Luke

18:1-8

The teachings of Messiah, 9:51-19:44

5. The coming kingdom, 16:14-18:14

v] Justice - the judge and the widow

Synopsis

Jesus has just addressed the disciples on the issue of the revealing / coming of the Son of Man. In this context, Luke records the parable of the unjust judge, and its application, to pray and not lose heart.

 
Teaching

In the tribulation of the interim, disciples must persevere in faith as they look forward to the coming kingdom.

 
Issues

i] Context: See 16:14-31. The Judge and the Persistent Widow, 18:1-8, is the fifth episode of six dealing with Jesus' teachings on The Great Reversal, 16:14-18:14, episodes which reveal, in the presence of the coming kingdom, the condemnation of the "righteous" (self-righteous) under the law, in contrast to the blessing of the humble (repentant) under grace. Having confirmed the reality of the Great Reversal, Jesus warns his disciples of the danger of trying to progress their holiness for blessing by obedience to the law, and then goes on to illustrate the one law that must be obeyed, namely, faith in Jesus. Having addressed the issue of his appearing / coming, Jesus now reinforces the importance of persevering in faith in the sure knowledge that God's kingdom will come.

Although Ellis and Creed, among others, feel that the parable should be treated independently, Grundmann, along with Plummer, Bock, Caird, Evans, ....., hold that this episode is closely linked to the preceding apocalyptic sayings, 17:22-37, sayings which were prompted by the Pharisee's question as to when the kingdom of God was coming, 17:20. Some commentators see the following parable, the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, 18:9-14, as also playing an important contextual role. As Johnson puts it, both parables "serve a narrative function" "following Jesus' eschatological discourse." "The first is told to the disciples, the second to ... Pharisees." To the disciples the story is "one of positive exhortation", but to the Pharisees, it is "a story of rejection." The parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector is possibly another lesson on prayer, so Creed, Caird, .... although this is unlikely. More probably it answers the question "whom does God vindicate? In the day of judgment, when the Son of Man comes, who will stand? The answer is unexpected, because it is not the religious / righteous who stand in that terrible day, but the one who is humble before God and confident of his mercy, cf., Bock. Such is the reality of the Great Reversal.

 

ii] Background: For The Eschatology of Jesus, see "Background", 17:20-37.

The particular eschatological issues raised in this episode are:

iThe consumption of the kingdom of God;

iDelay in the coming of the Son of Man;

iThe testing, trial and falling away of disciples during the interim.

These subjects shape the passage before us. We are to "pray and not give up", pray "your kingdom come", and in the interim, persevere in that faith which consists of allegiance to Jesus, weak though it may be ("mustard seed" faith). "Despite the unfulfilled longing of the present time, one should keep looking to God for eschatological vindication, secure in the confidence that he will fulfil his promises magnificently and he will do so soon. The individual is challenged not to be one of those whose failure places in question the finding of faith on earth when the Son of Man comes", Nolland.

 

iii] Structure: The judge and the persistent widow:

Setting, v1:

"that they should always pray and not give up."

Teaching parable, v2-6;

"notice how this dishonest magistrate behaved".

Saying on vindication, v7-8a:

"will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones?"

Saying on faith, v8b:

"when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

 

iv] Interpretation:

The episode opens with an editorial comment in which Luke identifies the intended teaching-purpose of this episode, namely that believers should continue to pray. The object of prayer is undefined, but given the eschatological context, 17:22-37, "thy kingdom come" is the likely suspect. This prayer is an "always" prayer, rather than "a continuous, nonstop prayer", Stein.

Then follows the parable of the persistent widow, v2-6, and a saying applicable to the disciples, v7-8a. Jesus uses a lesser to greater argument to establish a fundamental truth: If an unjust judge will inevitably bring justice to bear for a poor widow, how much more will a just God deliver justice / vindication for his people? In the tribulation, during the interim of the last days, let us pray for the coming of God's kingdom and expect the Lord's sure, but unpredictable response.

And when the Son of Man does come, pity help those who have not persevered in faith, v8b. The crucial ingredient for a disciple, faced with the now / not yet reality of the coming kingdom, is faith in the faithfulness of Christ. This final saying serves as a warning to disciples that along with their prayerful expectation of God's consumption of all things, they must persevere in faith.

 

The parable of the Persistent Widow / Unjust Judge, v2-6. This parable is usually classified as a teaching / illustrative parable, and with the attached saying, v7-8a, this is how it functions. Luke reinforces this function with his introduction, v1, and the concluding detached saying of Jesus, v8b. None-the-less, the parable exhibits some of the features of a crisis / kingdom parable, where the uncommitted are confronted by the reality of the coming kingdom, in this case, the dispensing of judgment / justice. "Notice how this dishonest magistrate behaved", Phillips, v6. If a corrupt judge finally gets around to dispensing justice, image what a just judge will do. For the classification of Jesus' parables, see the parables of Jesus, 8:1-18.

The parable develops a how much more comparison; "If a corrupt judge finally gets around to dispensing justice, image how much more a just judge will act to dispense justice". The attached saying, v7-8a, focuses on the divine dispensing of justice on behalf of Jesus' disciples, ie., vindication. Indeed, "they will get justice and quickly." During the interim, between the suffering of the Son of Man and the revealing / coming of the Son of Man, Jesus' disciples will struggle against the powers of this age, but God, the just judge, will inevitably act.

Of course, the how much more approach is handled in numerous ways by the commentators, eg., "if a widow's nagging causes a response in the unrighteous, how much more will the disciple's request be honoured by a righteous God", Bock. Some even ignore the how much more approach and head toward "persistent, importunate prayer", Marshall. Some even ignore the context and apply the principle of persistence in prayer to every sort of human need. Can many words sway an almighty God?

"The parable of the Unjust Judge is an answer to the problem of survival in the face of persecution. Hence the point of the parable is not that persistent prayer will guarantee the petitioner anything he wants", Danker. Given the context, we can probably summarise the content of the prayer for which we "need to pray always" as "the coming of God's justice in the kingdom", Bock, or even better, "thy kingdom come." As for praying persistently, how about "faithfully", Tiede, or better, "consistently"?

 

The saying on faith, v8b. The second part of v8 is often treated as a second application of the parable, an application which focuses on the chosen ones rather than God. Yet, it is probably better viewed as an independent linked saying serving to remind those who call for justice (pray "thy kingdom come") that they themselves will inevitably have to face God's justice when the kingdom does come. Abiding faith is the essential ingredient if we are to stand in that terrible day.

The parable of the Widow and the unjust Judge, is closely linked to the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax-collector. So, it is possible that the saying introduces, or provides a bridge, to the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax-collector, thus focusing attention on faith (in Jesus), a faith that relies on God's grace, his mercy, forgiveness, for right-standing before him. There is certainly a link between v8b and the following parable, as there is a link to the previous episodes in this section, but it should be noted that v9 itself functions as an introduction to the parable of the Pharisee and the Sinner.

 

v] Synoptics:

See 3:1-20. The parable and its application, along with the two independent sayings of Jesus, are unique to Luke; usually identified as L source.

The first verse is often viewed as redactional / from Luke's own hand - a topic heading.

The extent of this teaching parable is a matter of some debate. If we follow Fitzmyer, then the parable consists of v2-6: v1-5 the illustration, and v6 the application / pronouncement. The pronouncement serves to focus attention of the unjust judge and his willingness to meet the request of a powerless widow. The implication is obvious; imagine what a righteous God will do.

Verses 7-8a present as an appropriate independent saying of Jesus linked to the parable by the subject of vindication, but of course, the saying may serve as an integral part of Jesus' exposition of the parable. Fitzmyer notes that if originally an independent saying, it was most likely linked to the parable long before Luke got to see it.

The attached saying, v8b, is often viewed as a Lukan creation, although it is more likely a detached saying of Jesus that Luke has used to underline the means of vindication, namely, a faith that "looks to God day and night for vindication", Nolland.

 

vi] Exposition: A simple exposition of this passage may be found in the linked pew-level Sermon Notes.

 
Text - 18:1

A lesson from the Importunate Widow, v1-8. i] Editorial comment / topic heading, v1. Having just examined the topic of the coming / appearing of the Son of Man, Jesus calls on his disciples to pray for God's just and final intervention in the world. The liturgical version of this prayer is "Come Lord Jesus", or simply, "Thy kingdom come." So, Jesus encourages his disciples to not grow weary of praying for God's just intervention during the interim between the suffering and coming of the Son of Man, for the day will indeed come when he sets all things right. This is not an exhortation to repetitive prayer, but to constancy in prayer for the coming kingdom.

de "then" - but/and [he was speaking]. Transitional, indicating a step in the narrative, reinforced by the use of an imperfect for background information.

autoiV "disciples" - [a parable] to them. Dative of indirect object. Presumably the disciples are intended. Here the "parable" is an illustrative story, not to be confused with a kingdom parable which functions like a marsal, a riddle concerning the coming of the kingdom of God (the gospel).

proV to + inf. "to [show them] that" - toward the = in order [to have to do]. This preposition, with the articular infinitive, usually introduces a final clause expressing purpose; "in order to show them." Some scholars suggest it is actually reflecting Semitic idiom and should be treated as an accusative of reference / respect; "concerning, with respect to the necessity", "with regard to", Fitzmyer = "about the need", Moffatt. See Culy. "To the effect that they ought ...", ESV

pantote adv. "always" - always [them]. Temporal adverb expressing duration of time, with reference to a series of occasions*. The "always" begins the "persistence" line which is so dominant in expositions of this passage. Plummer makes the point that "prayer in general is meant", but the context leads us toward a prayer for vindication. Drawing a general principle from the exhortation is not unreasonable as long as the idea of "persistence", in the sense of nagging, is avoided. "Continually", NJB, "keep on praying", REB, still promote the idea of perpetual arm-bending, whereas the idea of "consistency / perseverance", Johnson, is far better, "Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit", Peterson.

proseucesqai (prosercomai) pres. inf. "that they should always pray" - to pray [and]. This infinitive, as with "to [not] lose heart", is classified as complementary by both Culy and Thompson, but it is possibly epexegetic, specifying what is necessary, namely that they ought always pray and not lose heart, as NIV;

mh egkakein (egkakew) pres. inf. "not give up" - not to be discouraged, lose heart, weary, give up due to discouragement. The object "prayer" may be intended, so "not give up praying", although given the context of the consummation of all things at the coming of the kingdom and of the great falling away, 17:22-37, the sense is more likely of not giving up on God's promised "vindication", Nolland.

 
v2

ii] The parable of the widow and the unjust judge, v2-6: With a how much more parable, Jesus tells the story of a powerless widow seeking justice for her cause. Her problem is compounded by the character of the village magistrate; he has no respect toward God, nor toward his fellows. So, the magistrate simply ignores her. If she had the money for a bribe she might be able to secure justice, but she is a poor widow, so she turns to the only means at her disposal, her capacity to nag. "I'd better give her what she wants otherwise her pestering will be the death of me."

legwn (legw) pres. part. "he said" - saying. Attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the verb elegen, "he told ...... saying"

krithV (hV ou) "judge" - a [certain] judge [was in a certain city]. Nominative subject of the verb to-be. Typical of a village situation, a single justice of the peace / magistrate would settle matters of law apart from the law-courts.

mh foboumenoV (fobew) pres. pas. part. "neither fearing" - not fearing [god]. The participle, as with "[not] respecting", is adjectival, attributive, limiting "judge"; "there was a judge who had no reverence for God and no respect even for men", Moffatt.

mh entrepomenoV (entrepw) pres. mid. part. "nor cared about" - [and] not respecting, not regarding, showing deference to [man]. Middle voice expressing the sense, "incapable of shame." This judge is unlikely to waste his time acting for a powerless, and probably poor widow, since "neither the laws of God nor public opinion can stir his conscience", Manson, Sayings.

 
v3

hrceto (ercomai) imperf. "kept coming" - [but/and a widow was in that city and] she was coming. The imperfect tense, being durative, may give the sense "she constantly came to him", TH, possibly iterative expressing repeated action, so "she came to the judge over and over again", even customary, "she used to come."

legousa (legw) pres. part. "with the plea" - [toward him] saying. Attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the verb "she was coming", or possibly adverbial, modal, expressing the manner of her coming, "kept coming to him and saying", ESV.

ekdikhson (endikew) aor. imp. "grant [me] justice" - avenge, procure justice for, protect juridically [me]. Procure justice, possibly in the payment of whatever is due her, so Plummer. "Protect me from the man who is trying to ruin me", Phillips; "Vindicate", RSV.

apo + gen. "against [my adversary]" - from [the opponent of me]. Here expressing separation, "away from", so Culy suggests "from the attacks of my enemy."

 
v4

epi cronon "for some time" - [and] for a time. Temporal use of the preposition + an accusative of time, duration; an idiomatic construction. Referring to an undefined length of time, probably "for a long time", Marshall.

ouk hqelen (qelw) imperf. "he refused" - he was not willing. Imperfect is durative, indicating his continued refusal to act. It is assumed that he was not willing to adjudicate on the widow's legal matter, and this because she had an influential opponent, so "would not dare", Marshall.

meta tauta "finally" - [but/and] after these things. Temporal; idiomatic. Probably referring to "some time", so "after some time", "later on" = "afterwards", TNT.

en + dat. "to himself" - [he said] in [himself]. Local; expressing space, inward reasoning.

ei kai + ind. "even though" - if and. Introducing the protasis of a conditional clause, 1st. class, where the condition is assumed to be true. The apodosis consists of v5. The addition of an ascensive kai, "even", gives a concessive sense to the conditional clause, "even through"; "although, as is the case / despite the fact that .... yet ...."; "although I don't fear God", Phillips.

ou .... oude "I don't ...... or ..." - neither [god do i fear] nor [man do i respect]. Negated coordinate construction; "though I neither fear God nor respect men", ESV.

 
v5

ge "yet" - yet, indeed, surely, at least. Introducing the apodosis of the conditional clause commenced in v4. "Yet because she troubleth me", Plummer.

dia to + inf. "because" - [this widow] because the [to cause]. This construction, the preposition dia + the articular infinitive, introduces a causal clause; "because of the fact that [this widow causes me trouble]." Despite the word order, "this widow" is the accusative subject of the infinitive parecein, "to cause", and "trouble" is the direct object; "because of the fact that this widow gives me trouble", TH.

moi dat. pro. "me" - [trouble] to me. Dative of interest, disadvantage, or reference / respect.

authn pro. "[I will see that] she [gets justice]" - [i will avenge = protect] her. Accusative direct object of the verb "to protect." I will help this widow", CEV.

iJna mh + subj. "so that [she] won't" - that not = lest. Introducing a negated purpose clause; "in order that she not .."; "not to have her ever coming and pestering me", Moffatt.

uJpwpiazh/ (uJpopiazw) subj. "she ..... wear [me] out" - she may wear out [me]. This verb, with the meaning of "strike severely under the eye / blacken the face" is weakened here to "exhaust / annoy / wear out", but something stronger is possible; "lest her visits end in causing me grave trouble", Creed.

 
v6

Application / pronouncement. "The Lord said, 'Notice how this dishonest magistrate behaved'", Phillips. It is not overly clear how this verse fits with the parable, but it is probably an integral element, serving to focus attention on the judge (he inevitably acts), rather than the widow (she got what she wanted). Even so, the statement still lacks clarity, but then, Jesus' eschatological statements are always riddle-like; they are words for eyes that see! So, the point seems to be, if a corrupt judge inevitably dispenses justice, image what a just judge will do. This fits nicely with the eschatological context of 17:20-37; "Remember Lot's wife!"

eipen de "and [the Lord] said" - but/and [the lord] said. Transitional, Indicating a step to a related pronouncement.

akousate (akouw) aor. imp. "listen to" - you hear, listen to. Possibly "listen" has a similar weight to "he who has ears to hear let him hear." As such, it invites the hearer to respond to the hidden message in the parable; "Take note / listen now."

tiv pro. "what" - what. This interrogative pronoun, the direct object of the verb legei, "to say", serves to introduce an object clause / dependent statement of indirect speech / question, expressing what they should "hear", namely, "the unjust judge says what."

thV adikiaV (a) gen. "[the] unjust [judge]" - [the judge] of unrighteousness. The genitive is adjectival, attributive, limiting "judge"; "crooked judge", CEV.

legei (legw) pres. "says" - says. We are best to follow Fitzmyer who argues that the lesson must be drawn from the judge and his words and not the widow. Many others argue for a wider application, which is why we end up with the parable being used to promote the idea of "persistence in prayer." "This conclusion of the parable shifts the attention somewhat from the widow to the judge's conduct and way of thinking", Fitzmyer. "Notice how this dishonest magistrate behaved", Phillips.

 
v7

iii] A saying on vindication, v7-8a. This saying of Jesus has likely attached thematically to the parable with the key word ekdikew / ekdikhsiV, "avenge, vindicate, bring about justice." It serves to focus the act of bringing about justice on "the elect" (those destined for salvation through faith), and this in positive terms - blessing instead of cursing. "Do you suppose God, patient as he is, will not see justice done for his chosen who appeal to him day and night ("even though he delays over them", Evans. "Them", autoiV = the enemies of the elect)?" Phillips. The point Jesus makes is that God, the just judge, will not abandon believers to a world out of control, he will inevitably intervene, and do so justly. As God's people keep praying "thy kingdom come", will God keep delaying his intervention? The answer is "No", his forbearance toward those who oppose him has its limits. The living God will inevitably act for his people, and will do so "suddenly". God's just intervention for his people, realised in the coming / appearing / revealing of the Son of Man, will definitely occur.

de "and" - but/and. Transitional, indicating a step in the discourse, here to an attached saying. The NIV takes it as a coordinate connective; this is unlikely.

ou mh poihsh/ (poiew) subj. "will not [God] bring about" - [god] no no may do. A subjunctive of emphatic negation usually taken here to introduce an interrogative clause expecting a strong positive answer "yes indeed"; "Will not God obtain justice for his chosen ones who cry out to him night and day?" Cassirer.

thn ekdikhsin (iV ewV) "justice" - vengeance, punishment, vindication, justice. Here, with the verb "do" expressing the sense of the punishment of persecutors etc., so "vindication". Given that "eschatological vindication" is probably intended, the reference is to "one of the days of the Son of Man", 17:22, "the day that the Son of Man is revealed", 17:30.

twn eklektwn gen. adj. "for [his] chosen ones" - of the elect, chosen ones. The adjective is used as a substantive, with the genitive usually treated as verbal, objective, "justice to / for the elect", as NIV. The "elect / chosen" is the term often used in eschatological texts for God's special people, his children, so identifying those who are set apart for salvation. God's gracious designation of "the elect" is best understood as a sovereign act by God to save those who rest in faith on the faithfulness of Jesus. None-the-less, inclusion in God's elect people remains a matter of contention, with believers divided on the issue, either by an act of faith in Christ, or by God's effectual call.

autou gen. pro. "his " - of him. The genitive is adjectival, possessive, "his chosen ones" or verbal, subjective, "the ones chosen by him."

twn bowntwn pres. part. gen. "who cry out" - the ones crying out, screaming, shouting. The participle is adjectival, attributive, limiting "the chosen ones", genitive in agreement, as NIV. The strength of this word takes us back to chapter 17 and the tribulation faced by God's elect as they await the coming of the Son of Man. Again supporting the specific nature of the prayer, a prayer for "vindication"; "thy kingdom come."

autw/ dat. pro. "to him" - to him. Dative of indirect object. "To cry out to God" = "to cry out in prayer", TH.

hJmeraV kai nuktoV "day and night" - day and night. Genitive of time. Pray "consistently", better than "persistently".

kai - and. Here introducing a qualification. Still part of the original interrogative clause, although often translated as a separate interrogative clause expecting a positive answer, as NIV. Yet, probably better treated as introducing a concessive clause, "even though", NJB; "even though he delays over them (the enemies of the elect)", Evans.

makroqumei (makroqumew) pres. ind. "will he keep putting [them] off" - he has patience. The word is often used of God showing "forbearance / patience" with sinners, but here the "them" seems to refer to the "chosen ones." This, with the difficult syntax caused by the change in mood from subjunctive to indicative, has prompted numerous translations of the two clauses which make up this verse; see Marshall 674-675, also Bock 1450-1454. It does seem that the verse works better if "them" refers to "this generation", the sinful generation for whom the "chosen ones" "cry out" for "eschatological vindication." God's patience for this generation, his willingness to give time for repentance, will not hold indefinitely. The plight of God's people, as they face the tribulations of this present age, is of concern to God, such that their prayers for eschatological vindication will not fall on deaf ears; God will inevitably act for his people. "Do you suppose God, patient as he is ("indulgent with the opponents", Berkeley; "tolerant to their opponents", Moffatt), will not see justice done for his chosen who appeal to him day and night?", Phillips.

epi + dat. "-" - over, on, at, to, toward. The sense here is ambiguous: "with reference / regard to", Manson, "Sayings"; "against", Cranfield.

autoiV "them" - them. Probably not "the chosen ones", as noted above, but the chosen ones' "opponents", Manson, "Sayings"; "persecutors", Cranfield.

 
v8a

uJmin dat. pro. "you" - [i say] to you. Dative of indirect object. Probably serving to underline what Jesus is about to say, similar to "truly, truly I say unto you."

oJti "-" - that. Here introducing a dependent statement, of indirect speech, expressing what Jesus is saying.

thn ekdikhsin (iV ewV) "[they get] justice" - [he will bring about] the vengeance, punishment, procuring of justice, vindication [of them]. The verb ekdikew gives a similar sense to the periphrastic construction poihsei thn ekdikhsin, "he will bring about the vindication." A similar periphrastic construction is used in Numbers 31:2 and 1 Maccabees 2:67 to express the sense "see to it that justice is done." The construction takes a genitive, or dative, of the person to whom it is done, here genitive, autwn, "them" = the elect who cry to him day by day, cf., BAGD. "Accomplish their vindication", Johnson.

en taxei (oV) "quickly" - in speed. The preposition en is adverbial, modal, expressing manner, and with the noun "speed, haste," prompts the translation "speedily", "quickly", "soon". Yet, such a translation reflects the delay for justice experienced by the widow in the parable. In v6, Jesus asks us to note the actions (words) of the unjust judge, not the persistence of the widow and her long wait for justice. So, it is likely that the intended sense reflects the unexpected return of the Son of Man, ie., "suddenly", Jeremias.

 
v8b

iv] A detached saying on faith, v8b: The idea of the sudden return of Christ prompts a warning. In the day of the coming kingdom, many of those who cry out "Lord, Lord" will find themselves locked outside. So, let those who pray for God's just intervention / judgment, "Thy kingdom come", hold firmly to that one necessary requirement for entry into the kingdom, namely, faith in Jesus Christ. Let us possess "a faith that perseveres in allegiance to Jesus", Bock.

plhn "however" - but. The meaning of the particle is somewhat unclear. It is often treated as an exceptive, eg., "however", NIV, "and yet", Moffatt, "nevertheless", TNT, "yet", Torrey, and sometimes as an adversative, "but" NJB. The particle does sometimes have a transitional / resumptive sense, a more classical use, but none-the-less a use which Thrall in Greek Particles in the New Testament has identified in Luke. This may well be the sense here. "So then, back to the central issue, namely the revealing / coming of the Son of Man, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?

tou anqrwpou (oV) gen. "[the son] of man" - [the son] of man. The genitive is adjectival, relational. As already noted, the coming of the Son of Man is a coming into the throne-room of the living God where he will take up his eternal crown and undertake judgement / the vindication of the elect, Dan.7:13. In this now/not yet moment, all creation will bow before him; "when the Son of Man comes before the Ancient of Days to vindicate his people and so realise their hope of a kingdom, will he find faith on earth?" For Son of Man see oJ uiJoV tou anqrwpou, 5:24.

elqwn (ercomai) aor. part. "when .... comes" - having come. The participle is adverbial, best treated as temporal. Fitzmyer classifies it as a nominative absolute.

a\ra + fut. "-" - then [will he find]. Interrogative particle, here used with a deliberative future, "suggests a note of anxiety", TH.

thn pistin (iV ewV) "faith" - the faith. Accusative direct object of the verb "to find." Given the presence of the definite article, does Jesus mean us to understand a particular faith, with reference to the context, an "expectant faith", "hope for the coming of the Son of Man", "a faith ..... that looks for vindication", Nolland? Possibly a general sense is implied, "faithfulness", even "faithfulness expressed in unfailing prayer", Marshall, also Fitzmyer. It is probably best to follow Plummer when he links this faith to 17:22-37, as the faith which endures to the end in the face of much tribulation. Such faith is "the necessary faith, ..... faith in Jesus as the Messiah and Saviour." So, "will the elect remain true to their faith through to the coming of the Son of Man" - "faith" in the sense of "a faith that perseveres in allegiance to Jesus", Bock.

epi + gen. "on" - upon [the earth]. Spatial; "upon". "Will he find men and women on the earth who believe in him?" Phillips.

 

Luke Introduction

Exposition

Exegetical Commentaries

 

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