[EGW editor’s preface:  One of our readers in the Watertown, SD area asked for help understanding the unjust judge’s behavior in Luke 18:1-8.  She asked me for help after having read an explanation from a denominational writer that struck her as being “off a bit.”  She did comment that she thought that he had maybe quoted from the New International Version (NIV).  I have summarized here her full inquiry into a single question, “Why was the judge afraid of the widow?”  As with any question concerning what we hope to learn from the Bible, we must always strive to apply good hermeneutics and to let the Bible interpret itself.
     (For more tips on good Bible-reading skills, click the subjects Hermeneutics and Bible study)]

     Luke 18:1-8 (New International Version)
     1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.  2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought.  3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
     4 “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!’”
     6 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?  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?”

     Luke 18:1-8 (New King James Version)
     1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,
     2 saying:  “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.
     3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’
     4 And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man,
     5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ”
     6 Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said.
     7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?
     8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.  Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

     Yes, for Luke 18:1-8, the NIV does seem to present the idea of this unrighteous judge eventually decides to help the helpless widow out of fear she will physically attack him.  Looking at the wording in some other more-reliable translations like the NKJV above, it’s clear he’s simply getting tired & annoyed of her constant appealing to him for help and he figures if he helps her get what she needs, then she will finally leave him alone.
     The NIV translators here didn’t just translate the passage from Greek into English, but they also inserted into the passage their own interpretation / commentary / explanation about what they were translating.  Which is why “dynamic” (so-called thought-for-thought) translations like the NIV are generally less reliable than “literal” (word-for-word) translations like the NKJV, ESV, and NASB.  For my daily readings of the Scriptures, while I admittedly need translators to tell me what the writer says and I do expect translators to have their own personal opinions as to the writer’s possible meaning, I don’t need them disguising to me their opinions as Scripture.  I like to first have an honest chance to read & ponder a bit the words of a passage for myself before I go looking for what someone else has pondered the passage might mean.

     The priest you copied appears to have read this passage using the NIV or some similar style version.  While he does decent enough trying to paint the depth of the situation by explaining the cultural differences between the widow and the judge, he then misses the real point of the passage.  The widow doesn’t represent God (as he mistakenly suggests) nor does the judge represent Him either (as he indicates others have mistakenly suggested).
     • The widow represents anyone in need who would to appeal to God for justice / protection / mercy (?) against an adversary.  Her persistence is a reflection of (a) her honest recognition that her need for justice is genuine and worthy of pursuing; (b) her humble confession that she cannot gain justice / mercy on her own without help; and (c) her diligence to seek justice until she gets it.
     • The adversary isn’t really spelled out here, but I presume it would represent one of a spiritual nature.
     If the one in need is a faithful person, the adversary might be someone either persecuting / troubling the faithful or else being a stumbling block (Luke 17:1-4; Gal. 1:7, 5:10; 1 Cor. 8:12; 2 Thes. 1:6-7; Heb. 12:15; Rev. 6:9-12).
     If the person in need is lost & outside of Christ (Rom. 6:11,23; Rom. 8:1-2,39, Rom. 15:17; 2 Cor. 5:17-21; 1 Tim. 1:14; 2 Tim. 1:1,9,13; Philemon 6) and is consciously seeking a saving relationship with God (Jer. 29:13; 2 Tim. 2:10), then their adversary to resolve would be God Himself (Ezek. ch. 18 & 33; Luke 13:3,5; Luke 15:7,10; Acts 3:19; Heb. 12:17; 2 Pet. 3:9; Rev. ch. 2 & 3).
     The judge… being unjust (New King James Verson), unrighteous (English Standard Version), dishonest (God’s Word)… his treatment of the widow represents the exact opposite of how God treats people with justice, righteousness, and honesty.  This earthly judge, being uncaring towards God and man, acts out of selfish convenience.  God the heavenly judge, demonstrating His love & merciful desire towards man through His sending of Christ, acts with unselfish sacrifice.
     • Jesus’ point is that when we appeal to God about our legitimate concerns, we need to do so with diligence… not because God is selfishly uncaring, but because He does lovingly care.  And His timing will be just right and appropriately fitting, even if we might feel like He’s being slower about it than we were hoping (18:7-8).  1 Peter 5:6-7 (NKJV) instructs us, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” Galatians 6:9 (NKJV) encourages us, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”
     • Or, to let Scripture explain Scripture… Luke 11:9-13 (NKJV)
     5 And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves;
     6 for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’;
     7 and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’?
     8 I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.
     9 So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
     10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
     11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?
     12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
     13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
     
     (abbreviations used in this article for books of the Bible… “Luke” = Luke; “1 Cor.” = 1st Corinthians; “2 Cor.” = 2nd Corinthians; “2 Pet.” = 2nd Peter; “2 Thes.” = 2nd Thessalonians; “1 Tim.” = 1st Timothy; “2 Tim.” = 2nd Timothy; “Ezek.” = Ezekiel; “Gal.” = Galations; “Heb.” = Hebrews; “Jer.” = Jeremiah; “Rev.” = Revelation; “Rom.” = Romans)