1-14. Tur Parasites or tHe Unsust JUDGE AND THE PHARI- SEE AND Pusuican. Peculiar to Luke.
1. To the end that men ought (zpos 7d Seiv). Lit., wath reference to its being necessary always to pray, ete.
Faint (éyxaxetv). ‘To turn coward or lose heart. 2. Regarded (évtperouevos). See on Matt. xxi. 37.
3. Avenge (éxdikncov). The word is too strong. It means do me justice. See on Rom. xii. 19.
5, Lest by her continual coming she weary me (iva pi) eds Ténos epyouévn vrwmidly pe). His réXos, lit., wnto the end, may mean continually ; but weary or wear out for brwmiafy is more than doubtful. That word is from trdmiov, the part of the face under the eyes, and means to strike under the eye; to give one a black eye. It is used only once again, by Paul, 1 Cor. ix. 27, and in its literal sense: “T buffet my body;” treat it as the boxer does his adversary. The more literal sense of this word, and of eis réAos, in the end, or finally, give a sound and much livelier meaning here. “Lest at dast she come and as- sault me.” So Goebel and Meyer, and so Wyce., “ Lest at the last she, coming, strangle me;” and Tynd., “Lest at the last she come and rad on me.” The judge fears lest importunity
Cu. XVIII] LUKE. 403
may culminate in personal violence. Perhaps, also, as Goebel suggests, he intentionally exaggerates his fear.
6. The unjust judge. Lit., the judge of injustice. See on eh. xva.Gs
7. And shall not God. The emphasis ison God. In the Greek order, “and God, shall he not,” ete.
Though he bear long with them. A very difficult pas- sage, and interpretations vary greatly.
(1.) The verb paxpoSvpéw means to be long-suffering, or to endure patiently. Such is its usual rendering in the New Tes- tament.
(2.) Them (adrois) refers not to the persecutors of God’s elect, but to the elect themselves. The Rev. cuts the knot by the most literal of renderings: “and he is long-suffering over (ém) them.”
(3.) The secondary meaning of restraining or delaying may fairly be deduced from the verb, and explained either (a) of delaying punishment, or (b) of delaying sympathy or help.
The Am. Rey. adopts the former, and throws the sentence into the form of a question: ‘And is he slow to punish on their behalf” (é7 adrois)? I venture to suggest the following: Kai not infrequently has the sense of yet, or and yet. So Euripides: “Thou art Jove-born, and yet («al) thy utterance is unjust ” (“‘ Helena,” 1147). Aristophanes: “O crown, depart, and joy go with thee: yet (cai) I part from thee unwillingly ” (“ Knights,” 1249). So John ix. 80: “Ye know not from whence he is, and yet (kai) he hath opened my eyes.” John xvi. 82: “ Ye shall leave me alone, and yet (cal) I am not alone,” ete. Render, then, “Shall not God avenge his own elect, which ery unto him day and night; yet he delayeth help on their behalf,” even as the unjust judge delayed to avenge the widow? Surely he will, and that ere long. This rendering, instead of contrasting God with the judge, carries out the parallel. The judge delays through indifference. God delays also, or seems to delay, in order to try his children’s faith, or
404 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Cu XVHI
because his purpose is not ripe; but he, too, will do justice to the suppliant. Tynd., Yea, though he defer them,
‘‘ He hides himself so wondrously, As though there were no God ; He is least seen when all the powers Of ill are most abroad.
O there is less to try our faith, In our mysterious creed,
Than in the godless look of earth In these our hours of need.
Tt is not so, but so it looks; And we lose courage then ; And doubts will come if God hath kept His promises to men.” FABER.