How do persistence and humility appear in Luke 18?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The parables address prayer and self-exaltation, while the ruler’s sorrow, the twelve’s lack of understanding and the blind man’s persistence remain distinct episodes.

Chapter breakdown

# Luke 18 Jesus speaks a parable that people ought always to pray and not faint. A widow asks a judge who neither fears God nor regards man to avenge her of her adversary. The annotation explains avenge as do justice. He refuses for a long time, then resolves to act because she troubles him and might weary him by continual coming. Jesus asks his hearers to consider the unjust judge's words and says God will quickly revenge his elect who cry day and night, then asks whether the Son of man will find faith on earth when he comes.

To people trusting in their own justice and despising others, Jesus tells of a Pharisee and a publican praying in the temple. The Pharisee thanks God that he is unlike extortioners, the unjust, adulterers and the publican, and says he fasts twice weekly and tithes all he possesses. The publican stands afar off, will not lift his eyes towards heaven and strikes his breast, asking mercy as a sinner. Jesus says that this man goes home justified rather than the other, because self-exaltation brings humiliation and humility exaltation.

Infants are brought for Jesus to touch, and the disciples rebuke them. Jesus calls them together, tells them to permit children to come and says the kingdom belongs to such; whoever does not receive it as a child will not enter. A ruler asks the good master how to possess everlasting life. Jesus asks why he calls him good and says none is good but God alone. He recalls commandments against killing, adultery, theft and false witness and the command to honour parents. The ruler claims to have kept them from youth. Jesus tells him to sell everything, give to the poor for treasure in heaven and follow him. The very rich ruler becomes sorrowful; his departure or later compliance is not narrated here.

Jesus describes the difficulty of rich people entering God's kingdom through the camel and needle comparison. Asked who can be saved, he says what is impossible with men is possible with God. Peter says they have left all and followed him. Jesus promises much more in the present time and everlasting life to those leaving home, parents, brethren, wife or children for the kingdom's sake.

Taking the twelve, Jesus says they are going to Jerusalem, where what the prophets wrote concerning the Son of man will be accomplished. He will be delivered to Gentiles, mocked, scourged, spat upon and killed, and rise on the third day. The twelve do not understand; the word is hidden from them.

Near Jericho, a blind man begging by the wayside hears the multitude and asks what is happening. Told Jesus of Nazareth is passing, he cries for mercy to Jesus, Son of David. Those going before rebuke him to be silent, but he cries still more. Jesus stops and orders him brought near, then asks what he wants. He asks to see. Jesus tells him to receive sight, saying his faith has made him whole. Immediately he sees and follows glorifying God, and all the people praise God.

The story inside

Widow and judge; Pharisee and publican; infants; ruler and riches; prediction; blind man near Jericho.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The publican goes home justified rather than the Pharisee.
2
The ruler’s youth is the starting point of his claimed observance, not his stated present age.
3
The blind man persists after a rebuke and immediately sees after Jesus’ words.

Test your recall

Pray without fainting; humble publican; children; sorrowful ruler; hidden prediction; persistent blind man.

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 119433–119476
18:1. And he spoke also a parable to them, that we ought always to pray and not to faint, 18:2. Saying: There was a judge in a certain city, who feared not God nor regarded man. 18:3. And there was a certain widow in that city; and she came to him, saying: Avenge me of my adversary. Avenge.... That is, do me justice. It is a Hebraism. 18:4. And he would not for a long time. But afterwards he said within himself: Although I fear not God nor regard man, 18:5. Yet because this widow is troublesome to me, I will avenge her, lest continually coming she weary me. 18:6. And the Lord said: Hear what the unjust judge saith. 18:7. And will not God revenge his elect who cry to him day and night? And will he have patience in their regard? 18:8. I say to you that he will quickly revenge them. But yet the Son of man, when he cometh, shall he find, think you, faith on earth? 18:9. And to some who trusted in themselves as just and despised others, he spoke also this parable: 18:10. Two men went up into the temple to pray: the one a Pharisee and the other a publican. 18:11. The Pharisee standing, prayed thus with himself: O God, I give thee thanks that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, as also is this publican. 18:12. I fast twice in a week: I give tithes of all that I possess. 18:13. And the publican, standing afar off, would not so much as lift up his eyes towards heaven; but struck his breast, saying: O God, be merciful to me a sinner. 18:14. I say to you, this man went down into his house justified rather than the other: because every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled: and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Lines 119478–119525
18:15. And they brought unto him also infants, that he might touch them. Which when the disciples saw, they rebuked them. 18:16. But Jesus, calling them together, said: Suffer children to come to me and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 18:17. Amen, I say to you: Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a child shall not enter into it. 18:18. And a certain ruler asked him, saying: Good master, what shall I do to possess everlasting life? 18:19. And Jesus said to him: Why dost thou call me good? None is good but God alone. 18:20. Thou knowest the commandments: Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery: Thou shalt not steal: Thou shalt not bear false witness: Honour thy father and mother. 18:21. Who said: All these things have I kept from my youth. 18:22. Which when Jesus had heard, he said to him: Yet one thing is wanting to thee. Sell all whatever thou hast and give to the poor: and thou shalt have treasure in heaven. And come, follow me. 18:23. He having heard these things, became sorrowful: for he was very rich. 18:24. And Jesus seeing him become sorrowful, said: How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 18:25. For it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 18:26. And they that heard it said: Who then can be saved? 18:27. He said to them: The things that are impossible with men are possible with God. 18:28. Then Peter said: Behold, we have left all things and have followed thee. 18:29. Who said to them: Amen, I say to you, there is no man that hath left home or parents or brethren or wife or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, 18:30. Who shall not receive much more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.
Lines 119527–119538
18:31. Then Jesus took unto him the twelve and said to them: Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and all things shall be accomplished which were written by the prophets concerning the Son of man. 18:32. For he shall be delivered to the Gentiles and shall be mocked and scourged and spit upon. 18:33. And after they have scourged him, they will put him to death. And the third day he shall rise again. 18:34. And they understood none of these things, and this word was hid from them: and they understood not the things that were said.
Lines 119540–119563
18:35. Now it came to pass, when he drew nigh to Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the way side, begging. 18:36. And when he heard the multitude passing by, he asked what this meant. 18:37. And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. 18:38. And he cried out, saying: Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. 18:39. And they that went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried out much more: Son of David, have mercy on me. 18:40. And Jesus standing, commanded him to be brought unto him. And when he was come near, he asked him, 18:41. Saying; What wilt thou that I do to thee? But he said: Lord, that I may see. 18:42. And Jesus said to him: Receive thy sight: thy faith hath made thee whole. 18:43. And immediately he saw and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.