Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 18:4
And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
4. he said within himself ] The shamelessness with which he acknowledges his own sin renders it still more aggravated.
Though I fear not God, nor regard man ] ‘The creed of a powerful atheist.’ Bengel.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For a while – Probably this means for a considerable time. It was his duty to attend to the claims of justice, but this was long delayed.
Within himself – He thought, or came to a conclusion.
Though I fear not … – This contains the reason why he attended to the case at all. It was not from any regard to justice, or to the duties of his office. It was simply to avoid trouble. And yet his conduct in this case might have appeared very upright, and possibly might have been strictly according to law and to justice. How many actions are performed that appear well, when the doers of those actions know that they are mere hypocrisy! and how many actions are performed from the basest and lowest motives of selfishness, that have the appearance of external propriety and even of goodness!
She weary me – The word used here, in the original, is that which was employed to denote the wounds and bruises caused by boxers, who beat each other, and blacken their eyes, and disable them. See the notes at 1Co 9:27. Hence, it means any vexatious and troublesome importunity that takes the time, and disables from other employment.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. He said within himself] How many actions which appear good have neither the love of God, nor that of our neighbour, but only self-love of the basest kind, for their principle and motive!
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
1-5. alwaysCompare Lu18:7, “night and day.”
faintlose heart, orslacken.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he would not for a while,…. He would give no ear to her cries, nor take her cause in hand, nor right her wrongs, and clear her of her adversary:
but afterward he said within himself; as he was considering the matter in his own mind, and reflecting on this woman’s case and the frequent application she had made to him:
though I fear not God, nor regard man; a monster in iniquity he was, to say so of himself; for though the character belongs to many, there are few that are so impudent in sin, as to take it to themselves, and glory in it.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
He would not ( ). Imperfect tense of continued refusal.
Though ( ). Concerning sentence, not (even if).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And he would not for a while:” (kai ouk ethelen epi chronon) “And he would not respond for a running period of time,” brushing her aside, putting her off with delays.
2) “But afterward he said within himself,” (meta tauta de eipen en heauto) “Then after these things (repeated appeals from the widow) he said to himself, within,” as a matter of self-defense, for selfish, self-preservation, covetous reasons.
3) “Though I fear not God, nor regard man;” (ei kai ton theon ou phoboumai oude anthropon entrepomai) “Even though I do not fear God or regard man,” the creed of an atheist, though I am an iron man, untouched by emotional appeals and affairs of others. He deliberately admitted to himself this own villany and the unscrupulous nature of his own character.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(4) He would not for a while.The judge was callous and dead to pity, even for that extremest wretchedness. The pleadings of the widow were simply an annoyance, which at first he bore with indifference.
Though I fear not God, nor regard man.Here, also, there is a graphic touch of intensity. The man had passed beyond the stage of hypocrisy, conscious or unconscious, and saw himself even as others, even as God, saw him.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. For a while The grand interval between the First and Second Coming of the Son of man. This we take to be its true and perhaps its only proper meaning. But as the same principle is applicable to the prayer of the individual soul as to the collective prayer of the Church, so God often makes a trying interval between the offering of our prayer and the granting of the reply.
I fear not God Most men believe that they are not so very bad; and though they may each deceive themselves, yet they are the less evil for even this self-pretence. But here is a man consciously unprincipled upon principle. The man who can thus unflinchingly face himself, can of course show the hardest face to others.
“And he would not for a while, but afterwards he said within himself,”
For a while the judge ignored her pleas, putting off her case and hoping that she would go away. But when she kept coming to him continually he gave in. He recognised that she was not just going to go away and that the best thing to do in order to obtain a quiet life was to deal with her request. Her persistence had won through.
Luk 18:4-5 . ] for a time , Hom. Il . ii. 299; Plat. Protag . p. 344 B, Phaed . p. 84 C; Ngelsbach, Anm. z. Ilias , Exo 3 , p. 284.
] as at Luk 11:8 .
. . .] is explained: that she may not continually ( equal to , see Kypke and Wetstein; comp. , ) come and plague me. See also Luther’s gloss. But that (to strike any one’s eyes black and blue, see Wetstein) is to be taken in the general sense of harass, annoy, there is no proof, since it is an error to adduce not merely 1Co 9:27 , but also Aristoph. Pax 541, where the are represented as smitten and wounded persons, and hence the word is to be taken in the literal sense, to beat black and blue. But the assumption of a Latinism, after the manner of obtundere (Beza, Grotius), is arbitrary, and does not at all correspond with the special idea of the Greek word. Accordingly there is nothing left us but to interpret: that she may not at last come and beat my face black and blue. The judge mockingly puts the case of the woman at length becoming desperate, and actually laying hands on him and beating his face black and blue. The Vulgate rightly has it: sugillet me. Comp. also Bleek and Schegg. On , at the end, finally, comp. Herod. iii. 40, ix. 37; Xen. Oec. xvii. 10; Soph. Phil. 407, and thereupon Hermann; Gen 46:4 , and elsewhere. , without any preposition, might also have been used.
(4) And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man: (5) Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
It is on this point the Lord particularly lays the stress of the whole parable. Here is an unjust judge, one who is regardless both of God and man; fears not the one, nor loves the other; and yet, from the unceasing importunity and clamorous demands of a poor woman, determines in himself that he will do as she desired. From hence the Lord Jesus draws his unanswerable conclusion of the efficacy of prayer in the saints of God. It is as if the Lord Jesus had said, See what perseverance will do. Here’s an unjust, unfeeling, time-serving wretch, at length over-ruled, overawed, and actually compelled to do a violence to his own feelings. I will (saith he) avenge her: not to save her, but to ease myself.
4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
Ver. 4. And he would not for awhile ] There is a passive injustice. Non faciendo nocens, sed patiendo fuit, saith Ausonius of Claudius: Not to do justice is injustice.
4. ] . for some time, not, ‘ for a long time .’ , , , Il. . 299: for a while, E. V.
The point of this part of the parable is, the extortion of right from such a man by importunity. His act was not an act of justice, but of injustice; his very was , because he did it from self-regard , and not from a sense of duty . He, like the steward above, was , belonging to, being of , the iniquity which prevails in the world.
Luk 18:4 . , for a considerable time. Per multum tempus (Vulgate) may be too strong, but it is in the right direction. The scope of the parable and the use of the word in a pregnant sense implying ( vide examples in Kypke) demand a time sufficient to test the temper of the parties. , within himself. The characters in Lk.’s parables are given to talking to themselves (Prodigal, Unjust Steward).
would not = did not wish to. App-102.
not. Greek. ou. App-105. afterward after (Greek. meta. App-104.) these things.
within = to. Greek. en. App-104.
4.] . for some time, not, for a long time. , , , Il. . 299:-for a while, E. V.
The point of this part of the parable is, the extortion of right from such a man by importunity. His act was not an act of justice, but of injustice; his very was , because he did it from self-regard, and not from a sense of duty. He, like the steward above, was ,-belonging to, being of, the iniquity which prevails in the world.
Luk 18:4. , within himself) of his own accord.-, …) The creed of an Atheist in power.
he said: Luk 12:17, Luk 16:3, Heb 4:12, Heb 4:13
Reciprocal: Gen 42:18 – I fear God Exo 18:21 – such as Jdg 14:17 – she lay Psa 73:9 – tongue Psa 94:7 – they say Luk 7:39 – he spake Luk 12:18 – General Luk 18:2 – which Phi 3:19 – whose glory
5
The judge was not prompted by any regard for any being, human or divine, but because he did not want to be troubled by the widow’s persistence.
Luk 18:4. For a while. Not necessarily, for a long time.
He laid within himself, etc. This soliloquy reveals the utterly abandoned character of the man: he was not ashamed of his own recklessness.
The judge granted the widow’s petition solely because of her persistence. Jesus was not teaching that God takes the same attitude toward disciples that this judge took toward this widow. Again, the judge contrasts with God. His point was that persistence is effective with unjust judges. How much more will it be effective with the righteous Judge.
The phrase "wear me out" translates an idiom that literally means "strike under the eye" (Gr. hypopiaze me, cf. 1Co 9:27). We could translate this idiom "lest she give me a black eye." Figuratively a black eye represents a damaged reputation, shame. Consequently the judge apparently feared that by refusing to respond to the widow his reputation would suffer (cf. Luk 11:8). [Note: Derrett, "Law in . . .," p. 191.] He granted her request for selfish reasons.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)