[1] Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
[2] He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought.
[3] And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
[4] “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think,
[5] yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”
[6] And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says.
[7] And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
[8] 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?”
- Is the purpose explicitly stated or implied?
- Is the parable responding to a question, request or complaint?
- Does the parable respond to Israel's rejection of Jesus as Messiah?
- Does the parable follow an exhortation or principle?
- Does the parable illustrate a situation?
- What remarkable details are there in the parable?
- Who are the main characters in the parable?
- What structural features of the narrative of the parable do you notice?
- What does the parable spend the most time on?
- What point does the parable conclude with?
- What is the main contrast in the parable?
- What is the central truth of the parable?
- What does this say about the Kingdom of God?
- How can we be like, or unlike, each of the characters in the parable?
- How can we be like, or unlike, Jesus' audience?
- How can we be like, or unlike, the gospel author's audience (the early church)?
- How might we change the way we live in response to the truth contained in this parable?