Author name: Carl Parry

Having spoken of the need to pray always and faint not, our Lord turns his attention to “those who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others” (Luke 18:9). The previous parable was specifically for the disciples and spoke of the manner by which God would vindicate His people. This parable is for a different audience—the religious leaders of his time—and deals with the fundamental question: how is one made right with God? In other words, on what basis does God declare a person righteous and effect reconciliation with Himself? 

The parable concerning the unjust judge and the persistent widow is one which is only recorded by Luke in his 18thchapter. It follows hard on the heels of a salient warning in the previous chapter, in which our Lord described the dismemberment of the nation by the Roman eagles. He alerted his disciples to the signs that would herald that destruction. They would experience days identical to the days of Noah and the days of Lot in which violence and immorality would abound.

Whilst we know from the prophetic markers that we are living at the time of the end no one knows the exact hour of our Lord’s appearance (Matt 24:36,42,44, 50; 25:13). In light of this, our Master seeks from us all a constant readiness, a state of alertness which is combined with wisdom and faith…

After our Lord had spoken to the twelve about the fate of Jerusalem at the hands of the Romans, he uttered a series of parables, which were designed to instruct them as to how they should live their lives during his absence.

We are most likely familiar with some of the more well-known psalms which describe the prowess and victory of the future king of all the earth. Psalms like Psalm 72 portray a sovereign who rules the world with justice and mercy. . Psalm 45 describes him riding prosperously with the people falling beneath his steed.