·
23 Saint James of
Jerusalem, Brother of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Martyr, c. 62
·
26 Alfred the Great, King of the West Saxons, 899
] 'Elf-counsel' or
'Wise-elf'; between 847 and 849 – 26 October 899) was King of Wessex from 871 to c. 886 and King of the Anglo-Saxons from c. 886 to 899. He was the youngest son of King Æthelwulf of Wessex. His father died when he was young and three of Alfred's
brothers, Æthelbald, Æthelberht and Æthelred, reigned in turn.
·
28 Saint Simon and Saint Jude, Apostles
·
29 James Hannington, Bishop of Eastern Equatorial
Africa, and his Companions, Martyrs, 1885
OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah
31:27-34 (RCL)
Jere 31:27 (NRSV)
The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will sow the house of Israel
and the house of Judah with the seed of humans and the seed of animals. 28 And
just as I have watched over them to pluck up and break down, to overthrow,
destroy, and bring evil, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, says
the LORD. 29 In those days they shall no longer say:
"The parents
have eaten sour grapes,
and the children's
teeth are set on edge."
30 But all shall
die for their own sins; the teeth of everyone who eats sour grapes shall be set
on edge.
31 The days are
surely coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of
Israel and the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant that I made
with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land
of Egypt--a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the
LORD. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after
those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it
on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 No
longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, "Know the
LORD," for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,
says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no
more.
Genesis 32: 22 - 31
(alt. for RCL)
Gene 32:22
(NRSV) The same night he [Jacob] got up
and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the
ford of the Jab'bok. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and
likewise everything that he had. 24 Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled
with him until daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against
Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as
he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, "Let me go, for the day is
breaking." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go, unless you bless
me." 27 So he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said,
"Jacob." 28 Then the man said, "You shall no longer be called
Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have
prevailed." 29 Then Jacob asked him, "Please tell me your name."
But he said, "Why is it that you ask my name?" And there he blessed
him. 30 So Jacob called the place Peni'el, saying, "For I have seen God
face to face, and yet my life is preserved." 31 The sun rose upon him as
he passed Penu'el, limping because of his hip.
Exodus 17: 8 - 13
(Roman Catholic)
Exod 17:8 (NRSV)
Then Am'alek came and fought with Israel at Reph'idim. 9 Moses said to Joshua,
"Choose some men for us and go out, fight with Am'alek. Tomorrow I will
stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand." 10 So
Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Am'alek, while Moses, Aaron, and
Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel
prevailed; and whenever he lowered his hand, Am'alek prevailed. 12 But Moses'
hands grew weary; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it.
Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other
side; so his hands were steady until the sun set. 13 And Joshua defeated
Am'alek and his people with the sword.
PSALM 119: 97 - 104
(RCL)
Psal 119:97 (NRSV)
Oh, how I love your law!
It is my
meditation all day long.
98 Your
commandment makes me wiser than my enemies,
for it is always
with me.
99 I have more
understanding than all my teachers,
for your decrees
are my meditation.
100 I understand
more than the aged,
for I keep your
precepts.
101 I hold back my
feet from every evil way,
in order to keep
your word.
102 I do not turn
away from your ordinances,
for you have
taught me.
103 How sweet are
your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey
to my mouth!
104 Through your
precepts I get understanding;
therefore I hate
every false way.
Psalm 119: Mem Quomodo
dilexi! [ECUSA BCP]
97 Oh,
how I love your law! *
all
the day long it is in my mind.
98 Your
commandment has made me wiser than my enemies, *
and
it is always with me.
99 I
have more understanding than all my teachers, *
for
your decrees are my study.
100 I
am wiser than the elders, *
because
I observe your commandments.
101 I
restrain my feet from every evil way, *
that
I may keep your word.
102 I
do not shrink from your judgments, *
because
you yourself have taught me.
103 How
sweet are your words to my taste! *
they
are sweeter than honey to my mouth.
104 Through
your commandments I gain understanding; *
therefore
I hate every lying way.
Psalm 121 (alt. for
RCL, Roman Catholic)
Psal 121:1 (NRSV)
I lift up my eyes to the hills--
from where will my
help come?
2 My help comes
from the LORD,
who made heaven
and earth.
3 He will not let
your foot be moved;
he who keeps you
will not slumber.
4 He who keeps
Israel
will neither
slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD is your
keeper;
the LORD is your
shade at your right hand.
6 The sun shall
not strike you by day,
nor the moon by
night.
7 The LORD will
keep you from all evil;
he will keep your
life.
8 The LORD will
keep
your going out and
your coming in
from this time on
and forevermore.
121 Levavi oculos [ECUSA BCP]
1 I lift
up my eyes to the hills; *
from
where is my help to come?
2 My help
comes from the Lord, *
the
maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will
not let your foot be moved *
and
he who watches over you will not fall asleep.
4 Behold,
he who keeps watch over Israel *
shall
neither slumber nor sleep;
5 The
Lord himself watches over you; *
the
Lord is your shade at your right hand,
6 So that
the sun shall not strike you by day, *
nor
the moon by night.
7 The
Lord shall preserve you from all evil; *
it is
he who shall keep you safe.
8 The
Lord shall watch over your going out and
your coming in, *
from
this time forth for evermore.
NEW TESTAMENT: 2
Timothy 3: 14 - 4: 5 (RCL)
2 Timothy
3: 14 - 4: 2 (Roman Catholic)
2 Tim 3:14 (NRSV)
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing
from whom you learned it, 15 and how from childhood you have known the sacred
writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ
Jesus. 16 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for
reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 so that everyone
who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. 4:1 In the
presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead,
and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: 2 proclaim
the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable;
convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. 3 For
the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having
itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own
desires, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to
myths. 5 As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an
evangelist, carry out your ministry fully.
But Timothy, “continue” ( 3:14),
stand fast, in what Paul and your family have taught you! (“Whom” is plural in
Greek.) Remember that the Old Testament (“sacred writings”, 3:15),
interpreted in the Christian community (“faith in Christ ...”) tells you about
“salvation”, about Christ. “All scripture” ( 3:16),
possibly including some New Testament books, has authority rooted in God and so
gives a basis for human conduct. It enables all who speak for God (“belongs to
God”, 3:17:
literally man of God), equipping them for good works, including
“teaching ...” (v. 16).
The author now begins his conclusion. Thinking ahead to Christ’s
second coming, “his appearing” ( 4:1),
when he will “judge” and begin ruling all creation (“kingdom”), he now urges
Timothy to “proclaim” ( 4:2)
the good news, whether the time seems propitious or not (for God’s word is
always in season). False teachers are undermining the faith
now; perhaps “the time is coming” ( 4:3)
when no one will adhere to the true faith. (“Myths”, 4:4,
are probably changes or accretions to doctrine handed down from the apostles.)
In 4:6-8,
Paul sees his death as being close, so he hands on his ministry to Timothy and
other future leaders. The ministry is now Timothy’s (“your”, 4:5).
May he, like Paul, remain steadfast (“sober”) as he evangelizes, visiting
various cities – even enduring “suffering”
3:1: “the last days”: They have already begun: see v. 5. In Peter’s speech explaining the events of the Day of Pentecost, he quotes Joel as showing that final era has already begun: see Acts 2:16-17. [ NOAB]
3:1:
“distressing times”: See also Matthew 24:4-5 (false
messiahs); Mark 13:22 (false
messiahs and false prophets); 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12;
2 Peter 3:3;
Jude 18.
[ NOAB] [ CAB]
3:2-5:
The attention given to lists of vices in the Pastoral Letters indicates
a special emphasis on morality; the lists are broadened beyond the lists Paul
offers. See 1 Timothy 1:9-10; 6:4-5;
Titus 3:3;
1 Corinthians 5:11; 6:9-10;
Galatians 5:18-21;
Romans 1:29-31.
[ CAB] Assonance and
alliteration (in the Greek) rather than logical or biblical order govern the
sequence of this list of vices. They are mentioned in almost the same order in
Romans 1:30-31.
[ NJBC]
3:5:
They will appear to be godly but will lack the vital “power”. For Paul on this
subject, see 1 Corinthians 2:5; 4:19-20 (“...
the kingdom of God depends not on talk but on power”); 1 Thessalonians 1:5.
[ NOAB] See also
Colossians 2:23.
[ CAB]
3:5:
“holding to the outward form of godliness”: NJBC offers having the
outward form of piety and says that Paul uses a similar phrase in
Romans 2:20.
3:6-7:
It appears that an approach of the false teachers has been to influence women
in the community. [ CAB]
3:6:
“into households”: The Greek word can also mean house or family.
In 2:20,
the word obviously means the household of believers or house--church .
It may well have the same meaning here and in 1 Timothy 5:13.
[ NJBC]
3:6:
“silly women”: NJBC offers silly
little women and says that the Greek is a contemptuous diminutive. In
antiquity, the contention that false teaching appealed to women was common;
however, 1 Timothy 5:13 suggests
that some women helped to spread unorthodox Christian teaching, which the
author opposed.
3:6:
“all kinds of desires”: Titus 3:3 speaks
of being “slaves to various passions and pleasures” as part of the
pre--conversion state. [ NJBC]
3:8:
“Jannes and Jambres”: The Egyptian magicians who opposed Moses are not named in
Exodus 7:11;
they were named later in Jewish tradition. See also Exodus 9:11.
[ CAB] The names are found in CD
(Damascus Document) 5:18-19. Just as these men (plus Korah and his allies)
could not succeed for long against God’s true representative, so likewise the
false teachers are doomed to failure: see v. 9.
[ NJBC]
3:11:
“my persecutions and suffering”: For Paul’s description of his sufferings, see
2 Corinthians 6:4-10.
[ NOAB]
3:11:
“Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra”: In Acts of Paul and
Thecla, Paul’s work focuses on these three cities. [ NJBC] Timothy was from Lystra.
For Paul in these cities, see Acts 13:14-52 (Persidian
Antioch and Iconium); 14:1-20 (Iconium
and Lystra); 16:1-5 (Lystra).
[ CAB]
3:11:
“the Lord rescued me ...”: Probably a reference to Psalm 34:19.
This psalm insists on the vindication of the righteous individual. Like Moses
(see 2:19 and
v. 8),
Paul was also vindicated by God. See also 4:18.
[ NJBC]
3:12:
In Matthew 10:22,
Jesus tells his disciples: “you will be hated by all because of my name”. See
also John 15:19;
Acts 14:22;
Galatians 4:29;
Philippians 1:29;
1 Thessalonians 3:3-4.
[ CAB] [ JBC]
3:12:
“to live a godly life”: See also Titus 1:1 (“the
knowledge of the truth that is in accordance with godliness”) and Titus 2:12 (“to
live lives that are ... godly”). [ JBC]
3:13:
“impostors”: Like “Jannes and Jambres” (v. 8).
The Greek word was also a stock epithet used of philosophical opponents. [ NJBC]
3:13:
“deceiving others and being deceived”: See also vv. 5-9 (avoid
those “holding to the outward form of godliness but denying its power ...”)
and 2:26.
“Being deceived” can also be translated as led astray or wandering
about, so false teachers are in the same state as are non--believers:
Titus 3:3 says
“For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various
passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, despicable, hating
one another” . [ NJBC]
3:14: 1:5 speaks
of the contributions of Timothy’s mother and grandmother to his knowledge of
the faith: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in
your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you”.
[ NJBC]
3:15:
“sacred writings”: The phrase hiera grammata was in current
use among Greek--speaking Jews (e.g. Philo and Josephus) to designate biblical
books. The Old Testament is only able to offer true instruction if read in the
context of the faith of the Christian community. [ NJBC] The Church interpreted (and
interprets) these books as pointing to Christ. [ NOAB]
3:16:
“All scripture”: pasa graphe can mean the entirety of
scripture or each passage in scripture. NOAB sees this as a reference to
the Old Testament.
3:16:
“inspired by God”: God is ultimately responsible for the existence of these
books. [ JBC] CAB says that this phrase
translates one Greek adjective which literally means produced by the
power of God’s own breath.
3:17:
The REB offers: so
that the man of God may be capable and equipped for every good work. For man
of God, see also 1 Timothy 6:11:
“But as for you [Timothy], man of God ...”.
3:17:
“equipped for every good work”: As against the false teachers who are “unfit
for any good work” (Titus 1:16). NOAB says that the works include
those mentioned in v. 16.
4:2:
“whether the time is favourable or unfavourable”: This is unusual advice, for
ancients commonly urged speech only when timely, but the times are
in God’s hands (see Titus 1:3;
1 Timothy 2:6; 6:15)
and the speaker can therefore leave the timeliness to God. [ NJBC]
4:3-4:
In 1 Timothy 4:1-2,
the author says “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will
renounce the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of
demons, through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared with a hot
iron.” [ CAB]
4:3:
The author says in 3:1:
“You must understand this, that in the last days distressing times will come”.
[ NOAB]
4:3:
“sound doctrine”: Or sound teaching. Titus 1:13 says
“That testimony is true. For this reason rebuke them sharply, so that they may
become sound in the faith”. See also Titus 2:1.
[ NJBC]
4:4:
“myths”: In 1 Timothy 1:3-4,
the author urges some people “not to occupy themselves with myths and endless
genealogies that promote speculations rather than the divine training that is
known by faith”. In 1 Timothy 4:7,
he advises his readers “have nothing to do with profane myths and old wives’
tales”. [ NOAB]
4:5:
“endure suffering”: In 2:8-9,
the author, speaking as Paul, says “my gospel, for which I suffer hardship,
even to the point of being chained like a criminal”. In 1:8,
Timothy is invited to “ join with ... [Paul] in suffering for the gospel”. [ NJBC]
4:5:
“an evangelist”: A preacher of the gospel not restricted to a particular area.
Acts 21:8 tells
us of “Philip the evangelist”. He was one of the first seven deacons: see
Acts 6:1-6.
Ephesians 4:11 tells
us that one of the gifts Christ gives us is to be an evangelist. [ NOAB] Here responsibility for the
Christian message is being passed from Paul to the next generation of church
leaders. [ NJBC]
4:5:
“your ministry”: Previously it was Paul’s ministry: 1 Timothy 1:12 says
“I [Paul] am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me,
because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service”. [ NJBC]
4:6-8:
Paul’s death is depicted as being soon, and so he hands on his legacy to
Timothy and other future leaders. [ JBC]
4:6:
“libation”: In Philippians 2:17,
Paul speaks of “... being poured out as a libation over the sacrifice and the
offering of your faith ...”. Numbers 28:7 commands
“... in the sanctuary you shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to
the Lord”, so the author of 2
Timothy bases his words on an ancient idea. Psalm 16:4 also
mentions “drink offerings” made to God. [ CAB]
4:7:
The example of the athlete is also found in 2:5 and
by Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 and
Philippians 3:12-14.
A military image is also used in 2:4 and
1 Timothy 6:12.
[ CAB]
4:8:
“crown of righteousness”: 2:5 says
“... in the case of an athlete, no one is crowned without competing according
to the rules”. The winner of a foot--race received a victor’s crown at the
finishing post. [ NOAB] [ CAB]
GOSPEL: Luke 18: 1 - 8
(all)
Luke 18:1 (NRSV)
Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose
heart. 2 He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared
God nor had respect for people. 3 In that city there was a widow who kept
coming to him and saying, "Grant me justice against my opponent.' 4 For a
while he refused; but later he said to himself, "Though I have no fear of
God and no respect for anyone, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I
will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually
coming.'" 6 And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says.
7 And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and
night? Will he delay long in helping them? 8 I tell you, he will quickly grant
justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on
earth?"
In Jewish society, a “widow” (v. 3)
had no legal status; she was powerless. The story tells us twice that the judge
is a rogue: he neither respects God nor cares about other people (vv. 2, 4).
So why would Jesus tell an absurd story? Because such stories are easily
remembered and are likely to be retold.
Jesus uses this incongruous story to teach the disciples a lesson.
If even this rogue listens to a petition (eventually), how much more so will
God, loving as he is, hear and answer the prayers of the faithful, those whom
he has “chosen” (v. 7),
by again sending Christ, to judge. He will grant them justice soon after he
comes (“quickly”, v. 8);
however, they cannot know when he will come. So do not “lose heart” (v. 1)
and persist “day and night” (v. 7)
in prayer, seeking the completion of the coming of the Kingdom. But, Jesus
wonders, will any still be faithful then, or will they all be preoccupied by
other matters?
© 1996-2019
Chris Haslam
17:20-18:8: The theme of this section is fidelity while
waiting for the coming of the Son of Man. [ NJBC]
17:20: “when the kingdom of God was coming”: 19:11 tells
us that the crowd at Jericho “supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear
immediately”. In Acts 1:6,
before his ascension, the disciples ask Jesus “... ‘Lord, is this the time when
you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’”. See also 21:7.
[ NOAB]
17:20: “with things that can be observed”: BlkLk offers with
observation. He says that there is word--play between the two senses of the
Greek word:
- watch for,
i.e. cry to catch, and
- observe,
i.e. keep, as regulations are kept.
In 11:53-54,
the Pharisees watch in the first sense: “When he went outside,
the scribes and the Pharisees began to be very hostile toward him and to
cross-examine him about many things, lying in wait for him, to catch him in
something he might say”. In this sense, Jesus says that the Kingdom does not
come through meticulous keeping of the tradition, not by hostile watching of
Jesus. There is irony here: by watching him, Jesus would show the Pharisees the
Kingdom if they had the right perspective, if they were able to discern the
signs of the times. In 12:56,
Jesus says to the crowds: “You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the
appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the
present time?”.
17:21: “the kingdom of God is among you”: i.e. in the
person of Christ. The reality of God’s “kingdom” is present and available. The
Pharisees have in mind a kingdom bringing material benefits. [ NOAB] BlkLk says that is within
your grasp or within your power is almost what the
Greek means.
17:22-27: Matthew 24 contains
similar teachings in a different order and setting. [ NOAB] Luke presents another eschatological discourse
in 21:5-36 which
emphasizes the events leading up to the coming of the Son of Man. [ NJBC]
17:22: In Matthew 9:15,
Jesus foretells: “The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from
them, and then they will fast”. Mark 2:20 and
Luke 5:35 are
similar. [ NOAB]
17:22: “one of the days of the Son of Man”: BlkLk says that these are the
days of the revealing of the glory of the Son of Man, beginning with the
Transfiguration, and to be ended with the final consummation.
17:22: “Son of Man”: Jews expected a number of people
to appear at the time of God’s definitive intervention in world affairs on
behalf of Israel: messiahs, figures who would rescue/save the
nation. These included Elijah, the prophet like Moses, and perhaps the Son of
Man. But one messiah , the Messiah, was a precisely defined
concept: the anointed king descended from David who would establish Yahweh’s earthly kingdom.
After the Exile, the
expectation of the Messiah appears. The notion is found in some
intertestamental literature, particularly in books which are not found in
the Apocrypha. But in the
first century AD many Jews had given up on the Davidic dynasty; after all, it
was 500 years since a Davidic king had ruled. There was no expectation of a
Messiah who would be Son of God; rather the Messiah, while having spiritual
qualities, was expected to be a national hero, and probably super--human.
17:23-24: In Matthew 24:23-27,
Jesus says: “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Messiah!’ or ‘There
he is’ – do not believe it. ... So, if they say to you, 'Look! He is in the
wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look! He is in the inner rooms,’ do
not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as
the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man”. See also Mark 13:21 and
Revelation 1:7.
[ NOAB]
17:23: “Look there!”: i.e. Look, there is
the Son of Man. [ NOAB]
17:24: The coming will be sudden and visible to all.
[ NOAB] BlkLk says the comparison is with
the brightness of the “lightning” rather than its suddenness. The Son of Man
will shine with unmistakable brightness as at the Transfiguration.
17:25: In 9:22,
Jesus says “‘The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by
the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be
raised’”. [ NOAB] Jews did not
expect the Messiah to suffer.
17:27: “marrying and being given in marriage”:
Perhaps this reference is here because of Genesis 7:7:
“And Noah with his sons and his wife and his sons' wives went into the ark to
escape the waters of the flood”. [ BlkLk]
17:28-30: See Genesis 18:16-19:28 for
the stories. [ NOAB]
17:28: The catastrophe in Lot’s day was by fire. Luke
may include Lot to follow the Hellenistic tradition of alternate catastrophes
of flood and fire. [ BlkLk]
17:29: “fire and sulphur”: BlkLk offers fire and
brimstone. The word translated “sulphur” appears to denote some combustible
material, possibly oil. The sentence is composed of words occurring in
the Septuagint translation
of Genesis 19:24.
17:32: Genesis 19:26 says
“But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”. [ NOAB] This verse is not found in
Matthew and Mark. [ BlkLk]
17:33: See also Matthew 10:38-39.
[ NOAB] BlkLk offers a different
translation: Whoever seeks to possess his life shall lose it, and
whoever loses it will make it live. REB offers Whoever seeks to
preserve his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life will gain it. In
Mark 8:35,
Jesus says “‘For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who
lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it”.
Based on his translation, noting that Luke uses the Marcan form of the saying,
BlkLk notes that Luke has made some interesting changes: from save to possess,
and from save it to make it live. Here, Jesus
warns against making one’s life into a possession, i.e. something to be
guarded. While apolesei is translated as “lose”, it actually
has a double meaning: it also means destroy.
17:36: This verse is not found in most reliable
manuscripts. [ NJBC]
17:37: Jesus’ words are also found in Matthew 24:28.
Jesus’ answer is a significant appeal to faith. The questioners wish to
know where the Messiah and his people will be located. Instead
of answering them directly, Jesus warns: as surely as vultures find the
carcass, so surely will divine judgement come; therefore, always be ready! [ NOAB]
17:37: “vultures”: CAB sees those who are struck down
as being food for the vultures. NJBC and BlkLk offer eagles.
NJBC interprets Jesus’ words as saying that the Son of Man’s coming is as
certain as the presence of a corpse where birds of prey are gathered.
18:1-8: The insistent but effective appeals of the
widow to the judge are compared with the readiness of God to heed the prayers
of his people and set matters right, but the question remains whether there
will be sufficient people of faith when the Son of Man returns. [ CAB]
These verses are tied
to 17:20-37 by
v. 8.
For Luke’s first readers, probably persecuted, the lessons are:
- God will not abandon them, the elect, and
- they must remain faithful and therefore people of
steadfast prayer until Jesus comes. [ NJBC]
18:1: “pray always”: A typical Pauline expression:
see 1 Thessalonians 5:17;
2 Thessalonians 1:11;
Romans 1:9; 12:12;
Ephesians 6:18.
[ JBC]
18:1: The point is carefully stated, perhaps because
the details are incongruous (as they are in 16:1-9,
the Parable of the Unjust Steward or Dishonest Manager). [ NOAB]
18:1: “not to lose heart”: Also a typical Pauline
expression: see 2 Corinthians 4:1, 16;
Galatians 6:9;
Ephesians 3:13.
[ JBC]
18:3: “widow”: For a widow as an image of
powerlessness, see also 7:11-17 and 20:45-21:4.
[ NJBC]
18:7: See also Revelation 6:10 (the
opening of the fifth seal); Matthew 24:22 (the
events preceding the end of the era, on the Mount of Olives); Romans 8:33;
Colossians 3:12;
2 Timothy 2:10.
[ NOAB]
18:7: “Will he delay long in helping them?”: BlkLk sees the Greek here as a
continuation of the description of the condition of “his chosen ones” and
renders it as while he is slow to help them .
18:8: “faith”: Faith is a requisite for persistent
prayer: see v. 1.
[ NOAB] We should remember that
the first Christians expected Jesus’ return imminently. Will his followers
remain faithful to him over the long haul? [ NJBC] Blomberg notes that the Greek
is literally the faith. He interprets it as the faith shown by the
widow in vv. 2-5.
© 1996-2019
Chris Haslam
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