18:1 And 1 he spake a parable unto them [to this end], that
men ought always to pray, and not to a faint;
(1) God will have us to continue in prayer, not to weary us,
but to exercise us; therefore we must fight against
impatience so that a long delay does not cause us to quit
our praying.
(a) Yield to afflictions and adversities as those do who
have lost heart.
18:2b Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not
God, neither regarded man:
(b) He does not compare things that are of equal stature,
but the less with the greater: If a man receives what
is rightfully his at the hands of a most unrighteous
judge, much more will the prayers of the godly prevail
before God.
18:5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her,
lest by her continual coming she c weary me.
(c) Literally, "beat me down with her blows", and it is a
metaphor taken of wrestlers who beat their adversaries
with their fists or clubs: in the same way those that
are persistent beat the judge's ears with their crying
out, even as it were with blows.
18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and
night unto him, though d he bear long with them?
(d) Though he seems slow in avenging the harm done to his
own.
18:92 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in
themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
(2) Two things especially make our prayers void and of no
effect: confidence of our own righteousness, and our
contempt of others; but a humble heart is contrary to both
of these.
18:113 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God,
I thank thee, that I am not as other men [are],
extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this
publican.
(3) Although we confess that whatever we have, we have it from
God, yet we are despised by God as proud and arrogant if we
put even the least trust in our own works before God.
18:13 And the publican, standing e afar off, would not lift up
so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his
breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
(e) Far from the Pharisee in a lower place.
18:15f And they brought unto him also infants, that he would
touch them: 4 but when [his] disciples saw [it], they
rebuked them.
(f) The children were tender and young in that they were
brought, which appears more evidently in that they
were infants. (Ed.)
(4) To judge or think of Christ after the reason of the flesh
is the cause of infinite corruptions.
18:165 But Jesus g called them [unto him], and said, Suffer
little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for
of such is the kingdom of God.
(5) The elect children of the faithful are included in the free
covenant of God. (Ed.)
(g) Those that carried the children, whom the disciples
drove away.
18:176 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the
kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter
therein.
(6) Childlike innocence is an ornament of Christians.
18:217 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.
(7) The enticement of riches carries many away from the right
way.
18:248 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he
said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into
the kingdom of God!
(8) To be both rich and godly is a singular gift of God.
18:299 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is
no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or
wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake,
(9) They become the richest of all who do not refuse to be poor
for Christ's sake.
18:3110 Then he took [unto him] the twelve, and said unto
them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that
are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man
shall be accomplished.
(10) As sure and certain as persecution is, so sure is the
glory which remains for the conquerors.
18:34 And they understood h none of these things: and this
saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things
which were spoken.
(h) By this we see how ignorant the disciples were.
18:3511 And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto
Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging:
(11) Christ shows by a visible miracle that he is the light of
the world.
18:3912 And they which went before rebuked him, that he
should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more,
[Thou] Son of David, have mercy on me.
(12) The more snares and hindrances that Satan lays in our way,
even by those who profess Christ's name, so much the more
ought we to go forward.
