The Persistent Widow: Darren Rowse
On Sunday, Darren Rowse continued our Teach us to Pray series with a message based on Luke 18:1-8 - the Parable of the persistent widow and the unjust judge.
Below you’ll find a video and audio recording of Darren’s message as well as a summary of his message with some questions for personal reflection and small group discussion.
Luke's Emphasis: Jesus, a Man of Prayer and Justice
Darren began his message by highlighting Luke's unique emphasis on Jesus as a man of prayer and a man of justice, noting that Luke, a physician writing to a Gentile audience, records significantly more instances of Jesus praying (26 times) and presents more parables about prayer and justice than the other Gospels.
Jesus's consistent practice of prayer at pivotal moments in his ministry, from his baptism to his ascension, underscores its importance. Similarly, Luke's portrayal of Jesus crossing social boundaries and teaching about wealth, generosity, and justice reveals his deep concern for equity. One such boundary Jesus frequently crossed was with women, whom Luke often features prominently, highlighting their faith and using them as positive examples. Widows, a particularly vulnerable group in that society, are mentioned seven times in Luke and Acts, suggesting Luke's specific interest in their stories.
Setting the Scene: A Vulnerable Widow and an Unjust Judge
It was within this context of prayer and justice, and Luke's focus on widows, that Jesus presented the parable of the persistent widow and the unjust judge. Intriguingly, this parable follows Jesus's teachings in Luke 17 about the "days of the Son of Man," often understood as the second coming. In that preceding chapter, Jesus warns against deception and alludes to the trials and persecutions his disciples would face while awaiting his return. Thus, this parable in Luke 18 is strategically placed as an encouragement, stating clearly at its outset that Jesus told it to show his disciples "that they should always pray and not give up" or "not lose heart."
The parable itself is concise, featuring only two central figures: a widow and a judge. Even with a modern Western perspective, the stark contrast between these two is evident. A judge embodies power, position, status, and authority, while a widow, particularly in Jesus's time, represented vulnerability and loss, often lacking social and economic standing without a male advocate. In that patriarchal society, a woman's security and position were largely tied to the men in her life – father, husband, or other male relatives. A widow without such support was exceptionally susceptible to poverty and exploitation, existing in a precarious "no man's land."
The widow in the story stands alone, facing an unspecified injustice with no male figure to champion her cause. The lack of detail about the injustice makes her plight universally relatable to anyone who has experienced unfair treatment. Throughout the Bible, widows are frequently mentioned alongside other vulnerable groups like orphans and foreigners, highlighting God's consistent concern for those in such positions. The cultural surprise of the story, as Daryl Johnson notes, is the widow's very presence and boldness in speaking to a powerful man without any social backing. He aptly describes her as a "gutsy lady."
The other character, the judge, is explicitly described as "unjust." This isn't just any judge; the parable emphasizes twice that he "neither feared God nor cared what people thought." This description stands in stark contrast to the scriptural ideal of a judge: impartial, incorruptible, committed to justice and righteousness, wise, discerning, truthful, and possessing integrity, with a concern for the vulnerable and, crucially, a fear of God. The judge in the parable openly admits his lack of reverence for God and disregard for public opinion, rendering him utterly shameless in a culture that highly valued honour and avoiding shame.
One commentator described him as a "sociopath" in modern terms, another as a "collapsed human being" – someone without moral accountability to either God or humanity, a law unto himself, and the antithesis of justice. Perhaps, Darren suggested, Jesus presented him almost as a comical caricature of leadership, a type that might even resonate with contemporary observations of those in power.
The Widow's Bold Plea and the Judge's Indifference
These two characters, the powerless widow and the unprincipled judge, could not be more different, creating an almost absurdly unequal dynamic. The widow approaches the judge with a bold and clear plea: "Grant me justice against my adversary." Her plea is described as earnest, even a cry, revealing her desperation and emotional investment. Despite her clarity and the judge's responsibility to hear all without prejudice and offer protection to the vulnerable, he remains indifferent, silent, and dismissive. The text states, "For some time he refused," indicating a sustained unwillingness to act justly. The widow, however, persists, repeatedly returning with the same plea.
Echoes of Injustice: Then and Now
Darren invited the congregation to imagine the scene, the widow's mounting frustration not only with the initial injustice but also with the judge's inaction – a double injustice. The stark contrast between the two figures would have likely elicited a reaction from Jesus's audience, perhaps a grim chuckle acknowledging a familiar reality. Those living under the Roman Empire, with its heavy taxation, military brutality, and loss of sovereignty, understood injustice intimately. The heavy burdens imposed by some religious leaders further compounded this reality. Many of Jesus's followers, being poor, sick, enslaved, or marginalised, had firsthand experience of being ignored, exploited, and abused.
Down through the centuries, and even in the present day, many find themselves identifying with the persistent widow, recognising the face of the unjust judge in personal or systemic injustices. Darren pointed to the pervasive nature of injustice in the modern world, from economic disparities and exploitation to discrimination and the abuse of power.
A Self-Serving Relenting: Persistence Pays Off?
However, the parable takes a turn in verse four: "Finally, the judge said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually come back and attack me.'" The judge relents, not due to a change of heart or a sudden commitment to justice, but out of sheer annoyance and even fear. He worries she will "wear him out" or, in a more literal translation of the Greek word hypōpiazō, strike him under the eye, a boxing term evoking the image of a beaten and defeated fighter. This powerful judge is motivated solely by self-interest, a desire for peace from the persistent widow.
Beyond Nagging: Understanding God's Character
If the parable ended here, the message might seem to be that relentless nagging can eventually wear God down. However, Darren clarified that this interpretation would only hold if the widow represented humanity and the judge represented God. Instead, this is a parable of contrast. As Jesus himself explains in verse six: "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly."
Jesus uses the unjust judge as an antithesis to God. Where the judge is unjust, God is just. Where the judge is uncaring, God is loving, merciful, and compassionate. Where the judge acts out of annoyance, God acts out of love and a desire for justice for His people. Where the judge is reluctant, God is eager to respond to those who cry out to Him, as seen in other passages like Luke 11:9 and Matthew 7:11, which speak of God's generous response to prayer. This is good news for anyone who identifies with the plight of the widow.
The Promise of Swift Justice: A Tense Reality
However, Darren highlighted a crucial word in Jesus's statement: "quickly." This word introduces tension, as the reality of injustice often feels slow and protracted for those who experience it. He pondered the countless individuals throughout history who cried out to God for justice in the face of immense suffering, from Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Nazi prisons to Martin Luther King Jr. in the fight for civil rights. While justice may eventually come, it often doesn't feel quick in human terms. Even personal injustices in workplaces, communities, and relationships can leave individuals waiting for extended periods.
A Future Hope and a Present Imperative
Darren emphasised two key points. Firstly, God does hear the cries of those who call out to Him. There is a promise throughout Scripture – in Deuteronomy 10:18, Psalm 9:9, Psalm 10, and Isaiah 61 – that God loves justice and responds to the oppressed. Secondly, the context of this parable, following Jesus's teachings on the "days of the Son of Man" in Luke 17, suggests that the ultimate and complete bringing of justice is tied to Jesus's return. The Greek tense used in these verses points to a future act of justice that will come suddenly.
However, the hope for the present is not lost. Jesus himself actively worked to bring justice into his present time, healing the sick, interacting with the marginalised, and teaching radical love and generosity. He continues to desire to bring His kingdom values into our present.
The Pivotal Question: Will He Find Faith?
Darren then focused on the very last verse of the parable: "I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" Jesus pivots, moving from assuring us of God's justice to a confronting question about our own faith. The Greek word ara infuses this question with a sense of doubt or searching: "Will he really find this faith on the earth?" The use of the definite article "the" before "faith" might allude to the specific faith of the persistent widow.
The question hangs in the air, unanswered. After assuring us of God's faithfulness, Jesus challenges us about our own perseverance. He reminds us of Luke's introduction to this parable: this is a parable to show them how they should pray and not give up. He concludes this teaching with a question about whether we will do that, whether we will give up.
This is a parable that addresses our questions about God's response to injustice, but it also poses a crucial question to us: will we remain faithful? It gives us a picture of a widow who embodies that faithfulness beautifully; she persists. We see a picture of what living faith is here: living faith keeps asking, even in the face of injustice, even when there is no immediate answer. Living faith asks God to do what only God can do. Living faith prays, "Your kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven," even in the face of earthly kingdoms ruling.
As Daryl Johnson says in his insightful reflection on this parable, living faith will not give up until God finally fulfils his promise. Living faith stays there before God's face until his great redemptive project is finished. And the sure sign of a living faith is prayer. What Jesus is telling us in this parable of the widow and the unjust judge, according to Daryl Johnson, is that the clearest manifestation of faith, the clearest expression that faith is alive, is that it prays, and that it keeps praying, even until the "not yet" is "now" and until the unseen is seen.
And so this morning, we are asked the question in this parable: will this faith, the faith of this gutsy woman, be our faith as we wait?
Darren concluded with a prayer, reflecting on the persistent widow and the vital importance of prayer. He led the congregation in an expanded reflection of the Lord's Prayer, focusing on its themes of God's name, kingdom, will, provision, forgiveness, and deliverance from evil, and prayed for strength to resist wrong, stand firm against injustice, and stand with those who face it, confident in God's ultimate justice and enduring love.
Personal Reflection Questions:
In what areas of your life or the world around you do you long for God's justice to be more evident?
The parable highlights the persistent asking of the widow. How would you describe your own level of persistence in prayer, especially when facing injustice or unanswered cries?
Darren emphasised that true faith keeps asking even when answers are unseen. Can you recall a time when you had to persevere in prayer without immediate evidence of God's response? What sustained you?
Small Group Discussion Questions:
Darren described the unjust judge as embodying systemic injustice and a collapsed human being. Can you identify examples of such "judges" or systems in our world today? How do they make you feel?
The widow's persistence eventually wore down the unjust judge. How does this contrast with our approach to prayer with a loving and just God? What does this tell us about God's heart?
Darren highlighted the tension in the word "quickly" regarding God's justice. How do you reconcile the promise of God's swift justice with the often-slow reality of injustice in our world and personal lives?
The sermon connects the ultimate bringing of justice with Jesus's return. How does this future hope impact how we live and pray in the present regarding injustice?
Darren pointed out that Jesus himself actively brought justice into his present time. What are some practical ways we, as followers of Jesus, can work to bring about God's kingdom values of justice and righteousness in our communities today?
The central question Jesus poses is whether he will find faith on earth upon his return, specifically the persistent faith of the widow. What does this "persistent faith" look like in our daily lives, especially when facing prolonged injustice?
Darren concluded that the clearest manifestation of living faith is that it keeps praying. How can we encourage and support one another in cultivating this kind of persistent prayer within our small group and as a church community?