Luke 18:5

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

Luke 18:5 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 18:5

Yet because this widow troubleth me
By often knocking at his door, by loud cries and earnest entreaties, with strong arguments, and floods of tears, and could not easily be removed from his presence, or got out of his house:

I will avenge her;
I will hear her cause, do her justice, and deliver her from her troublesome adversary:

lest by her continual coming she weary me:
so that it was not from a conscience of duty in him, as a judge, or from a commiseration of the poor widow's case; but from a selfish end, for his own ease, in perfect agreement to his character, that his house might not be disturbed, and his ears stunned with her noise and cry, and he was pestered with her company day after day. The character of this judge, his reasoning with himself upon it, his principles from which he acted, and the ends he had in view, are wholly to be left out in the accommodation of this parable; and no farther to be considered than as the argument from the lesser to the greater may be strengthened by them; the intention of the parable being only to show the force, efficacy, and usefulness of importunity in prayer, as appears by the application of it, by our Lord, in the verses following.

Luke 18:5 In-Context

3 A widow was in that city, and she came often to him, saying, 'Defend me from my adversary!'

4 He wouldn't for a while, but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I don't fear God, nor respect man,

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

6 The Lord said, "Listen to what the unrighteous judge says.

7 Won't God avenge his elect, who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them?