk 10:15+) “For everyone who exalts (hupsoo) himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted (hupsoo).” (Lk 14:11+) In the context of church leaders Peter reiterates this principle that the way up is down and the way down is up... You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. Therefore humble (aorist imperative - speaks of urgency! Do this now! The passive voice speaks of allowing yourself to be humbled) yourselves under the mighty hand of God, (WHY?) so that He may exalt you at the proper time, (1 Peter 5:5-6+) Exalts (5312)(hupsoo from hupsos = height, elevation) means to lift up, to raise high and here is used figuratively to describe lifting oneself up to a place of honor, fame, power, or position as exemplified by the Pharisee. This same verb hupsoo is used to describe the "lifting up" of Jesus on the Cross in John 3:14. What a tragic paradox, that all who lift themselves up in their own heart and mind cannot recognize their need for acknowledging Christ's being lifted up to die as their substitutionary, sacrificial atonement! The lifting high of one's self impedes one's ability to lift high the Savior! Hupsoo - 16v - exalt(2), exalted(9), exalts(3), lift(1), lifted(4), made...great(1). - Matt. 11:23; Matt. 23:12; Lk. 1:52; Lk. 10:15; Lk. 14:11; Lk. 18:14; Jn. 3:14; Jn. 8:28; Jn. 12:32; Jn. 12:34; Acts 2:33; Acts 5:31; Acts 13:17; 2 Co. 11:7; Jas. 4:10; 1 Pet. 5:6 Will be humbled (5013)(tapeinoo from tapeinos = low, not high, figuratively of one's attitude/social position) literally means to level, to cause something to be lower or to make low (eg, to level off a mountain in Lk 3:5 from Lxx of Is 40:4). Tapeinoo means to bow down, to make low, to humble. Most NT uses of tapeinoo are figurative and include the following meanings: To cause someone to lose prestige, to reduce to a meaner condition or lower rank, to abase. To be ranked below others. Tapeinoo - 11v - brought low(1), get along(1), humble(2), humble means(1), humbled(4), humbles(4), humbling(1), humiliate(1) Matt. 18:4; Matt. 23:12; Lk. 3:5; Lk. 14:11; Lk. 18:14; 2 Co. 11:7; 2 Co. 12:21; Phil. 2:8; Phil. 4:12; Jas. 4:10; 1 Pet. 5:6 J C
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Cole - When Jesus speaks here about receiving the kingdom of God like a child, He is not referring to the innocence of children. Children were not born in innocence and they are not without sin, even in their early years. Besides, innocence is not the qualification for entering God’s kingdom. If it were, none of us could qualify. Children are born in sin and they need Christ as their Savior as much as any adult does. A A Trites on like a child - In their openness, simplicity, and faith, children are veritable pictures of what it means to become children of God. They served, in fact, as a paradigm of faith and receptivity to God. The tragedy is when one refuses to come to God on such humble terms: “Anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it” (Lk 18:17).(Cornerstone Bible Commentary) Play this powerful hymn (adds a refrain to Bonar's original). Added Refrain: These guilty hands are raised Filthy rags are all I bring And I have to hide beneath Thy wing. These holy hands are raised Washed in the fountain of Your grace And now I wear Your righteousness. Not what these hands have done —HORATIUS BONAR, 1861 (Another vocal version) Not what these hands have done Can save this guilty soul; Not what this toiling flesh has borne Can make my spirit whole. Not what I feel or do Can give me peace with God; Not all my prayers and sighs and tears Can bear my awe-full load. Thy work alone, O Christ, Can ease this weight of sin; Thy blood alone, O Lamb of God, Can give me peace within. Thy love to me, O God, Not mine, O Lord to Thee, Can rid me of this dark unrest And set my spirit free. No other work save Thine, No meaner blood will do; No strength save that which is divine, Can bear me safely through. Thy grace alone, O God, To me can pardon speak; Thy power alone, O Son of God, Can this sore bondage break. I bless the Christ of God, I rest on love divine, And with unfaltering lip and heart I call this Savior mine. Spurgeon said "The kingdom of God consists of child-like spirits, persons like these children. Instead of needing to grow bigger in order to be fit to be Christians, we need to grow smaller. It is not the supposed wisdom of manhood, but the simplicity of childhood, that will fit us for the reception of divine truth. Alas! we are often too much like men, if we were more like children, we should receive the kingdom of God far more readily." (Luke 18 - exposition) In other words Spurgeon is saying we must not think a child cannot come to God until he is like a man, but a man cannot come until he is like a child. We must grow down until we become like a child. RECEIVING THE KINGDOM OF GOD EQUATES WITH ENTERING THE KINGDOM OF GOD NET Note on like a child - The point of the comparison receive the kingdom of God like a child has more to do with a child's trusting spirit and willingness to be dependent and receive from others than any inherent humility the child might possess. Whoever does not receive (dechomai) the kingdom of God like (in the same manner as) a child will not enter it at all - In other words, such a person does not believe in Jesus and is not born again. As Jesus explains in John 3:3+ "Truly, truly, I say (Amen, Amen, Lego) to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God". John 1:12+ helps us see the relationship between receiving and believing, John writing that "as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name." So clearly receiving Jesus equates with belief in Jesus and is described as entering the Kingdom of God here and in the parallel passages in Mt 18:3 and Mark 10:15+. It is interesting that Luke and Mark (Mk 10:15) use the less common phrase receive the Kingdom of God. More often the expression is to enter the Kingdom of God. Both phrases refer to salvation by grace through faith. Below are the passages that use the more common word "enter" (including Matthew's uses with "Kingdom of Heaven" which is synonymous with "Kingdom of God")... Matthew 5:20 “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Matthew 18:3 and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 19:23-24 And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 “Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Matthew 23:13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. Mark 9:47 “If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell, Mark 10:23-25 And Jesus, looking around, *said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Luke 18:24-25 And Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God! 25 “For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” John 3:5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Compare Luke 13:24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. DOUBLE NEGATIVE = EMPHATIC NEGATION! It is important to note that the verb "enter" in the phrase "will not enter" is preceded by not one, but two negative particles, this double negative (ou me - it makes me think "Oh My!") is the strongest way in Greek to negate (nullify, make void) the word or phrase that follows, in this case the word "enter." So one might paraphrase Jesus' words by saying "unless one receives the Kingdom of God like a child they absolutely will not enter into the Kingdom of God." This is a clear and strong statement by Jesus. In a sense it is a conditional statement, the condition being that one must be like a child (as discussed above) and the result being entrance into the Kingdom of God. Therefore, it behooves the wise reader to seek to understand what Jesus means when He says one must be "like a child." We will discuss what this means below, comparing Scripture with Scripture (specifically Matthew 18) to help illuminate Jesus' sobering, solemn declaration. Make me, O Lord, a child again, So tender, frail, and small, In self possessing nothing, and In Thee possessing all. O Savior, make me small once more, That downward I may grow, And in this heart of mine restore The faith of long ago. With Thee may I be crucified— No longer I that lives— O Savior, crush my sinful pride By grace which pardon gives. Make me, O Lord, a child again, Obedient to Thy call, In self possessing nothing, and In Thee possessing all.
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Cole - I must disagree with Calvin (and many other usually fine expositors) who use this text to argue for infant baptism. There is not a drop of water in the passage. As
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Cole - I read about a missionary to Africa back in the 1950’s who was appalled when she saw the native children at recess not run and play, but rather hunt mice and grasshoppers. They would impale them on a stick and roast and eat them. When she inquired as to why the children were so hungry, she found out that in that culture, the men ate their fill first, followed by the women. If anything was left, the children could eat. The children were considered the least important in that society. How unlike Jesus! He considered children important enough to give them His time and individual blessing. He wants us to learn from children what it means to believe in Him. He wants us to lead children to faith in Him. I pray that if you have never done so, you will come in simple faith to Jesus as your Savior. I pray that many of you will commit yourselves to the important task of leading children to Christ. You will be doing a work that our Savior Himself counted important. (Bringing Children to Jesus) Bring Them To Jesus Read: Luke 18:15-17 Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. —Mark 10:14 The Scripture reading from Luke 18 about children seemed unusual at the memorial service for David Holquist. After all, he was 77 when he died. Yet the pastor said the verses fit David, a long-time college professor, perfectly. Part of his legacy was that he took time for children—his own and others’. He made balloon animals and puppets, and helped in a puppet ministry at church. When planning worship services with others, he frequently asked, “What about the children?” He was concerned about what would help the children—not just the adults—to worship God. Luke 18 shows us the concern Jesus had for children. When people brought little ones to Him, the disciples wanted to protect Jesus, a busy man, from the bothersome children. But it seems that Jesus was not at all bothered by them. Just the opposite. The Bible says that Jesus was “greatly displeased” at the disciples, and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them” (v.16). Mark adds that Jesus took them in His arms and blessed them (10:14-16). To those who are teaching the gospel, With love in their hearts for its truth, Comes the gentle reminder from heaven, “Forget not the children and youth.” —Anon. God has great concern for little children. Like a Little Child Read: Matthew 18:1–5; 19:13–14 Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:3 One evening many years ago, after saying a goodnight prayer with our two-year-old daughter, my wife was surprised by a question. “Mommy, where is Jesus?” Luann replied, “Jesus is in heaven and He’s everywhere, right here with us. And He can be in your heart if you ask Him to come in.” Our faith in Jesus is to be like that of a trusting child. “I want Jesus to be in my heart.” “One of these days you can ask Him.” “I want to ask Him to be in my heart now.” So our little girl said, “Jesus, please come into my heart and be with me.” And that started her faith journey with Him. When Jesus’s disciples asked Him who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, He called a little child to come and join them (Matthew 18:1–2). “Unless you change and become like little children,” Jesus said, “you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. . . . And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me” (vv. 3–5). Lord Jesus, thank You for calling us to follow You with the confident faith of a child. Our faith in Jesus is to be like that of a trusting child. Faith Of A Child Read: Matthew 18:1-5 Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. —Matthew 18:3 One Sunday I heard Mike talk about his relationship with his two fathers—the one who raised him as a child, and his Father in heaven. First he described his childhood trust toward his earthly father as “simple and uncomplicated.” He expected his dad to fix broken things and to give advice. He dreaded displeasing him, however, because he often forgot that his father’s love and forgiveness always followed. Mike continued, “Some years ago I made a mess of things and hurt a lot of people. Because of my guilt, I ended a happy, simple relationship with my heavenly Father. I forgot that I could ask Him to fix what I had broken and seek His advice.” Years passed. Eventually Mike became desperate for God, yet he wondered what to do. His pastor said simply, “Say you’re sorry to God, and mean it!” Instead, Mike asked complicated questions, like: “How does this work?” and “What if . . .?” Finally his pastor prayed, “Please, God, give Mike the faith of a child!” Mike later testified joyfully, “The Lord did!” Have you noticed that the childlike faith Of a little girl or boy Has so often shown to older folks How to know salvation’s joy? —Branon Faith shines brightest in a childlike heart. Childlike Humility Read: Matthew 18:1-14 Whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. —Matthew 18:4 In the mid-70s, my husband Bill and I befriended a drug addict named Derek on the London subway. Days later we invited him to come and live with our family. He soon received Christ and His forgiveness. Until then, the world had been shouting to Derek, “Why don’t you grow up?” That day Jesus tenderly said to him, “Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 18:3). Derek became a child of God! We expected this young man to learn a lot through us about God, but little did we expect to learn about God through him. For example, one afternoon we discussed the possibility of someday opening a Christian rehabilitation center for addicts. None of us knew when, where, how, or if it would ever happen. I said, “Well, we know God won’t let us down.” Derek, however, added, “God won’t let Himself down.” His words echoed Psalm 23:3, “He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” There's so much wisdom to be learned, So many ways for me to grow, Lord, I would listen like a child, And learn what You would have me know. —K. De Haan If you're filled with pride, you won't have room for wisdom. Leaping With Joy Read: Matthew 18:1-5 Whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. —Matthew 18:4 One nice thing about having a young daughter is the frequent reminders she gives me about joyful trust. Debbie still jumps into my arms from the stairs, the porch, or the picnic table with a shout and a great big smile. We never have a long discussion ahead of time about whether or not I’ll catch her. She just looks at me and leaps. As adults, we tend to become more cautious with age. That may be all right in driving a car or spending money, but it is stifling in our relationship with God. When the disciples of Jesus wanted to know who was greatest in the kingdom of heaven, the Lord pointed to a child as He spoke of conversion and humility: “Whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 18:4). I take my Father's hand in faith, Though where He leads I may not see; My hand is given into His— I trust Him as my child trusts me. —Shoemaker Childlike faith focuses on our heavenly Father, not on our fears. Child's Play Read: Matthew 18:1-11 Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. —Matthew 18:3 After a surprise storm blanketed the Middle East with snow, a newspaper photo showed four armed men smiling as they built a snowman outside the battered walls of a military headquarters. The wintry weather also caused a protest to be canceled and delayed a debate over parliamentary matters of pressing importance. Men wearing long robes and women in traditional black dresses and headscarves were seen playing in the snow. There’s something about snow that brings out the child in all of us. And there’s something about the gospel that beckons us to abandon our deep hostilities and feelings of self-importance in favor of a childlike humility and faith. When Jesus was asked, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matthew 18:1), He called a little child to come to Him and said, “Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (v.3). God, give me the faith of a little child! A faith that will look to Thee— That never will falter and never fail, But follow Thee trustingly. —Showerman Faith shines brightest in a childlike heart. The Children's Friend Read: Matthew 19:13-15 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." —Matthew 19:14 Today, people around the globe will observe the 200th anniversary of the birth of the great storyteller Hans Christian Andersen. The lessons and encouragement contained in his tales of The Ugly Duckling, The Little Mermaid, and The Emperor’s New Clothes are still considered a great gift to children everywhere. I’m reminded, however, that Jesus Christ is the greatest friend of children the world has ever known. No one has done more for them than Jesus. When Jesus’ disciples reprimanded people for bringing little ones to Him, the Lord said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:14). Jesus valued children as persons of worth. After His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the Lord accepted the praise of children and reminded those who criticized them that God has ordained praise even “out of the mouths of babes and nursing infants” (Matthew 21:16; Psalm 8:2). O Jesus, You who once did say To little children at their play, "Come to Me, you will be blessed," So come to us and be our Guest. —Anon The Creator hides secrets from sages, yet He can be known by children. Luke 18:18 A ruler questioned Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" A ruler questioned Him: Mt 19:16-30 Mk 10:17-31 Good Teacher: Lu 6:46 Ezek 33:31 Mal 1:6 Jn 13:13-15 what shall I do to inherit eternal life: Lu 10:25 Acts 2:37 16:30 Luke 18 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 18:18-27 How Good People Get Saved - Steven Cole Luke 18:18-27 The Impossibility of Salvation, Part 1 - John MacArthur Luke 18:18-27 The Impossibility of Salvation, Part 2 - John MacArthur Jesus and Rich Young Ruler - Cartoon for Children THE RICH YOUNG RULER Parallel Passages In Matthew (Mt 19:16-30) and Mark (Mk 10:17-31) -- See page 333 of the New International Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties for Gleason Archer's discussion of the question "How can we resolve the discrepancies in Synoptic accounts of the rich-young-ruler episode?" Note:Yellow Highlight = words/phrases not in Luke's version. Green Highlight = words/phrases unique to either Matthew or Mark. Matthew 19:16-30 And (NAS does not translate the important Greek word idou = Behold a word used to grab the reader's attention - "Listen up!" is the idea. So literally it reads "And behold...") someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” (
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Cole comments - The second strand (FIRST WAS USE OF TITLE "SON OF DAVID" - SEE BELOW) that shows Jesus to be the promised Messiah is that He opens the eyes of the blind. Isaiah 35:5+ prophesied that Messiah would do such, and Jesus had cited that reference when he told the messengers of John the Baptist, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the gospel preached to them” (Lk 7:22-23+). In the Bible, only Jesus opened the eyes of the blind, and there are more of His recorded miracles in this category than any other. It shows Him to be the promised Messiah. The point is, it is important that our faith rest in Jesus as revealed in Scripture, not in a Jesus of our own imagination. The cults have invented false Christs, who do not match up to the Jesus of the Bible. Others subjectively make up a Jesus of their own liking. But we must believe in Jesus as revealed in Scripture. Isa 42:7 To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the dungeon And those who dwell in darkness from the prison. Physical blindness was a metaphor of spiritual blindness (cf. Isa. 42:18–19; 59:9–10; John 9). John 9:1-7, 35-41 As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. 2And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 “We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. 5 “While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” 6 When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing. ...35 Jesus heard that they had put him out, and finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36He answered, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” 37Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you.” 38 And he said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him. 39 And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.” 40 Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, “We are not blind too, are we?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains. (cf prophecies of spiritual blindness Isa. 42:18–19; 59:9–10) A blind man (tuphlos) was sitting by the road begging (epaiteo - present tense - continually) - Mark tells us that his name was Bartimaeus and Matthew tells us that there were two blind beggars healed that day, while Mark and Luke only mention one. Notice however, that neither Mark or Luke state that there was ONLY ONE. They simply choose to focus on the one who persisted in crying out to Jesus (Lk 18:39). David Thompson has an interesting thought to ponder - It is hard to know why Luke decided to include this little episode with the blind man in this particular context. Perhaps it was because the disciples were blinded from understanding the truth of the Gospel (Luke 18:34). It may be that Jesus Christ wanted to illustrate that in their own blindness, they needed to call to Him so they might see and understand the truth of God. We know that Pharisees totally disregarded sinners.
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Cole addresses Luke's approaching Jericho and Matthew and Mark's leaving Jericho which seem to be contradicting descriptions - There have been numerous solutions proposed, but before I mention some of them, let me point out that the variance indicates that Luke was not relying on either Matthew or Mark as his source, or the accounts would line up. Also, we are dealing with eyewitness accounts of what happened. Matthew was there personally; Mark got his story from Peter, who was there; and Luke carefully researched his account from eyewitnesses (Luke 1:1-4). Sometimes, eyewitness accounts of the same event can vary greatly and yet all be true. We may lack sufficient information to piece it all together, but it would be arrogant for us, from our limited perspective, to pronounce that one of the authors was in error. Here, then, are several proposed solutions. Some say that Jesus was leaving old Jericho and about to enter the rebuilt Jericho when this incident occurred. This view is possible, but the problem is that old Jericho was not inhabited in Jesus’ day, and thus it would be unusual to speak of Jesus leaving the ruins as if He were leaving the city itself. Others propose that a two-part event was condensed into one account. Bartimaeus cried out as Jesus entered the city, tagged along with the crowd, and eventually was heard by Jesus and healed along with the other beggar as Jesus left the city. Another variation is that Jesus entered and passed through the city when He encountered Zaccheus (Lk 19:1). When Zaccheus responded, Jesus turned to go back into the city, at which point He met Bartimaeus. Thus, depending on how you view it, Jesus had left the city or was entering it. Luke merely separates the accounts for his purposes. However you resolve it, both this story (which is Luke’s last miracle) and the next (about Zaccheus) are examples of how the nation should have responded to her Messiah. Bartimaeus and Zaccheus line up with the publican in Jesus’ parable (Lk 18:9-17), who cried out to God for mercy. They stand in contrast to the Pharisee in the parable and the rich young ruler (Lk 18:18-27), who both tried to approach God based on their own merit. The Pharisee and the rich young ruler were likely candidates for salvation who missed it because they trusted in themselves and refused to acknowledge their sin. Bartimaeus and Zaccheus were unlikely candidates for salvation who obtained it through faith in God’s mercy, apart from anything in themselves. Thus Luke uses this unlikely blind beggar to teach us that…When Jesus passes by, we should cry out to Him in faith and He will be merciful to us. (When Jesus Passes By) QUESTION - Matthew 20:29-34 says Jesus healed two blind men as He left Jericho. Mark 10:46-52 and Luke 18:35-43 say He healed one man as He entered Jericho. Is this a contradiction? ANSWER - In spite of apparent discrepancies, these three passages do refer to the same incident. The Matthew account cites two men healed as Jesus left Jericho. Mark and Luke refer to only one blind man healed, but Luke says it happened as Jesus was entering Jericho while Mark records it happening as He left Jericho. There are legitimate explanations for the apparent discrepancies. Let’s look at them rather than deciding this is a contradiction and the Bible is in error. That this is the same incident is seen in the similarity of the accounts, beginning with the two beggars sitting on the roadside. They call out to Jesus, referring to Him as “Son of David” (Matthew 20:30; Mark 10:48; Luke 18:38), and in all three accounts, they are rebuked by those nearby and told to be quiet but continue to shout out to Jesus (Matthew 20:31; Mark 10:48; Luke 18:39). The three accounts describe nearly identical conversations between Jesus and the beggars and the conclusions of the stories are also identical. The beggars receive their sight immediately and follow Jesus. Only Mark choses to identify one of the beggars as Bartimaeus, perhaps because Bartimaeus was known to Mark’s readers, or they knew Bartimaeus’s father, Timaeus, whereas the other blind man was a stranger to them. In any case, the fact that Mark and Luke only mention one beggar does not contradict Matthew’s account. Mark and Luke never say there was only one beggar. They simply focus on the one, Bartimaeus, who was probably the more vocal of the two. Matthew refers to both of the blind men calling out to Jesus, clearly indicating there were two. The other issue in question is whether Jesus was entering Jericho or leaving it. Bible commentators cite the fact that at that time there were two Jerichos—one the mound of the ancient city (still existing today) and the other the inhabited city of Jericho. Therefore, Jesus could have healed the two men as He was leaving the ancient city of Jericho and entering the new city of Jericho. In any case, to focus on these minor details to the exclusion of all else is to miss the point of the story—Jesus healed the blind men, proving that He was indeed the Son of God with powers beyond anything a mortal man could have. Unlike the Pharisees who refused to see what was before their eyes, our response to Jesus should be the same as that of the blind men—call on Him to give us eyes to see spiritual truth, recognize Him for who He is, and follow Him. GotQuestions.org Related Resources: Does the Bible contain errors, contradictions, or discrepancies? | GotQuestions.org What is spiritual blindness? | GotQuestions.org Kaiser on Matthew's mention of 2 (demon possessed men, donkeys, blind men) - The second preliminary issue is that Matthew mentions two demonized men, while Mark and Luke mention only one. This is a common problem in Matthew. For example, in Matthew 9:27 and Matthew 20:30 he mentions two blind men where the other Gospels mention only one, and in Matthew 21:2, 6 he says that two donkeys were brought to Jesus while the other Gospels mention only one. In each case it is not at all unlikely that two (or more) were present. Blind beggars (and other types as well) would group at city gates, a donkey young enough not to have been used for work would likely be with its mother, and more than one demonized person might find refuge in the same groups of tombs. But even if there is no necessity of seeing a historical problem, we may wonder why Matthew would mention two when one seems to do for the others. While other answers also may suffice, one reason is that Matthew’s interest in the miracles is due to his Christology. That is, the miracles show the power of Christ. By mentioning two he heightens that power. The healing of one may have been a coincidence, but not the healing of two. Similarly, if two donkeys are brought to Jesus, the significance of his fulfillment of the Scriptures is underlined. (Go to page 335) Luke 18:36 Now hearing a crowd going by, he began to inquire what this was. he began to inquire what this was: Lu 15:26 Mt 21:10,11 (Mt 20:29-34, Mk 10:46-50) Luke 18 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 18:35-43 When Jesus Passes By - Steven Cole Luke 18:35-43 A Blind Beggar Receives Saving Sight - John MacArthur Now hearing a crowd going by - Matthew and Mark say the crowd was large (Mt 20:29, Mk 10:46). The ears of blind people are much more aware of the sounds and he knew these sounds were different. Of course a large crowd would make considerable noise. He began to inquire (punthanomai - imperfect tense = again and again, persistently) what this was - The fact that inquire is in the imperfect tense pictures him asking again and again, as if his initial inquiries received no attention. Nevertheless, he persisted to ask "What's going on?" Is his repeated inquiry is significant. He was not going to let Jesus pass without engaging Him. 🙏 THOUGHT - How tragic that so many spiritually blind souls are wandering aimlessly through life oblivious to their desperate need for a Saving Shepherd! Something was moving in this physically blind man's soul. Rod Mattoon - "As the day progressed, something happened that was not in the ordinary. The beggar's acute hearing heard in the distance the commotion of a crowd approaching. He could tell it was a large crowd by the sound of the many voices. Is it a fight? No, that's not it. Then he hears the swift pitter-patter of a boy running by him, crying out in a loud excited voice to his friend to come and see what was happening. The blind man, perhaps brushed by a robe, reached out and asked, "Friend, what is happening? What is going on?"" (Mattoon Treasures from the Scriptures) Inquire (ask)(4441) punthanomai means to inquire, ask, seek to learn usually from someone (Mt 2:4; Lk 15:26; 18:36; Jn 4:52; Acts 4:7; 10:18, 29; 21:33; 23:19f. The word carries the sense of asking by inquiry, rather than asking by making a request to receive something. (2). To learn by inquiry, to find out by inquiry (Acts 23:34). When the twins Jacob and Esau struggled in the womb, Rebekah "went to inquire of the LORD." (Ge 25:22). Gilbrant - In classical Greek the word is used in four related ways. The first is to learn from a person. The second is to hear and thereby to learn. The third is to make an inquiry. The fourth is to ask for something from another (Liddell-Scott). The classical usage is much softer than the later New Testament meaning of “demand.” Punthanomai appears in the Septuagint on several occasions, generally indicating an inquiry of any sort. Concerned over the jostling of Jacob and Esau in her womb, Rebekah “inquired” of the Lord (Genesis 25:22). When he saw great piles of tithed items, Hezekiah “asked” the priest about them (2 Chronicles 31:9). A certain Heliodorus, upon arriving in Jerusalem, inquired about the situation there (2 Maccabees 3:9). (Complete Biblical Library) Luke 18:37 They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. They told him : Mk 2:1-3 Joh 12:35,36 2Co 6:2 (Mt 20:29-34, Mk 10:46-50) Jesus of Nazareth was passing by: Lu 2:51 Mt 2:23 Joh 1:45 19:19 Ac 2:22 4:10 Luke 18 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 18:35-43 When Jesus Passes By - Steven Cole Luke 18:35-43 A Blind Beggar Receives Saving Sight - John MacArthur BARTIMAEUS RECOGNIZES A SMALL WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by (parerchomai) - This is all he need to hear! This was the opportunity of a lifetime! But it was a "passing" (pun intended) opportunity (as are most opportunities). The word OPPORTUNITY is derived from the Latin "ob portu." In ancient times before modern harbors, ships had to wait for the timing of the tide before they could make it safely to port. Thus "OB PORTU," described the ship waiting "FOR PORT," ready to seize the crucial moment when it could ride the tide into safe harbor. The captain knew that if he missed the passing tide, the ship would have to wait for another tide to come in. God gives each of us many "ob portu's", but we must be spiritually wise and Spirit filled in order to see and seize them. As Charles Swindoll said "We are all faced with a series of great opportunities (ob portu's) brilliantly disguised as impossible situations." Shakespeare's famous line from Julius Caesar conveys the same thought: "There is a tide in the affairs of men (an "ob portu"), Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; Omitted, all the voyage of their life Is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat; And we must take the current when it serves, Or lose our ventures." In short, Bartimaeus had a deep sense that this was an "opportune time," his small "window of opportunity!" (cf 2 Cor 6:2, Isa 55:6) (From Redeem the Time) Jesus (Iesous) of Nazareth - Yes, Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but in that time a man was usually associated with the town in which he had been raised when for Jesus was Nazareth - Matthew 2:23 (Jesus) "came and lived in a city called Nazareth. Nazareth was considered to be a town of little significance. For example, "Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip *said to him, “Come and see.” (Jn 1:46) This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene.” (Cf Mt 26:71; Jn 1:45; Acts 10:38; 26:9; Mk 14:67; Lk 24:19; Jn 18:5; Acts 2:22; 6:14) Peter summarized Jesus' 3 year ministry declaring “You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him." Jesus of Nazareth - 7x in 7v - Matt. 26:71; Mk. 1:24; Lk. 4:34; Lk. 18:37; Jn. 1:45; Acts 10:38; Acts 26:9 The alternate Name is Jesus the Nazarene - 9x in 9v - Mk. 10:47; Mk. 14:67; Mk. 16:6; Lk. 24:19; Jn. 18:5; Jn. 18:7; Jn. 19:19; Acts 2:22; Acts 22:8 Jesus was on a one way trip to the Cross. This would be the last time He would be passing by the blind beggar's location in Jericho. Perhaps the beggar sensed this great urgency and realized that he must seek Jesus now or never. We see this thought expressed in Isaiah 55:6... "Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near." (He may not always be near!) Dear reader - "If you do not know the Lord, you have right now an opportunity for your life to be changed. Jesus is passing by, if you please. You have an opportunity for your eternal destiny to be changed from Hell to Heaven. Your sins can be forgiven by asking Christ to forgive you and by putting your faith in Him. Realize you won't always have this opportunity. When you die, it will be gone. This is why Paul urged the lost to trust in the Lord now. 2 Corinthians 6:2." (Mattoon Treasures from the Scriptures) Was passing by (3928)(parerchomai from para = beside, near + erchomai = come, go) means to pass near, pass by or pass away and is used literally (as in this passage) and figurative (e.g. of the Law not passing away - Mt 5:18). This verb describes Jesus in Mark 6:48 = "Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He *came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them." In Mt 8:28 it describes two demons who "were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way." Parechomai - 26v - came along(1), come(2), disregard(1), late(1), neglected(1), over(1), pass(5), pass away(14), passed away(1), passing(2), past(1). Matt. 5:18; Matt. 8:28; Matt. 14:15; Matt. 24:34; Matt. 24:35; Matt. 26:39; Matt. 26:42; Mk. 6:48; Mk. 13:30; Mk. 13:31; Mk. 14:35; Lk. 11:42; Lk. 12:37; Lk. 15:29; Lk. 16:17; Lk. 17:7; Lk. 18:37; Lk. 21:32; Lk. 21:33; Acts 16:8; Acts 24:7; Acts 27:9; 2 Co. 5:17; Jas. 1:10; 1 Pet. 4:3; 2 Pet. 3:10 Blind people can comprehend things people with sight cannot comprehend as shown by this story in Luke. But it is also true in general - "Blind people can easily comprehend speech that is sped up far beyond the maximum rate that sighted people can understand. When we speak rapidly we are verbalizing at about six syllables per second. That hyperactive radio announcer spewing fine print at the end of a commercial jabbers at 10 syllables per second, the absolute limit of comprehension for sighted people. Blind people, however, can comprehend speech sped up to 25 syllables per second. Human beings cannot talk this fast!" (Scientific American) ILLUSTRATION - Steven Cole - David Brainerd, the 18th century missionary to the American Indians, was once witnessing to a chief who was close to trusting in Christ. But he held back. Brainerd got up, took a stick, drew a circle in the dirt around the chief, and said, “Decide before you cross that line.” Why was Brainerd so urgent? Because he recognized that Jesus was passing by that chief at that moment. He might never be so close again. (When Jesus Passes By) Luke 18:38 And he called out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Jesus: Ps 62:12 Isa 9:6,7 Isa 11:1 Jer 23:5 Mt 9:27 12:23 15:22 21:9,15 Mt 22:42-45 Ro 1:3 Rev 22:16 (Mt 20:29-34, Mk 10:46-50) Luke 18 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 18:35-43 When Jesus Passes By - Steven Cole Luke 18:35-43 A Blind Beggar Receives Saving Sight - John MacArthur SON OF DAVID A MESSIANIC TITLE And he called (boao) out, saying - Luke uses boao which can be a loud cry or shout, expressing strong emotion (see below). Matthew's parallel (Mt 20:30) uses krazo (also used in Lk 18:39) which describes a loud cry expressing deep emotion, crying out harshly, often with an inarticulate and brutish sound. Krazo is onomatopoeic, the very pronunciation of which imitates the hoarse cry or croak of the raven. The verb boáo especially conveys the idea of a cry for help. Both of these verbs give us a vivid word picture of this scene -- imagine yourself following behind Jesus and all of sudden a blind beggar begins crying out (listen to this raven and think about the beggar)! It probably is Bartimaeus, but Matthew tells us there were two blind men. Jesus, Son of David - He uses the Name Jesus, which means Jehovah Saves. Using the title Son of David (found most often in Matthew) he is clearly addressing Jesus with a known Messianic title, one which describes Him as the heir of David's throne and the One Who would fulfill the Covenant God made with David. This would suggest that this man had an element of faith, for he is in essence confessing Jesus as the Messiah, the Anointed One (cf the confession in Romans 10:9-10+). Notice he calls Jesus "Lord" in Lk 18:41 which seems to reflect more than his respect, but his faith, which Jesus affirms (Lk 18:42). It is also worth noting that in the Gospel of Luke it is only this blind man who acknowledges Jesus as Son of David (Jesus used this term Himself in Lk 20:41), reflecting the fact that while physically blind, he had the more important vision which was spiritual!
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Cole - Whenever you trust in God, you will encounter hindrances. Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus in faith, and the crowd sternly told him to shut up (Lk 18:39). But the more they told him to be quiet, the louder he shouted. This was his one opportunity to be healed, and he wasn’t about to sit there passively. He persisted until Jesus heard him. He was like the widow in Jesus’ parable at the start of this chapter (Lk 18:1-8). She kept hounding the judge until he granted her request. (When Jesus Passes By) NET Note - The crowd's view was that surely Jesus would not be bothered with someone as unimportant as a blind beggar. But (term of contrast) he kept crying out (krazo) all the more, "Son of David, have mercy (eleeo) on me!" - Kept crying out is imperfect tense indicating he was shrieking loudly over and over, even as the crowd kept telling him again and again to shut up! Don't you love the phrase "all the more!" This man was persistent! Opposition only inspired him more! He could not be silenced in seeking Jesus' help! (May his persistence in seeking the Savior be true of us beloved!) Apparently he believed Jesus was the Messiah Who alone could heal him. "His heart had seen the light before his eyes did." (MacArthur) It is also interesting that opposition did not alter his "doctrine," for he continued to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah crying Son of David. 🙏 THOUGHT - When opposition comes, may the Spirit enable us to imitate this blind beggar and not recant or in any way change our convictions about Jesus. David Thompson - It is interesting to observe the verbs “Call” (18:38) and “Cry” (18:39). They are two different distinct words. “Call” refers to articulate calling. “Cry” refers to emotional crying. In other words, the more the blind man was told to be quiet, the more emotional he became in crying out to the Lord. This blind man sensed the urgency of the moment. If Christ would have made it into Jericho, this opportunity would have passed him by. Bartimaeus was a man with a desperate need, a knowledge of the need, and a determination to have it met. Steven Cole - Bartimaeus didn’t cry, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on us.” According to Matthew, there were two of them. It might have been more polite to ask for healing for both. But each man had to come on his own. Bartimaeus could have thought, “I’m a Jew, a son of Abraham.” He could have tried to get this blessing on the group plan. But he didn’t. Generic faith won’t do. The only way anyone can come to Christ is to cry out, “Jesus, have mercy on me. I’m the sinner. I’m the spiritually blind one. Lord, please be gracious to me!” (When Jesus Passes By) NET Note - Public opinion would not sway the blind man from getting Jesus' attention. The term shouted is strong as it can be used of animal cries. Whether the blind beggar knew the OT prophetic passage in the book of Joel we cannot say, but we can say he put it into action! Joel 2:32+ says "it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the LORD Will be delivered," and is such a great promise that is quoted by Peter (Acts 2:21+) and by Paul (Ro 10:13+). Play Rich Mullins' great song "My Deliverer" especially the ling "My Deliverer is coming. My Deliverer is standing by." Sternly telling (2008)(epitimao) means to express strong disapproval of someone, reproving or censuring them. This is the very verb the disciples used to discourage parents from bringing their children to Jesus (Lk 18:15). Epitimao is the word used by Jesus to rebuke demons (Lk 4:35, 41, 9:42), fever (Lk 4:39), the wind and waves (Lk 8:24), His disciples James and John (Lk 9:55). Epitimao - 30v - rebuke(6), rebuked(13), rebuking(3), sternly telling(2), sternly told(1), warned(5). Matt. 8:26; Matt. 12:16; Matt. 16:20; Matt. 16:22; Matt. 17:18; Matt. 19:13; Matt. 20:31; Mk. 1:25; Mk. 3:12; Mk. 4:39; Mk. 8:30; Mk. 8:32; Mk. 8:33; Mk. 9:25; Mk. 10:13; Mk. 10:48; Lk. 4:35; Lk. 4:39; Lk. 4:41; Lk. 8:24; Lk. 9:21; Lk. 9:42; Lk. 9:55; Lk. 17:3; Lk. 18:15; Lk. 18:39; Lk. 19:39; Lk. 23:40; 2 Tim. 4:2; Jude 1:9 Be quiet (4601) sigao from sige = silence) meant to be silent, to "hold one's peace", to keep in silence or keep secret. The idea is to say nothing, keep still, keep silent (eg, Lk 9:36) or to stop speaking (eg, Lk 18:39). In the passive voice sigao means to be kept in silence. Finally, sigao can convey idea of keeping something from becoming known, to be concealed or to be kept secret (the only NT use with this meaning being here in Ro 16:25) Sigao -10v - became silent(1), keep silent(3), kept secret(1), kept silent(2), quiet(1), silent(1), stopped speaking(1). Lk. 9:36; Lk. 18:39; Lk. 20:26; Acts 12:17; Acts 15:12; Acts 15:13; Rom. 16:25; 1 Co. 14:28; 1 Co. 14:30; 1 Co. 14:34 Kept crying out (2896) krazo refers to a loud cry or vociferation, and is a strong word expressing deep emotion. Krazo is one of those onomatopoeic words, the very pronunciation of which imitates the hoarse cry of the raven (listen), and can be an inarticulate and brutish sound or an exclamation of fear or pain. Abbott-Smith says "generally used of inarticulate cries, to scream, cry out (Aesch., etc.)" It is used of the cry of an animal, the barking of a dog and two men in a quarrel, trying to bawl each other down (so Aristophanes, Knights, 1017)" 'The prophet in awful earnestness, and as with a scream of anguish, cries over Israel' (Morison)" Krazō was also a technical, rabbinic term to refer to the loud summons of a prophet, needing to be heard. In Lk 18:39+ the blind beggar cried "to cry clamorously; to scream or shriek." (You can almost hear hid shrieking! He is motivated because he is blind and thinks this Man might help him see!) Krazo - 55x in 54v -Mt 8:29; 9:27; 14:26, 30; 15:22f; 20:30f; 21:9, 15; 27:23, 50; Mark 3:11; 5:5, 7; 9:24, 26; 10:47f; 11:9; 15:13f; Luke 9:39; 18:39; 19:40; John 1:15; 7:28, 37; 12:44; Acts 7:57, 60; 14:14; 16:17; 19:28, 32, 34; 21:28, 36; 23:6; 24:21; Rom 8:15; 9:27; Gal 4:6; Jas 5:4; Rev 6:10; 7:2, 10; 10:3; 12:2; 14:15; 18:2, 18f; 19:17. Krazo is translated (NAS) - cried(20), cries(2), cry(5), crying(12), screaming(1), screams(1), shout(1), shouted(4), shouting(8). Luke 18:40 And Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him; and when he came near, He questioned him, Mt 20:31-34 Mk 10:48-52 (Mt 20:29-34, Mk 10:46-50) Luke 18 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 18:35-43 When Jesus Passes By - Steven Cole Luke 18:35-43 A Blind Beggar Receives Saving Sight - John MacArthur AND JESUS STOPPED! And Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him - What incredible words! The Lord of the Universe responded to the repeated loud cries of this despised blind man. The Messiah on the final leg of His journey to die for the sins of the world and yet He takes time to stop for a blind beggar! I like the NKJ rendering which vividly says "So Jesus stood still." J N Darby commented that “Joshua (meaning "Jehovah is salvation") once bade the sun stand still in the heavens (Joshua 10:12,13), but here the Lord of the sun, and the moon, and the heavens, stands still at the bidding of a blind beggar!” Oh my, Who is this Jesus? Who can comprehend the infinite depth of His compassion for all of us blind beggars in this fallen world? Does this not make you love Jesus all the more - while the multitudes were not interested in a beggar, Jesus was, and He still is for "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8+) While it is true that many have been brought to the Saviour by others, the ones who brought him were probably the ones who initially tried to shut him up. Mark's version has more detail which gives us a vivid picture of this dramatic scene.... Mark 10:49-51+ And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you .” 50 Throwing aside his cloak (his outer robe), he jumped up (leaping up) and came to Jesus. 51 And answering him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the blind man said to Him, “Rabboni (Equivalent to Luke's "Lord" in Lk 18:41), I want to regain my sight!” Hendriksen Comments on Rabboni - "At least for some time the Jews recognized three ranks of "teachers," called, in ascending order of prominence, rab, rabbi, and rabboni, and that the title Rabboni was given to only a few rabbis (for example, to Gamaliel I and Gamaliel II)." (Exposition of the Gospel of Luke - borrow)
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Cole - Luke wants us to see that we all are blind beggars before God. Satan has “blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ” (2 Cor. 4:4). Before God we are “wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked” (Rev. 3:17). This is perhaps the major stumbling block that keeps people from coming to Christ: they want to commend themselves and their good deeds. God has to open our eyes to our true condition before Him. We have nothing in ourselves to merit His salvation. We are spiritually blind sinners, and the only way we can come to Him is to ask for mercy, not for merit. (When Jesus Passes By)
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Cole - One reason Bartimaeus’ faith was so bold was that he felt so keenly his deep need. He lived each day in total darkness. Those who could see did not feel the desperation that Bartimaeus felt. He could walk out into the bright sunshine and it was pitch black for him. I once heard Bill Cosby tell how he was staying in the same hotel as the blind singer, Ray Charles. He decided to stop by Ray’s room and say hello. He knocked on the door and Ray yelled, “Come in.” Cosby walked in and heard Ray’s electric razor going in the bathroom, but the lights were off and entire place was pitch black. Before thinking, Cosby blurted out, “Hey, Ray, why are you shaving in the dark?” Then it hit him and he thought, “Dumb! Dumb! Dumb!” Ray good-naturedly called back, “I do everything in the dark, brother.” It is when we realize our true spiritual condition that we will sense our desperate need for Jesus Christ. Deliverance by man is in vain. We need deliverance by God, and so we must cast ourselves totally on Him. (When Jesus Passes By) And he said, "Lord, I want to regain my sight (anablepo)!" - Regain implies he may not have been born blind but lost it at some point. Can we not see a great lesson here for all of us regarding our prayers to God? "When Jesus asked what they wanted, they didn’t indulge in generalities, as we often do when we pray. They came right to the point. Without hesitation or generalization, the beggar replied that he wanted his sight. His prayer was short, specific, and full of faith." (MacDonald Believer's Bible Commentary - borrow. This resource is always worth checking) Steven Cole - Jesus doesn’t always grant our requests, even when they are specific. Matthew and Mark both report that just prior to this incident, James and John had come to Jesus and asked Him to do whatever they would request. Jesus responded, “What do you want Me to do for you?” They answered, “Grant that we may sit in Your glory, one on Your right, and one on Your left” (Mark 10:37). But Jesus didn’t grant that request. It wasn’t for His glory to grant it. But it is for His glory to grant salvation by His free grace to blind beggars who cry out, “Lord, I want to receive my sight!” Be specific: tell the Lord that you have sinned and that you want His forgiveness. He will say, “Receive your sight; your faith has saved you.” (When Jesus Passes By) And notice his submissive response addressing Jesus as "Lord." Sometimes I hear folks say you need to make Jesus "Lord" of you life. If you are a true believer is the fact that He is Lord already. Period. You do not need to "make Him Lord." What you need to do is to submit, yield, or surrender to His Lordship in every area of your life. Personally, this is my daily challenge! Lord (master, owner)(2962)(kurios from kuros = might or power, related to kuroo = to give authority) primarily means the possessor, owner, master, the supreme one, one who is sovereign (used this way of Roman emperors - Act 25:26) and possesses absolute authority, absolute ownership and uncontested power. I love the words of the converted slave trader John Newton's powerful hymn Come My Soul Thy Suit Prepare (play this beautiful version and let each of us beg God to give us this blind beggar's kind of faith when we bring our petitions to the King)... Come, my soul, thy suit prepare: Jesus loves to answer prayer; He Himself has bid thee pray, Therefore will not say thee nay; Therefore will not say thee nay. Thou art coming to a King, Large petitions with thee bring; For His grace and power are such, None can ever ask too much. —John Newton Luke 18:42 And Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well." Receive your sight; : Ps 33:9 107:20 Mt 8:3 15:28 (Mt 20:29-34, Mk 10:46-50) your faith has made you well: Lu 7:50 8:48 17:19 Luke 18 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 18:35-43 When Jesus Passes By - Steven Cole Luke 18:35-43 A Blind Beggar Receives Saving Sight - John MacArthur And Jesus said to him receive your sight (anablepo in aorist imperative) - Jesus "commands" him to receive his sight. The NAS marginal note has "regain your sight," which would imply that at one time he could see but had lost his sight (disease?, accident?, etc). 🙏 THOUGHT - He had made a specific prayer and here received a specific answer. Be specific in your prayers. "Lord, bless me" sounds good (and it is not bad per se), but is better when it is specific. Then you can see His specific answer if He says "Yes" and you will go away glorifying God. (See sculpture of this event) Matthew (see full text of parallel passages in Matthew and Mark above) gives us more detail (words in bold not in Luke or Mark), and in so doing shows us Jesus' "motivation" and His "method" Moved with compassion (splanchnizomai - Jesus experienced a deep visceral feeling for the blind men), Jesus touched (hapto = same verb Luke used to describe Jesus touching their babies - Lk 18:15+, touching a coffin - Lk 7:14+) their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him. (Mt 20:34) Comment: The verb splanchnizomai is used repeatedly to describe the heart of Jesus - Mt 9:36, 14:14, 15:32, 20:34, Mk 1:41, 6:34, 8:2, Lk 7:13. This verb describes the Samaritan in Lk 10:33+ and the prodigal's father in Lk 15:20+. David Thompson - Three times in three verses the word “regain” or “receive” shows up. Each word is used in a different mood that really adds color to his narrative: Verse 41 the word “regain” is in the subjunctive mood - which means the blind beggar knows that receiving sight is a possibility. Verse 42 the word “receive” is in the imperative mood - which means receiving sight is commanded. Verse 43 the word “regained” is in the indicative mood - which means receiving sight is a factual reality. Mark's version has "And Jesus said to him, “Go (present active imperative); your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road (Mk 10:52+) Your faith (pistis) has made you well (sozo) - Your personal faith, the faith you possess. His faith was instrumental in his healing. It is worth noting that this is the last miracle recorded by Luke and other than causing a fig tree to wither, is the last miracle before the Cross and before the greatest miracle, His resurrection from the dead. Leon Morris on Your faith has made you well - This does not mean that the man’s faith created the cure, but that it was the means by which he received it. (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries –The Gospel According to St. Luke: An Introduction and Commentary - borrow) I disagree with comments like that of the NET Notes (and I highly respect their notes) which says "Greek "has saved you," but in a non-soteriological sense; the man has been delivered from his disability." My comment - Look at the context - He begins to follow Jesus like a true disciple. He is clearly saved physically and spiritually!
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Cole - Jesus’ words, “Your faith has saved you,” have a double meaning. On one level, he was “saved” physically, so that he could now see. But on a deeper level, his faith had saved him spiritually. That is the greater miracle. Instantly God forgave his sins and imparted new life to him, making him a child of God. As Jesus said, “He who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life” (John 5:24). God promises that “whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved” (Ro 10:13). (When Jesus Passes By)
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Cole - The mark of true faith in Jesus Christ is that the person who got saved gives glory to God and begins a new life of following Jesus in which others are led to give praise to God. Bartimaeus didn’t go around telling everyone about his great faith. Yes, Jesus says that his faith saved him, but clearly He means that Bartimaeus’ faith was the means through which salvation came to him. It was God’s power through Jesus that gave him his sight. The power and will to heal rested completely with the Lord. Faith is just the hand that receives God’s gift of eternal life, and even faith is a gift from God. No one can boast in his great faith. We can only glory in God who opened our eyes and showed us His great mercy. (When Jesus Passes By)