Title: Jesus told a parable.
Jesus told a parable.
Luke 18:1-8
2009.9.20
In the second half of chapter 17, before we read chapter 18, it is said that Jesus answered the question of the Pharisees, “When will the kingdom of God come?” Then the Lord heard the parable of Noah and Ruth. These words were to have the same attitude as Noah and Lot. So now I ask you. “Were Noah and Lot people who prayed a lot, earnestly, and for a long time? Or are they people who firmly believed in God’s word and trusted and waited until the end?”
With this context in mind, let's get into the verse we read today. We call this parable 'the parable of the woman living alone and the judge'. And a simple conclusion. I believe that these words are 'Pray without ceasing' or 'Ask persistently until an answer is given'.
I ask you again.
In the same context as Noah and Lot's wife in the preceding chapter, does this verse teach how and how much to pray, as we have often interpreted it?
First, one of the characters is introduced. He lives in the city. A person who does not fear God. He doesn't respect people very much either. His occupation is a judge. The Bible leaks information that he lives in a city and is a judge. This is to give you an idea of how rich and powerful this person is. You can see how arrogant he is when he says that he does not fear God and does not respect people. Verse 6 calls him 'the unjust judge'.
Who will appear next? That's right. She is a woman who lives alone. In the Old Testament, a widow represents a helpless person (Exodus 22:21-23; Isaiah 1:17; Jeremiah 22:3). In that society, these people were poor and powerless. They are the complete opposite of judges. What is the purpose of using the metaphor of two very sharply divided people in society? Are you trying to teach ‘prayer’? Or is it to answer the question of the Pharisees, 'When will the kingdom of God come?' If it's not about prayer, but about when and to whom the kingdom of God will come, is it an 'unrighteous judge' or a 'widow'? Couldn't the poor widow be a symbol of 'Noah' and 'Lot'? Then, what does the poor widow mean when it says 'the right person to receive the kingdom of God'?
The woman said to the judge, "Seek my rights from my adversaries." I did. Those who think ‘pray without ceasing’ pay little attention to the content of this plea. Then he says, ‘You must pray without ceasing’. However, in order to understand and accept today's text right away, to be faithful to the teachings of Jesus, we must know that this behavior of the widow is the key. Knowing this, we will know the true meaning of prayer we must pray today. Because we understand the Word in the same way as 'Pray without ceasing', Christian prayer is also reduced to 'an instrument of greed'.
But what about the judges? No, what kind of person is he? In short, he is an 'unjust judge'. Jesus is already revealing his humanity in detail. Because he was such a person, he just ignores what is fair. They treat you like you're completely absent. So what do most people do? I give up. Even today, if you look at trial people, you hear that ‘there is not one or two times when you want to quit’ in cases like trials against the state. The woman's condition must have been doubled. But the woman did not give up. It wasn't because something better came up, it was just to regain the 'basic human rights' without losing it. Verse 5 describes it as 'very hard' on the judge. It's not that it's annoying, it's that it's been 'unbearable'. This 'I couldn't stand it' means 'to hit the bottom of the eye'. That doesn't mean you're really slapped under the eye, you're just painting the judge's face. It is to disgrace him. That's 'slapped under the eyes'. That's what made the judge unbearable.
A similar parable is also found in Luke 11:5-8. It tells the story of a friend who came in the middle of the night. Even there, the end is like the woman in the text we read today. I was embarrassed to hear that.
What is Jesus talking about through these two parables?
is not to give up. It is not to be discouraged. It means trust and wait until the end. That's what Noah and Lot did. The kingdom of God belongs to those who live with such an attitude. If you use the analogy, it is just like the case of the widow.
Prayer is not to be used as a tool to achieve any benefit in the short-lived life, but should be used as a weapon to acquire the kingdom of God. Do not let prayer be reduced to some sort of magical power that makes prayer work, or a function that allows someone to do my work instead of me. Not giving up on faith until the end and not getting discouraged. So, the weapon that wins the kingdom of God is 'Prayer'.
The reason that the Korean church is powerless in society even though it 'prays without ceasing' is because it only emphasizes formal prayer and prayer without ceasing in the sense of time. It is because the content of the prayer did not reach the goal of winning the kingdom of God with 'not losing heart' and 'persevering faith'. From now on, it should be changed to 'We have won the kingdom of God' instead of 'I have gained something' or 'I have become something' through prayer.
This widow is just such a person. In other words, they can be said to be like Noah and Lot. to pray for it. This is why we should pray. And after that, God knows everything.