The Chosen Key Word in this Chapter is “Justified” it comes from the Greek Word “dikaioo” which means “to justify, to declare righteous.”
A stubborn widow keeps bothering an unjust judge until he finally gives in. Welcome to Bible Life Basics Chapter Reviews, I am Chris and this is Luke 18.
Jesus tells a parable to teach His disciples to pray persistently and never lose heart, about a widow who repeatedly demands justice from an uncaring judge until he finally grants it simply to stop being bothered, reasoning that if even this unjust judge responds to persistence, how much more will God, who is genuinely good, answer His own elect who cry out to Him. Jesus then tells another parable contrasting a proud Pharisee who thanks God he is not like other sinners, with a humble tax collector who will not even lift his eyes to heaven, simply beating his chest and praying, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” Jesus declares that the tax collector, not the Pharisee, went home “justified,” “dikaioo” in Greek, meaning declared righteous, “for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” When people bring infants for Jesus to touch and the disciples try to stop them, Jesus welcomes the children, saying, “Suffer little children to come unto me… for of such is the kingdom of God.” A rich ruler asks what he must do to inherit eternal life, and when he claims to have kept the commandments since his youth, Jesus tells him to sell all he has and give to the poor. The man becomes very sorrowful, since he is extremely wealthy, and Jesus notes how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God, though “the things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” For the third time, Jesus tells the twelve plainly what awaits Him in Jerusalem, betrayal, mocking, scourging, death, and resurrection, though they do not understand what He means. Approaching Jericho, a blind beggar hears the crowd passing and cries out for mercy, undeterred even when told to be quiet. Jesus calls him over, restores his sight, and the man follows Jesus, glorifying God, while the crowd that witnessed it does the same.
The tax collector’s simple, honest prayer, God be merciful to me a sinner, accomplished more than the Pharisee’s confident recitation of his own religious credentials. Humility before God, this chapter shows repeatedly, opens doors that self-assured confidence keeps firmly shut.
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