“Timely Justice from the Just Judge”

 Luke 18:1–8                     

Jesus tells his disciples a story about a widow who wears out an unjust judge who is reluctant to give her justice against her adversary. This judge doesn’t fear God or respect people. The widow has an adversary who is doing her wrong by treating her unjustly. The widow apparently has no advocate and so she pleads with the judge to make things right for her. Jesus, we are told, tells this story to his disciples so that they will always pray and not be discouraged, lose heart and give up. He wants them to prayerfully, persistently and continually go to God in prayer. No matter the injustice or the mistreatment they can speak to God who is available and ready to hear from them. This man is a judge, but he is not a judge whose administration of justice reflects the just and fair judgments of God. He doesn’t respect or care about people. Deep down this judge didn’t love God and as a result he didn’t care about people who are made in God's image (18:1-2).

A certain widow who lived in the same town as the ‘unjust judge’ was being treated unjustly by her adversary. She was being oppressed and so she went to the judge. She knew this judge didn’t fear God or respect people, but having no advocate she kept repeatedly going to the judge and pleading for justice. Even though she begged the judge on numerous occasions to give her justice the judge refused to do anything to help her. Finally the unjust judge said to himself, “I don’t fear God, and I don’t respect people but this widow keeps on bothering me. I will give her justice because if I don’t she will keep coming here and she’ll beat me down!’ ”. Jesus told his disciples to listen to the unjust judge who was essentially annoyed to the point that he gave in and gave the widow justice against her adversary. The judge is annoyed, beaten down and worn out so that he gives up his resistance to giving her justice (18:3-6). The word Luke uses can be translated literally to give one a black eye. This little old powerless widow seems to put the fear in this arrogant judge who doesn’t fear God or respect people. He doesn't care what God thinks, or what the widow thinks but he doesn't want the shame of suffering a black eye at the hands of a widow who he has provoked by denying her justice. 

Jesus, however, is drawing a contrast between this unjust judge and God. God is not like that unjust judge. God is good and God is just and he will give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night. The good and just God will not put off his own chosen ones who are able to come and speak to him because they are his beloved who belong to God. God, who is merciful and just, will hear their pleas and he will answer their prayers. The good and just God will give them justice. Therefore, Jesus tells them to pray and to keep on praying and not to give up in their pleading for justice. Luke even says that God will do this quickly. This creates some tension for us as we appeal to God and wrestle and plead with him for justice. Again, we're not trying to wear down a distant God who is reluctant to answer our prayers. God is good and just as well as all-knowing and he knows what is best. We are never to give up or quit but we should continually go to God is prayer knowing that God will do what is right even if he doesn't do what we want when we want it. When the timing is right God will do what he has determined is best and when its right he'll do it quickly! Then Jesus leaves them and us with this question, “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” This is persevering faith that makes one's request known to God and trusts patiently for God's answer in God's timing and it continues in the attitude of heart until the 'Son of Man' comes again and sets everything right! (18:7-8)