Luke 18:7-8
And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse highlights God's enduring patience—His "long-suffering"—not necessarily with His elect people, but towards them, as He patiently waits for the right moment to act. This delay isn't indifference but a deliberate unfolding of His plan, meant to test and refine the faith of those who cry out to Him.
Jesus has just told a parable about a persistent widow and an unjust judge to teach his followers that they should always pray and not give up. He then poses a rhetorical question, emphasizing that if even an unfair human judge eventually responds to relentless pleas, surely God, who is perfectly just and loving, will hear and answer the cries of His chosen people. This question highlights the contrast between the corrupt earthly system and God’s righteous character.
Jesus uses a really harsh example – an unjust judge – to teach about prayer. Why would God, who is good, be compared to someone who 'neither feared God nor regarded man'?
The parable's power comes from the stark contrast. An unjust judge, motivated only by annoyance, eventually grants the widow's plea because she's relentless. Jesus isn't saying God is like this judge in character, but that if even a corrupt human responds to persistent requests, how much more will a loving, perfectly just God respond to His own chosen people who cry out to Him day and night! It’s an argument from the lesser to the greater: if the bad will do this, how much more will the good?
The Core Idea: God isn't distant or uncaring. He wants to grant justice, and He will. The comparison highlights the certainty of God's action, not His reluctance.
The verse mentions God's 'elect' crying 'day and night'. What does this persistent, constant prayer tell us about those chosen by God?
Being 'elect' doesn't mean sitting back passively. It means being chosen for a purpose, and that purpose often involves facing opposition and needing God’s intervention. The phrase 'cry day and night' isn't just about frequency; it signifies an all-consuming, desperate need and reliance on God.
It reveals that God's elect are those who:
This isn't about earning God's favor through sheer volume of prayer, but about the heart's posture – a deep, ongoing dependence on Him.
Understand the original words
eklektos · Greek Adjective (used as a Noun)
Literally meaning 'picked out' or 'chosen.' In Scripture, it refers to those whom God has sovereignly selected for salvation and relationship with Himself, based on His grace rather than human merit.
ekdikēsis · Greek Noun
The rendering of a verdict that rights a wrong, vindicates the oppressed, or executes divine judgment. In the context of the elect, it refers to God intervening on behalf of His people to deliver them and establish His righteousness.
huios tou anthrōpou · Greek Noun phrase
A messianic title used by Jesus referring to Himself, rooted in Daniel 7:13-14. It highlights both His humanity and His divine authority as the coming judge and king of the kingdom of God.
pistis · Greek Noun
This passage expresses a similar cry of distress and feeling of abandonment in the face of oppression, mirroring the sentiment of the elect crying out to God.
Psalm 55:17-18This psalm describes a continuous, fervent prayer life in times of trouble, reflecting the 'cry day and night' of the elect in Luke 18:7.
Romans 8:33-34This passage strongly affirms God's vindication of His elect, highlighting that nothing can separate them from God's love and that Christ intercedes for them, underscoring the certainty of God's justice for them.
2 Peter 3:9This verse explains that God's perceived delay in judgment is actually His longsuffering towards all, including believers, showing that His timing is purposeful and not a lack of care for His own.
Revelation 6:10This vision depicts the souls of martyrs crying out for justice, echoing the persistent cry of the elect in Luke 18:7 and showing that their prayers for vindication are heard by God.
calvinLuke 18:1-8: "And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;"
- And he spake also a parable to them, that they ought always to pray, and not to grow weary: 2. Saying, There was a judge in a city, who neither feared God, nor regarded man. 3. And there was a widow in that city, who came to him, saying, Do me justice on my adversary. 4. And he refused for some time, [322] but afterwards said within himself, Though I neither fear God, nor regard man,…
vincentLuke 18:7: "And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?"
And shall not GodThe emphasis is on God. In the Greek order, "and God, shall he not," etc.Though he bear long with themA very difficult passage, and interpretations vary greatly.(1.) The verb μακροθυμέω means to be long-suffering, or to endure patiently. Such is its usual rendering in the New Testament.(2.) Them (αὐτοῖς) refers not to the persecutors of God's elect, but to th…
This verse highlights God's enduring patience—His "long-suffering"—not necessarily with His elect people, but towards them, as He patiently waits for the right moment to act. This delay isn't indifference but a deliberate unfolding of His plan, meant to test and refine the faith of those who cry out to Him.
Jesus has just told a parable about a persistent widow and an unjust judge to teach his followers that they should always pray and not give up. He then poses a rhetorical question, emphasizing that if even an unfair human judge eventually responds to relentless pleas, surely God, who is perfectly just and loving, will hear and answer the cries of His chosen people. This question highlights the contrast between the corrupt earthly system and God’s righteous character.
Jesus has just told a parable about a persistent widow and an unjust judge to teach his followers that they should always pray and not give up. He then poses a rhetorical question, emphasizing that if even an unfair human judge eventually responds to relentless pleas, surely God, who is perfectly just and loving, will hear and answer the cries of His chosen people. This question highlights the contrast between the corrupt earthly system and God’s righteous character.
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The verse includes the phrase 'though he bear long with them.' What does God's 'long-suffering' mean in the context of answered prayer and justice?
This is a crucial nuance. While the elect cry incessantly, God 'bears long.' This doesn't mean He’s slow to act out of indifference, like the unjust judge. Instead, His long-suffering often serves profound purposes:
The delay isn't a sign of rejection, but a part of His wise, fatherly discipline and perfect plan.
Biblical faith is not mere intellectual assent but a firm, active reliance and trust in God and His promises. It involves an ongoing commitment and dependence on Christ, even in the absence of tangible evidence.
"And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”" — This verse highlights God's enduring patience—His "long-suffering"—not necessarily with His elect people, but towards them, as He patiently waits for the right moment to act. This delay isn't indif…
