Verse Meaning
Luke tells us the purpose of the parable in Verse 1. What was it?
To teach us that we should always pray and not lose heart.
Who are the main characters in this parable?
The Judge and the Widow
Does this parable mean that God is bothered by our persistent prayers, as the judge was by the widow's request?
No.
Although the judge gave in to the widow because she was bothering him, that is not like our relationship with God. Jesus was contrasting God's righteous character against the judge's unrighteous character.
What would be a good example of something we might pray persistently for?
Someone's salvation, help to be more like Jesus, patience to endure suffering, etc.
What does it mean to lose heart?
Give up. Lose Hope. Stop praying.
How are the Judge and Widow described in these verses?
The Judge didn't fear God or respect man. The widow kept asking for justice.
The judge wasn't an excellent judge because he didn't respect God's laws or care about the people who came to him for justice. In verse 6, the Lord calls the judge unrighteous.
A widow is a woman whose husband has died. In this parable, the widow needs help against an adversary, which is another word for an enemy. She needs the judge to rule in her favor.
For a while, the judge refused to help the widow. Why did the judge finally give in and help her?
To get her to stop bothering him with her request.
The widow kept coming back to the judge with her request for justice. This quality of not giving up is called persistence, which is why this parable is sometimes referred to as the parable of the persistent widow.
Does anyone have an example of something you or your family have been praying for that hasn't been answered yet?
God promised to provide for the needs of his children. He also gives good gifts to his children (James 1:17), such as eternal life, hope, and joy. Jesus prayed throughout his ministry, often taking time alone to pray. He wanted his disciples to share that same close relationship with the Father, and he wants the same for us. Just as the widow did not tire of bringing her case before the judge, we should not lose heart in bringing our prayers to God, knowing that He is faithful to fulfill his promises.
What attribute describes how God gives great gifts to his children even when they are not deserved?
Gracious.
God is gracious, loving, and just, so the judge does not represent God in this parable. Because God is so much better than the judge, he will respond to those who persistently cry out to him.
What book of the Bible is this parable from?
Luke
Does this mean that if we pray over and over for a million dollars and don't give up, we will get what we ask for?
No.
We must be careful not to misapply things in parables, or we may get the wrong meaning. Jesus was teaching us to keep coming in prayer to God for justice. Our prayers should follow Jesus' other teachings and examples of prayer. Nowhere in the Bible does it say we can, or should, ask for selfish or wishful things and expect God to supply them just because we keep asking or wanting them. Just like your parents sometimes say no to your requests for things, God sometimes says no because he knows what is best for us. But God is also gracious, and sometimes he chooses to give us many good things that we do desire. But we can never think prayer is a way to twist God's arm to get what we want.