Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Luke 18:4-5
The judge granted the widow’s petition solely because of her persistence. Jesus was not teaching that God takes the same attitude toward disciples that this judge took toward this widow. Again, the judge contrasts with God. His point was that persistence is effective with unjust judges. How much more will it be effective with the righteous Judge.The phrase "wear me out" translates an idiom that literally means "strike under the eye" (Gr. hypopiaze me, cf. 1 Corinthians 9:27). We could translate... read more
Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Luke 18:2-3
Jesus pictured this judge as failing to do what the Mosaic Law required of Israel’s judges. In the Old Testament fear of God was primarily fear of Him as judge. This judge was a man of the world (cf. Luke 16:8). Luke’s Gentile readers undoubtedly knew of judges who were similar to him. [Note: Danker, p. 184.] Whether this judge was a Jewish or a Roman judge is unclear and irrelevant. In view of the access that the widow enjoyed to his presence he seems to have been a lower official rather than... read more