Luke 18, a visual study from The Lampstand Project.
God, be merciful to me, a sinner!
The persistent widow. The Pharisee and the tax collector. Children brought to Jesus. The rich young ruler. The third passion prediction. Blind Bartimaeus.
Four movements. Two prayer parables, children and wealth, sight restored.
Luke 18 is the great chapter of prayer and approach. Two contrasted approaches to God in prayer. The right way to approach Jesus — like a child. The wrong thing to bring to Jesus — great possessions as one’s identity. The third passion prediction, which the disciples cannot understand. And Bartimaeus, who cries out despite the crowd’s rebuke and receives his sight.
A chapter in 3 movements.
Tap any numbered marker to read its part
“And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
The persistent widow. The Pharisee and the tax collector.
He tells them a parable to show that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. In a certain city there is a judge who neither fears God nor respects man, and a widow who keeps coming to him: give me justice against my adversary. For a while he refuses. But eventually: because this widow keeps bothering me I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming. Jesus: will not God give justice to his elect who cry to him day and night?
He also tells this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous. Two men go up to the temple to pray. The Pharisee prays: God, I thank you that I am not like other men. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all I get. The tax collector, standing far off, will not even lift up his eyes to heaven but beats his breast: God, be merciful to me, a sinner! I tell you, this man went home justified rather than the other.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
“What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
Children welcomed. The rich ruler. The camel and the needle.
People bring infants to him that he might touch them. When the disciples see it they rebuke them. Jesus calls them to him: let the children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. A ruler asks: good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? He lists the commandments. The man: all these I have kept from my youth.
Jesus, hearing this, says: one thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. The ruler becomes very sad, for he is extremely rich. Jesus: how difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. Those who heard it: then who can be saved? Jesus: what is impossible with man is possible with God.
“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”
“Recovery of sight.”
The third passion prediction. Bartimaeus.
Taking the twelve aside, Jesus says: see, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. He will be delivered over to the Gentiles and mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. After flogging him they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise. They understand none of these things. This saying is hidden from them. They do not grasp what is said.
As he draws near to Jericho, a blind man is sitting by the roadside begging. Hearing a crowd going by, he asks what was happening. They tell him: Jesus of Nazareth is passing by. He cries out: Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! Those in front rebuke him, telling him to be silent. He cries out all the more. Jesus stops and commands him to be brought. He asks: what do you want me to do for you? Lord, let me recover my sight. Jesus: recover your sight; your faith has made you well. Immediately he follows him, glorifying God.
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
The parable of the Pharisee and tax collector is the most concentrated statement on prayer in the Gospels. The Pharisee’s prayer is not false — he really has fasted and tithed. But it is directed inward and upward at the same time: a self-report to God about the self’s achievements. The tax collector cannot lift his eyes to heaven. He beats his breast. His entire prayer is five words. He goes home justified rather than the other.
The chapter of right approach.
He tells them a parable to show that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. A judge who neither feared God nor respected man. A widow who kept coming to him. He finally gives her justice. Will not God give justice to his elect who cry to him day and night? He tells the Pharisee and tax collector parable. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.
People bring infants to him that he might touch them. The disciples rebuke them. Jesus: let the children come to me, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. A ruler asks: what must I do to inherit eternal life? He has kept all the commandments since his youth. Jesus: one thing you lack. Sell all and give to the poor, and come follow me. The man becomes very sad, for he is extremely rich. What is impossible with man is possible with God. Bartimaeus cries out despite the crowd and receives his sight.
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”Luke 18:14 ESV
All scripture quoted from the English Standard Version (ESV). A study from The Lampstand Project.