Luke 18

Luke 18 comes near the end of the central section of the Gospel of Luke (from 9:51 onward), which portrays Jesus' journey up to Jerusalem. The discussion of the kingdom of God and the day of the Son of Man at the end of chapter 17 leads into the parable about prayer in verses 1–8. From verse 15 onward, the narrative follows the same order as the Gospels of Matthew and Mark.

Outline

• Verses 1–8 Jesus tells the Parable of the Unjust Judge to teach that people ought always to pray and not lose heart. Because a widow keeps coming to him, the judge at last grants her justice against her adversary.
• Verses 9–14 To those who trust in their own righteousness and despise others, Jesus tells the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. The tax collector, who beats his breast and pleads for mercy, goes home justified.
• Verses 15–17 When people bring infants to Jesus, the disciples rebuke them. Jesus calls the children to him and says that the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
• Verses 18–30 A ruler asks how to inherit eternal life, and Jesus tells him to sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow him. When the man becomes sorrowful, Jesus uses the image of a camel going through the eye of a needle. To Peter, who says that the disciples have left everything to follow him, Jesus promises reward both in this present time and in the age to come.
• Verses 31–34 Jesus again foretells to the Twelve his suffering and his resurrection on the third day, but the disciples do not understand.
• Verses 35–43 Near Jericho, a blind man by the roadside cries out to the "Son of David." Jesus heals him, and he follows Jesus.

Key Verses

• Luke 18:1 "that men ought always to pray, and not to faint" — a rare instance in which the purpose of a parable is stated at the outset; the verse is frequently cited in teaching on prayer.
• Luke 18:13 "God be merciful to me a sinner" — regarded as the model of humble prayer in repentance.
• Luke 18:27 "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God" — affirming that salvation depends not on human ability but on God.

People and Places

• The judge and the widow: characters in the first parable.
• The Pharisee and the tax collector: characters in the second parable. The Pharisees were a Jewish group known for strict observance of the Law, and tax collectors collected taxes on behalf of Rome.
• The ruler: the rich man who asked about eternal life. Because Matthew describes him as a "young man," he is commonly called the Rich Young Ruler.
• The blind man of Jericho: Luke does not give his name, but Mark 10:46 calls him Bartimaeus.
• Jerusalem: the destination of Jesus' journey.
• Jericho: a town west of the Jordan River, on the road up to Jerusalem.

Points for Reflection

• Verses 15–43 have parallel passages in Mark 10 and Matthew 19–20. Luke places the healing of the blind man "as he was come nigh unto Jericho," whereas Mark and Matthew place it as Jesus was leaving Jericho. Matthew also records two blind men. Interpreters hold various views on how to account for these differences (see the Synoptic Problem).
• In the Protestant tradition, "justified" in verse 14 has been read in connection with the doctrine of justification.
• Denominations differ in their understanding of verses 15–17. Churches that practice infant baptism, such as Presbyterians and Methodists, cite this passage as one basis for holding that children also belong to the kingdom of God. Baptists and others hold that the passage concerns blessing rather than baptism (see the infant baptism debate).
• The words "sell all that thou hast" in verse 22 have been read in the Roman Catholic monastic tradition as a basis for the vow of poverty. Protestants often read them as revealing that wealth was the particular stumbling block for this man.
• A widely circulated explanation interprets the "eye of a needle" in verse 25 as the name of a small gate in Jerusalem. Many, however, point out that no ancient sources have been found to support this explanation.

In the Korean Church

Verses 1–8 are frequently used as a text on unceasing prayer in sermons encouraging participation in early morning prayer meetings or committed periods of prayer. Verses 9–14 are often preached on humility and repentance, and verses 15–17 are a common text for Children's Sunday sermons.