The parable of the persistent widow

Compared to other parables, the parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-5) seems simple. Luke explains the intent behind the parable. The parable itself is short. It is only four verses long and involves only two characters. Lest there be any confusion, Jesus even gives us an explanation. This parable is an easily consumable package.

But then Jesus asks a jarring question, “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). How are we to answer Jesus’ question? It sounds so ominous! What was simple now seems enigmatic. Before we try to answer, let’s consider Jesus’ purpose for telling the parable, the comparison between the widow and us, and the comparison between the unjust judge and our righteous God.

The purpose in his parable

In verse one, Luke tells us that Jesus told this parable so that believers should “always pray and not give up.” The disciples needed encouragement because what Jesus had just taught them about the kingdom of God could seem a little backward. The coming of the kingdom could not be physically observed (Luke 17:20). The arrival of the Son of Man was compared to the days of Noah and the days of Lot. In both cases, people were going about their day-to-day lives before they were met with sudden destruction.

The disciples needed encouragement because the unjust drama of Jesus’ suffering and death was about to unfold. By the end of this chapter, Jesus would give them the third prediction of his death. By chapter 19, he would enter Jerusalem for the final time. The coming events would make it seem as if everything was wrong and the world was against them. For the days when his disciples may lose heart, Jesus tells a parable about a widow and an unjust judge.

A comparison between the widow and us

It’s no accident that one of the characters is a widow. The Old Testament portrays widows as prone to facing injustice. The Old Testament includes numerous injunctions upholding the cause of widows (see Exodus 22:22-23; Deuteronomy 24:17; Isaiah 1:17). A widow is almost a stereotype of someone who is vulnerable and downtrodden.

Without an advocate or protector, the widow had to go to a judge with a request: “Grant me justice against my adversary” (Luke 18:3). Maybe the world wasn’t against her, but her opponent was, and everything was wrong. Her call for justice was a call for things to be made right.

Maybe your prayers don’t sound exactly like the widow’s plea. But in your own way, you have prayed that prayer. You pray about the shifting values of society, and things only seem to get worse. You pray for the health of your congregation, but it continues to decline. You pray for confidence, but you feel defeated. Everything seems wrong. The world seems to be against you.

A comparison between the unjust judge and our righteous God

The judge at first was unmoved. We find out why. He didn’t care what people thought of him. Worse yet, he had no fear of God or concern for people. And for those who pray and pray and justice doesn’t seem to come, the judge of the world can seem unmoved. But is he unjust? “Will he keep putting [his chosen ones] off?” (Luke 18:7).

Jesus’ question itself highlights a key difference between God and the unjust judge. The judge didn’t care about people, but God has chosen you to be his own. The judge did not fear God, but your God loves you. If a godless and shameless judge gave justice to a widow, how much more will your God make sure that all things will be made right?

God cannot ignore evil. His goodness and justice demand that everything wrong be brought to justice. The Son of Man will come again as a mighty warrior who will bring righteous vengeance on those who have harmed his beloved church. Justice is not only salvation for his chosen ones but also punishment for his enemies.

However, the Lord is a patient judge. The apostle Peter once wrote, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you” (2 Peter 3:9). God will bring justice to the earth, but not just yet because justice also means destruction for his enemies. The Lord is patient because he wants everyone to come to repentance.

Repentance is turning to the Lord in faith. But “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” At first, I didn’t think that was a question for me. I thought it was a rhetorical question about all the people who cause me to pray, “Give me justice!” However, it is for all of God’s chosen ones. It is for when we think God is being slow and unjust. It’s so we don’t lose heart, because losing heart is counterproductive to faith. It’s so we turn to him in repentance and are ready for his arrival.

The coming of the Son of Man is a when not an if. And we know what Jesus will do in his second coming from what he did in his first coming. When Jesus entered Jerusalem for the final time and was killed, the world has never known injustice so great. But three days later, God’s Chosen One was vindicated. Because he was vindicated, forgiveness is yours. When the Son of Man comes, he will bring that same vindication for all his chosen ones.

But “will he find faith on the earth?” In the days when Sodom was destroyed, there were a faithful few. Abraham boldly appealed to the Lord’s justice, and Lot was spared. In the days of the flood, there were a faithful few. Noah was a preacher of righteousness, and his family was spared.

When the Son of Man comes, he will find faith on the earth. Jesus told this parable to ensure it. He told the parable so you would not lose heart. He asked this question so that you would remember who your judge is—the one who died and rose again.

So pray, Christian, because prayer is faith expressed through words. Pray because your God is just. Pray because your God is patient.

This is the fifth article in a six-part series on Jesus’ parables found in the book of Luke. Read the Parables in Luke series. 

Author: Aaron Goetzinger
Volume 113, Number 10
Issue: October 2026
Illustrations: Corissa Nelson

What are the limits of Jesus’ stories?

Parables can easily be stretched beyond their limits and be made to mean things Jesus never intended. Here are some suggestions to help you uncover the meaning of Jesus’ parables:

• Defer to Jesus. If Jesus explains the parable, you don’t need to do any interpretation work.
• Ask the questions we have been working through: What is the context? What does this parable say? What is the purpose of Jesus’ story?
• Read the whole parable first. Sometimes the key to unlocking the parable’s meaning is found near the end of the parable.
• Focus on what is in the parable rather than what is not in the parable or what you might think should be in the parable.
• Treat the parables as they are presented to us. Sometimes parables are exaggerated stories or portray something that doesn’t happen in real life.
• Consider the broad themes of the parable. Quite often, the parable as a whole is making a point or points. Not every detail is an analogy.