Luke 18 – Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Luke 18:1-8: Teaching on Prayer 

A. Find Out:

1. What did Jesus then go on to teach? v.1
   •  Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
2. Who did he first speak about? v.2
   •  He said: ‘In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought.
3. What did the widow do? v.3
   • And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, “Grant me justice against my adversary.”
4. What did the judge think and do? v.4,5
   • For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, “Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!”’
5. How did Jesus apply that? v.6,7
   • And the Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
6. With what challenge did he conclude v.8
   •  I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?’

B. Think:

1. What did we say was the objective of Jesus’ teaching here?
2. How does he use the widow to show that?
3. How important do you think the concept of Justice here is?

C. Comment:

Luke states from the outset, somewhat unusually, the intention of Jesus’ teaching here – to encourage us to pray and not give up. The temptation to give up in prayer must be one of the biggest temptations in the Christian life, so this is a vital teaching.

The way he teaches this is to envisage an unjust judge. Now that is important to remember. This judge didn’t care about justice, he only cared about ‘self-issues’. Then Jesus introduces a widow who is in difficult circumstances and in need of help. The fact that she is a widow means she has no one else to speak up for her, and also that she has been prey for someone to try to take advantage of her. So she comes to the judge seeking his help. Initially he can’t be bothered with her case but because she keeps on and on, he eventually, just to get some peace, acts on her behalf.

So, says Jesus, if this is what an unjust judge does, won’t God do even more for His children who keep crying to Him. Note though, that it is His children (chosen ones) who constantly cry out for justice. Justice means calling to God to come and remedy the wrong things in life. When we pray, are we wanting God to put right things that are wrong in this fallen world? That is why Jesus came, and so our prayers ought to be in line with this purpose.

D. Application:

1. Will my heart be moved by the wrong things in this world?
2. Will I determined to pray until I see God move to bring change?

Passage: Luke 18:9-14: Pride & humility 

A. Find Out:

1. About whom did Jesus tell this next parable? v.9
   • To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable:
2. Who went where to do what? v.10
   •  ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
3. How did the Pharisee pray? v.11,12
   • The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: “God, I thank you that I am not like other people – robbers, evildoers, adulterers – or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.”
4. But how did the tax collector pray? v.13
   •  ‘But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
5. Which one pleased God? v.14a
   •  ‘I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.
6. Why? v.14b
   • For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.’

B. Think:

1. How does this teaching continue on from the previous verses?
2. Put in your own words, Jesus’ teaching in these verses?
3. Why do you think this is such an important teaching?

C. Comment:

Having just started teaching on prayer in verses 1-8, Jesus now continues by teaching on attitude before God. Again Luke tells us before the parable what Jesus’ intent was – to challenge those who were confident in their own self-righteousness. To do this he uses the picture of a Pharisee, because they were the people who thought themselves most spiritual.

He imagines a Pharisee coming and declaring his goodness before God. He distinguishes himself from other ‘lesser mortals’ who he views as sinners! Then in the story Jesus has a tax collector – because in the eyes of the Pharisees they were the epitome of sinners. This man comes in contrition, crying God for mercy. These are the two contrasting figures – one who is self-righteous and the other who is aware of his sin.

Very well, says Jesus, it is the ‘sinner’ who is accepted by God because he knows his state, knows his plight, and recognises that his hope is in God alone. Then he declares this strong principle: he who exalts himself will be humbled and he who is humble will be exalted.

In a world saturated by pride, these are devastating words! So often we’re told to think good about ourselves. Shelves of self-help books proclaim this, but the truth is quite the opposite. What is Jesus saying? You need to recognise your sinfulness and need and then you will be exalted!

D. Application:

1. A right assessment of self is to declare we are failures.
2. When we do this, we are candidates for the kingdom of God!

Passage: Luke 18:15-19: Children and the kingdom

A. Find Out:

1. Who came and what happened? v.15
   • People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them.
2. But what was Jesus’ response? v.16
   • But Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
3. What did he say about the kingdom? v.17
   • Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’
4. Who came asking what? v.18
   •  A certain ruler asked him, ‘Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’
5. What question did Jesus ask in return? v.19 
   • ‘Why do you call me good?’ Jesus answered. ‘No one is good – except God alone.

B. Think:

1. Why do you think the disciples were upset?
2. How, in your own words, did Jesus use children to teach here?
3. Why do you think Jesus picked up on the word ‘good’?

C. Comment:

Jesus has just been speaking about humility and, with a link in his mind, Luke then tells us about children (babies) being brought to Jesus for his blessing. The disciples think this is a bit of a liberty, just using Jesus, and go to shoo them away, but Jesus stops them.

In fact, to the contrary, he calls more children to come and starts talking about the kingdom of God. The kingdom, he says, belongs “to such as these”. He then goes on to say that you won’t enter the kingdom unless you enter it like a child. What does that mean? It means that children accept things simply and at face value, they believe easily without question. In other words, Jesus is saying unless you come humbly and simply, you won’t come!    

It is at this point that a rich (young- other Gospels) ruler comes and ask Jesus about getting into this kingdom, about entering eternal life. He refers to Jesus as “Good teacher” and so Jesus picks up on the word ‘good’ and challenges him with it. Why? Well, we’re not told but we can infer two possibilities: first he is preparing this young man to accept the truth that he himself is NOT good despite having kept all the commandments (see next study). Rule keeping doesn’t make us good. The other possibility is that he’s sowing a thought in the man’s mind that he, Jesus, is God (“If I’m actually good I must be God!”). It takes humility to accept both truths. 

D. Application:

1. Is my faith simple and straight forward?
2. Do I recognise that, in myself, I am NOT good. Only God is.

Passage: Luke 18:20-27: The difficulty of letting go

A. Find Out:

1. What did the man say he had done? v.20,21
   • You know the commandments: “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honour your father and mother.”’ 21 ‘All these I have kept since I was a boy,’ he said.
2. What did Jesus tell him to do? v.22
   •  When Jesus heard this, he said to him, ‘You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’
3. How did the man respond? v.23
   • When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy.
4. What did Jesus declare? v.24,25
   • Jesus looked at him and said, ‘How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’
5. What question did this provoke? v.26
   • Those who heard this asked, ‘Who then can be saved?’
6. What was Jesus’ answer? v.27
   • Jesus replied, ‘What is impossible with man is possible with God.’

B. Think:

1. How does Jesus show that rule keeping is insufficient?
2. What was the one stumbling block of this young man?
3. Why do you think that is?

C. Comment:

We have suggested that Jesus has been and is dealing with spiritual principles in all this teaching included here by Luke. This young man, as we’re told in the other Gospels, came asking about how he can receive eternal life. That sounds a good starting place and perhaps we would have commended him, but Jesus first of all focuses him on “keeping the rules”. The young man protests that he does this and again we might be tempted to commend him, but the kingdom of God is not about praising people.

Now Jesus touches the man at the point of his greatest vulnerability – his wealth. Give it all away, says Jesus, and that will give you the treasure you are seeking. The young man is devastated. Why? Because that was where his security was, and Jesus was basically removing it.

It is only when we come to the point of realising that whatever we place our trust in is insufficient, that we will come to God and put our trust in Him. The reality is that it is impossible for us to save ourselves (v.27a), only God can do it, and we have to first come to the point of that realisation before we will surrender all to Him. When we have wealth, we feel secure, and while we are like that, we will not put our trust in God alone. That’s why it is so hard for a rich person to come to God (v.24).

D. Application:

1. Who or what will I place my reliance in? God or my wealth?
2. Daily, will I trust and rely upon God?

Passage: Luke 18:28-34: Destiny in Jerusalem

A. Find Out:

1. What did Peter declare? v.28
   • Peter said to him, ‘We have left all we had to follow you!’
2. Who did Jesus refer to? v.29
   • Truly I tell you,’ Jesus said to them, ‘no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God
3. What did he say they would receive? v.30
   • will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.’
4. Where did Jesus say they were going for what to happen? v.31
   • Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, ‘We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.
5. What specifically will happen? v.32,33
   • He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; 33 they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.’
6. What response did he get from the disciples? v.34
   • The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.

B. Think:

1. Why do you think Peter made the comment he made?
2. Put in your own words Jesus’ promise to him?
3. What is clear about Jesus from verses 31-33?

C. Comment:

Noting Peter’s comment first of all, it follows on from Jesus’ words about how difficult it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. These had been spoken after the rich young man had had difficulty accepting the thought of losing his possessions. “Well, we left everything,” is Peter’s comment which could mean “Well we managed to get in” or “Well look at us, look what we’ve done.”

However, he means it (and it’s not abundantly clear) Jesus seems to reply in a form that could be taken to mean, “Don’t worry, whatever you give up you will receive back many times more.” God will not be obligated to man. Whatever you give up, you’ll find that by the end of your life you will have no room for complaint. God’s intention is to bless His children.

Jesus then starts focusing them on Jerusalem. In Luke, it was as far back as 9:51 following his transfiguration, that Jesus starts for Jerusalem.   Again and again there have been references to Jerusalem, and even back in Luke 9:44 Jesus gave indication what was to happen there.

Now he spells it out in detail: it will be as prophesied: he will be taken by the Gentiles (Romans), mocked, scourged, and killed, and then on the third day he will rise again. Jesus is completely aware of what will happen, the plan and purpose of God for him, but this is beyond the disciples, and they are unable to take it in.

D. Application:

1. Rest in the knowledge that God will provide all you need.
2. Know that you will never be able to criticize God’s provision.  

Passage: Luke 18:35-43: Blind man healed at Jericho

A. Find Out:

1. Where was Jesus nearing and who was there? v.35
   • As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.
2. What did the man do? v.36-38
   • When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.’ 38 He called out, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’
3. What did others do? v.39
   • Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’
4. How did Jesus respond? v.40,41a
   • Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 ‘What do you want me to do for you?’
5. What did the man ask and what happened? v.41b,42
   • Lord, I want to see,’ he replied. 42 Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.’
6. What was the outcome? v.43
   • Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

B. Think:

1. In what way might this man be an example for us?
2. How would you describe what took place?
3. What effect would this have as Jesus is nearing Jerusalem?

C. Comment:

There are various significant things to note about this story. First of all, its location. They are on their way to Jerusalem for the last time and they come to Jericho which is only about ten miles away. In this period various things happen that boost the crowds and create impact for readiness to enter Jerusalem triumphantly. This is one of those things – all part of God’s plan.

Second, note the man, a blind man, a very persistent blind man! He is begging because he has no other means of support, which possibly means he’s always on the edge of life and death. He is possibly desperate. He hears the crowd, asks what is happening and when he hears that it is Jesus he grasps at this last straw – here is possible hope for him, the healing teacher is passing by. So he cries out and cries out until eventually he gets Jesus’ attention. Is it coincidence that this chapter starts with Jesus’ teaching about persistent praying, and ends with a classic example of it?

The end result of all this? The mean’s sight is restored by a word from Jesus. This is very powerful, this is a miracle, this produces praise and thanksgiving in both the man and the crowd. The word will be spreading, and the crowd will be building. It’s all working towards the time of entry in such a manner that the authorities will act!

D. Application:

1. God encourages us to be persistent in prayer.
2. Jesus honours our persistence.