Jesus’ parable of the persistent widow in Luke 8:1-8 has always troubled Gracie and I. The description of the unrighteous judge who finally helps the widow get justice against an adversary so she won’t keep bothering him seems to reinforce how how many of us see God. Yet this parable actually states the opposite. At first glance Luke’s introduction seems to prepare us to see the widow’s way as exemplary—with the assumption (we make) that God is then like the slow-to-act judge.
“Now he was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart” (Lk 18:1).
“Must we pray without ceasing so God will finally answer?” we wonder, disheartened— our unbelief and fear lurking like persistent predators.
A closer look at this parable caused us to re-think our view of God as judge, inspiring us to new levels of faith-filled intercession. In fact, the very introduction clearly states this parable was told “to show that at all times they ought to pray” so that we would “not lose heart”
Persistent appeals before a human judge
The parable presents a stereotypical judge described as operating out of “a certain city” (your city), “who did not fear God and did not respect people” (Lk 8:1).
I can think of many a judge we’ve sat before in our local courts as we’ve advocated for vulnerable people. Many municipal, county or superior court judges come across as jaded, expecting the worst in people, and showing faith only in the penal system they serve. Many a politician today appears to care only about the political survival, and not about truth and justice.
The next character on the scene is the persistent claimant, a vulnerable victim of an injustice or crime (we are not given details).
“There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my adversary.’”
Widows in the first century represented society’s most vulnerable—a defenseless, single woman before one of the highest male authorities in a patriarchal system that accorded her no rights.
But this widow keeps coming before the judge, asking him for legal protection– or more precisely vindication or retribution before her adversary. The Greek term here, ekdikeo, literally means “to give justice to someone who has been wronged.”
“Who are people like this widow in our society who need justice or protection from more powerful adversaries?” Gracie asks during her sermon yesterday at Tierra Nueva, pointing out that the widow could be synonymous with “vulnerable person,” regardless of age, gender or relationship status.
People mention single mothers whose partners have abandoned them, are in prison, or dead. Victims of crimes or abuse. Voiceless children who have been moved repeatedly from one foster care home to another. Defendants with criminal histories that give them points requiring harsher sentencing, who may not be guilty of their charges but cannot afford a good attorney. Hard-working farmworkers swept up in ICE raids, held for deportation in detention centers. Unhoused addicts struggling with mental health issues or an elderly person with dementia in a care facility, whose family never visits.
The widow in this parable is far from a passive victim, but is presented as demonstrating exemplary activism before the powerful.
Identifying the effects of injustice
Gracie asks us all how many of us have personally experienced unfair treatment, and have yet to experience justice or some kind of restitution for having been wronged. Nearly every one of this Sunday’s 50 or so congregants raised their hand.
“When resolution seems unattainable, what happens inside us and how do we react?” asks Gracie.
People talk about how resentment, bitterness and hopeless are common reactions. Others mention extreme stress and upset, leading them to sometimes take justice into their own hands through pay backs, which often include acts of retribution, including gossip, slander, threats and violence. Think of the damage caused by bearing false witness on social media, and how things can escalate.
So, this parable directly speaks to all of us who are in need of justice regarding situations in which we’ve been wronged.
Human justice vs. God’s
Gracie then reads the next verse which describes the judge finally giving the widow justice. The powerful, hard-hearted judge finally gives the powerless widow what she asks for, not because he’s in any way good but because he wants her to stop bothering him. A first level take away from this parable.
Jesus then suddenly flips the script, revealing God as the opposite of a harsh human judge and flawed legal system.
Luke presents Jesus using the title Lord, Kurios— the Greek equivalent of the divine name YHWH, with his “and the Lord said.” Then Jesus draws attention to the best outcome from a bad system: “Hear what the unrighteous judge said,” preparing us for his pitch about God as our supreme advocate.
First Jesus asks two questions, answering them himself in the clearest possible way, ending with a final question to us all.
Jesus first asks: “Now, will not God bring about justice for his elect who cry to him day and night?”
Who are the elect/chosen?
Here with the mention of the “elect” or “chosen” many immediately disqualify themselves—perhaps us included. Gracie reads 1 Corinthians 1:26-28 about who is chosen.
“For consider your calling, brothers and sisters, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that he may nullify the things that are.”
Being foolish, weak, base, or despised doesn’t disqualify you from being chosen/elect. Rather it qualifies you! Everyone mentioned in our examples above (widows, unhoused, victims..) and everyone there at Tierra Nueva is chosen! And there are even some (though few) who are from wise, mighty and noble backgrounds.
Crying out to God day and night
Crying out to God “day and night” is something we are invited to do when we’re truly distressed. Unlike judges whose calendars are booked for weeks or months in advance, God is available 24/7. God hears our cries! We’re urged elsewhere to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thes 5:17), and to ask so as to receive (Mt 7:7)—but the language here is related more to cries regarding injustice, oppression or unfair treatment.
The Greek verb for “cry” here, boao, means literally to cry out or shout, and is used throughout the Greek Old Testament to describe God’s people crying out for justice against oppressors or injustice.
The voice of Cain’s brother and victim Abel’s blood, cries out to the Lord from the ground (Gn 4:10) is the first mention of this verb in the Greek Old Testament. God’s people cry out from slavery in Egypt (1 Sam 12:8), in repentance (1 Sam 12:10), and from their affliction (2 Sam 22:7; Jonah 2:3). The prophet Habakuk cried out to God for salvation from oppressors (Hab 1:2). In the New Testament the father of the demonized boy (Lk 9:38) and a blind beggar (Lk 18:38) cried out to Jesus for deliverance and sight.
Jesus advocates for the Father
Jesus asks his second question “and will he delay long over them?” (Lk 8:7) in direct opposition to the long-delayed answer from the unrighteous judge (and any possible confusion with God).
Immediately Jesus answers this second question personally and emphatically:
“I tell you” he emphasizes, followed by “that he will bring about justice for them quickly!”
Here Jesus speaks a word of encouragment to anyone in need of justice. Jesus also advocates for God before the elect, who are prone to listening to the Accuser, who presents God as slow to save.
Jesus aligns here with Paul’s words in Romans 12:19 about God’s commitment to bring about justice for us when are victimized, so we won’t take matters into our hands.
“Never take your own revenge (same verb ekdikeo), beloved, but leave room for the wrath, for it is written, “vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.”
Our action consists in “not being overcome by evil, but overcoming evil with good” (Rm 12:21).
To suddenly get clarity that this parable is specifically about asking God for needed justice, and concrete resolution from harm long-endured visibly impacted our community. And why should we be surprised? The Holy Spirit is called the paraclete (mean “calling out from alongside), translated as Advocate, Defender, Helper, Comforter. That Jesus insists that God will answer quickly makes us all want to ask then and there for God to bring justice that we hunger for now.
Let’s ask God for justice
We end with a time of prayer, where Gracie invites us all to bring concrete situations where we (or others) have been wronged, requesting God’s help regarding injustices suffered at the hand of an adversary, trusting God to deliver us and bring about justice.
Gracie mentions the term adversary can include many opponents: the so-called “justice system,” corrupt and unjust national political leaders, a personal enemy (even a family member or former friend), a stranger, or even ourself– because often we judge ourselves unfairly and come into agreement with the Accuser (Rev 12:10). Satan is called the Adversary (1 Pt 5:8), using the same term, antidikos as in this parable. Jesus has already defeated this Adversary, as well as the rulers of this earth (Ps 2) through his victory on the cross.
Now we see injustices committed by national leaders at the highest level of the US government, with little to no push-back from elected leaders whose role is to hold the powerful accountable. May we learn from the widow in this parable, who persisted in her activism for justice until the powerful relented. May we take the deeper step of faith and cry out to God day and night, asking for wrongs to be righted, expectant that God will bring justice and Jesus’ Kingdom will prevail.
Will Jesus find faith when he returns?
We end with a final question that Jesus asks about himself (Son of Man) when he returns.
“However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Lk 18:8).
And what is faith? It is simply choosing to trust, however faintly, that God will actually come to our rescue. Remember that having a tiny amount of faith, the size of a mustard seed, still counts as faith, even when we know we need much more. “Lord I believe, help my unbelief!”
If you, like us, have fallen prey to a false interpretation of this life-giving parable, we pray that Jesus himself would open the eyes of your heart to the Good News he wants to communicate to you personally.
Check out links to my most podcast “Disciple: Word, Spirit, Justice, Mission” below. Also take note of the new editions of Guerrilla Gospel and Guerrilla Bible Studies, now entitled Liberating Gospel and Liberating Bible Studies, available here.
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