Luke 18:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

NIV: 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?'

NASB: I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?'

CSB: I tell you that he will swiftly grant them justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth? "

NLT: I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?'

KJV: I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

NKJV: I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

Jesus has described the reactions of people to His second coming: "Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it" (Luke 17:33). He then explains that even the closest friends and family members will find themselves forever separated depending on whether they follow Him or not (Luke 17:34–35).

Then Jesus gives another comparison. An unrighteous judge refuses to give a widow justice until she drives him mad with her constant demands (Luke 18:1–5). On the other hand, "will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night?" (Luke 18:7).

He will. Using the imagery of the temple, Revelation 8:1–5 describes an angel at the altar offering burning incense with the prayers of the saints before God's throne. The smoke and the prayers rise before God. Then the angel will fill his censer with fire from the alter and fling the burning sacrifice on the earth. The seven angels with seven trumpets prepare to blow them—these are the seven trumpet judgments. A third of creation will be destroyed (Revelation 8:7–12). After even more horrors—supernatural monsters and armies (Revelation 9:1–19)—the people of earth will show their stubbornness:

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. (Revelation 9:20–21)

Looking forward to such constant rebellion and betrayal, Jesus finishes with a hypothetical doubt: at the end, will anyone still have faith that Jesus will give them justice? Will anyone be looking for His return (Luke 17:37)?

"Speedily" can mean "soon" or "encompassing a short amount of time." Both apply. Judgment will come soon compared to eternity. As Peter points out, "But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (2 Peter 3:8). And, once judgment begins with Jesus' second coming, it will be completed quickly.

Luke 18:1–8 contains the parable of the persistent widow. Jesus contrasts God with a corrupt judge who will only give a widow justice when she becomes a nuisance. The Lord, however, is eager to give His followers justice—partially now and fully when Jesus returns. Like the widow, we must ask diligently and with faith. Jesus goes on to show that proper faith is humble, not self-congratulating (Luke 18:9–14), childlike (Luke 18:15–17), and makes us hold lightly things of the earth as compared to how we cling to God (Luke 18:18–30). Only Luke records this parable.

Luke 18 approaches the end of Jesus' "travelogue" to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51—19:27). Luke has selected miracles, teachings, and events to show how Jesus trained His disciples. His emphasis was explaining the kingdom of God in preparation for their work to build the church. Luke 18 includes several contrasts between those who understand God's kingdom and those who don't. Luke 19 includes the story of Zacchaeus and another parable before Jesus' triumphal entry and the Passion Week. These stories are also found primarily in Matthew 19—20 and Mark 10.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.