18:1 And {1} he spake a parable unto them [to this end], that men ought always to pray, and not to {a} faint;
(1) God will have us to continue in prayer, not to weary us, but to exercise us; therefore we must fight against impatience so that a long delay does not cause us to quit our praying.
(a) Yield to afflictions and adversities as those do who have lost heart.
18:1 Parables Concerning Prayer
SUMMARY OF LUKE 18:
The Widow and the Unjust Judge. The Pharisee and the Publican. Little Children Brought to Christ. The Young Ruler Seeking for Eternal Life. Going Through the Needle's Eye. The Lord's Sufferings Declared to the Twelve. Blind Bartimaeus Healed at Jericho.
Men ought always to pray. Prayer is a privilege and a duty.
Not to faint. Persistence in prayer is requisite to making it effectual. See Eph 6:18. Augustine says:
God reserves for thee that which he is slow to give thee, that thou mayest learn to entertain a supreme desire and longing for it.''
18:1 He spake a parable to them - This and the following parable warn us against two fatal extremes, with regard to prayer: the former against faintness and weariness, the latter against self confidence.
18:1-8 All God's people are praying people. Here earnest steadiness in prayer for spiritual mercies is taught. The widow's earnestness prevailed even with the unjust judge: she might fear lest it should set him more against her; but our earnest prayer is pleasing to our God. Even to the end there will still be ground for the same complaint of weakness of faith.
