Luke 18
18:1-8. Thematically, Luke continues Jesus’ teaching about the coming of the kingdom of God and the judgment (17:20-18:30). In Luke 11:5, the persistent petitioner sought a favor, but here seeks justice and deliverance from persecution. Jesus prepares his people. At times the church may seem like a widow before an uncaring judge, but if even such a judge can be made to yield, how much more a just God for his elect Bride? The question is not when or if God will bring about justice, but will we still be found faithful; will there still be men praying? “Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay.” (Hab.2:3). See also Is.62:6-7; 2Pet.3:9; Rev.6:10; 22:20.
The idiom in v.5 is interesting. Margin, “Lit., hit me under the eye,” i.e. she will give him a black eye, an injury embarrassing to explain, and too visible for others to miss.
18:9-14. Here Jesus moves to the question, who are God’s elect (7)? Who shall stand when he appears? Not the presumptuous self-righteous man who pleads the Law as his defense, but the man who stands convicted by the Law. This man instinctively knows what the temple is there for. The man who pleads guilty knows what he deserves. His only hope is the atoning sacrifice, and the blood sprinkled mercy seat that covers the testimony against us (cf. Col.2:14). His plea, “God be merciful to me,” more literally is “be propitiated for me,” (cf. margin) a word which means, to compensate for sin and avert wrath. See Ro.3:24-25. (The cover over the Ark of the Covenant, “the mercy seat,” is literally, “the propitiatory.”)
18:15-17. We do not enter the kingdom of God by a lifetime of labor. We do not enter as mighty warriors. We are brought as babes, weak, and helpless, and small.
18:18-30. Cf. 18:24-27 with 19:2 ff. See notes Mt.19:16-30; Mark 10:13-31.
18:31-34. Note the triple emphasis on the apostles’ avoidance of Jesus’ blunt literal meaning (34).
18:35-43. See notes Mt.20:29-34; Mark 10: 46-52.