Christoph Blumhardt, “In the Return of Jesus Christ,” Blumhardt Reader, p. 173-177
Walter J. Burghardt, S.J., “The Case of the Invincible Widow,” Lovely in Eyes Not His, p. 122-127
George A. Buttrick, “The God who Answers Prayer,” The Parables of Jesus, p. 166-175
John Dominic Crossan, The Essential Jesus, p. 143, 170
H. E. Fosdick, The Meaning of Prayer, p. 140 f.
Joachim Jeremias, “The Unjust Judge,” Rediscovering the Parables, p. 122 ff.
John Shea, The God who Fell from Heaven, p. 11
The God who Fell from Heaven
An alternate interpretation … identifies the cause of God with the widow and the friend outside and ourselves with the unjust judge and the reluctant homeowner. This understanding reverses our understanding of prayer. Prayer is not the verbal entreaty of a reluctant God, but the way we relate and respond to a pursuing God.
2 Malachi
3 Samuel
1 And he told them a parable, to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor regarded man; 3 and there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Vindicate me against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor regard man, 5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will vindicate her, or she will wear me out by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God vindicate his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will vindicate them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
18:1 ελεγεν δε και παραβολην αυτοις προς το δειν παντοτε προσευχεσθαι και μη εκκακειν 18:2 λεγων κριτης τις ην εν τινι πολει τον θεον μη φοβουμενος και ανθρωπον μη εντρεπομενος 18:3 χηρα δε ην εν τη πολει εκεινη και ηρχετο προς αυτον λεγουσα εκδικησον με απο του αντιδικου μου 18:4 και ουκ ηθελησεν επι χρονον μετα δε ταυτα ειπεν εν εαυτω ει και τον θεον ου φοβουμαι και ανθρωπον ουκ εντρεπομαι 18:5 δια γε το παρεχειν μοι κοπον την χηραν ταυτην εκδικησω αυτην ινα μη εις τελος ερχομενη υποπιαζη με 18:6 ειπεν δε ο κυριος ακουσατε τι ο κριτης της αδικιας λεγει 18:7 ο δε θεος ου μη ποιηση την εκδικησιν των εκλεκτων αυτου των βοωντων προς αυτον ημερας και νυκτος και μακροθυμων επ αυτοις 18:8 λεγω υμιν οτι ποιησει την εκδικησιν αυτων εν ταχει πλην ο υιος του ανθρωπου ελθων αρα ευρησει την πιστιν επι της γης
Christoph Blumhardt, “True Repentance,” Blumhardt Reader, p. 209-214
George A. Buttrick, “Humility,” The Parables of Jesus, p. 82-91
John Dominic Crossan, “Parables of Reversal,” In Parables, p. 68-69
Thomas R. Haney, Today’s Spirituality, p. 104
Stanley Hauerwas, “Celebration,” Minding the Web, p. 258
“Celebration”
Joachim Jeremias, “The Pharisee and the Tax Collector,” Rediscovering the Parables, p. 111 ff.
Søren Kierkegaard, “The Tax Collector,” Provocations, p. 183-184
“The Tax Collector”
But the Pharisee also “stood by himself.” Was he not also standing far off? Yes, if he had stood by himself. But the Gospel says that he stood by himself and thanked God “that he was not like other men.” He did not stand by himself, for when we have others in view, we do not stand by ourselves. The Pharisee’s pride consisted just in this – that he proudly used others to measure his distance. He held this thought fast, in order to stand proudly by himself in contrast to the rest. But this indeed is not to stand by yourself, least of all to stand by yourself before God.
Blaise Pascal, “# 499,” Pensées, p. 137 f.
9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
18:9 ειπεν δε προς τινας τους πεποιθοτας εφ εαυτοις οτι εισιν δικαιοι και εξουθενουντας τους λοιπους την παραβολην ταυτην 18:10 ανθρωποι δυο ανεβησαν εις το ιερον προσευξασθαι ο εις φαρισαιος και ο ετερος τελωνης 18:11 ο φαρισαιος σταθεις προς εαυτον ταυτα προσηυχετο ο θεος ευχαριστω σοι οτι ουκ ειμι ωσπερ οι λοιποι των ανθρωπων αρπαγες αδικοι μοιχοι η και ως ουτος ο τελωνης 18:12 νηστευω δις του σαββατου αποδεκατω παντα οσα κτωμαι 18:13 και ο τελωνης μακροθεν εστως ουκ ηθελεν ουδε τους οφθαλμους εις τον ουρανον επαραι αλλ ετυπτεν εις το στηθος αυτου λεγων ο θεος ιλασθητι μοι τω αμαρτωλω 18:14 λεγω υμιν κατεβη ουτος δεδικαιωμενος εις τον οικον αυτου η γαρ εκεινος οτι πας ο υψων εαυτον ταπεινωθησεται ο δε ταπεινων εαυτον υψωθησεται
15 Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them; and when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 17 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
18:15 προσεφερον δε αυτω και τα βρεφη ινα αυτων απτηται ιδοντες δε οι μαθηται επετιμησαν αυτοις 18:16 ο δε ιησους προσκαλεσαμενος αυτα ειπεν αφετε τα παιδια ερχεσθαι προς με και μη κωλυετε αυτα των γαρ τοιουτων εστιν η βασιλεια του θεου 18:17 αμην λεγω υμιν ος εαν μη δεξηται την βασιλειαν του θεου ως παιδιον ου μη εισελθη εις αυτην
18 And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” 21 And he said, “All these I have observed from my youth.” 22 And when Jesus heard it, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23 But when he heard this he became sad, for he was very rich. 24 Jesus looking at him said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For 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 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But he said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”
28 And Peter said, “Lo, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no man who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive manifold more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
18:18 και επηρωτησεν τις αυτον αρχων λεγων διδασκαλε αγαθε τι ποιησας ζωην αιωνιον κληρονομησω 18:19 ειπεν δε αυτω ο ιησους τι με λεγεις αγαθον ουδεις αγαθος ει μη εις ο θεος 18:20 τας εντολας οιδας μη μοιχευσης μη φονευσης μη κλεψης μη ψευδομαρτυρησης τιμα τον πατερα σου και την μητερα σου 18:21 ο δε ειπεν ταυτα παντα εφυλαξαμην εκ νεοτητος μου 18:22 ακουσας δε ταυτα ο ιησους ειπεν αυτω ετι εν σοι λειπει παντα οσα εχεις πωλησον και διαδος πτωχοις και εξεις θησαυρον εν ουρανω και δευρο ακολουθει μοι 18:23 ο δε ακουσας ταυτα περιλυπος εγενετο ην γαρ πλουσιος σφοδρα 18:24 ιδων δε αυτον ο ιησους περιλυπον γενομενον ειπεν πως δυσκολως οι τα χρηματα εχοντες εισελευσονται εις την βασιλειαν του θεου 18:25 ευκοπωτερον γαρ εστιν καμηλον δια τρυμαλιας ραφιδος εισελθειν η πλουσιον εις την βασιλειαν του θεου εισελθειν
18:26 ειπον δε οι ακουσαντες και τις δυναται σωθηναι 18:27 ο δε ειπεν τα αδυνατα παρα ανθρωποις δυνατα εστιν παρα τω θεω
18:28 ειπεν δε πετρος ιδου ημεις αφηκαμεν παντα και ηκολουθησαμεν σοι 18:29 ο δε ειπεν αυτοις αμην λεγω υμιν οτι ουδεις εστιν ος αφηκεν οικιαν η γονεις η αδελφους η γυναικα η τεκνα ενεκεν της βασιλειας του θεου 18:30 ος ου μη απολαβη πολλαπλασιονα εν τω καιρω τουτω και εν τω αιωνι τω ερχομενω ζωην αιωνιον
31 And taking the twelve, he said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written of the Son of man by the prophets will be accomplished. 32 For he will be delivered to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon; 33 they will scourge him and kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” 34 But they understood none of these things; this saying was hid from them, and they did not grasp what was said.
18:31 παραλαβων δε τους δωδεκα ειπεν προς αυτους ιδου αναβαινομεν εις ιεροσολυμα και τελεσθησεται παντα τα γεγραμμενα δια των προφητων τω υιω του ανθρωπου 18:32 παραδοθησεται γαρ τοις εθνεσιν και εμπαιχθησεται και υβρισθησεται και εμπτυσθησεται 18:33 και μαστιγωσαντες αποκτενουσιν αυτον και τη ημερα τη τριτη αναστησεται 18:34 και αυτοι ουδεν τουτων συνηκαν και ην το ρημα τουτο κεκρυμμενον απ αυτων και ουκ εγινωσκον τα λεγομενα
35 As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging; 36 and hearing a multitude going by, he inquired what this meant. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 And he cried, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 And Jesus stopped, and commanded him to be brought to him; and when he came near, he asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me receive my sight.” 42 And Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” 43 And immediately he received his sight and followed him, glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.
18:35 εγενετο δε εν τω εγγιζειν αυτον εις ιεριχω τυφλος τις εκαθητο παρα την οδον προσαιτων 18:36 ακουσας δε οχλου διαπορευομενου επυνθανετο τι ειη τουτο 18:37 απηγγειλαν δε αυτω οτι ιησους ο ναζωραιος παρερχεται 18:38 και εβοησεν λεγων ιησου υιε δαυιδ ελεησον με 18:39 και οι προαγοντες επετιμων αυτω ινα σιωπηση αυτος δε πολλω μαλλον εκραζεν υιε δαυιδ ελεησον με 18:40 σταθεις δε ο ιησους εκελευσεν αυτον αχθηναι προς αυτον εγγισαντος δε αυτου επηρωτησεν αυτον 18:41 λεγων τι σοι θελεις ποιησω ο δε ειπεν κυριε ινα αναβλεψω 18:42 και ο ιησους ειπεν αυτω αναβλεψον η πιστις σου σεσωκεν σε 18:43 και παραχρημα ανεβλεψεν και ηκολουθει αυτω δοξαζων τον θεον και πας ο λαος ιδων εδωκεν αινον τω θεω