This parable has been called The Unjust Judge (Trench);
The Unrighteous Judge (Morgan); The Parable of the Persistent Widow (New International Version); The Parable of the Widow and the Judge (Today’s English Version); The story of the godless judge (Williams) and God Hears (Beck). All the titles suggest a different facet of the truth that Jesus conveyed in this parable. The Parable of the Widow and the Judge is found only in Luke 18:1-8.
The Story
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said:
"In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, `Grant me justice against my adversary.’
"For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, `Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’"
And the Lord said, "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, However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:1-8, New International Version).
This judge was not the type of judge we have today. He was not a Jewish judge, but rather a paid magistrate appointed by Herod or the Romans. They were notorious and took bribes. (Barclay, DAILY BIBLE STUDY SERIES, LUKE, p. ?). The Greek text reveals that he "had neither reverence for God nor respect for man." (Turnbull, Gen. ed., PROCLAIMING THE NEW TESTAMENT, THE GOSPEL OF LUKE, by Ralph Earle, p. 80).
Widows did not have the care and protection then as they have today in America. Trench informs us that
Many writers have noticed the exceeding desolation of the state of widowhood in the East, and the consequent exposure to all manner of oppression; of this, the numerous warnings in Scripture against such oppression, are sufficient evidence (Exod. xxii. 22; Deut. xxiv. 17; Mal. iii. 5, and many more). (Trench, NOTES ON THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD, pp. 177-178.
With that background in mind, let us look at the story that Jesus tells.
The widow’s case would seem hopeless. She had no husband for physical, legal and psychological protection. The judge that was her legal recourse, did not reverence God and he had no respect for human beings.
Yet the widow came to the corrupt judge and asked him for justice concerning the person who was taking advantage of her weak position. The judge tried to brush her aside. However, she would not take "No" for an answer.
The judge reasoned within himself, "I don’t believe in God and I don’t care anything about this woman. However, if I don’t insure that she receives justice, she is going to keep coming and continue this verbal pummeling." The phrase "wear me out" is a weak rendering of the original Greek which is a metaphor taken from boxing, which means to be beaten on the face until the eyes become black. (Turnbull, Gen. ed., PROCLAIMING THE NEW TESTAMENT, THE GOSPEL OF LUKE, by Ralph Earle, p. 81). (Clarke, COMMENTARY ON THE HOLY BIBLE, Abridged by Ralph Earle, p. 883).
The Interpretation
Jesus himself interprets his parable. Trench gives the logic of Jesus:
If a bad man will yield to the mere force of the importunity [shameless persistence or "nagging"] which he hates, how much more certainly will a righteous God be prevailed on by the faithful prayer which He loves. (Trench, NOTES ON THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD, p. 177).
Central Truth
GOD WANTS US TO ASK HIM FOR OUR NEEDSTHEN HE WANTS US TO PERSIST IN FAITHUNTIL HE ANSWERS PRAYER.
Conclusion
Jesus taught us that we "should always pray and never give up." (Luke 18:1, paraphrased). Prayer is both listening and talking to God. Even when we are doing other tasks, we can have our "spiritual modems" turned on to receive messages from our Heavenly Father.
After we have prayed in line with God’s Word for our needs, we must not give up if our prayer is not answered immediately. We must persist in faith until we receive the answer.
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