Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge *said; now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”
(Luke 18:1–8, NASB)
Context of the Parable of the Persistent Widow
The parable of the persistent widow takes place in an unnamed town where an unjust judge presides. This judge has no fear of God and no compassion for the people he is supposed to serve. In the Jewish community, judges were expected to be impartial, and righteous, and to recognize that judgment ultimately belongs to God. The judge in this story is unfit for the job and justice was not being served.
A needy widow repeatedly comes before the judge to plead her case. According to Jewish law, widows deserve special protection under the justice system, but this unjust judge ignores her. Nevertheless, she refuses to give up and continues to seek justice.
Meaning of the Parable of the Persistent Widow
Eventually, the judge says to himself, “…Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.” (Luke 18:4–5, NASB). The widow gets the justice she was seeking. Then Jesus explains His point: if an uncaring, unfit, ungodly judge answers with justice in the end, how much more will a loving and holy Father give what is right to His children?
The parable of the persistent widow shows that effective prayer requires tenacity and faithfulness. It demonstrates that we do not always get immediate results when we pray. Our definition of swift justice is not the same as the Lord’s definition. A genuine disciple must learn that prayer never gives up and is based on absolute trust and faith in God. We can fully count on the Lord to answer when, where, and how He chooses. God expects us to keep on asking, seeking, knocking, and praying until the answers come (Matthew 7:7–8). Disciples of Jesus are people of persistent faith.
Lessons from the Parable of the Persistent Widow
- Prayer requires persistence and faithfulness.
- We should not give up when we do not get immediate results.
- God expects us to keep asking, seeking, knocking, and praying until the answers come.
- Disciples of Jesus are people of persistent faith.
- We can fully count on the Lord to answer when, where, and how He chooses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the widow in the parable keep coming to the unjust judge?
The widow in the parable kept coming to the unjust judge because she was seeking justice for her adversary. According to Jewish law, widows deserve special protection under the justice system, and this widow was determined to get what was rightfully hers. She refused to give up and continued to seek justice despite the judge’s lack of concern for her needs.
What does the parable of the persistent widow teach us about prayer?
The parable of the persistent widow teaches us that effective prayer requires tenacity and faithfulness. It shows that we should not give up when we do not get immediate results and that we should keep asking, seeking, knocking, and praying until the answers come. The parable also demonstrates that we can fully count on the Lord to answer when, where, and how He chooses. This parable emphasizes that prayer is based on absolute trust and faith in God and that genuine disciples must be people of persistent faith.
What is the significance of the unjust judge in the parable?
The unjust judge in the parable represents the contrast between the way God answers prayers and the way people respond to requests. The judge initially ignores the widow, but eventually gives in due to her persistence. This shows that even an unjust judge can answer a request, but God, who is loving and holy, will give what is right to His children.
Related Parables:
- The Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31–32)
- The Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:3–9)
- The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37)
- The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11–32)
- The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14–30)