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John MacArthur · Citado em PreceptAustin
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MacArthur on beating - This is a gesture that is used to express the most extreme sorrow, the most extreme anguish. We find it in Jewish history. We do not find an illustration of it in the Old Testament. We find references to it in Jewish commentaries, ancient Jewish commentaries, but not in the Old Testament. There is only one other place in the New Testament where it happens... And all the crowds who came together for this spectacle, when they observed what had happened (the crucifixion of Christ), began to return, beating their breasts. (Lk 23:48) Comment - There has never been a more horrible event than the Cross and thus there could never be a place where there would be more profound anguish and where men and women who were there reacted in this dramatic way. This use in Luke 23:48 helps put the significance of the tax collector's beating of his breast because of his sinfulness! One writer says ""Women customarily beat on their chests at funerals but men do not. For men it is a gesture of extreme sorrow and anguish, almost never used. It is little wonder that in all biblical literature we find this particular gesture mentioned only in the account of this parable and at the cross....It takes something of the magnitude of Golgotha to evoke this gesture from Middle Eastern men." Bailey adds that "In the Middle East, generally speaking, women beat their chests, men do not. Occasionally, women at particularly tragic funerals beat their chests. In the Bible, the only other case of people beating their chests is at the cross when the crowds, deeply disturbed at what had taken place, beat their chests at the end of the day just after Jesus died (Lk 23:48). Presumably, on that occasion both men and women were involved. If it requires a scene as distressing as the crucifixion of Jesus to cause men and women to beat their chests, then clearly the tax collector of this parable is deeply distraught! The only time I have seen or known of Middle Eastern men beating their chests is at the Shiite Muslim yearly commemoration of the murder of Hussain, the founder of their community." (Borrow - Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels). Bailey in another work asks a question about breast - Why the chest? The reason for this is given in an early Jewish commentary on Ecclesiastes 7:2: R. Mana said: And the Living will lay it to his heart: these are the righteous who set their death over against their heart; and why do they beat upon their heart? as though to say, “All is there,” (note: … the righteous beat their heart as the source of evil longing.) (Midrash Rabbah, Eccl. 7:2, 5, Sonc., 177). The same underlying rationale is affirmed by Ibn al-Ṣalībī in his eleventh-century commentary where he writes regarding the tax collector, "his heart in his chest was the source of all his evil thoughts so he was beating it as evidence of his pain as some people do in their remorse, for they beat upon their chests." (Ibn al-Ṣalībī, II, 182).Thus this classical Middle Eastern gesture is a profound recognition of the truth of the fact that “out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder … theft, false witness, slander” (Matt. 15:19). This kind of background gives us a picture of the depth of the tax collector’s remorse. What then is his specific prayer? (Borrow POET & PEASANT and THROUGH PEASANT EYES A Literary-Cultural Approach to the Parables of Luke- Kenneth Bailey) "GOD, APPLY THE ATONEMENT TO ME" God be merciful (hilaskomai) to me the sinner (hamartolos) - What a contrasting picture -- on one hand the tax collector makes only one allusion to himself ("me") addressed to God, while the Pharisee makes 5 mentions of "I" addressed to self! And note the brevity. This is all the tax collector prayed, just 6 words in the Greek, compared to 29 words from the Pharisee. If ever we have an illustration that powerful prayers do not need to be prolonged prayers, it is the example of the two prayers in this parable! (Are you as convicted as I am?) God be merciful (hilaskomai in aorist imperative, divine passive) to me - The CSB is closer to the real meaning of the Greek text reading "God, turn Your wrath from me." It is surprising that most English versions translate this as "be merciful," given that this is not the usual Greek word for "have mercy" (which is the verb eleeo), the very verb which Luke uses a few passages later (Lk 18:38) describing the blind man who "called out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy (eleeo) on me!”. Here, Luke uses the verb hilaskomai, which conveys more of a sense of to be favorably inclined or to propitiate. Propitiate describes the act of appeasing or making well disposed. BDAG says hilaskomai means "to eliminate impediments that alienate the deity." Clearly, Luke knew that there was a distinction between the two verbs, eleeo and hilaskomai, even though they were both translated essentially the same way in most English Bible versions. Steven
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MacArthur comments - You need to pray that Christ will come. You need to pray that you'll have the strength to endure to the end; the end of your life and the end until the Lord Himself comes, should you live until we are gathered to Him. Leon Morris on at all times they ought to pray - Jesus’ teaching goes beyond that of the Jews, who tended to limit the times of prayer lest they weary God. Three times a day (on the model of Dan. 6:10) was accepted as the maximum. (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries –The Gospel According to St. Luke: An Introduction and Commentary - borrow) Henry Morris on pray at all times - The context makes it clear that such commands refer, not to interminable prayer, but to persistent prayer (Luke 18:7). (Borrow The Defender's Study Bible) Kistemaker - Jesus tells them that during the lengthy and increasingly difficult period of time before the Son of man returns (see Lk 17:22, 23+), His followers down through the ages, instead of losing heart, should persevere in prayer. (Ibid) They ought (dei) to pray (proseuchomai) - The verb "ought" is in the present tense calling for prayer to be a lifestyle (cf "lifeline!"). Prayer is not "Plan B" but is God's "Plan A!" This means we give prayer priority, which one dictionary defines as "something important that must be done first." What's the first thing you do in the morning? Brush your teeth? Do a mental checklist of your daytimer and your appointments, etc? If so you've already depriortized prayer. Steven
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MacArthur observes that a judge (krites) who did not fear (phobeo) God and did not respect (entrepo) man "is a very well chosen characterization because you find such references to people in literature from ancient times outside the Bible and this kind of description is used to describe the most wicked person, someone who has absolutely no reverence for God and no interest in people, no concerns regarding the law of God, the will of God and completely indifferent to the needs of people and their just causes. This man is ultimately and finally wicked. There is no way to penetrate this man's wickedness from the viewpoint of the law of God or from the viewpoint of the need of man. He is not moved by reverence or worship and he is not moved by compassion or sympathy. He has no interest in the first commandment, loving God (Mk 12:29, Dt 6:4); no interest in the second commandment, loving his neighbor. He is the most wicked man." (Persistent Prayer for the Lord's Return) Henriksen on the wicked character of this judge - He did whatever he pleased, never asking himself, "What does God want me to do?" or even "What do the people in general approve or disapprove?" He was nothing but a hateful egotist. Here, then, is a judge without any love for justice. And as to sympathy for the oppressed and satisfaction because, in his capacity as judge, he might be able to help them, he did not know what sympathy was. Tender feelings were completely foreign to him. (Borrow Exposition of the Gospel of Luke) W A Criswell - The judge does not care for man, but in contrast, God does care for man. The judge is "unrighteous" because he lacks an adequate sense of justice. God has no such deficiency. (Believer's Study Bible) The OT was clear on the requirements of how one was to function as a judge. King Jehoshaphat (whose name fittingly means "God has judged!") gave a good judicial plumb-line.... So Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem and went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and brought them back to the LORD, the God of their fathers. 5 He appointed judges in the land in all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city. 6 He said to the judges, “Consider what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the LORD Who is with you when you render judgment. 7 “Now then let the fear of the LORD be upon you (See godly Nehemiah's powerful testimony - Neh 5:9,15); be very careful what you do, for the LORD our God will have no part in unrighteousness or partiality or the taking of a bribe.” (2 Chr 19:4-7) Comment: Would it be that King Jehoshaphat's admonition and exhortation would be written on a placard in plain sight on the desk and bench of every sitting judge in the United States of America (and the world for that matter)! One wonders if that would impact the issuing of unjust verdicts and/or sentences by those judges who are unrighteous? Respect (1788)(entrepo) means to turn back or about. In the active sense it means put to shame, make ashamed, reprove (1Cor 4.14). In the passive it means to be put to shame, be ashamed (Titus 2.8). Finally in the passive with the middle sense, it means strictly to turn oneself toward someone; hence respect, reverence, have regard for (Mt 21.37). The idea is to be shamed into respect. Gilbrant on entrepo - The verb entrepō was used from the time of Homer to well into the post-Biblical era in two seemingly opposite ways. On the one hand, the word means “I have shame,” while on the other, it means “I show respect or honor.” This difference of meaning is also reflected in the use of the noun form. Some scholars have thought Paul changed the meaning of entrepō from “to respect” to that of “to have shame.” They have not noted, however, that both meanings occur in the Septuagint and in early and late extra-Biblical writings. In fact, depending upon the context three meanings may be involved: “to have shame,” “to have respect,” and “to turn toward someone or something.” In the Septuagint, entrepō translated eight Hebrew words. Like entrepō, the Hebrew words can be placed into two broad categories as noted above. Most references in which “shame” is meant are in the Psalms. In the Psalms themselves without exception, entrepō involves “shame.” There the enemies of God will experience shame, while His people will not. In the New Testament entrepō is used nine times. In its five occurrences in the Synoptics, the idea of “reverence” or “respect” is intended. However, in Paul’s epistles entrepō means “to have shame”; in both the active and middle/ passive voices the verb means “shame.” This is similar to the use of entrepō in the Psalms of the Septuagint. (Complete Biblical Library) Entrepo - 9x in 9v - put to shame(2), respect(5), respected(1), shame(1). Matt. 21:37; Mk. 12:6; Lk. 18:2; Lk. 18:4; Lk. 20:13; 1 Co. 4:14; 2 Thess. 3:14; Tit. 2:8; Heb. 12:9 Entrepo - 43x in 42v - Exod. 10:3; Lev. 26:41; Num. 12:14; Jdg. 3:30; Jdg. 8:28; Jdg. 11:33; 2 Ki. 22:19; 2 Chr. 7:14; 2 Chr. 12:7; 2 Chr. 12:12; 2 Chr. 30:11; 2 Chr. 30:15; 2 Chr. 34:27; 2 Chr. 36:12; Ezr. 9:6; Job 32:21; Ps. 35:4; Ps. 35:26; Ps. 40:14; Ps. 69:6; Ps. 70:2; Ps. 71:24; Ps. 83:17; Isa. 16:7; Isa. 16:12; Isa. 41:11; Isa. 44:11; Isa. 45:16; Isa. 45:17; Isa. 50:7; Isa. 54:4; Ezek. 36:32; Luke 18:3 "There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, 'Give me legal protection from my opponent.' a widow: Dt 27:19 2Sa 14:5-24 Job 22:9 29:13 Isa 1:17,21-23 Jer 5:28 Give me legal protection: Lu 18:7,8 Ro 13:3,4 Luke 18 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 18:1-8 Persevering in Prayer - Steven Cole Luke 18:1-8 - Persistent Prayer for the Lord's Return - John MacArthur A WIDOW PLEADING FOR PROTECTION There was a widow (chera) in that city - Although one needs to be cautious interpreting details in a parable, it is worth noting that widow does not mean she was old because in Jesus' day many people lived only into their thirties. In ancient Israel widows were in general helpless, defenseless and vulnerable (cf. Ex 22:22–24; Ps. 68:5; Lam. 1:1; James 1:27). She was in a destitute situation, not only because she had somehow been defrauded but because there was no man in her life (father, brother, etc). How can we say that? John MacArthur explains we can deduce there was no man because in those days in Israel, the courts did not belong "to women, but belonged exclusively to men." In other words, for a woman to come to court would mean there was no man who could plead her case. Men came to court. Women did not come to court. MacArthur sums this widow up as "the destitute, the powerless, the helpless, the deprived, the lowly, the unknown, the unloved, the uncared for, the desperate." Do any of those negative attributes ever describe our situation? I am asking that as a rhetorical question because clearly the answer is "yes" for all of us at one time or another in our life. Widows were to be cared for and their needs were to be met. The Mosaic Law was clear about how a widow should be treated by a God fearing judge, but of course this judge had no fear of God and did not tremble at His Word... “You shall not afflict any widow or orphan. “If you afflict him at all, and if he does cry out to Me, I will surely hear his cry; and My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless. (Ex 22:22-24) ‘Cursed is he who distorts the justice due an alien, orphan, and widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ (Dt 27:19) Related Resources: What does the Bible say about how widows are to be treated? | GotQuestions.org What does the Bible say about orphans and widows? | GotQuestions.org What are some Bible verses about widows? | GotQuestions.org She kept coming to him, saying (cf "by continually coming" - Lk 18:5) - This widow was like the "Energizer Bunny" and just kept coming continually pleading her case. Kept coming is in the imperfect tense indicating that again and again, over and over she was coming to the judge's chambers. In a word, she was relentless! She was implacable and unflinching in her pleading! Saying is in the present tense which describes her continually presenting her her case to the ungodly judge. Give me legal protection (ekdikeo) from my opponent (antidikos) - The KJV has "avenge" but that is not the best translation. "Do me justice against," "Vindicate me from." The idea of avenge is retaliate while the idea of vindicate is to maintain, uphold, or defend one's just cause. Vindicate is therefore more accurate for it better conveys her request to justify her complaint, render it a righteous complaint and give her what was legally hers. She is speaking this as a command (which indicates she had a legal right or otherwise she would not have been so demonstrative) using aorist imperative which also can convey a sense of urgency -- "Do this now!" "Do not delay!" The sense of ekdikeo is to help secure justice or bring about justice, grant a fair verdict. Ralph Earle adds "The verb ekdikeo does sometimes mean "avenge." But here the verb is followed in the Greek by apo, "from." So the idea is, "Give me legal protection from my opponent" or "Grant me justice against my adversary" (NIV). Plummer says that the meaning is "preserve me against his attacks." (Borrow Word meanings in the New Testament) MacArthur - This judge is utterly indifferent to her on a sympathetic side, on the side of compassion, but apparently she had the law on her side as well because she is asking for legal protection. She has been defrauded. Property, money which was life to her has been taken from her. (Persistent Prayer for the Lord's Return) Widow (5503)(chera = feminine of cheros = bereft of one's spouse) means bereaved as would be a widow whose husband had died. Figuratively chera spoke of the city of Babylon stripped of her citizens and her wealth (Rev 18:7+). The idea of neediness is often associated with chera, and it is also often linked with orphans (Mt 23:14; Mk 12:40, 42-44). Chera - 27x in 25v - widow(13), widows(11), widows'(3). Notice that Luke mentions widows more than do all the other Gospel writers combined (Luke 2:37–38; 4:25–26; 7:11–17; 18:1–8; 20:45–47; 21:1–4). Matt. 23:14; Mk. 12:40; Mk. 12:42; Mk. 12:43; Lk. 2:37; Lk. 4:25; Lk. 4:26; Lk. 7:12; Lk. 18:3; Lk. 18:5; Lk. 20:47; Lk. 21:2; Lk. 21:3; Acts 6:1; Acts 9:39; Acts 9:41; 1 Co. 7:8; 1 Tim. 5:3; 1 Tim. 5:4; 1 Tim. 5:5; 1 Tim. 5:9; 1 Tim. 5:11; 1 Tim. 5:16; Jas. 1:27; Rev. 18:7 Chera - 66v in the Septuagint - Gen. 38:11; Exod. 22:22; Exod. 22:24; Lev. 21:14; Lev. 22:13; Num. 30:9; Deut. 10:18; Deut. 14:29; Deut. 16:11; Deut. 16:14; Deut. 24:17; Deut. 24:19; Deut. 24:20; Deut. 24:21; Deut. 26:12; Deut. 26:13; Deut. 27:19; 2 Sam. 14:5; 2 Sam. 20:3; 1 Ki. 7:14; 1 Ki. 11:26; 1 Ki. 17:9; 1 Ki. 17:10; 1 Ki. 17:20; Job 22:9; Job 24:3; Job 27:15; Job 29:13; Job 31:16; Ps. 68:5; Ps. 78:64; Ps. 94:6; Ps. 109:9; Ps. 146:9; Prov. 15:25; Isa. 1:17; Isa. 1:23; Isa. 9:17; Isa. 10:2; Isa. 47:8; Isa. 49:21; Jer. 5:28; Jer. 7:6; Jer. 15:8; Jer. 18:21; Jer. 22:3; Jer. 49:11; Lam. 1:1; Lam. 5:3; Ezek. 22:7; Ezek. 22:25; Ezek. 44:22; Zech. 7:10; Mal. 3:5 Gilbrant has a detailed discussion on widow, chera - Classical Greek - In Greek literature as early as Homer (ca. Eighth Century B.C.), chēra has denoted “a widow.” In many places it is linked with the word orphanos, “orphan,” and conveys the idea of being destitute or needy. Chēra is the feminine noun form of a related adjective chēros which means “deprived” (e.g., the widow is a woman “deprived” of a husband). Stahlin reports that in the pagan world the greatest fear among women was that of becoming a widow. Many women preferred to die at their spouse’s grave rather than continue life without a husband (“chēra,” Kittel, 9:442). Losing a husband to death meant that a woman often lost her sole sustainer and protector. Also in the Roman Empire, women who remarried lost certain rights and were generally less respected in the community (ibid., 9:443). Septuagint Usage - The word chēra appears about 60 times in the Septuagint and nearly always translates the Hebrew term ’almānāh. Occasionally the word describes a woman who was separated from her husband or a woman without a husband (e.g., 2 Samuel 20:3 [ LXX 2 Kings 20:3]), but in the majority of its occurrences it simply means “a widow.” In the Old Testament, widows were grouped together with other disadvantaged classes such as strangers, orphans, and the poor (see Exodus 22:21f.; Isaiah 1:23; 10:2; Jeremiah 5:28). In His mercy, God made special provisions for their protection and preservation (Leviticus 22:13; Deuteronomy 10:18). For example, a portion of tithes taken on the third year were designated for helping the widow (Deuteronomy 14:28f.); field gleanings were to be left for her (Deuteronomy 24:19ff.); and the levirate marriage was to take effect when a widow was also without a male child (see Deuteronomy 25:5-10). In addition, the Lord himself promised to uphold and defend her (Deuteronomy 10:18; Proverbs 15:25). Yet despite God’s injunctions that Israel show compassion on the widow and maintain her rights, the Scriptures reveal that the plight of the widow was particularly difficult. The Bible describes how widows were exploited and generally abused (Isaiah 1:23; Ezekiel 22:7). It is not surprising, therefore, that widowhood was seen by many to be a reproach (Isaiah 4:1). As a result, the term “widow” was figuratively applied to the exiled nation of Israel (Isaiah 54:4) and to Jerusalem at the time of her captivity (Lamentations 1:1). New Testament Usage - In the New Testament the widow remains a picture of neediness, destitution, and poverty. The Gospel of Mark (12:42f.), for example, describes a poor widow who cast all she had, “two mites,” into the treasury at the temple. Luke’s gospel in particular singles out the plight of widows in the time of Jesus. Luke 7:11-15 relates the story of a grieving widow whose only son had just died. The Lord recognized her desperate situation and out of His great compassion raised the young man from the dead. Chapter 18 tells the parable of a persistent widow seeking justice against an adversary. Luke also described the widow who cast two mites into the collection box (Lk 21:2f.). In addition, all three Synoptic Gospels record one of Jesus’ strongest rebukes against the scribes and Pharisees who “devour widows’ houses, and for a show make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation” (Luke 20:47; cf. Matthew 23:14; Mark 12:40). God’s concern for widows is recorded outside the Gospels as well. Acts 6:1-6 shows how the Early Church took special care to solve a problem which affected widows. The result was that both Jewish and Greek widows received enough food to meet their needs. Elsewhere, James 1:27 presents a clear definition of what God views as “pure religion”: it includes visiting orphans and widows in their affliction. One final section of the New Testament, 1 Timothy 5:3-l6, provides significant detail that relates to widows. These passages specify the obligations that the church and family have with respect to their care. Paul differentiates between three categories of widows: (1) those with children or grandchildren (1Ti 5:4,8,16); (2) those who are young and in a position to remarry (1Ti 5:11-15); (3) those who are “widows indeed,” i.e., not having a family to support them (1Ti 5:5-7,16). The first group is to be cared for by their own family. In fact, a believer who does not care for a widowed parent (or grandparent) has “denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel” (1Ti 5:8). The second group, young widows, are encouraged to remarry so as not to “cast off their first faith” and become “busybodies” (cf. 1Ti 5:12,13; see also 1 Corinthians 7:8). The third category defines “true” widows whose needs the Church must meet, provided certain conditions exist: they have no family to support them, they are over 60 years old, and they continue in good works (1Ti 5:9,10). While widows throughout history have been a disadvantaged class, the Scriptures show that God has special compassion for them. Both the Old and New Testament reveal His love and concern for them. It was not His intention for the nation of Israel to neglect their needs, and it is not His will for the Church to overlook their plight either. (Complete Biblical Library) Related Resources on widow: What does the Bible say about orphans and widows? Nave Topical Bible Widow Thompson Chain Reference Widow and Fatherless Widows Torrey Topical Textbook Widows American Tract Society Widow Bridgeway Bible Dictionary Widow Baker Evangelical Dictionary Widow Easton's Bible Dictionary Widows Fausset Bible Dictionary Widow Holman Bible Dictionary Poor, Orphan, Widow Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible Widow Hastings' Dictionary of the NT Widow Widows Smith Bible Dictionary Widow Watson's Theological Dictionary Widow International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Widow McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia Widow The Jewish Encyclopedia Widow What does the Bible say about charity? What is a levirate marriage? What does the Bible say about self-defense? Give...legal protection (1556) (ekdikeo from ek = out or from + dike = right, justice; see cognates = ekdikesis and ekdikos) is literally that which proceeds from justice. As discussed above the idea is to vindicate one's right or to do one justice. 1. take vengeance for, punish 2 Cor 10:6; Rev 6:10; 19:2 .—2. avenge someone, procure justice for someone Lk 18:5. see to it that I get justice = Lk 18:3. take one's revenge = Ro 12:19. Ekdikeo - 6v - avenged(1), avenging(1), give...legal protection(2), legal protection(2), punish(1), take...revenge(1) - Lk. 18:3; Lk. 18:5; Ro. 12:19; 2 Co. 10:6; Rev. 6:10; Rev. 19:2 Opponent (476) antidikos from anti = against + dike = a cause or suit at law) was used first as a word for an opponent in a lawsuit and then came to mean an adversary or enemy without reference to legal affairs. It describes one who is actively and continuously hostile toward someone. An adversary is one that contends with, opposes, or resists. Antidikos - 5x/4v adversary(1), opponent(3), opponent at law(1). - Mt. 5:25; Lk. 12:58; Lk. 18:3; 1Pe 5:8 "your adversary (devil)..." Luke 18:4 "For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, 'Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, he said: Lu 12:17 16:3 Heb 4:12,13 Luke 18 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 18:1-8 Persevering in Prayer - Steven Cole Luke 18:1-8 - Persistent Prayer for the Lord's Return - John MacArthur NAB Luke 18:4 For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, 'While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, NET Luke 18:4 For a while he refused, but later on he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people, NLT Luke 18:4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, 'I don't fear God or care about people, NIV Luke 18:4 "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, JUDGE'S RESISTANCE BREAKING DOWN For a while he was unwilling - This time phrase for a while leaves a "crack" in the door which Jesus goes on to "open" fully. Unwilling is the combination not (signifying absolute negation with "ou") + willing (thelo) which describes one's desire. Thus he was had absolutely no desire to grant a needy widow protection even though she was legally justified in her request. Unwilling identifies this judge is true to his character, demonstrating utter disdain for the commandments of God and any sense of justice. His utter disinterest in showing compassion to anyone, even a lowly widow, shows he is the worst kind of human being who is certainly the worst judge imaginable. Steven
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MacArthur comments that Jesus is saying in essence "Think about the wicked judge in the story. He was cruelly indifferent to God. He was cruelly indifferent to people. But he finally did what was right for purely selfish reasons. He did what was right for a woman for whom he had no feeling, no emotion, and to whom he had no attachment. That is what we are going to start with as we hear the interpretation of the Lord, for in verse 7 we see the contrast." Unrighteous (93)(adikia from a = not + dikê = right) is a condition of not being right, whether with God, according to the standard of His holiness and righteousness or with man, according to the standard of what man knows to be right by his conscience. Luke's only other uses of adika are - Lk 13:27, 16:8-9, Acts 1:18, Acts 8:23. William Barclay's discussion of adikia perfectly describes the judge in this parable - Adikia is the precise opposite of dikaiosune (righteousness), which means justice; and the Greeks defined justice as giving to God and to men their due. The evil man is the man who robs both man and God of their rights. He has so erected an altar to himself in the centre of things that he worships himself to the exclusion of God and man." (Daily Study Bible Online) Bock explains that Jesus' statement the judge is unrighteous "plays off this portrait in a lesser-to-greater argument (Qal wahomer): if such an insensitive character responds to repeated pleas from someone he does not know or care about, how much more will a righteous God respond to his children." ESV Study Bible - The comparison here is between the reluctant action of an unjust judge (the lesser) and “how much more” just will be the action of a just God (the greater). J
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MacArthur explains "In the time between the first and Second Coming disciples are not to lose heart but rather are to pray. We are living in that period of time now. Yes there is the invisible kingdom the Lord is building through salvation as He comes to take up His royal throne in the hearts of those who put their trust in Christ. But the visible kingdom, the kingdom of righteousness, the destruction of the ungodly, the binding of Satan, the end of the reign of Satan and sin, the establishment of the glorious kingdom of righteousness, joy and peace and finally the establishment of the new heavens and the new earth are all associated with His Second Coming, which will be triggered by the rapture of the church. That's all in the future. And so He is saying you need to view that event with prayer and not to lose heart. That's the key to unlocking the meaning of the story. The Lord knew then that a long time would go by...and now it has been 2,000 years. And during this time Christ is continually dishonored and denied His rightful place. And the Word of God is unappreciated and assaulted and attacked. And Christians are treated with rejection and persecution and hostility and even martyrdom through these two millennia. We suffer at the hands of Satan and the world and we suffer the persecution of a hostile environment and we long for Christ to come back (cf Lk 17:22 "The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man") and destroy the ungodly and sin and the reign of Satan and set up His kingdom. We long for that day , but in the intervening time the message is very clear from our Lord: Don't lose heart. Keep praying to that end...at all times, at all times...through all the events and all the seasons and all the eras and all the years that go by, we are to pray and not lose heart. As Matthew 24:13 records, our Lord says “he that endures to the end shall be saved." It's that enduring faith that marks the true believer. So this is not a call to prayer in general like, "Pray without ceasing." That's a call to unceasing prayer in general. This is a call to eschatological prayer, pray that the Lord will come and pray for the strength to endure until He arrives, to endure the flesh, the world, the devil, the hostility against the gospel, persecution, rejection, and even martyrdom. This is eschatological praying....We need to pray that Christ will come. We need to pray that we will have the strength to endure to the end; the end of our life or the end when the Lord Himself comes, should we live until we are gathered to Him (in the Rapture). (Persistent Prayer for the Lord's Return) TDNT says that the verb lose heart in Luke 18:1 is spoken "just after the apocalyptic discourse in Luke 17, the point is obviously that, with a view to the end, the disciples should not grow slack in prayer. The meaning is the same in 2 Cor. 4:1: Paul will not let any difficulties cause him to fail or grow weary." Jesus gave a similar admonition in Luke 21:36+ “But keep on the alert (present imperative) at all times, praying (present tense = continually) that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Comment: Clearly this is a call to remain faithful in looking for the Lord's return. Are you looking for His return? If you are looking for His return, you are far more likely to be living in light of His return, living for the eternal, rather than for the temporal! In short, what you are looking for in life, will determine what you are living for! JUSTICE IS COMING BECAUSE THE JUDGE IS COMING! Now, will not God bring about justice (ekdikesis) for His elect (eklektos) who cry (boao) to Him day and night - Keeping in mind what the unrighteous judge did in response to the woman's persistent pleading for justice, Jesus now compares that response with the response of God. This is what is known as a “much more than” kind of comparison, a lesser-to-greater argument (Qal wahomer). The point is that if this unfeeling, incredibly wicked, unrighteous judge will do what is right for someone for whom he has no affection, do you think that the perfectly just Judge will not do what is right for those who are His pleading chosen sons and daughters, those who were loved by Him even before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4+, cf 2 Ti 1:9ESV+)? Bring about justice is two words in Greek, first bring (poieo - accomplish) and ekdikesis, thus to accomplish justice, to render a just decision or to vindicate - “to punish the offenders"). In short Jesus' return is going to make all wrongs right! And so His elect who "long to see one of the days of the Son of Man" (Lk 17:22) cry to Him to return and bring about justice for all the evil that has been committed (including the evil words, thoughts and deeds of evil men against us). So when His elect cry to Him day and night pleading for Him to return in glory, do you think He will not hear them and respond? Of course He will. This begs the question - Are you crying out for Jesus to return and make all things right?
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MacArthur comments that "We are those like the Thessalonians who "wait for His Son from heaven, Whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, Who rescues us from the wrath to come." (1Th 1:10+) I don't think you can live your Christian life the way the Lord wants you to live it unless you live it in the light of the Second Coming. You cannot remove the Second Coming out of the daily discourse of the church, out of your vocabulary or out of your life without having significant implications on how you live and view everything in life." (Persistent Prayer for the Lord's Return) Undoubtedly the motivating thought of the return of Christ is why the Spirit inspired the NT writers to mention the Second Coming of Christ so often! It is estimated that about one in every 20-25 verses in the New Testament speaks directly or indirectly about the Second Coming of Christ. Clearly God wants us to be living our temporal lives with a Spirit enabled future focus! 🙏 THOUGHT - When was the last time you heard a sermon on the Second Coming? When was the last time you encouraged another saint with the truth of the Second Coming when God will bring about justice for His children who have been wronged? And to the point of Jesus' parable, when was the last time you prayed for Jesus to return? Steven
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MacArthur says will He delay long over them is better translated "and be patient over them." Yes, “Is not God exercising patience?” is what this means. How do you know that? Makrothumeo is the word. It means to be patient. Do not we expect a delay because God is being patient over His people? What does that mean? It's really a profoundly important word. The long interval between the first and the Second Coming of Jesus is a period in which God is exercising patience, “patience over THEM." THEM is goes back to Lk 17:22, so "them" is the disciples, those who are His own. He is being patient over them... But this is Makrothumeo...from two Greek words. Makros technical meaning is “far distant.” It means “long” with regard to space, or “long” with regard to distance, remote. Thumos is anger. The word makrothumeo means to be remote in anger, anger removed far, far away. And our Lord is saying He is coming, He will come, He will vindicate His own, He will glorify Himself, He will judge sinners. But He has removed to a far distance His wrath for a long, long time. This describes what Exodus 34 says about God, that He is slow to anger. God has a right to judge, but He also has a right to be merciful. God will judge in His own time. But Peter tells us the answer to this little dilemma, 2 Peter 3:9, "God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." So in 2 Peter 3:15 Peter says this, "The makrothumia of God is salvation." What's He waiting for? He's waiting for the salvation of His elect. He's waiting until they're all gathered in. You don't want Him here any sooner than that. And when the last of the elect are gathered in, then the end will come. Yes, He will satisfy his wrath, but not until He has satisfied His grace. This, by the way, is the meaning of makrothumia every time it is used with reference to God. It is used with reference to God in Romans 2:4, Romans 9:22, 1 Peter 3:20, 2 Peter 3:9,15, 1 Timothy 1:16. In each of those cases it means that God withholds His wrath at a distance. T.W. Manson told a story that came from the old rabbis and this is the story. There was a king who was a very compassionate king. He wanted to rule his people with compassion and so he determined that his army would be stationed many miles from the city. And when he was asked by the wise men of the city why he would station his army many miles from the city, because they would be so far removed from civil disobedience that people would get away with things and they wouldn't be able to get there in time, he said this, according to the rabbis. That on any occasion of such rebellion in the city, it will take a long time to bring the soldiers here and this will be time for the rebels to come to their senses. And so said the rabbis, it is argued that God keeps His wrath at a distance in order for Israel to have time to repent. And not just Israel, but Gentiles as well. That's again 2 Peter 3:15, "Consider the makrothumia of the Lord as salvation." God will send Christ to judge and set up His kingdom and vindicate His elect, but not until His mercy in salvation is satisfied in full and all the elect are in. Jamieson on will He delay long over them - 1.) The verb makrothumeo means to be long-suffering, or to endure patiently. Such is its usual rendering in the New Testament. (2.) Them (autois) refers not to the persecutors of God’s elect, but to the elect themselves. (3.) The secondary meaning of restraining or delaying may fairly be deduced from the verb, and explained either (a) of delaying punishment, or (b) of delaying sympathy or help.
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MacArthur observes that Jesus "closes with a question, "However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" What does that mean? Jesus is just asking the question that when He does come, given that it's going to be a long time, will there be anybody left who is persistent like this widow? When He does come will He find people praying for His return? I think that if He were to come now He would find many who call themselves Christians seldom praying for His coming....When He comes, will He find His people still crying day and night, eagerly waiting for His return? Will we love His appearing (2 Ti 4:8+)? Will we be crying out “Maranatha”? (1 Cor 16:22) which means "Our Lord, come!" We live in hope, beloved (cf Titus 2:13+). We are true Christians and have been given a tremendous promise. This is how it is going to end. In the meantime we suffer and we are rejected and persecuted and alienated and the Gospel is resisted and Christ is dishonored and sometimes we think it is going on too long. But we are to continue to pray and plead for the glory and honor of Christ. And when we live and pray and plead that way, it changes everything about our life. Yes it's been 2,000 years, but our hope burns bright, and our love for Christ is still true and pure and our confidence that He will keep His Word is fast and firm. And so we pray persistently, calling on Him to come, to glorify Himself, to vindicate Himself, to punish sinners, dethrone Satan, establish His righteous kingdom, bring peace on the earth, reign as King of kings and Lord of lords and then to create the eternal new heaven and the new earth. We say, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." This word ought to be on our lips day after day, says our Lord. Live in that kind of anticipation until He comes. And watch how it changes your life. (Persistent Prayer for the Lord's Return) Darrell Bock sums up Luke 18:1-8 - So Jesus urges prayer and perseverance. God will vindicate his saints. Trust him to do so and keep praying for his return, which is the vindication of the saints. We should pray because, unlike the judge in the parable, God is not grudging about granting our desires for justice. And we should keep asking for the vindication of the people of God; our patience and willingness to make this request should never run out. By continuing to make the request, we stay sensitive to the need for justice to come. So like the nagging widow, just keep asking. (Faithful in Looking for the King, the Kingdom and Its Consummation Luke 17:11-18:8) Quickly (5034)(tachos) with speed, haste, swiftness; adverbially as in Lk 18:8 ("en tachei") means without delay, at once, speedily. Tachos is used in the first and last chapter of the Revelation of Jesus Christ (Rev 1:1+ , Rev 22:6+ after which Jesus says "I am coming quickly [related word "tachu"]." Rev 22:7) and in Romans 16:20, all of these uses being in an eschatological setting just as with Luke 18:8 and all refer directly or indirectly to Christ's Second Coming, which makes it clear that tachos translated as quickly does not mean immediately. The idea of tachos is better understood as meaning swiftly. In other words, when God acts it will be swift. So once God begins to act (in presence context bring about justice) He will move fast or do it in a short time. See Tony Garland's in depth analysis of the use of tachos in Revelation 1:1+ Tachos - 7x in 7v - quickly(3), shortly(1), soon(3). Luke 18:8 “I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” Acts 12:7 And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands. Acts 22:18 and I saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste, and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.’ Acts 25:4 Festus then answered that Paul was being kept in custody at Caesarea and that he himself was about to leave shortly. Romans 16:20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. Revelation 1:1+ The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, Revelation 22:6 And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true”; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must soon take place. Tachos - 36x in 35v in the Septuagint - Ex. 32:7 = “Go down at once" (cf Dt 9:12); Nu 16:46 = "bring it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them"; Deut. 7:4; Deut. 7:22; Deut. 9:12; Deut. 28:20; Jos. 8:18; Jos. 8:19 = "The men in ambush rose quickly from their place"; Jos. 10:6; Jdg. 2:23; Jdg. 7:9; Jdg. 9:54; 1 Sam. 23:22; 1 Ki. 22:9 = “Bring quickly Micaiah son of Imlah.”; 1 Chr. 12:8; 2 Chr. 18:8; Est. 8:12; Ps. 2:12; Ps. 6:10; Ps. 147:15 ="His word runs very swiftly. "; Isa. 5:19; Ezek. 29:5; Dan. 9:21; R Kent Hughes has some practical points on what do you do when you pray and God seems to be silent - But many are still discouraged by God’s seeming silence. We need to learn that in the silence our loving God is answering, whether we see his working or not, for he delights to answer his children’s prayers. Sometimes the silence means that God’s answer is a loving no. Perhaps we asked amiss, or though the request was good, a better way is coming. Far better for Paul than the removal of his thorn was God’s sufficient grace, which was perfected in his weakness. This is why he could write, “By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10). Also, sometimes the silence means that God has a bigger answer in store than we could ever have dreamed of or asked for. As Oswald Chambers explained, “Some prayers are followed by silence because they are wrong, others because they are bigger than we can understand. It will be a wonderful moment for some of us when we stand before God and find that the prayers we clamoured for in early days and imagined were never answered, have been answered in the most amazing way, and that God’s silence has been the sign of the answer.” Further, sometimes the silence of God is meant to instill dependence upon him. In the case of Paul he was left with his thorn so that he would lean entirely upon God. We are so prone to independence that the granting of certain of our requests would lead us to self-sufficiency, pride, and independence. There can be no better way to cultivate a sense of dependence upon God than the need for persistent or determined prayer. Sometimes the silence is a delay to allow our prayers to mature. If God had answered our prayers according to our schedule, our prayers would not have been honed by the Spirit for our greater good and his glory. (Preaching the Word - Luke) Before the Face of God - A Haunting Question “However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” [Luke 18:8b] Jesus told of the persistent widow to encourage his disciples to persevere in faith. He knew how dark and bleak would be the days between the ascension and his return. His words were meant to invigorate the disciples for the challenge, to regulate their thinking and actions in accordance with priorities of the kingdom They were to be consumed with a passion for justice before his throne and to look for him to return to settle all accounts justly. Jesus then tacked on an unexpected question. He asked his followers if, at his return, he would find anyone on earth with true faith in God. Imagine a question like that from the lips of Jesus. He is talking to his disciples, but the Pharisees were listening. He asks, “When I come back, will I find a faithful generation that has persevered in prayer, or will I find another generation like these godless Pharisees who have negotiated away their faith?” Is it any wonder that the Pharisees incited the crowds to demand Jesus’ death? Their bowl of wrath was beginning to overflow. This verse has always haunted me, and sometimes I have prayed, “Lord, if you return in my lifetime, I promise that you will find faith on this planet, because you will find it in me.” But we have to be careful about making glib statements like this, because it is only by the grace of God that we can persevere in any kind of faithfulness. Jesus hints that when he returns it will not be to a generation marked by great faithfulness, but rather it will be a time when he has to search for real, persevering faith. Many have noted that our day seems to be such a time. Accommodation to the world is all too common. The parable is relevant, not only to the final coming of Jesus, but also to his comings in history. Who can know when Christ will come? It may be tonight. And who can know when Christ will come to judge a given nation? If our land does not repent, surely her days are numbered. When he comes for you, what will he find? Will the Son of Man Find Faith on Earth? This is a hard saying in the sense that no one can be quite sure what it means, especially in relation to its context. When a question is asked in Greek, it is often possible to determine, from the presence of one particle or another, whether the answer expected is yes or no. But no such help is given with this one. Many commentators assume that the answer implied here is no, but in form at least it is a completely open question. Luke is the only Evangelist who records the question, and he places it at the end of the parable of the persistent widow—the widow who refused to take no for an answer. Jesus told this parable, says Luke, to teach his disciples that “they should always pray and not give up” (Lk 18:1). But what has this purpose to do with the Son of Man finding faith on earth when he comes? The widow in the parable showed faith of an unusually persevering quality—not personal faith in the unjust judge whom she pestered until he granted her petition to keep her quiet, but faith in the efficacy of persistent “prayer.” The point of the story seems to be this: if even a conscienceless judge, who “neither feared God nor cared about men,” saw to it that a widow got her rights, not for the sake of seeing justice done but to get rest from her importunity, how much more will God, who is no unjust judge but a loving Father, listen to his children’s plea for vindication! It is vindication that they seek, just as the widow insisted on getting her rights, of which someone was trying to deprive her. Then comes the question: “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” It is possible indeed that it is Luke who attaches the question to the parable, and that in Jesus’ teaching it had some other context which is no longer recoverable. T. W. Manson leant to the view that “the Son of Man” does not bear its special meaning here—that the sense is “Men and women ought to have implicit faith that God will vindicate his elect people, that righteousness will triumph over evil. But when one comes and looks for such faith—when, for example, I come and look for it—is it anywhere to be found?” The answer implied by this interpretation is no—people in general, it is suggested, do not really expect God to vindicate his chosen ones, nor do they at heart desire the triumph of righteousness over evil. But perhaps we should look at a wider context than this one parable. The coming of the Son of Man is a major theme in the preceding section of Luke’s record, in the discourse of Jesus about “the day when the Son of Man is revealed” (Lk 17:22–37). The lesson impressed by this discourse on the hearers is that they must keep on the alert and be ready for that day when it comes. When it comes, God will vindicate his righteous cause and therewith the cause of his people who trust him. But they must trust him and not lose heart; they must here and now continue faithfully in the work assigned to them. (This is the lesson also of the parable of the pounds in Lk 19:11–27.) The Son of Man, whose revelation will be like the lightning, illuminating “the sky from one end to the other” (Lk 17:24), will be able to survey the earth to see if there is any faith on it, any “faithful and wise steward” whom his master when he comes will find loyally fulfilling his service (Lk 12:42–44 RSV). So the question “Will he find faith on earth?” remains open in fact as in form: its answer depends on the faithfulness of those who wait to render account of their stewardship when he calls for it. (Scroll down to page 449 Hard Sayings of the Bible) Luke 18:9 And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: to some people who trusted in themselves: Lu 10:29 15:29 16:15 Pr 30:12 Isa 65:5 66:5 Joh 9:28,34 Ro 7:9 Ro 9:31,32 10:3 Php 3:4-6 viewed others with contempt: Lu 18:11 7:39 15:2,30 19:7 Joh 7:47-49 8:48 Ac 22:21 Ro 14:10 Luke 18 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 18:9-14 The Wrong and Right Way to Approach God - Steven Cole Luke 18:9-14 Who Can Be Right with God? Part 1 - John MacArthur Luke 18:9-14 Who Can Be Right with God? Part 2 - John MacArthur A PARABLE CONTRASTING TWO TYPES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS MacArthur points out that we have to keep in mind the larger context of this section, which is the subject of the kingdom of God which became a major focus beginning in Luke 17:20-21 (and extending through Luke 18:30) when He was "questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming," and Jesus answered explaining that “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.” He went on to explain that the Kingdom of God had a present spiritual aspect (in the hearts of those who received Christ the King). But that is just one aspect of the kingdom which consists secondly of a coming literal, earthly Millennial Kingdom and thirdly an eternal Kingdom. So naturally, the question arises "Who will get to enter the Kingdom of God?" In other words, who is a part of that spiritual kingdom, and will therefore participate in the earthly kingdom and live forever in the eternal kingdom? Who is qualified? Who is acceptable to God in the kingdom? Jesus answers that question in the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. Alfred Edersheim adds that "The Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican, which follows, is only internally connected with that of ‘the Unjust Judge.’ It is not of unrighteousness, but of self-righteousness—and this, both in its positive and negative aspects: as trust in one’s own state, and as contempt of others. Again, it has also this connection with the previous Parable, that, whereas that of the Unrighteous Judge pointed to continuance, this to humility in prayer. The introductory clause shows that it has no connection in point of time with what had preceded, although the interval between the two may, of course, have been very short. Probably, something had taken place, which is not recorded, to occasion this Parable, which, if not directly addressed to the Pharisees, is to such as are of Pharisaic spirit....On the present occasion the two men, who went together to the entrance of the Temple, represented the two religious extremes in Jewish society. To the entrance of the Temple, but no farther, did the Pharisee and the Publican go together. Within the sacred enclosure—before God, where man should least have made it, began their separation." (The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah - The Last Three Parables of the Perean Series - The Unrighteous Judge, the Self-Righteous Pharisee and the Publican - The Unmerciful Servant) Robert Stein observes that "The theme of the parable, God’s mercy to tax collectors and sinners, has been encountered earlier (Luke 5:29–32; 7:36–50; 15:1–32; 16:19–31) as has the form, a parable in which the behavior of two characters is contrasted (Luke 7:36–50; 15:11–32; 16:19–31; cf. also Matt 20:1–16; 21:28–32)." (New American Commentary) And He also told this parable - This parable is connected with the parable in Luke 18:1-8 in which Jesus calls for prayer at all times and in this parable describes how we ought to pray. However, the emphasis is not on prayer but on true versus false righteousness. It is about who will get into the Kingdom of God and who will not get into the Kingdom of God. Kenneth E. Bailey comments on how this parable is frequently misinterpreted, many preachers choosing to focus on prayer aspect (which is there), but missing Jesus' main point about true and false righteousness. Bailey writes... "The more familiar a parable, the more it cries out to be rescued from the barnacles that have attached themselves to it over the centuries. In the popular mind, the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector is a simple story about prayer. One man prays an arrogant prayer and is blamed for his attitudes. The other prays humbly and is praised for so doing. Too often the unconscious response becomes, Thank God, we’re not like that Pharisee! But such a reaction demonstrates that we are indeed like him! How can this parable best be understood? Is it strictly about styles of prayer? No doubt humility in prayer is at the heart of the story, but in his introduction Luke tells his readers that the main focus of the parable is righteousness and those who believe they can reach that pious goal by means of their own efforts." ( Borrow - Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels - see the reviews). Parable (3850)(see above for parabole) is a story, in this case a "story" about righteousness, false and true. For context, remember that since Adam's sin entered the world (Romans 5:12+), bringing unrighteousness with it, mankind has sought to attain to a righteousness that God would accept, a righteousness that would assure entrance to heaven (or it's equivalent) when one dies. In short, there are only two alternatives to attaining righteousness, man's way (false) or God's way (true). In the book of Job, which most authorities consider the oldest book in the Bible, Bildad asked Job "How then can man be justified with God?" (Job 25:4KJV). In Ps 143:2 David answers asking God "do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for in Your sight no man living is righteous." David's son Solomon added "Indeed, there is not a righteous (Hebrew = saddiq; Lxx = dikaioo) man on earth who continually does good and who never sins." (Eccl 7:20) Solomon adds "there is no man who does not sin." (1 Ki 8:46) Isaiah describes man's (SELF) righteousness writing that "all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment (filthy rags - Hebrew phrase = "and like a garment of menstruation [are] all our righteous acts")." (Isaiah 64:6) From these passages (and many others could have been added), it is clear that in God's eyes "THERE IS NONE (absolutely none!) RIGHTEOUS, (absolutely) NOT EVEN ONE!" (Ro 3:10+) Man's way to attain righteousness describes fallen sinners seeking to be good enough or do enough "good" deeds to merit spending eternity with God in Heaven. Proverbs 14:12 addresses man's attempts to achieve righteousness declaring "There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death." God's way of righteousness describes the merciful provision of His perfect righteousness to sinners by grace through faith (Eph 2:8+) in the death, burial and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ. Paul summarizes God's way writing that "He (God the Father) made Him (Jesus Christ) Who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we (those who believe the Gospel) might become the righteousness (dikaiosune) of God in Him." (2 Cor 5:21+). Jesus alluded to Man's way versus God's way comparing these two ways using the metaphor of a physician writing "They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous (THE "SELF-RIGHTEOUS"), but sinners to repentance (AND JUSTIFICATION = DECLARATION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS)." (Lk 5:31,32+). Related Discussion - Commentary on "works of the law" versus faith Galatians 3:1-5 Righteousness (dikaiosune) is rightness of character before God and rightness of actions before men.The righteousness of God can be succinctly summarized as all that God is, all that He commands, all that He approves, and all that He provides through Christ (Click for Ray Pritchard's analysis of righteousness). Righteousness is attitude and action which conforms to a standard and can be either man's imperfect standard (as exemplified by the self-righteous Pharisee in this parable) or God's standard of perfect holiness (as reckoned to the tax collector in this parable). Righteous acts initiated and carried out in our own fleshly energy and calculated to impress others, do not impress God! Righteousness before men to be noticed by them is self righteousness. Righteousness that God the Father accepts is the character of His Son reproduced in and through us by His Holy Spirit and for His good pleasure. Jesus Thy Blood and righteousness My beauty are, my glorious dress; ’Midst flaming worlds in these arrayed, With joy shall I lift up my head. (Play) In summary, there are two ways Savior-righteousness or Self-righteousness. The former way leads to Heaven and eternal life, while the latter leads to Hell and Eternal Death. Self-righteousness is the great lie that has deceived mankind since the fall when the Serpent beguiled Eve with the lie "You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (cf Ge 3:4-5+) All human attempts to achieve self-righteousness are futile and will end in eternal separation from God. EVERY religion in the world (other than Christianity) attempts to be right with God by human efforts of one form or another. These false religions may have many variations, but they all distill down to belief in the deadly deception that man can work his way to God. They all in some way ask what can I do to be good enough to get to Heaven (or Paradise or Nirvana, etc)? And so while there are thousands of false religions, they all converge at this one point - human attempts to attain self-righteousness. Jesus described this as the wide gate and the broad way "that leads to destruction" and added that this way leads to destruction and "there are many who enter through it." (Mt 7:13+) (Watch this 2 minute video in which men and women on the street were asked "How does a person get to heaven?") Related Resource: Why Are there so many religions? Do all religions lead to God? How to Get to Heaven - What are the ideas from the different religions? (Nice summary) Here is an illustration of these two basic approaches to righteousness - An Englishman by the name of Ebenezer Wooten had just concluded a preaching service in the village square. The crowd had dispersed, and he was busily engaged in loading the equipment. A young man approached him and asked, “Mr. Wooten, what must I DO to be saved?” Sensing that the fellow was trusting his own righteousness, Wooten answered in a rather unconcerned way, “It’s too late!” The inquirer was startled. “Oh don’t say that, sir!” But the evangelist insisted, “It’s too late!” Then, looking the young man in the eye, he continued, “You want to know what you must DO to be saved. I tell you it’s too late now or any other time. The work of salvation is done, completed, finished! It was finished on the cross.” (See "It is finished! Paid in full!") Then he explained that our part is simply to acknowledge our sin, repent and receive by faith the gift of God's forgiveness. Here is another more spectacular example of man's vain attempt to achieve righteousness... It seems that men have some innate knowledge of their great need for righteousness and they attempt many ways to attain it as the following Global Prayer Digest report from December 24, 2000 emphasizes: "What was the largest gathering of humanity in history?...According to the Guinness Book of World Records, it was the 1989 Kumbh Mela event in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. About 15 million people attended!...The Maha Kumbh Mela is so important to Hindus that millions will attend this festival that happens once every 12 years. According to Hindu myths, when the stars come together on a certain line, a person may gain salvation (moksha) by taking a holy dip. Sadhus and other Hindu VIPs get the first chance to take the holy dip. From January 9 to February 21, 2001 they will do it again in Allahabad. This time, Indian officials expect to have 45 million attending, a record-breaking number!" They know they need righteousness and believe the lie that they can bathe in a so-called "holy river" and receive that righteousness! Wayne Grudem writes that A right understanding of justification is absolutely crucial to the whole Christian faith. Once Martin Luther realized the truth of justification by faith alone, he became a Christian and overflowed with the new-found joy of the gospel. The primary issue in the Protestant Reformation was a dispute with the Roman Catholic Church over justification (+). If we are to safeguard the truth of the Gospel for future generations, we must understand the truth of justification. Even today, a true view of justification is the dividing line between the biblical Gospel of salvation by faith alone and all false gospels of salvation based on good works. (Systematic Theology) (Bolding added) Justification is God’s declaration that all the demands of His righteous and holy law are fulfilled on behalf of the believing sinner through the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Justification is a forensic or legal transaction. It is an one time act or declaration occurring at the moment one places their faith in Christ. At that moment, the believing sinner is fully (100%) justified before God. Nothing can be added or subtracted from that declaration of justification. And so in justification, God imputes, reckons or places on the sinner's "account" the perfect righteousness of Christ and God declares this individual fully and forever righteous in His sight. Justification is distinguished from sanctification, in which God's Spirit imparts Christ’s righteousness to the sinner, progressively, day by day, for the remainder of a saved sinner's life on earth. Chart depicting relationship of justification and sanctification - Three Tenses of Salvation (Justification, Sanctification, Glorification) Related word study on dikaioo = Justify, justified, Acquitted, Vindicated, Freed (1344) John MacArthur adds the following observations on the two types of righteousness - There have always been but two systems of religion in the world. One is God’s system of divine accomplishment, and the other is man’s system of human achievement. One is the religion of God’s grace, the other the religion of men’s works. One is the religion of faith, the other the religion of the flesh. One is the religion of the sincere heart and the internal, the other the religion of hypocrisy and the external. Within man’s system are thousands of religious forms and names, but they are all built on the achievements of man and the inspiration of Satan. Christianity, on the other hand, is the religion of divine accomplishment, and it stands alone...Jesus repeatedly pointed out two things: the necessity of choosing whether to follow God or not, and the fact that the choices are two and only two. There are two gates, the narrow and the wide; two ways, the narrow and the broad; two destinations, life and destruction ; two groups, the few and the many; two kinds of trees, the good and the bad, which produce two kinds of fruit, the good and the bad; two kinds of people who profess faith in Jesus Christ, the sincere and false; two kinds of builders, the wise and the foolish; two foundations, the rock and the sand, and two houses, the secure and the insecure (cf Mt 7:13-14+, Mt 7:24-27+). (Matthew 1-7, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary) In his book The Gospel According to Jesus MacArthur writes that "Salvation is impossible for sinful humanity. We have no redeeming resources of our own. We cannot atone for our sins. We cannot even believe without God’s sovereign enablement (John 6:44, 65); we cannot conjure up faith out of the human will. And we certainly cannot live up to God’s standard of perfect righteousness. In the sixteenth century, a German monk named Martin Luther sat in the tower of the Black Cloister (Lutherhaus) (named that because the monks dressed in black) in Wittenberg, meditating on the perfect righteousness of God. Although he was the most scrupulous of monks, attending confession for hours each day, seeking forgiveness for the minutest of sins, he realized that the standard of perfect righteousness was absolutely unattainable. He thought of divine righteousness as an unrelenting, unforgiving, avenging wrath and believed his state was hopeless. Recounting the experience that transformed his life, he later said: That expression “righteousness of God” was like a thunderbolt in my heart.…I hated Paul with all my heart when I read that the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel [Romans 1:16–17+]. Only afterward, when I saw the words that follow—namely, that it’s written that the righteous shall live through faith [Romans 1:17]—and in addition consulted Augustine, I was cheered. When I learned that the righteousness of God is his mercy, and that he makes us righteous through it, a remedy was offered to me in my affliction. The remedy Luther found was the doctrine of justification by faith. His discovery launched the Reformation and put an end to the Dark Ages. What Luther came to realize is that God’s righteousness, revealed in the gospel, is reckoned in full to the account of everyone who turns to Christ in repentant faith. God’s own righteousness thus becomes the ground on which believers stand before him. This doctrine of justification is most fully expounded by the apostle Paul. The book of Romans in particular includes a lengthy treatise on justification, in which Paul demonstrates that as far back as Genesis, God graciously saved people by reckoning his righteousness to them because of their faith. No one has ever been saved through the merit system—salvation has been available only by grace through faith ever since our first parents fell. Abraham is the prime example of this: “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:3+). (The Gospel According to Jesus) Luther's zeal for God did not save him, nor does it save anyone for Paul writes "I testify about them (THE JEWS) that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge (ESPECIALLY KNOWLEDGE OF JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH, GOD'S DECLARATION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS)." (Ro 10:2+) Religion is a dangerous thing, a deadly deception, for many a zealous religious person will take their last breath and be shocked to find themselves in the place of eternal punishment despite all of their religiosity, unless they come to their senses as did Martin Luther. Jesus warned His Jewish audience (and all men) "that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Mt 5:20+) The Pharisees were so scrupulous in their keeping of the law that they would even tithe from the small spices obtained from their herb gardens (Matthew 23:23). Jesus is saying you cannot surpass the Pharisees in man made righteousness, unless you surpass it by believing in Jesus' Who offers perfect righteousness. The heart of this zealous devotion to God is illustrated by a group of modern day Orthodox Jews (early, 1992), who let three apartments in an Orthodox neighborhood in Israel burn to the ground while they asked a rabbi whether a telephone call to the fire department on the Sabbath violated Jewish law. Observant Jews are forbidden to use the phone on the Sabbath, because doing so would break an electrical current, which is considered a form of work. In the half-hour it took the rabbi to decide "yes," the fire spread to two neighboring apartments. The Gospel allows us to exceed their righteousness because our righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees in kind, not degree! Many people ask how could a sinner obtain Christ's righteousness (as in 2 Cor 5:21+) before Jesus' incarnation, crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection? In other words how were Old Testament saints like Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, David, etc saved? That is a fair question and one about which many people are confused. A very common answer I hear from Bible believing Christians is that the Old Testament saints were saved by keeping the law, carrying out the prescribed sacrifices, etc. Clearly, this is a works based mode of obtaining righteousness and is not the correct answer. The simple answer is that the Old Testament saints were saved by grace through faith in the Messiah (what they knew about Him, cf the protoevangelium, the first "Good News" in Ge 3:15+) and not by works of the law by which no man is justified (Romans 3:20+). Paul went on to explain "that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law." (Romans 3:28+). In Romans 4 Paul gives us an example of an Old Testament saint who was justified by faith and not by works, asking "what does the Scripture say? "AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS." (Romans 4:3+). Paul is quoting Genesis 15:6+ which says that Abraham "believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness." What did Abraham believe? In Genesis 15:5 God took Abraham outside and told him "Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” Descendants translates the Hebrew word for seed (the Hebrew is not seeds plural but seed, masculine singular). This same word Seed is used to refer to the coming Messiah as Paul explains in Galatians 3:16+ writing "Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his Seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your Seed,” that is, Christ." Earlier Paul had explained "The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.” (Gal 3:8+). So what did Abraham believe? He believed the Gospel, the good news about the Seed Who would come from his line, the Messiah. As to how much he knew about the substitutionary atonement, etc, we simply do not know as the Scripture is silent. Suffice it to say, he knew enough about the coming Christ to be saved by His substitutionary death, burial and resurrection. Related Resources: What was the Old Testament way of salvation?; How were people saved before Jesus died for our sins? With this background on this critically important topic of righteousness/justification, let's launch into the verse by verse exposition. THE SIN OF SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS To some people - Whereas the preceding parable in Luke 18:1-8 was spoken to the disciples, Jesus now speaks to "some people". Jesus could just as well have said "to all people" because outside of God's gift of righteousness by grace through faith in Christ, ALL people fall into this group, because we are all self-righteous to one degree or another. In a word, this parable applies to everyone ever born in Adam's likeness (cf Ro 5:12+). Matthew
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MacArthur on tithes - The Old Testament laid down prescription for tithing, 10% to fund the national theocratic government, 10% to fund the national festivals and feasts, and 10% every third year for the poor. So it was equivalent annually to about a 23.3% tax. There was a half-shekel temple tax and that was all the Lord required. But the Pharisees invented laws to make them appear more righteous even tithing mint and Dill and cumin....They went way beyond the law. A Pharisaic prayer dating from about the time of Jesus goes like this, "I thank Thee, Jehovah, my God, that Thou hast assigned my lot with those who sit in the house of learning and not with those who sit in the street corners. I rise early and they rise early. I rise early to study the words of the Torah and they rise early to attend to things of no importance. I weary myself and they weary themselves. I weary myself and gain thereby while they weary themselves without gaining anything. I run and they run. I run toward the life of the age to come. And they run toward the pit of destruction." That was the self-righteousness in the Pharisaic mind. (Who Can Be Right With God? Part 1 ) Jesus castigated the Pharisees for their fastidious foolishness declaring... “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! (Mt 23:23,24-see Mt 23:16-33 Condemnation of False Spiritual Leaders) Bailey - The Mishnah tractate Maʿaśerot (tithes) spells out all the possible exceptions that make such a blanket ruling easier to fulfill. The discussion continues for pages. But this Pharisee makes no exceptions, claiming simply, “I tithe all that I possess.” Surely those listening to his “ad” would be impressed by such a high standard of righteousness. (Borrow - Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels). John MacArthur: The Old Testament prescribed only one fast, the one on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement (see Lev. 16:29, 31, where the phrase “humble your souls” [from the Heb. ˓āna, “to afflict or humble”] commonly included the idea of refraining from food). But Jewish tradition had come to require fasting twice a week (see Luke 18:12), and these disciples were careful to follow that practice. Along with alms giving and certain prescribed prayers, twice-weekly fasting was one of the three major expressions of orthodox Judaism during Jesus’ day. The scribes and Pharisees looked on these practices with great seriousness and were careful not only to follow them faithfully but to do so as publicly and ostentatiously as possible-ostensibly as a testimony to true godliness but in reality as a testimony to their own self-styled piety. When they gave alms, they blew trumpets “in the synagogues and in the streets” in order to “be honored by men” (Matt. 6:2). When they prayed “in the synagogues and on the street corners,” they did so “to be seen by men” (Mt 6:5). And when they fasted, they “put on a gloomy face” and neglected their “appearance in order to be seen fasting by men” (Mt 6:16). They did not see religion as a matter of humility, repentance, or forgiveness, but as a matter of ceremony and proud display. And therefore the external rituals which they paraded as badges of godly righteousness actually marked them as ungodly hypocrites, as Jesus declared in each of the three verses just cited (cf. Mt 5:20). Religious ritual and routine have always been dangers to true godliness. Many ceremonies, such as praying to saints and lighting a candle for a deceased relative are actually heretical. But even if it is not wrong in itself, when a form of praying, worshiping, or serving becomes the focus of attention, it becomes a barrier to true righteousness. It can keep an unbeliever from trusting in God and a believer from faithfully obeying Him. Even going to church, reading the Bible, saying grace at meals, and singing hymns can become lifeless routines in which true worship of God has no part…The days will come, Jesus explained, when the bridegroom is taken away. Taken away is from apairō, which can carry the idea of sudden removal, of being snatched away violently. Jesus was obviously referring to His crucifixion, which would abruptly and violently take Him away from His followers, His faithful attendants. That will be the time for mourning, and then they will fast. But for the present time, He was saying, fasting was inappropriate. When there is no reason to mourn there is no reason to fast. Fasting springs naturally from a broken and grieving heart, but fasting as a shallow spiritual ritual apart from such brokenness is an affront to God. (See The MacArthur New Testament Commentary) Fast (3522)(nesteuo from ne- = not + esthío = to eat) means to abstain from food for a certain length of time. Nesteuo - 20x in 15v - fast(14), fasted(2), fasting(4). Matt. 4:2; Matt. 6:16; Matt. 6:17; Matt. 6:18; Matt. 9:14; Matt. 9:15; Mk. 2:18; Mk. 2:19; Mk. 2:20; Lk. 5:33; Lk. 5:34; Lk. 5:35; Lk. 18:12; Acts 13:2; Acts 13:3 I get (2932)(ktaomai) means to procure for oneself, to acquire, to obtain (Mt 10:9; Lk 18:12; 21:19; Ac 1:18; 8:20; 22:28; 1 Th 4:4). As an idiom "skeuos ktaomai" which is literally to possess a container or vessel and means to control one's sexual life (as skeuos is viewed as either one's body or one's wife in 1 Th 4:14). Another idiomatic use (ktaomai ten psuche) meant literally to acquire one's soul, or to save oneself or protect one's life (Lk 21:19+). Ma'aserot (Hebrew: מַעֲשְׂרוֹת, lit. "Tithes") is the seventh tractate of Seder Zeraim ("Order of Seeds") of the Mishnah, Tosefta, and the Jerusalem Talmud. It discusses the types of produce liable for tithing as well as the circumstances and timing under which produce becomes obligated for tithing. In Biblical times, during each of the six years of the cycle, "Maaser Rishon" was given to Levites as 10% of an individual's crop. "Maaser Sheni" was separated in the first, second, fourth and fifth year and is 10% of the crop remaining after "Maaser Rishon". It was brought to Jerusalem to be eaten there or was redeemed upon coins which were deconsecrated upon food in Jerusalem. The final category is "Maaser Ani" that is given to the poor in the third and sixth years. (Wikipedia) Luke 18:13 "But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!' standing some distance away: Lu 5:8 7:6,7 17:12 Ezr 9:6 Job 42:6 Ps 40:12 Isa 6:5 Eze 16:63 Da 9:7-9 Ac 2:37 but was beating his breast: Lu 23:48 Jer 31:18,19 2Co 7:11 God, be merciful to me: Ps 25:7,11 41:4 51:1-3 86:15,16 119:41 130:3,4,7 Da 9:5,9-11 Da 9:18,19 Heb 4:16 8:12 the sinner: Lu 15:18-21 23:40-43 2Ch 33:12,13,19,23 Ps 106:6 Isa 1:18 64:5,6 Mt 9:13 Ro 5:8,20,21 1Ti 1:15 1Jn 1:8-10 Luke 18 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 18:9-14 The Wrong and Right Way to Approach God - Steven Cole Luke 18:9-14 Who Can Be Right with God? Part 1 - John MacArthur Luke 18:9-14 Who Can Be Right with God? Part 2 - John MacArthur Pharisee and Tax-Collector by Tissot A PRAYER FROM A PENITENT FOR PARDON But the tax collector (telones), standing some distance away (makrothen), was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating (tupto/typto) his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful (hilaskomai) to me, the sinner!' With the term of contrast but Jesus turns the corner with his description of a despised tax collector, presenting a 180 degree contrast with the respected Pharisee. Standing some distance away reflect the fact that the tax collector was an unclean "low life" and the Pharisee would have stood as great a distance from him as possible to avoid becoming ceremonially defiled. Luke has mentioned tax collectors (tax gatherers) several times previously in his Gospel (Lk 3:12-13, Lk 5:27-32, Lk 7:29-30, Lk 7:34, Lk 15:1-2) and in several of the uses Luke presents a clear contrast between the tax gatherers and the Pharisees... Luke 5:29+ And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them. 30 The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners? Luke 7:29-30+ When all the people and the tax collectors heard this (Lk 7:24-28), they acknowledged God’s justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John. Luke 15:1-2+ Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. 2 Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” So in these previous contrasting pictures we see the tax collectors as those who are open to the message of Jesus, but the Pharisees as those who are repeatedly rejecting and grumbling over Jesus' message and actions. Can you imagine the shock and dismay of the Jewish audience listening to this parable as Jesus says that God accepts the despicable tax collector and rejects the self-righteous Pharisee?! The tax collector was viewed as one of the Am Ha-Aretz , literally “the people of the land," a common person as opposed to the religiously pious Pharisee, who was a Hakhamim. These two men were literally polar opposites in the Jewish culture of the day -- the tax collector being the most despised, most defiled and most unrighteous and the Pharisee being the most respected, most pious and most righteous. Moody Bible Commentary - Tax-collectors were typically Jews who served the Romans by collecting taxes for them. They were viewed as collaborators and were ostracized. Often they were unscrupulous and greedy and took advantage of their fellow Jews by overtaxing them and keeping the takings. Roman authorities typically contracted with individuals to collect taxes. As long as the Roman quota was met, the Romans were happy. For a tax collector to make a profit, however, required systematic overcharging of those who were taxed, as the Romans did not share a percentage of the fees with the tax collectors. The people looked at the tax collectors both as traitors and as thieves. For Jesus to use such a person as the “hero” of a parable would have been a surprising twist indeed. MacArthur adds that the tax collector is "way off on the fringe, on the outer edge. Why? Because he knows he doesn't deserve to be in the presence of God or even the presence of those who are righteous. He is rejected. He is a traitor. But more than that, he is a sinner. He is a pariah not only to the society, but he is a pariah to God. He is a pariah in his own mind and his own heart. He has no right to draw near to God and he knows that. This is humility. This is a sense of alienation and it's revealed in his location. Was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven - Here we have another (implied) contrast, he is unwilling to even look toward God, while the Pharisee has no such reservation, being fully convinced of his piety and righteousness before God. We see this man's humility in keeping his distance from others (see above) and now by his posture reflecting his being overwhelmed with a sense of guilt and shame. For lifting one's eyes to heaven in prayer see Mark 6:41; 7:34; John 11:41; 17:1; Ps 123:1. MacArthur adds that "He knows he is unworthy. He is a swindler. He is unjust, dishonest, a cheat, corrupt, immoral, irreligious, he is a law breaker. He knows it, he feels it, he believes it, and he confesses it. And there's not even a hint of the attitude that might say, "Well, I know I'm a sinner, but at least I'm here at the temple so I'm better than most tax collectors I know." He feels the full weight of his alienation from God. It's not just about being alienated from the society because of his profession, it's about being alienated from God because of his sin and disobedience and lawlessness. He has that sense of alienation. He feels that weight of sin and brokenness, that accompanying conviction and remorse. He experiences pain and fear and dread of deserved punishment and judgment. His location says it and so does his posture." To find salvation you must admit you one is spiritually lost, which is Paul's primary goal in the first major segment division of Romans (Ro 1:18-3:20) where he clearly shows sinful man his desperate need for salvation, summing up that there is none righteous, not even one (Ro 3:10). The tax collector's unwillingness to lift his eyes (to heaven, to God) clearly reflects understanding of his desperate spiritual condition. It is this poverty of spirit which made him open to the message describing who enters the Kingdom of God. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus speaks of the spirit needed in the person who desires to enter the Kingdom of God, declaring “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Mt 5:3+) Comment: Remember that entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven (or its synonym, the Kingdom of God) is divine "short hand" for gaining salvation, because only those souls saved by grace through faith will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven (in this present age only a spiritual Kingdom with Christ as King in our hearts, but one day a Millennial Kingdom, which is followed by an eternal Kingdom.) Bailey comments - Sensing his defiled ceremonial status, the tax collector chooses to stand apart from other worshipers attending the magnificent atonement sacrifice for the sins of Israel. The accepted posture for prayer in the temple was to look down and keep one’s arms crossed over the chest, like a servant before his master. But the tax collector is so distraught over his sins that he beats his chest where his heart is located. (Borrow - Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels). But was beating (tupto/typto) his breast - This is a unique description and further reflects his humility and deep distress over his sinful state! The breast or heart was regarded as the seat of sin (Mt 15:19-20, Mk 7:21-23, cf Jer 17:9) and hence the act is one of grief or contrition, but as noted below was an unusual act for a man to carry out. Instead his hands raised upward (like the Pharisee may have done), the tax collector makes his hands into fists to enable him to pound on his chest! Have you ever felt such disgust with your sins and sinful state that you beat on your chest in brokenness and contrition? Although I am not necessarily advocating this practice, what if the next time we sinned presumptively against God, we would take our fist and begin to beat on our chest?! It might "get our attention!" Of course, the only way to truly kill sin is not by our efforts on our own, but our efforts motivated and empowered by the Spirit, Who enables us to put to "death the deeds of the body," so that we will really live. (Ro 8:13+) remembering that "all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." (Ro 8:14+) Beating (tupto/typto from root "tup--" = a blow) from root "tup--" = a blow --- striking, hitting) (imperfect tense = again and again - what a scene he must have created!) means literally to smite, strike with a fist, staff or whip. To beat or otherwise inflict a blow as when Paul was beaten in Acts (Acts 21:32, 23:2). In Lk 18:13 the tax collected was beating his chest mourning over his sinful state, in stark contrast to the self-righteous Pharisee (Lk 18:10-12). Figuratively tupto spoke of wounding one's conscience (1 Cor 8:12+). J C
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MacArthur comments that both "want the benefits of the atonement (from morning and/or evening sacrificial lambs) to fall upon them. They also want to go up there so that they can join with the symbolic incense and having experienced the sacrifice, the incense comes afterward. That is to say once sin is atoned for then prayer can be offered to God." (Who Can Be Right With God? Part 2) Bailey asks "What type of worship service is assumed by such language? The only daily service in the temple area was the atonement offerings that took place at dawn and again at three o’clock in the afternoon (Here is a depiction of what the alter may have looked like). Each service began outside the sanctuary at the great high altar with the sacrifice for the sins of Israel of a lamb whose blood was sprinkled on the altar, following a precise ritual. In the middle of the prayers there would be the sound of silver trumpets, the clanging of cymbals and the reading of a psalm. The officiating priest would then enter the outer part of the sanctuary where he would offer incense and trim the lamps. At that point, when the officiating priest disappeared into the building, those worshipers in attendance could offer their private prayers to God. An example of this precise ritual appears in Luke 1:8+, where Zechariah had the privilege of offering up the incense in the sanctuary. Lk 1:10+ states, “At the time of the incense offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside” (my translation). Many pious Jews who were not at the temple would offer their private prayers at the time of day when they knew the incense offering was being made in the Temple. In this way they could participate even when they were not able to be present. This particular service afforded the opportunity for what we today would call both public worship and private prayer. It is for this service that the Pharisee and the tax collector “went up” to the temple. The language of the text and what is known of the twice daily atonement sacrifice in the second temple assume such a setting. (Borrow - Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels). (Bolding added) Comment: It is fascinating and more than mere coincidence that at 3 PM (ninth hour by Jewish time), the time when the lamb was offered on the great altar as the atonement offering, was also the same time when the veil of the Temple split in two from top to bottom (see explanation in Heb 10:19-20+) and the Messiah, the Lamb of God [cf John 1:29] cried out in a loud voice "Father, INTO THY HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT." And having said this, He breathed His last." - Luke 23:44-46+. (See parallel descriptions in Mt 27:46-53, 54, Mark 15:34-38, 39, cf "It is finished" in John 19:30+) Note that the ninth hour in Lk 23:44 is about 3 PM. If you have time, compare what the writer of Hebrews says about the lamb offered at 3 PM (Hebrews 10:1-3, 4+) and the Lamb of God offered at 3 PM on the "altar" of the Cross on Calvary (Hebrews 10:5-9, 10+) Excursus on the Altar in Herod's Temple (see picture) - During Herod the Great's extensive building activity on the Temple Mount, it was likely refurbished. Talmudic scholars give a very precise description of the altar during the Second Temple period. The altar was built as a perfect square and was quite large: it reached a height of 10 cubits (app. 5 meters ~16 feet high) and its width was 32 cubits (app. 16 meters = 52.5 feet wide). It was constructed of two main parts: the altar itself, and the ascent ramp. Both were constructed of stones and earth. On top of the altar at its four corners, there were hollow boxes which made small protrusions or "horns." These horns measured one cubit square and 5 handbreadths high, each (or, app. 18" x 18" x 15").[3] In this form, the altar remained in its place until the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 CE. (Wikipedia) MacArthur on went up to the Temple to pray - This happened twice a day, every day at 9 A.M. (cf Acts 2:15) and 3 P.M. (cf Acts 3:1), at the time of the morning and evening sacrifices prescribed for the burnt offering which was laid out in the Leviticus 1:2-17+ (and Nu 28:2-4+). They were to go up and make an animal sacrifice, a blood sacrifice as a symbol of atonement. The Jews, and especially the Pharisees, were very fastidious and made sure they showed up at 9 A.M. and at 3 P.M. every day. They would go up the steps at the prescribed time. The sacrifices would be offered on the altar. Following the sacrifices which would symbolically open the way to God because atonement had been made, incense would be burned symbolizing prayer. Now because atonement has been made, prayers could be offered. There would be a priestly benediction on the people who were faithful to be there. When it says they went up to the Temple to pray, “pray” would embody all the worship activities that went on. The Temple, according to Jesus in Matthew 21:13 "SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER’" (quoting from Isaiah 56:7) adding "but you are making it a ROBBERS’ DEN.” “Prayer” synonymous with worship, a house where you go to offer yourself (cf Ro 12:1+) and your petitions and your praises to God. It was that time and the crowd ascended the long, steep steps up to the Temple Mount. They went up, anabainō. They ascended to worship. They are going up because an atonement is going to be made for sin. Some are going up there feeling they need the benefits of that atonement. Some are going up there to display themselves and they are just looking for a crowd to gather so that they could be seen by men (Mt 6:5+). (Luke 18:9-14 Who Can Be Right with God? Part 1) Warren
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MacArthur - Very likely the Pharisee would take his place in a most visible location and nearest to the holy place that he could get to show his proximity to God. He wants to be wherever God is believed or deemed to be, to give the unwashed around him a good look at a truly righteous man....My guess is the intent of our Lord is to say that he prayed in the direction of himself in a self-congratulatory prayer probably audibly since typically Jewish people did pray audibly. The only prohibition the rabbis give is that you are to pray audibly but not to yell. There are some interesting passages in Jewish history that talk about how the rabbis rebuke people who tried to out-shout others in their praying. But he is really putting on a demonstration. And so everybody gets the message and so God can truly appreciate his achievement, he gets specific (in listing out what he is NOT).
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MacArthur adds that the Pharisees, "the law keepers were called the Hakhamim ("Men of wisdom”or Haverim) and the lawbreakers were called the Am Ha-Aretz. (Ed Note: Literally “the people of the land” - The ancient Jewish concept of the “common people” as opposed to the religiously pious, who practiced the rituals and tithing laws.- from Yeshua: A Guide to the Real Jesus and the Original Chruch - Ron Moseley). These were the "low-lifes." And in the eyes of the Pharisee, he could not get near to anybody who was an Am Ha-Aretz for that was an absolutely unthinkable. Kenneth Bailey writes, "In the eyes of a strict Pharisee, the most obvious candidate for the classification of Am Ha-Aretz would be a tax collector. But there was a particular kind of uncleanness that was contracted by sitting, riding, or even leaning against something unclean. This uncleanness was called midras uncleanness (see another note). And for Pharisees, he writes, "The clothes of an Am Ha-Aretz count as suffering midras uncleanness." They didn't get near any of the low-lifes and the riff-raffs that they disdained...not even so much as to teach them the law of God! (Luke 18:9-14 Who Can Be Right with God? Part 1) John MacArthur on even like this tax collector - That would be an easy jump because tax collectors were the most despised and despicable people in the culture, having purchased tax franchises from the occupying Roman idolaters. They then paid the Romans what the wanted each year and anything kept the rest. They extorted money from the people any way they could even using thugs and strong armed petty criminals. They were surrounded therefore by society’s sinners and prostitutes and the riff-raff of the culture. They couldn't go to a synagogue. They were the most hated and despised of people in the society. And so the Pharisee says, "I'm not anything like that bottom rung of society. So by negative illustration, he shows what he's not like. (Who Can Be Right With God? Part 2) Brian Bell writes that "Pride is so subtle that if we aren’t careful we’ll be proud of our humility! ☺When this happens our goodness becomes badness. Our virtues become vices. We can easily become like the Sunday School teacher who, having told the story of the Pharisee and the publican, said, “Children, let’s bow our heads and thank God we are not like the Pharisee!” The Pharisee’s prayer showed he was self-centered; showed he was conceited; showed his morality was based on negatives; showed his worship was based on externals. (Sermon) MacArthur adds that "According to the Mishnah, the Jewish law, at the time of the incense prayers were made and when the prayers began there was a delegation of Jews responsible at beginning of the prayer to find the unclean people in the crowd and clear them away to the eastern gate!" I thank (2168)(eucharisteo from eú = well + charízomai = to grant, give.; English - Eucharist) means to show that one is under obligation by being thankful. To show oneself as grateful (most often to God in the NT). Thanksgiving expresses what ought never to be absent from any of our devotions. We should always be ready to express our grateful acknowledgement of past mercies as distinguished form the earnest seeking of future mercies. In the present case of course gratitude to God for past mercies was not on the heart of this self-righteous Pharisee. Swindlers (727)(harpax from harpazo - to seize, catch away, word for the "rapture") means grasping, violently greedy, robber, swindler. One who uses force and violence in stealing. In some context it means rapacious or ravenous (Mt 7:15+, Lxx Gen 49:27). Swindlers were prohibited in the 10 Commandments (Ex 20:15) Robbers did this to people and so did the tax collectors, but the Pharisees did this, too. They would pressure those who were weak or widows to surrender their possessions through ruthless, scheming tactics (see Mt 23:14). Harpax -ravenous(1), swindler(1), swindlers(3) - Matt. 7:15; Lk. 18:11; 1 Co. 5:10; 1 Co. 5:11; 1 Co. 6:10 Unjust (94)(adikos from a = without + dike = justice) is an adjective which in general describes that which is characterized by violation of divine law, in contrast to his mention of the specific sins of swindling and adultery which were mentioned in the 10 Commandments (Ex 20:14-15). It means acting in a way that is contrary to what is right (unjust, crooked). Adikos is what God is NOT (Heb 6:10+, Ro 3:5+). As in the Old Testament, the “unrighteous” (adikos) are a class of people who stand over against the “righteous,” or the people of God, in the present context a one who thought he was righteous but in fact was not! Adulterers (3432)(moichos cp study of related word moichalis = adulteress) describes one who is unfaithful to a spouse. Figuratively, moichos describes one who is faithless toward God, which would actually be a good description of the self-righteous Pharisee! The very one he detests, is actually who he is in his heart! Not only that Jesus raised the bar so that while he may not have committed overt, literal adultery, he almost certainly had in his heart! (Mt 5:27-30+) See the deceitfulness of sin! Adulterers were prohibited in the 10 Commandments (Ex 20:14). David Jeremiah - THE PERIL OF RELIGION LUKE 18:11 - One of the terrible possibilities suggested by the Pharisee’s attitude in prayer is this: A person can be religious and not be right. This man’s religion became the cause of his ruin. He did everything right from a religious perspective—in fact, more than right! His problem was that he had totally excluded God from the picture of his life. His religion was all about him. Every Sunday, people attend houses of worship with other worshipers. They sing hymns, recite liturgies, pray prayers, listen to sermons. And they will leave feeling better about themselves than when they went in. Unfortunately, they will still be deeply rooted in their sins. If our religion does nothing more than make us feel better about our sin, then that religion has doomed us, not saved us. The Pharisee was a religious man who was lost in his religion. Along with everything else we learn in this story, we learn about the dangers of religious pride. And that doesn’t mean we are to go to a church where we leave feeling bad. It means we are to leave feeling good about the Savior whose mercy has saved us from our sins. We leave feeling good about God’s justification, not our own. (See Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God or borrow Sanctuary : finding moments of refuge in the presence of God) Luke 18:12 'I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.' fast: Lu 17:10 Nu 23:4 1Sa 15:13 2Ki 10:16 Isa 1:15 58:2,3 Zec 7:5,6 Mt 6:1,5,16 9:14 15:7-9 Ro 3:27 10:1-3 1Co 1:29 Ga 1:14 Eph 2:9 1Ti 4:8 I pay tithes of all that I get: Lu 11:42 Lev 27:30-33 Nu 18:24 Mal 3:8 Mt 23:23,24 Luke 18 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 18:9-14 The Wrong and Right Way to Approach God - Steven Cole Luke 18:9-14 Who Can Be Right with God? Part 1 - John MacArthur Luke 18:9-14 Who Can Be Right with God? Part 2 - John MacArthur THE PHARISEE PRAISES HIS SUPEROGATORY PIETY IN PUBLIC I fast twice a week (sabbaton) - He celebrates his self-righteousness, taking great pride in his self-initiated efforts, as indicated by three uses of the personal pronoun "I" in this short verse. In the previous verse the Pharisee "prayed" (note prayer is in quotes for this is hardly a God honoring prayer!) what he was NOT (lawless, immoral), and now switches to "pray" what he IS (superbly, supremely religious)! Note that he asks God for nothing because in his eyes there is nothing he thinks he needs from God, certainly nothing in regard to his personal (self) righteousness (cf Mt 5:20+). Fasting consisted of abstinence from food to express dependence on God and submission to His will, although this clearly was not the intent of the fasting of this man or of any of the Pharisees! They fasted to attain "merit" with God, to add to their self-righteousness "C.V." so to speak! As MacArthur says "He has no lack. He is like the rich young ruler we'll meet in a few passages, who did an inventory on his life and could not think of anything that he lacked. Here the Pharisee is a similar kind of man. His thanks is really not thanks to God, for why would he thank God for what he himself had achieved?" Stein writes " A “fast” would generally involve going without food or drink from sunrise to sunset. This is the earliest reference to the Jewish practice of fasting twice a week (cf. Did. 8:1). The two days of fasting mentioned in the Talmud are Monday and Thursday (Taʾan. 1:2a)." (NAC) Note that the NT has no required fasts. But remember at the time of this parable, the only Bible the Jews had access to was the Old Testament. And so the question arises as to what did the Old Testament prescribe about fast requirements? You may be surprised that the OT actually prescribes only one fast day, the Day of Atonement, Leviticus 16:29, 31+ “This shall be a permanent statute for you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall humble ('anah) your souls and not do any work, whether the native, or the alien who sojourns among you; 31 “It is to be a Sabbath of solemn rest for you, that you may humble your souls; it is a permanent statute. NET Note - Heb "you shall humble your souls." (Hebrew = 'anah) The verb "to humble" here refers to various forms of self-denial, including but not limited to fasting (cf. Ps 35:13 and Isa 58:3, 10). The Mishnah (m. Yoma 8:1) lists abstentions from food and drink, bathing, using oil as an unguent to moisten the skin, wearing leather sandals, and sexual intercourse (cf. 2 Sa12:16–17, 20; see the remarks in J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:1054; B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 109; and J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 242). Hartley (WBC) - ('anah)- עִנָּה means “humble, afflict, weaken.” A person is to humble himself or constrain himself by denying himself food and other daily joys. Such self-denial accords with the solemn, mournful attitude of repentance. ענה נפשׁ occurs in Isa 58:3, where it stand parallel to צום, “to fast.” This passage (Isa 58:3) indicates that ענה נפשׁ is a strict fast, i.e., no food or water and the wearing of sackcloth and ashes (cf. Ps 35:13). Ken Bailey on I fast twice a week - The Pharisees thought of the law as a garden of flowers. To protect the garden and the flowers, they opted to build a fence around the law. That is, they felt obliged to go beyond the requirements of the law in order to insure that no part of it was violated. Without a fence around the garden, someone just might step on one of the flowers. The written law only required fasting on the annual Day of Atonement. The Pharisees, however, chose to fast two days before and two days after each of the three major feasts. That meant twelve days a year. But this pious man announces to God (and others) that he puts a fence around the fence! He fasts two days every week. (Borrow - Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels). MacArthur - these self-styled, self-righteous, external legalists like to invent rituals and ceremonies as all false religions do. And they get more and more complicated and more symbolic and more symbolic in direct proportion to the absence of truth and reality. And so they had developed a scheme of fasting on Monday and Thursday. Why Monday and Thursday? Because those were the market days and the crowds were bigger, so you could go into the big crowd and throw a bunch of ashes on your head and look sad, and fast, and make a spiritual impression. Some other writers say that according to some rabbi Moses went up to Sinai and forty days later he came down on a Thursday. So they fasted on Monday and Thursday. Some other rabbi says fasts were on Monday and Thursday because "Monday and Thursday are equal distant from the Sabbath while being as far from each other as possible." (Who Can Be Right With God? Part 1) The Pharisees were like those Jews described by Paul "who desire to make a good showing in the flesh (and so) try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ." (Gal 6:12) Jesus condemned fasting for show warning “Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full." (Mt 6:16+) Courson - Not only would a traditional Jew pray three times a day, but he would fast twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays. Not accidentally, Monday and Thursday were market days in Jerusalem, which meant that everyone could see the piety of those who came with the mussed hair and wrinkled clothes of those who fasted. With long faces they made their way into the temple to pray so everyone could see their spirituality. According to William Coleman, Jesus condemned the Pharisaical concept of fasting on three counts. First, he taught that those who are fasting should be cheerful and not sad (see Matthew 6:16–17). Second, he taught that those who fasted were not to have a self-righteous attitude (see Luke 18). And third, Jesus rejected the Pharisees’ attempts to impose their rules on everyone else (see Mark 2:18–20). Jesus didn’t object to the Pharisees fasting as much as they wanted, but when they began to teach that God expected everyone to do it just like them, the Lord challenged them (see Luke 18:12). (William Coleman, Those Pharisees (New York: Hawthorne Books, 1977) Leon
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MacArthur explains that the tax collector is saying in essence "God, please apply the atonement to me." He understood the theology of atonement. He understood the wages of sin is death (Ro 6:23), the soul that sins it shall die (Ezekiel 18:4, 20). He understood the wonderful story of Abraham and Isaac that God would provide a sacrifice that would satisfy Himself and would satisfy His justice, a substitute (Genesis 22:8, 10, 11, 12, 13 = Jehovah Jireh: The LORD Will Provide). He understood that the millions of animals that had been offered throughout all of Jewish history were symbolic of the fact that God could be appeased by a sacrifice, though none of those sacrifices ever gave the final appeasement to God (Heb 10:1-4+). Otherwise they would have ceased. The tax collector is speaking in the language of atonement. He is not simply making a general plea for mercy. This needs to be expressed clearly because sometimes when we present the Gospel, all we want to do is say God loves you and has this wonderful plan for your life...and if you just ask Him, He will be merciful to you. That is not what this man is saying. He is saying, "I am a wretched sinner. I am unworthy to stand near you. I am unworthy to look up toward you. I am in profound agony and anguish over my wretchedness. I need an atonement for my sins to be applied to me."....The verb hilaskomai is only used two times in the New Testament, one here and the second use in Hebrews 2:17 where it says, concerning Jesus Christ, that He is "a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people," to make satisfaction, to satisfy the wrath of God, to satisfy the justice and holiness and vengeance of God. And that is what the tax collector is crying for. "Oh God, please apply the atonement to me, make atonement for me!" That very day a sacrifice had been made on that altar (at 9 AM and 3 PM). He pleads that it would apply to him. He understood the theology of substitution, imputation and atonement. The Jews knew that One would come as a Son of David (Mt 1:1), a root out of Jesse (Isa 11:10, Ro 15:12) and that in Isaiah 53 He would bear our iniquities and He would die in our place (cf Isaiah 53:11b). Isaiah 53:5 says, "He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed (THIS IS "SUBSTITUTIONARY ATONEMENT")." And so the tax collector says "Please, oh God, please make the atonement apply to me. May Your anger with me over." That's the plea of a penitent sinner. "Oh God, cease being justifiably, righteously angry with me. May Your justice be satisfied through atonement (Ed: looking toward that accomplished by Jesus)." (Bolding and Italics added). The Pharisee, on the other hand, fails to see his need for an atoning sacrifice by the perfect Lamb of God and prayed "to himself," (Lu 18:11) rather than to God, merely congratulating himself on his own self-righteousness and thus receiving no forgiveness (Lu 18:14). Spurgeon gives an excellent summation on the words be merciful to me the sinner - “In the original Greek the words are even fewer than in the English. Oh, that men would learn to pray with less of language and more of meaning! What great things are packed away in this short petition! God, mercy, sin, the propitiation, and forgiveness.” (Luke 18 - exposition) J C
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MacArthur explains why Paul calls himself the foremost or chief of sinners... This is an unequivocal confession of his extreme and supreme sinfulness and there is no comparing him with others. He is the worst sinner. And that is a legitimate response because of all the sinners in the world he knows himself to be the worst because no sinner knows so much about himself as the individual himself. He knows about other sinners, but he knows his own heart better than he knows anybody else. “Who knows the spirit of a man but the spirit of the man that is within him?” says the Scripture (1 Cor 2:11). And so he concludes that he is the worst sinner in the world, as far as his personal knowledge is concerned. Charles Simeon observed that “Never are you higher in God’s esteem than when you are lowest in your own!” John MacArthur makes an interesting comment that might surprise you at first but read on - The Pharisee had faith in God. He believed in God. He believed in the true and living God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He believed in the God who was the Savior God. He believed in the sacrificial system. He believed in atonement for sin. He believed in God's forgiveness..... But the Pharisee just thought he had earned forgiveness. He thought that his sins were covered by the atoning sacrifices and that he was going to receive the full forgiveness of God and thus was part of the kingdom of God. So he believed in the true God, he believed in the Scripture, he believed in the sacrifice, the atonement that God was gracious to him and God was kind to him and God would forgive him (WHY? AND THIS IS THE KEY!) because he earned it. That is the way religious people think. It isn't that the world is full of people who don't think they have never done anything wrong. It is just that they think they have not done as much wrong as they have done right. And so they have tipped the scales in their favor and God is going to forgive the bad they have done because they have earned His forgiveness. (Who Can Be Right With God? Part 2) Brian Bell - The publican’s prayer showed he was humble before God and man; showed he was more aware of his own sins than those of others; showed he was not concerned about obtaining material wealth; showed he was conscious of his standing before God. (Luke:18:1-14 2 Prayerables) Distance (3113)(makrothen from makros = far, long) is an adverb which speaks of location means from far away, from a distance. At a distance (Lk 18:13). Far away from (Mk 8:3). Used with apo (from) in Mt 26:58; 27:55; Mk 11:13; 14:54; Lk 18:13; 22:54; Rv 18:10, 15, 17. Makrothen - 15x in 14v - away*(1), distance(11), far(1), great distance(1), some distance away(1). Matt. 26:58; Matt. 27:55; Mk. 5:6; Mk. 8:3; Mk. 11:13; Mk. 14:54; Mk. 15:40; Lk. 16:23; Lk. 18:13; Lk. 22:54; Lk. 23:49; Rev. 18:10; Rev. 18:15; Rev. 18:17 Makrothen - 37x in 37v in the Septuagint - Ge 21:16; Gen. 22:4 = "On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance"; Gen. 37:18; Ex 2:4; Ex 20:18; Ex 20:21; Ex. 24:1; Dt. 28:49; Dt. 29:22; Jos. 9:6; Jos. 9:9; 1 Sa 26:13; 2 Ki. 2:7; 2 Chr. 6:32; Ezr. 3:13; Neh. 12:43; Ps. 10:1 = "Why do You stand afar off, O LORD? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?"; Ps. 38:11; Ps. 138:6; Ps. 139:2 = "You understand my thought from afar"; Pr. 25:25; Pr. 31:14; Isa. 60:4; Isa. 60:9; Jer. 4:16; Jer. 6:20; Jer. 8:19; Jer. 46:27; Jer. 51:50; Ezek. 23:40; Hab. 1:8 One of the uses in Psalm 138:6 is apropos to our current parable declaring... "For though the LORD is exalted, Yet He regards the lowly (TAX COLLECTOR), But the haughty (SELF RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE) He knows from afar." Comment: So the irony is that while the Pharisee kept his distance from the unsavory tax collector, God keeps His distance from all who are like the self-righteous Pharisee! Woe! Be merciful (make propitiation) (2433)(hilaskomai from hileos = speaks of being favorably disposed with implication of overcoming obstacles that are unfavorable to a relationship; see also hilasterion) means to cause to be favorably inclined toward or favorably disposed toward another (as here in Lk 18:13). Hilaskomai means to be merciful, make reconciliation for, be propitious, gracious. In short, it means to make an atonement. And so the Armenian translation made in the Middle East in the fourth century renders Lk 18:13 “O God, make an atonement for me.” The Sinner (268)(hamartolos from hamartáno = deviate, miss the mark) is an adjective (e.g., "that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful" - see Ro 7:13+) that is often used as a noun (as in this verse and Ro 5:19 [note]) to describe those who are continually erring from the way, constantly missing God's mark, living in opposition to His good and acceptable and perfect will. Thus a sinner is one who lives in opposition to the divine will. In Luke 7:34+, the Pharisees called Jesus "a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners (hamartolos)." Of course, they were using the term sinners in a derogatory sense, but in fact they were correct - Jesus is the best Friend any sinner could have and in this parable the tax gatherer recognized his desperate need for an atoning sacrifice which was ultimately provided by the Lamb of God, the Friend of sinners! Illustration I’m Guilty -- The story is told that one day Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, visited a prison and talked with each of the inmates. There were endless tales of innocence, of misunderstood motives, and of exploitation. Finally the king stopped at the cell of a convict who remained silent. “Well,” remarked Frederick, “I suppose you are an innocent victim too?” “No, sir, I’m not,” replied the man. “I’m guilty and deserve my punishment.” Turning to the warden, the king said, “Here, release this rascal before he corrupts all these fine innocent people in here!” Illustration from William Wilberforce - The Quaker reformer Joseph John Gurney, a friend of many years, recalled the last conversation he had with Wilberforce—just a few weeks before his death. ‘How admirable are the harmony and variety of St Paul’s smaller Epistles!’ he told Gurney. ‘You might well have given an argument upon it in your little work on evidence [Essays on the Evidences, Doctrines and Practical Operations of Christianity]. The Epistle to the Galatians contains a noble exhibition of doctrine. That to the Colossians is a union of doctrine and precept, showing their mutual connection and dependence; that to the Ephesians, is seraphic; that to the Philippians, is all love.’ Gurney long remembered Wilberforce’s closing words. ‘ “With regard to myself,” he added, “I have nothing whatsoever to urge, but the poor publican’s plea, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner.’ ” These words were expressed with peculiar feeling and emphasis, and have since called to my remembrance his own definition of the word mercy—“kindness to those that deserve punishment.” ’ Illustration Robert Morgan tells the story of A Boy’s Prayer - In the 1898 book Yates the Missionary, Matthew Yates described how the Lord used both light and lightning to bring him to Christ as a boy. The light was supplied by a kindly evangelist named John Purefoy, who often stayed in the Yates’ home. I remember well Father Purefoy’s putting his hand on my head and saying, “May the Lord make a preacher of him!” This blessing made an impression on my young heart, for his manner was kind and his tone serious. Later he asked me if I ever prayed. I replied I did not know how to pray. He looked kindly at me as I held his horse for him to mount, and said, “I will tell you, ‘God be merciful to me, a sinner.’ ” This was the first intimation I ever had that I was a sinner. At a subsequent interview, Purefoy asked me when no one else was present if I had ever prayed as he taught me. I replied I did not know where to pray. He said, “Go into the woods where none but God can hear you.” The house where I was attending school stood under a magnificent white oak. During recess while we played under its spreading limbs, it was struck by lightning twice in as many seconds. We were pressed to the ground as if by a great weight, and each boy had a deep red spot on some part of his body caused by the electricity. The heavens had been overcast that day, but there had been neither rain nor thunder. This incident, so sudden and unexpected, made me feel that I was a sinner and must pray. I went into a dense forest and found a large oak that was much inclined toward the south. There I erected my altar of prayer, and there I prayed, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” Matthew Yates went on to became a prominent Christian and a missionary mightily used in China. (From This Verse) Paul W. Powell once observed, “Pride is so subtle that if we aren’t careful we’ll be proud of our humility. When this happens our goodness becomes badness. Our virtues become vices. We can easily become like the Sunday School teacher who, having told the story of the Pharisee and the publican, said, ‘Children, let’s bow our heads and thank God we are not like the Pharisee!’“
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MacArthur - This would draw gasps from the legalists. Think of it, Jesus, God in human flesh, the holy one, the perfect sinless one says that in one moment an extreme sinner can be pronounced instantly righteous without any works, without any merit, without any worthiness, without any law-keeping, without any moral achievement, religious achievement, spiritual accomplishment or ritual. No time lapse, no penance, no works, no ceremony, no sacrament, no meritorious activity whatsoever, nothing to do, instant declaration of justification on the spot, permanent. Wow! How can that be? Because the only righteousness that God will accept is perfect righteousness and since you can't earn it, He gives it as a gift to the penitent who put their trust in Him. That's the gospel. All the sinner ever does is receive the gift, coming in penitent trust, pleading for atonement to be made to satisfy the wrath of God against his sin. Here is the broken-hearted, self-confessed sinner, humble, unworthy, trusting only in God's atonement, pleading that God would apply it to him, who is instantaneously made perfect before God, as perfect as God, for the righteousness of God is credited to him. He's the one who enters the spiritual and will be in the earthly and will live forever in the eternal kingdom, rather than the other. The self-righteous pride of the Pharisee and everybody like him only intensifies the alienation. His soliloquy up there just solidified his self-confidence and he went down even more wretched than when he went up. Atonement is worthless to the self-righteous. So the listening crowd who heard Jesus say this and anybody who reads it is forced to reassess how a person enters the kingdom of God. It's not by human morality, goodness, or religion, but by repentance and conviction of sin and a plea for an atoning sacrifice. (Who Can Be Right With God? Part 2 ) Bailey - Again and again in his teaching Jesus presents the theme of the “righteous,” who do not sense their need for God’s grace, and the “sinners” who yearn for that same grace. This parable is an important part of that larger collection of teachings on this subject. Sin for Jesus is not primarily a broken law but a broken relationship. The tax collector yearns to accept the gift of God’s justification, while the Pharisee feels he has already earned it. As Joachim Jeremias has written regarding this parable, “Our passage shows … that the Pauline doctrine of justification has its roots in the teaching of Jesus.” (Borrow - Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels). JUSTIFICATION IN THE OLD TESTAMENT MacArthur expands upon Jeremias' point adding that this parable is an illustration of the way of salvation in the Old Testament - Doesn't it strike you interesting that there is no Christology here? There is no cross...no resurrection....no sacrifice of Christ that atoned for sin...this is an Old Testament conversion...this is pre-Cross. But you are probably thinking that the only sacrifice that pleases God is the sacrifice of Christ, right? Therefore it wasn't the sacrifice of the animal that would be applied to this man's spiritual account, but it was the sacrifice of Christ pictured in the sacrifice of the animal. There is no righteousness apart from the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. God is satisfied only with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ because it was God who made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us (2 Cor 5:21+). It was Christ who bore the curse for us ("for us" = in our place = substitution - Gal 3:13+). Christ is not in this story because this is an Old Testament salvation story. This is the classic of all the Old Testament conversion accounts. The work of our Lord is not mentioned because it had not yet occurred. But what is clear is that righteousness and justification is a gift from God apart from works that is only made possible through the application of an atoning sacrifice. We leave it to Paul after the Cross to teach the rich meaning of the atonement of Jesus Christ being the One and only sacrifice that satisfies God. But isn't it interesting that the starting point for Paul, the starting point for the New Testament understanding of righteousness through atonement is traceable back to this story in Luke 18:9-14? When I wrote the book The Gospel According to Jesus and I rewrote a newer edition, I wanted to include the doctrine of justification and this is the only place in the teaching of Jesus where you have this explicit instruction. It is here that one finds the foundation for the teachings of Paul. Christ becomes that sacrifice and it is His death which is applied to all who have ever believed in the past and it covers all their sins. However, know this, that there is no salvation on this side of the cross apart from recognizing Christ and His work on the cross, for "there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other Name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) (Who Can Be Right With God? Part 2) (Bolding added) MacArthur - The Lord ends this amazing story with what I'll call the central axiom. The audience, the analogy, the answer, the central axiom in verse 14, this is a truism, a proverb, "For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted." “Exalted” here is a synonym for salvation, a synonym for righteousness. It's used in an Old Testament sense. In the Old Testament, only God is truly exalted and only God can exalt men. Men can't exalt themselves successfully to His level. So this refers to spiritual salvation, reconciliation, righteousness, justification, being in the kingdom. All efforts to doing that on your own are going to leave you humiliated. Everyone who exalts himself — that is, tries to save himself or make himself righteous — shall be humbled in the severest sense of the word, crushed in eternal loss and punishment. The path of self-exaltation ends up in eternal judgment. God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. On the other hand, all who humble themselves, confessing they cannot do anything to save themselves, will be lifted high into eternal glory. The damned think they're good. The saved know they're wicked. The damned believe the kingdom of God is for those worthy of it. The saved know the kingdom of God is for those who know they're unworthy of it. The damned believe eternal life is earned. The saved know it's a gift. The damned seek God's commendation. The saved seek His forgiveness. (Who Can Be Right With God? Part 2 ) Steven
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MacArthur explains that in this context exalted "is a synonym for salvation, a synonym for righteousness. It is used in an Old Testament sense because in the Old Testament only God is truly exalted and only God can exalt men. Men cannot exalt themselves to His level. So will be exalted refers to spiritual salvation, reconciliation, righteousness, justification, being in the kingdom. In Isaiah 57:15 we read God's declaration that relates to Lk 18:14... For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, “I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite. THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN SPIRITUAL PRIDE GODLY HUMILITY confident of own self-righteousness Lk 18:9 presumes no self-righteousness recognizes unworthiness before God does not admit personal sin admits personal sin sees faults of others sees own faults and need for forgiveness performs religious deeds before others prays for mercy before God refuses salvation and exalts self receives salvation & is exalted by God Tests of True Humility - this is "tricky" Do you feel joy when others are honored? Do you honestly and openly admit sin? Do you seek truth from others regarding your weaknesses? Do you accept criticism graciously? Do you turn all worry, anxiety and concern over to the Lord? Do you respond with humility when you have been replaced? Do you pursue godliness in all that you do? Do you feel you can answer yes to most of these questions? If most of your answers are yes—take a look at yourself—you may have failed the test of True Humility! Two Approaches to God I. The Prideful Approach A. The Pharisee’s prayer showed he was self-centered B. The Pharisee’s prayer showed he was conceited. C. The Pharisee’s prayer showed his morality was based on negatives. D. The Pharisee’s prayer showed his worship was based on externals. II. The Penitent Approach A. The publican’s prayer showed he was humble before God and man. B. The publican’s prayer showed he was more aware of his own sins than those of others. C. The publican’s prayer showed he was not concerned about obtaining material wealth. D. The publican’s prayer showed he was conscious of his standing before God. Paradox Read: Luke 18:9-14 Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. —Luke 18:14 Luke 18 contains a startling paradox. The man who admitted he was wrong was declared right, while the one who claimed to be right was condemned as wrong (vv.9-14). Jesus told this parable of the tax collector and the Pharisee to teach the true way of salvation to those “who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others” (v.9). He wanted them to see that they had a false righteousness like the Pharisee, who thanked God that he was “not like other men” (v.11). What they needed was the attitude of the tax collector, who saw himself as a sinner. He realized that he had to rely solely on God’s mercy and grace. Jesus said of him, “This man went down to his house justified rather than the other” (v.14). Perhaps you’ve never considered this seeming paradox—how you as a sinner can be justified through faith. If you are still trying to save yourself, you stand condemned. But as soon as you admit that you are hopelessly lost and you place your trust in Christ, God will forgive you and declare you righteous (Rom. 10:13). It is through faith alone that anyone can be justified in the sight of God (Rom. 3:28; Eph. 2:8-10). Just as I am, without one plea But that Thy blood was shed for me, And that Thou bid'st me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come! I come! —Elliott We are saved by God's mercy, not by our merit. Listening With Love Read: Luke 18:9-14 Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. —Luke 18:14 One August evening in Vermont, a young missionary spoke at our small church. The country where he and his wife served was in religious turmoil, and it was considered too dangerous for children. In one of his stories, he told us about a heart-wrenching episode when his daughter pleaded with him not to leave her behind at a boarding school. I was a new dad at that time, having recently been blessed with a daughter, and the story upset me. How could loving parents leave their daughter alone like that? I muttered to myself. By the time the talk was finished, I was so worked up that I ignored the offer to visit with the missionary. I charged out of the church, saying out loud as I left: “I’m sure glad I’m not like . . .” In that instant, the Holy Spirit stopped me cold. I couldn’t even finish the sentence. Here I was, saying almost word for word what the Pharisee said to God: “I thank You that I am not like other men” (Luke 18:11). How disappointed I was in myself! How disappointed God must have been! Since that evening, I’ve asked God to help me listen to others with humility and restraint as they pour their hearts out in confession, profession, or pain. We don’t get closer to God by passing judgment on others. Prayer Circles Read: Luke 18:9-14 Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled. —Luke 18:14 Around the circle the 6th-grade girls went, taking turns praying for each other in the Bible-study group. “Father in heaven,” Anna prayed, “please help Tonya not to be so boy-crazy.” Tonya added with a giggle, “And help Anna to stop acting so horrible in school and bothering other kids.” Then Talia prayed, “Lord, help Tonya to listen to her mother instead of always talking back.” Although the requests were real, the girls seemed to enjoy teasing their friends by pointing out their flaws in front of the others instead of caring about their need for God’s help. Their group leader reminded them about the seriousness of talking to almighty God and the importance of evaluating their own hearts. If we use prayer to point out the faults of others while ignoring our own, we’re like the Pharisee in Jesus’ parable. He prayed, “God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector” (Luke 18:11). Instead, we’re to be like the man who asked God to be merciful to him, “a sinner” (v.13). Lord, teach us how to pray aright, Oh, lead us in Your way; Humbly we bow in Your pure light; Lord, teach us how to pray. —Anon. The highest form of prayer comes from the depths of a humble heart.
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MacArthur - No one better illustrates the reality that only the lowly who have achieved nothing of merit enter the kingdom than infants. No one has achieved less morally and religiously than them; no one has less knowledge of or obedience to the law, or less devotion to God. Thus, infants perfectly illustrate the principle that God saves sinners apart from their achievements. While the proud and self-righteous are excluded from the kingdom, infants—and those who approach the kingdom like infants—are included. D. L. Moody once returned from a meeting and reported two and a half conversions. “Two adults and a child, I suppose?” asked his host. “No,” said Moody, “two children and an adult. The children gave their whole lives. The adult had only half of his left to give.” (from Kent Hughes in Preaching the Word - Luke)
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MacArthur writes that unless you are converted and become like children you will not enter the kingdom of heaven "is an absolute and far-reaching requirement of ultimate importance. Entrance into Christ's kingdom demands childlikeness. There is no other way to receive the grace of salvation than as a child....Our Lord is talking directly about entering God's kingdom by faith, through salvation that will result in future millennial blessing and eternal glory. The phrase "enter the kingdom of heaven" is used three times in the book of Matthew (see also Mt 7:21; Mt 19:23-24) and in each case refers to personal salvation. It is the same experience as entering into life (Mt 18:8) and entering into the joy of the Lord (Mt 25:21)....The purpose of the gospel is to show men how they may enter the kingdom and become its citizens, moving from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God's beloved Son (Col. 1:13+)....The phrase are converted translates an aorist passive of strepho, which elsewhere in the New Testament is always translated with an idea of "turning" or "turning around." It means to make an about face and go in the opposite direction....To be converted requires people to become like children, Jesus explained. A little child is simple, dependent, helpless, unaffected, unpretentious, unambitious. Children are not sinless or naturally unselfish, and they display their fallen nature from the earliest age. But they are nevertheless naive and unassuming, trusting of others and without ambition for grandeur and greatness. (See Matthew Commentary) In Mark 9 below (a parallel to Matthew 18) Jesus uses this same verb (dechomai) four times in one verse again using a child to illustrate in essence how one is saved. When one receives Jesus, God the Son, He also receives God the Father. And as John 1:12 above teaches, receiving Jesus and His Father is synonymous with believing in Him, in His Name. As Peter said (see context Acts 4:10-11) "there is salvation in no one else (OTHER THAN JESUS = John 14:6); for there is no other name (BUT JESUS) under heaven that has been given among men by which we must (SPEAKS OF NECESSITY) be saved.” (Acts 4:12+) They came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest. (PRIDE AS IN Mt 18:1 ABOVE) 35 Sitting down, He called the twelve and *said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” 36 Taking a child, He set him before them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives (dechomai - welcomes) one child like this in My name receives (dechomai - welcomes) Me; and whoever receives (dechomai) Me does not receive (dechomai) Me, but Him who sent Me.” (Mk 9:33-37+) Receive (1209) (dechomai = middle voice = reflexive sense = "receive to oneself") means to to receive something offered or transmitted by another (Luke 2:28). To take something into one's hand and so to grasp (Luke 2:28, 22:17). To be receptive to someone (Mt 10:14, 40). To take a favorable attitude toward something (Mt 11:14). The idea of this word is akin to our modern phrase "put the welcome mat out" so it speaks of a "welcome" reception. In the present passage Jesus uses dechomai to describe the way a humble believer with childlike trust enters into the Kingdom of God. Dechomai - 45v - accept(2), accepted(3), receive(16), received(12), receives(15), take(3), taken(1), took(1), welcome(2), welcomed(1). Matt. 10:14; Matt. 10:40; Matt. 10:41; Matt. 11:14; Matt. 18:5; Mk. 6:11; Mk. 9:37; Mk. 10:15; Lk. 2:28; Lk. 8:13; Lk. 9:5; Lk. 9:48; Lk. 9:53; Lk. 10:8; Lk. 10:10; Lk. 16:4; Lk. 16:6; Lk. 16:7; Lk. 16:9; Lk. 18:17; Lk. 22:17; Jn. 4:45; Acts 3:21; Acts 7:38; Acts 7:59; Acts 8:14; Acts 11:1; Acts 17:11; Acts 22:5; Acts 28:21; 1 Co. 2:14; 2 Co. 6:1; 2 Co. 7:15; 2 Co. 8:17; 2 Co. 11:4; 2 Co. 11:16; Gal. 4:14; Eph. 6:17; Phil. 4:18; Col. 4:10; 1 Thess. 1:6; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Thess. 2:10; Heb. 11:31; Jas. 1:21 ILLUSTRATION - Steven
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MacArthur - "Behold suggests how unusual and unexpected it was that he would admit he lacked eternal life and come to Jesus to find it.") 17 And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18 Then he said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS; 19 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” (QUOTING Lev 19:18 WHICH SUMMARIZES THE SECOND HALF OF THE 10 COMMANDMENTS) 20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, (TELEIOS = "perfect" in Mt 5:48) go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property. 23 And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 “Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” 26 And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?” 28 And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. 30 “But many who are first will be last; and the last, first. Mark 10:17-31 As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 “You know the commandments, ‘DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, Do not defraud, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.’” 20 And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.” 21 Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property. 23 And Jesus, looking around, said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 They were even more astonished and said to Him, “Then who can be saved?” (NOTE JESUS CLEARLY ASSOCIATES ENTERING THE KINGDOM OF GOD WITH BEING SAVED) 27 Looking at them, Jesus said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.” 28 Peter began to say to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, 30 but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. 31 “But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.” Robert Stein reminds us of the context writing that "In the three accounts found in Luke 18:9–30, Luke was dealing with the theme of salvation, even though three different metaphors were used to describe this: justification (Lk 18:14), entrance into the kingdom of God (Lk 18:17, 24)(ED: cf Lk 4:43+ where Jesus said "“I must preach the kingdom of God"), and inheriting eternal life (Lk 18:18). (See Luke: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition) J C
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MacArthur explains that "Although eternal life obviously carries the idea of being an everlasting reality it does not refer simply to unending existence (Ed: Although of course that is also wonderfully true). Even ancient pagans knew that mere unending existence would not necessarily be desirable. According to Greek mythology, Aurora, goddess of the dawn, fell in love with a young mortal named Tithonus. When Zeus offered to provide anything she wished for her human lover, she asked that he might never die. The wish was granted, but because she had not asked that Tithonus remain forever young, he continued to grow older and more decrepit. Instead of being blessed, he was cursed to perpetual degeneration. If, as William Hendriksen insightfully observes, "'life' means active response to one's environment," then eternal life must mean active response to that which is eternal, namely God's heavenly realm. Just as physical life is the ability to live and move and respond in the physical world, eternal life is the ability to live and move and respond in the heavenly world. Eternal life is first of all a quality of existence, the divinely-endowed ability to be alive to God and the things of God. The Jews saw it as that which fills the heart with hope of life after death. The unsaved person is spiritually alive only to sin (Ed: That's a mind boggling thought!). But when he receives Christ as Lord and Savior, he becomes alive to God and to righteousness (Ro 6:1-10, 11-13). That is the essence of eternal life, the life of God's own Son dwelling within." (See Matthew Commentary) While this may sound simplistic or self-evident, the very fact that the rich young ruler sought eternal life indicates that he recognized he had a need for eternal life. Something was missing in his life. In the world's eyes, he had it all, but in God's eyes he didn't have anything of eternal value. He is like so many in Europe, Japan and America who are relatively wealthy and so feel no need for eternal life. After all "Life is Good" is the mantra of our day -- look at the bumper stickers, social media posts, advertisements, etc. The tragedy is the lost world thinks that life is good because they have "things," but the truth is their life is tragically empty. They know they are not alive to God but could care less. But God in His grace and mercy has set eternity in the hearts of all men (Eccl 3:11), but most pridefully refuse to follow this divinely implanted instinct. As Daniel Estes put it "humans are bound by time, but they are wired for eternity. They intuitively know that there must be meaning somewhere, and that they were made for more than vain toil.” The rich young ruler was willing to acknowledge that he was made for something more than "chasing after the wind." And so he seems to be off to such a promising start. Ruler (magistrate, official) (758)(archon from present participle of archo = to rule) describes one who has eminence in a ruling capacity. In John 3:1 archon refers to Nicodemus being a member of the Sanhedrin. In Luke 8:41 archon refers to "a man named Jairus, and he was an official of the synagogue." (cf Lk 23:13, 35; 24:20, cf Mt 9:18, 23, Acts 23:5). Archon could also refer to one who had administrative authority (Acts 16:19 Ro 13:3). Questioned (1905)(eperotao from epí = an intens. + erōtáō = to ask, inquire of, beg of) in the NT means "to interrogate, inquire." (Zodhiates). Friberg says eperotao means (1) of inquiry in general ask, put a question, inquire (Mk 9.32, 33); (2) as a legal technical term interrogate, examine, question (Acts 5.27); (3) as seeking to know God - ask after, desire to know (Ro 10.20); (4) as making a request for something ask for, demand (Mt 16.1) (Borrow Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament) Good (18)(agathos) (click discussion of good deeds) means intrinsically good, inherently good in quality but with the idea of good which is also profitable, useful, benefiting others, benevolent (marked by or disposed to doing good). Agathos is one whose goodness and works of goodness are transferred to others. Good and doing good is the idea. Agathos describes that which is beneficial in addition to being good. Agathos is that which is good in its character, beneficial in its effects and/or useful in its action. Agathos is used in the New Testament primarily of spiritual and moral excellence. Paul uses agathos to describe the gospel as the “glad tidings of good things” (Ro 10:15+). Teacher (1320)(didaskalos from didasko = teach to shape will of one being taught by content of what is taught <> cp didaskalía) is one who provides instruction or systematically imparts truth. The teacher teaches in such a way as to shape will of one being taught by content of what is taught. Someone has said that "The great teacher is the one who turns our ears into eyes so that we can see the truth." Henry Brooks added that "A (Bible) teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops." And so the rich young ruler recognized Jesus as a Teacher or Rabbi Who was an authority on the Old Testament. Note the fact that the young man addressed Jesus as Teacher, implies that he did not grasp Jesus’ identity (cf. others who were clearly not accepting Jesus as the Messiah and thus called Him "Teacher" - Mt 8:19 = a scribe; Mt 12:38 = scribes and Pharisees). Inherit (2816)(kleronomeo from kleros = first a pebble, piece of wood used in casting lots as in Acts 1:26+ then the allotted portion or inheritance, and so a lot, heritage, inheritance + nemomai = to possess; see Kleronomos) means to receive a lot or share of an inheritance, inherit a portion of property or receive a possession as gift from someone who has died. An inheritance is that which passes by to the heir on the death of the owner. Eternal life - This phrase occurs 41x in 41v in the NAS (43x in the ESV and only 26x in the KJV)...Matt. 19:16; Matt. 19:29; Matt. 25:46; Mk. 10:17; Mk. 10:30; Lk. 10:25; Lk. 18:18; Lk. 18:30; Jn. 3:15; Jn. 3:16; Jn. 3:36; Jn. 4:14; Jn. 5:24; Jn. 5:39; Jn. 6:27; Jn. 6:40; Jn. 6:47; Jn. 6:54; Jn. 6:68; Jn. 10:28; Jn. 12:50; Jn. 17:2; Jn. 17:3; Acts 13:46; Acts 13:48; Rom. 2:7; Rom. 5:21; Rom. 6:22; Rom. 6:23; Gal. 6:8; 1 Tim. 1:16; 1 Tim. 6:12; Tit. 1:2; Tit. 3:7; 1 Jn. 1:2; 1 Jn. 2:25; 1 Jn. 3:15; 1 Jn. 5:11; 1 Jn. 5:13; 1 Jn. 5:20; Jude 1:21 Eternal (166)(aionios from aion) means existing at all times, perpetual, pertaining to an unlimited duration of time (Ro 1:20 - God's power, Mt 18:8 - God's place of judgment, Ro 16:26 - God's attribute). Aionios (eternal) is the exact antithesis of proskairos (temporal). Gotquestions comments that aionios "carries the idea of quality as well as quantity. In fact, eternal life is not really associated with “years” at all, as it is independent of time. Eternal life can function outside of and beyond time, as well as within time." Ponder that thought beloved! Life (2222)(zoe) in Scripture is used (1) to refer to physical life (Ro 8:38+, 1Co 3:22, Php 1:20+, Jas 4:14, etc) but more often to (2) to supernatural life in contrast to a life subject to eternal death (Jn 3:36, see all 43 uses of "eternal life" below). This quality of life speaks of fullness of life which alone belongs to God the Giver of life and is available to His children now (Ro 6:4+, Ep 4:18+) as well as in eternity future (Mk 10:30, Titus 1:2+ on Eternal Life). Richards writes that "Zoe in classical Greek refers to natural life--the principle that enables living things to move and to grow. In the NT, zoe focuses on the theological meaning rather than on the biological. From the perspective of the NT, in every respect life is the counterpart of death. Each book of the NT speaks of zoe. In each, the principle of life lifts our vision beyond our earthly existence to reveal a unique quality of life that spans time and eternity and that has its roots in God. It is the biblical use and meaning of zoe that most concerns us as we examine what the NT says about life. (Richards, L O: Expository Dictionary of Bible Words: Regency) Kenneth Wuest (in comments on 2Pe 1:3) writes that zoe "speaks of life in the sense of one who is possessed of vitality and animation. It is used of the absolute fulness of life, both essential and ethical, which belongs to God. It is used to designate the life which God gives to the believing sinner, a vital, animating, spiritual, ethical dynamic which transforms his inner being and as a result, his behavior. (In comments on 1John 1:2
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MacArthur writes that this declaration by the rich young ruler evidenced "the self-deception of a hypocrite. The Lord’s reminder pressed home the point that if salvation comes through keeping the law, and this man had kept the law as he professed, why did he know he had not obtained eternal life? Why was he not satisfied? The truth is that his self-deception was shallow and his heart full of fear over his lack of true spiritual life and love for God. (See Luke 1-24 MacArthur New Testament Commentary Set) William Lane has the following quote (from H. L. Strack and P. Billerbeck) that relates to the young man's reply - “That man possesses the ability to fulfill the commandments of God perfectly was so firmly believed by the rabbis that they spoke in all seriousness of people who had kept the whole Law from A to Z.” It is necessary only to refer to Paul’s affirmation in Phil. 3:6+, “as to righteousness under the Law, blameless.” (See The Gospel of Mark - Page 366) Guzik on all these things I have kept - It is fair to ask if this man really had kept these commandments. It is likely that he actually did keep them in a way that made him righteous in the eyes of men, in the sense that Paul could say concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless in Philippians 3:6. But he certainly did not keep them in the full and perfect sense in which Jesus spoke of in the Sermon on the Mount. (Luke 18 Commentary) Pate on from my youth - The time span involved in the ruler’s mind may have begun with his bar mitzvah (‘son of the Law’), the time when a youth became an adult at the age of thirteen, and therefore obligated to fulfill the Mosaic Law. Walter Kaiser on from my youth - The man answered that he had kept all these from early days—presumably ever since the age of thirteen, when he became bar mitzvah, personally responsible to keep the commandments. William Lane on from my youth - “From a youth” has reference to a boy’s twelfth year when he assumed the yoke of the commandments and was held responsible for their performance (cf. M. Berachoth II. 2; Lk. 2:42+). From that time forth he had observed “all these.” (See The Gospel of Mark - Page 366) Leon
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MacArthur - Jesus was not setting forth terms for salvation, but rather exposing the young man's true heart. His refusal to obey here revealed two things: 1) he was not blameless as far as the law was concerned, because he was guilty of loving himself and his possessions more than his neighbors (cf. Mt 19:19); and 2) he lacked true faith, which involves a willingness to surrender all at Christ's bidding (Mt 16:24). Jesus was not teaching salvation by philanthropy; but He was demanding that this young man give Him first place. The young man failed the test. (The MacArthur Study Bible) Oswald Chambers on sell all you possess - There is a general principle here and a particular reference. We are always in danger of taking the particular reference for the general principle and evading the general principle. The particular reference here is to selling material goods. The rich young ruler had deliberately to be destitute, deliberately to distribute, deliberately to discern where his treasure was, and devote himself to Jesus Christ. The principle underlying it is that I must detach myself from everything I possess. Many of us suppress our sense of property, we don’t starve it, we suppress it. Undress yourself morally before God of everything that might be a possession until you are a mere conscious human being, and then give God that. That is where the battle is fought—in the domain of the will before God, it is not fought in external things at all. Is He sovereign Lord or is He not? Am I more devoted to my notion of what Jesus Christ wants than to Himself? If so, I am likely to hear one of His hard sayings that will produce sorrow in me. What Jesus says is hard, it is only easy when it comes to those who really are His disciples. Beware of allowing anything to soften a hard word of Jesus. (God's Workmanship)
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MacArthur writes that "Sinners are aware of their guilt and fear, and may even desire a relationship with God that would bring forgiveness and peace. But they cannot hold on to their sinful priorities and personal control and think they can come to God on their own terms. The young man illustrates that reality. (See Luke Commentary)
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MacArthur adds that "Fastidious Pharisees would drink their wine through clenched teeth in order to filter out any small insects that might have gotten into the wine. In their typical reversal of values, those Jewish religious leaders were more concerned about being contaminated by a tiny gnat than by a huge camel. They were painstaking about formal, ceremonial trivialities but were unconcerned about their hypocrisy, dishonesty, cruelty, greed, self-worship, and a host of other serious sins. They substituted outward acts of religion for the essential virtues of the heart." (MNTC-Matthew) They would anxiously avoid small faults but willingly commit greater sins without scruples. Some have commented that this word kamelos might be misspelled with an "i" for the "e" which gives us the word kámilos, which can mean a cable rope. So some writers have attempted to twist Jesus' words by suggesting a copyist made an error and it was not a camel but a rope. Of course they are wrong, but even a rope could hardly be forced through the eye of a needle (unless one laborious took it apart fiber by fiber and forced those though which would be a great illustration of "works based salvation.") Recall the same word kamelos is found in all three synoptic Gospels, which to use a pun puts "hangs the rope theory out to dry," so to speak. Gilbrant adds that "As an additional note, some have attempted to replace kamēlos, “camel,” with kamilon, “rope,” in Jesus’ statement of the “camel and the eye of a needle.” However, manuscript evidence on this attempt at replacement is so weak we must conclude it is erroneous. According to Michel, “Jesus was using a typical oriental image to emphasize the impossibility of something by way of violent contrast” (Michel, “kamēlos,” Kittel, 3:593). (Complete Biblical Library) Gilbrant on kamelos in the Septuagint - Mosaic law forbade the Israelites from eating camel meat (Leviticus 11:4; Deuteronomy 14:7), yet they were found to be excellent animals for other purposes. They were used for travel (Genesis 24; 31:17), for war (Judges 6:5; 7:12; 8:21; 1 Samuel 30:17 [LXX 1 Kings 30:17]), and for burden-bearing (Genesis 37:25; 1 Chronicles 12:40; Isaiah 30:6). Figuratively, the camel is used to picture Israel’s pursuit of foreign gods. The image in Jeremiah 2:23 is that of a restless she-camel in heat. (Complete Biblical Library) Kamelos - 6x in 6v - Matt. 3:4; Matt. 19:24; Matt. 23:24; Mk. 1:6; Mk. 10:25; Lk. 18:25 Kamelos - 64x in 60v - Gen. 12:16; Gen. 24:10; Gen. 24:11; Gen. 24:14; Gen. 24:19; Gen. 24:20; Gen. 24:22; Gen. 24:30; Gen. 24:31; Gen. 24:32; Gen. 24:35; Gen. 24:44; Gen. 24:46; Gen. 24:61; Gen. 24:63; Gen. 24:64; Gen. 30:43; Gen. 31:17; Gen. 31:34; Gen. 32:15; Gen. 37:25; Exod. 9:3; Lev. 11:4; Deut. 14:7; Jdg. 6:5; Jdg. 7:12; Jdg. 8:21; Jdg. 8:26; 1 Sam. 15:3; 1 Sam. 27:9; 1 Sam. 30:17; 1 Ki. 10:2; 2 Ki. 8:9; 1 Chr. 5:21; 1 Chr. 12:40; 1 Chr. 27:30; 2 Chr. 9:1; 2 Chr. 14:15; Ezr. 2:67; Neh. 7:68; Job 1:3; Job 1:17; Job 42:12; Isa. 21:7; Isa. 30:6; Isa. 60:6; Jer. 49:29; Jer. 49:32; Ezek. 25:5; Ezek. 27:21; Zech. 14:15 Related Resources: American Tract Society Camel Easton's Bible Dictionary Camel Fausset Bible Dictionary Camel Holman Bible Dictionary Camel Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible Camel Smith Bible Dictionary Camel 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica Camel International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Camel Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Camel McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia Camels Hair Camel The Jewish Encyclopedia Camel Needle (this verse = only use in Bible)(956)(belone) is "a small, slender instrument, pointed on one end and with a hole at the other end, used in passing thread through cloth in sewing." (Louw-Nida) A T
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MacArthur says in Mt 19:28 regeneration speaks of "the rebirth of the earth under His sovereign dominion at the time of His Second Coming. It will be paradise regained and a global parallel to the individual rebirth of Christians....Peter called it "the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient times" (Acts 3:21+)." (See related sermon) Henry Morris (creationist) writes "The "regeneration" is the "re-creation," or "restoration," of the primeval perfections of the earth before the Genesis Flood. This will happen after Christ's return. This verse gives the particular assignment of the twelve disciples (judging) during the millennial period. During this period, "the saints shall judge the world" (1 Corinthians 6:2). (Borrow The Defender's Study Bible) W A Criswell - The word "regeneration" (palingenesia, Gk.) is used in Titus 3:5 of personal regeneration or New Birth. The only other occurrence in the N.T. is this one, which promises cosmic regeneration. The idea, however, is certainly found elsewhere in the N.T. (Ro 8:21, 22). The time of the regeneration mentioned here is evidently the millennial restoration period prior to the forming of the new heaven and new earth in the eternal state (cf. Rev. 20:1-6+). The key to that identification is the position accorded to the disciples of "judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Therefore, the prophecy must be millennial. Mt 19:29 further declares a hundredfold reward, in addition to everlasting life, as the benefit given to the disciples. Luke 18:30 who will not receive many times as much at this time and in the age to come, eternal life." Many times as much at this time: Lu 12:31,32 Job 42:10 Ps 37:16 63:4,5 84:10-12 119:72,103,111,127 Ps 119:162 Ro 6:21-23 1Ti 4:8 6:6 Heb 13:5,6 Rev 2:10,17 3:21 Luke 18 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 18:28-34 What do You Get When You Follow Christ? - Steven Cole Luke 18:24-30 The Impossibility of Salvation, Part 3 - John MacArthur IT PAYS TO SERVE JESUS We don't serve Jesus to receive pay but because we have received the privilege to serve Him! It is all of grace from beginning to end and world without end. Amen. Undeserving sinners receive God's Riches At Christ's Expense! Hallelujah! What a Savior! “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” Revelation 5:13+ Who will not receive many times as much at this time (Mt 19:29-30, Mk 10:30) - Receive (lambano) implies Jesus will give His disciples a gift (gifts). At this time means in this life. At this time (the present age) means that Jesus gift is ALREADY giving in this life! You say how so? The answers would fill the page but let me give you one that is at the top of my list. Paul says that at this time "Christ (is) our life." (Col 3:4+) "His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him (Christ)." (2 Peter 1:3+) As Paul said "I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am....I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." (Php 4:13+) So like Paul we can experience genuine contentment with our lot, something possible only for believers (but sadly so few really experience it - see Christian Contentment) but impossible for non-believers. I could go on but beloved it does not get better than having Christ and His provision and His power provided by His gift of the indwelling Spirit of Christ (Ro 8:9+). Brothers and sisters, it does not get any better in this life and besides all this we have the promise that the best is yet to come! The phrase "who will not" is a double negative in the Greek which in this context of the preceding negative oudeis actually serves to strongly express a positive assertion regarding Jesus' promise. As stated above, this promise is "rock solid!" They (and we) may lose one or more family members but this loss will be reversed and will be multiplied into the fullness of God's family and countless brothers and sisters in Christ with whom we will share eternity together! Many times as much (4179)(pollaplasion from polus = many) means many times more, manifold more and refers to a quantity many times greater than expected. BDAG is similar - "far in excess of a quantity normally expected." Used only in Mt 19:29 and Luke 18:30. And so here in Lk 18:30 pollaplasion Jesus' promise is that the reward which "will be received will surpass even what one might have conceived." (Meditate on this incomprehensible thought for a moment beloved!) This is heavenly multiplication not earthly addition! As His disciples we will be rewarded "far more abundantly beyond all that we (could) ask or think" (Eph 3:20+) for our temporal "sacrifice." No one can "out give" the Lord! Hendriksen makes an interesting point - In spite of the persecutions which they will have to endure, they will be able to enjoy even their material possessions far more than the ungodly enjoy theirs. Reason? See Isa. 26:3; contrast Isa 48:22....Do they not even now possess "the peace of God that surpasses all understanding" (Phil. 4:7), "joy unspeakable and full of glory" (1 Peter 1:8), "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ" (2 Cor. 4:6), and "the love of God poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit" (Ro. 5:5)? In "the age to come" all these blessings that constitute life everlasting will become the believers' treasure in an even much fuller sense. (Exposition of the Gospel of Luke - borrow) Mark and Matthew elaborate on what we will receive (words in bold note in Luke's version). Mark 10:29-31 - Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, 31 but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. 31 “But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.” I am not sure my own (half) brother is a believer and I pray frequently for his salvation. But Jesus promises spiritual brothers now and forever. Do we truly grasp that we now and forever possess so great a salvation (cf Heb 2:3+)? This hundred fold promise applies to all believers who have suffered loss (in one way or another) for Jesus' sake and the Gospel's sake. John
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MacArthur summarizes who will be in the Millennial Kingdom in the age to come - All the saints from all of redemptive history—the Old Testament saints (Da 7:18), New Testament saints (1 Cor. 6:2), and...the twelve apostles—are going to be gathered into that glorious kingdom to enjoy all the bounty of paradise regained. (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Luke 18-24) Age (165)(aion) The specific meaning of aion is best determined by the context in which it is used. As a generalization aion usually refers to some aspect of time past, present or future. The English dictionary defines age as an era of history having some distinctive feature. E.g., we are currently in what is usually referred to as "the church age." Paul called it this "the present age" (Titus 2:12), the "present evil age" (Gal 1:4), "this age" (Eph 1:21). Then Paul said that "in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." (Eph 2:7) This implies there will be more than one future age - e.g., we know (if we are not amillennial) there will be the age of the Messiah (Messianic Kingdom) and it will be followed by the age of the New Heaven and New Earth. Are there more ages after that? Scripture (to the best of my knowledge) is silent (Dt 29:29). Eternal life - And as we stated earlier eternal life (see comments) for an individual is synonymous with entering (or receiving) the Kingdom of God (Heaven), describing one who is saved (Lk 18:26). This is the very thing the rich young ruler sought (Lk 18:18). NET Note - Note that Luke (see also Matt 19:29; Mark 10:30; Luke 10:25) portrays eternal life as something one receives in the age to come, unlike John, who emphasizes the possibility of receiving eternal life in the present (John 5:24).
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MacArthur has an interesting comment - One reason that Jesus needed to explain things in advance to them is that the concept of a dying Messiah was completely foreign to their understanding (cf. Luke 9:44-45). The nineteenth-century historian Emil Schürer summarized the Jewish people’s expectations regarding the coming of Messiah and the establishing of His kingdom as follows: First, the coming of Messiah would be preceded by a time of tribulation. Second, in the midst of the turmoil an Elijah-like prophet would appear heralding Messiah’s coming. Third, Messiah would establish His glorious kingdom, and vindicate His people. Fourth, the nations would ally themselves together to fight Messiah. Fifth, Messiah would destroy all those opposing nations. Sixth, Jerusalem would be restored, and made new and glorious. Seventh, the dispersed Jews scattered all over the world would return to Israel. Eighth, Israel would become the center of the world and all the nations would be subjugated to the Messiah. Finally, the Messiah would establish His kingdom, which would be a time of eternal peace, righteousness, and glory (A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ [New York: Scribners, 1896], 2:154-78 - First page of article on "Messianic Hope" ). There was no place in Jewish messianic theology for a sacrificed, a dead, or even a risen Messiah. (See Luke 18-24 MacArthur New Testament Commentary)
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MacArthur summarizes a number of prophecies in Approaching the Cross with Determined Anticipation, Part 1 and Part 2 Messianic Prophecy articles at Gotquestions John
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MacArthur - His death would be the culmination of the divine redemptive purpose of God. The cross is the primary event in redemptive history and therefore the primary event in all of history. (See Luke Commentary) Norman Crawford - The Gospels do not record such things as the plucking of the hair from His face (Isa 50:6), nor the smiting with a rod upon the cheek (Micah 5:1), but we are assured that they did these things as well as the many other predictions that were so perfectly fulfilled in His rejection, suffering and crucifixion. (What the Bible teaches – Luke)
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MacArthur - (Jesus') detailed knowledge of what would happen to Him in the future is another display of Christ’s omniscience (cf. His knowledge of people’s hearts [John 2:24-25; cf. Luke 6:8; 11:17]; the precise location of where a fish with a coin in its mouth would be [Matt. 17:27; cf. John 21:5-6]; that a woman whom He had met for the first time had had five husbands [John 4:18]; where the colt He would ride in the triumphal entry would be located and what its owners would say when the disciples took it [Luke 19:30-34]; that the disciples would meet a man carrying a pitcher who would show them the place where they would eat the Last Supper [Luke 22:10]; and that Jerusalem would be destroyed four decades later [Luke 21:20]).(See Luke Commentary) Paul includes the detail about Jesus' resurrection as a crucial truth in the message of the Gospel because no other world religion even claims to have a leader who rose from the dead... 1 Corinthians 15:3; 4+ For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, Comment: Scriptures in the NT refers to the Old Testament Scriptures because that is all they had written at that time. So the question is which OT Scriptures does Paul refer to? Psalm 16:10 says "For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay." In this passage Christ's resurrection is clearly alluded to and it was quoted with that intended meaning by Peter in Acts 2:27 and by Paul in Acts 13:35. Some (ESV Study Bible) see Hosea 6:2 as suggesting Christ's resurrection on the third day but others (MacArthur) do not interpret this as a reference to His resurrection. A clear reference to the time of the resurrection is seen in Jonah 1:17 for Jesus Himself referred to it as the "sign of Jonah" declaring "just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Mt 12:40, cf Mt 16:4, Lk 11:29+). Scourge (3146)(mastigoo from mástix = plague, whip, scourge) means literally to flog or scourge. The scourge was first a whip used as an instrument of punishment and then figuratively came to mean to punish severely or to drive as if by blows of a whip. (See a Roman scourge) Mattoon - Scourging was a brutal form of punishment which sometimes led to death. The victim was stripped of his clothes and tied to a post in a bent position. He was beaten with a whip with numerous leather strands which were about 18-24 inches in length. These strands were embedded with metal, bones, or glass and were tipped with hooks. The names "scorpion" or "cat-of-nine-tails" were given to these whips. Many times the scourging was not done by one man, but by a team of men that would take turns so they could rest. The skin on the sides of the person who was whipped was shredded, exposing muscle and bone. Severe blood loss and dehydration afflicted the one being whipped and many times they ended up dying. Under Jewish law, a person could be lashed not more than 39 times. Under Roman law, there was no limit on the lashings. Scourging was used to weaken the person for crucifixion. Without scourging, a strong, condemned man might survive on the cross for several days until exposure, wild animals, insects, or birds contributed to his death. The only allowable exemptions to scourging were women, Roman senators, or Roman soldiers (except in cases of desertion). Peter referred to the scourging of Jesus. "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds (STRIPES) you were healed." (1 Peter 2:24) The scourging of the Lord Jesus Christ was a fulfillment of Bible prophecy. (Isa 50:6, 53:5, 52:13-14) (Treasures from the Scriptures) Luke 18:34 But the disciples understood none of these things, and the meaning of this statement was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend the things that were said.
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MacArthur - Critics see in this statement proof that Jesus never made this prediction. If He had, they argue, the disciples would surely have understood and not been surprised when what the Lord predicted came to pass. It is true that they did grasp some of the spiritual truth Jesus taught, such as the parables (Matt. 13:16-17). But there was a perfectly good reason that the disciples failed to grasp the Lord’s teaching about His suffering and death: it failed to fit their messianic theology. They expected Messiah to be a king, who would defeat Israel’s enemies and establish His kingdom. They were looking for a coronation, not a crucifixion; for a messiah who killed His enemies, not one who was killed by His own people. The idea of a crucified Messiah was an absurdity to them. It was so ridiculous that they could not even comprehend it. “The word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,” wrote Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:18. Thus “Christ crucified” was “to Jews a stumbling block” (1 Cor 1:23); a massive barrier that they could not get past. (See Luke Commentary) But - This is a sad term of contrast. The One Who is Truth personified is speaking truth to them and they simply don't "get it!" 🙏 THOUGHT -We need to see something here about understanding the word of God. It is possible to read the words and understand the words and have no clue as to what they actually mean in the scheme of things as it relates to the program of God. (David Thompson) The disciples (mathetes) understood (suniemi) none of these things - Even Jesus' parents, Joseph and Mary, "did not understand (suniemi) the statement ("I had to be in My Father’s house?”- Lk 2:49) which He had made to them." (Lk 2:50+). It is not until the Emmaus episode after His resurrection (Lk 24:13ff+), that the disciples understood for "Then He (Jesus) opened their minds to understand (suniemi) the Scriptures." (Lk 24:45+, cf Lk 24:25-26, 27+) Understood is active voice signifies a volitional choice, one the disciples did not willingly make (probably because they were so fixed on Jesus as a conquering King) and then the truth was hidden (as discussed below), this verb being passive voice indicating the hiding came from outside of themselves (divine passive). A T
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MacArthur - Having come down from Galilee, they detoured, in the normal way, through Perea, east of the Jordan River, to avoid traveling through Samaria (John 4:9). They then recrossed the Jordan near Jericho, from which they would make the six-hour ascent to Jerusalem. (Ibid) It was an OT prophecy that the Messiah would heal the blind and the only person in Scripture who healed the blind was Jesus. Ps 146:8 The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; The LORD raises up those who are bowed down; The LORD loves the righteous; Isa 29:18 On that day the deaf will hear words of a book, And out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see. Isa. 29:18 On that day the deaf will hear words of a book, And out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see. Isa 35:5+ Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. Steven
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MacArthur - Blindness, whether caused by birth defects, injury, or disease, was common in Israel (cf. Mt. 11:5; 15:30; 21:14), so common that Jesus used it to illustrate spiritual ignorance (e.g., Matt. 15:14; Luke 4:18; 14:13). Beggars also were numerous in Israel (cf. Luke 16:3; Acts 3:2, 10). The blind were despised and reduced to begging (cf. John 9:8), since their condition was considered to be God’s judgment on their sin (John 9:1-2). Mattoon on begging - Beggars often waited along the roads near cities because that was where they were able to contact the most people. Usually disabled in some way, beggars were unable to work for a living. Medical help was not available for their problems, and people tended to ignore their obligation to care for the needy. (Treasures from the Scriptures) Adrian Rogers once quipped "Evangelism is one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread." ISBE has an interesting note on begging among the Jews - It is significant that the Mosaic law contains no enactment concerning beggars, or begging, though it makes ample provision for the relief and care of "the poor in the land." Biblical Hebrew seems to have no term for professional begging, the nearest approach to it being the expressions "to ask (or seek) bread" and "to wander." This omission certainly is not accidental; it comports with the very nature of the Mosaic law, the spirit of which is breathed in this, among other kindred provisions, that a poor Hebrew who even sold himself for debt to his wealthy brother was allowed to serve him only until the Jubilee (See JUBILEE), and his master was forbidden to treat him as a slave (Leviticus 25:39+). These laws, as far as actually practiced, have always virtually done away with beggars and begging among the Jews. (From Beg; Beggar; Begging - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia) Blind (5185)(tuphlos from tuphlóo = envelop with smoke, be unable to see clearly) can refer to literal blindness (Mt 9:27, 28; 11:5; 12:22; Lk 7:21, 22; Jn 9:1, 2, 3.; Acts 13:11 Lv 19:14; Job 29:15) but more often is used to describe spiritual blindness. Figuratively then tuphlos picture one's mind as blind, ignorant, stupid, slow of understanding, being unable to understand, incapable of comprehending (see Mt 15:14; 23:16, 17, 19, 24, 26; Lk 4:18; Jn 9:39,40,41; Ro 2:19; 2 Pe 1:9; Rev 3:17; Isa 42:16,18,19; 43:8) This sense speaks of both mental and spiritual blindness, often the result of self-deception so that one is unable to understand (spiritual truth). The Greek writers used tuphlos to describe those who were "mentally blind". Begging (TEXTUS RECEPTUS)(present tense = his lifestyle)(4319)(prosaiteo from pros = toward, to, intensifies + aiteo = ask with sense of urgency even to point of demanding) means to ask earnestly, to solicit, to importune. In Textus Receptus Mk 10:46, Lk 18:35, John 9:8. Begging (NESTLE-ALAND)(1871) (present tense = his lifestyle)(epaiteo from epi = on, upon + aiteo = ask with sense of urgency) means to strictly to ask for more and so to beg. To beg as a mendicant. In Nestle-Aland Mk 10:46, Lk 18:35, John 9:8. Used in Septuagint only in Ps 109:10. Related Resources: How should a Christian respond to beggars? | GotQuestions.org Beg; Beggar; Begging - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Baker Evangelical Dictionary Blindness Easton's Bible Dictionary Blind Fausset Bible Dictionary Blindness Spurgeon's Illustration Collection Worldliness: Its Blinding Influence Holman Bible Dictionary Blindness Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible Blindness Hastings' Dictionary of the NT Blindness Blindness (2) Smith Bible Dictionary Blindness Steven
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MacArthur - In his eager faith, he cast away his beggar’s cloak, likely the only thing he possessed. His act symbolizes genuine faith, which abandons all to follow Christ (cf Lk 14:33). (See Luke Commentary) Comment on He is calling - This phrase is also in Jn 11:28 (“The Teacher is here and is calling for you.”) addressing Mary who had just lost her brother Lazarus - so Jesus call is to two people in deep trouble - Bartimaeus and Mary.
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MacArthur - Incredibly, the high King of heaven, the sovereign, creator God of the universe, offered to be the servant of this lowly outcast. Here is an amazing example of God’s mercy and grace. (See Luke Commentary)