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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 February 2009
In recent studies of the parables, including some of those dealing with the judge and the widow, there has been an overemphasis on philosophical-theological and existential meaning. At the same time, there has been a lack of concern for the writers' vocabulary, methods when dealing with sources, and style and literary methods as these things relate to the study of parables. Such things, rather than the meaning of the parable, are my primary concern in dealing with the parable of the judge and the widow.
[1] For this parable see the following: Jülicher, A., Die Gleichnisreden Jesu, 2nd ed., 2 vols. in one (Tübingen: Mohr, 1910)Google Scholar; Cadoux, A. T., The Parables of Jesus: Their Art and Use (New York: Macmillan, 1931)Google Scholar; Smith, B. T. D., The Parables of the Synoptic Gospels (Cambridge: University Press, 1937)Google Scholar; Spicq, C., ‘La parabole de la veuve obstinée et du juge inerte, aux décisions impromptues (Lc. XVIII, 1–8)’, RB 68 (1961) 68–90Google Scholar; Delling, G., ‘Das Gleichnis vom Gottlosen Richter’, ZNW 53 (1962) 1–25CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Cranfield, C. E. B., ‘The Parable of the Unjust Judge and the Eschatology of Luke-Acts’, SJT 16 (1963) 297–301CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Scharlemann, M. H., Proclaiming the Parables (Saint Louis: Concordia, 1963)Google Scholar; Linnemann, E., Jesus of the Parables (New York: Harper & Row, 1966)Google Scholar; Perrin, N., Rediscovering the Teaching of Jesus (New York: Harper & Row, 1967)Google Scholar; Deschryver, R., ‘La parabole du juge malveillant (Luc 18, 1–8)’, RHPR 48 (1968) 355–66Google Scholar; Derrett, J. D. M., ‘Law in the New Testament: The Parable of the Unjust Judge’, NTS 18 (1972) 178–91CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Harnisch, W., ‘Die Ironie als Stilmittel in Gleichnissen Jesu’, ET 32 (1972) 421–36Google Scholar; George, A., ‘La parabole du juge qui fait attendre le jugement. Lc 18, 1–8’, As Seign 60 (1975) 68–79Google Scholar; Smith, C. W. F., The Jesus of the Parables (Philadelphia: United Church, 1975);Google ScholarVia, D. O., ‘The Parable of the Unjust Judge: A Metaphor of the Unrealized Self’, Semiology and Parables, ed. Patte, D. (Pittsburgh: Pickwick, 1976) 1–32Google Scholar and the responses to Via in the same vol, pp. 33–56, by Petersen, N. R., McMahon, E., and Crenshaw, J. L.; Catchpole, D. R., ‘The Son of Man's Search for Faith (Luke XVIII 8b)’, NovT 19 (1977) 81–104Google Scholar; Marshall, I. H., The Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1978) 669–77Google Scholar; Tolbert, M. A., Perspectives on the Parables (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1979) 15–31Google Scholar; Jeremias, J., The Parables of Jesus (New York: Scribners, 1963).Google Scholar
[2] So, e.g. B. T. D. Smith, Via, Tolbert, Linnemann, Perrin, Harnisch, George, Marshall, and Jülicher.
[3] The Parables 45, 93.
[4] ‘Das Gleichnis vom Gottlosen Richter’, 1–25.
[5] ‘La parabole du juge malveillant’, 355–66.
[6] ‘The Son of Man's Search’, 81–104.
[7] A. T. Cadoux, M. H. Scharlemann, and C. Spicq, in the works cited in n. 1, regard the whole parable as authentic. Bailey, K. E. (Through Peasant Eyes: More Lucan Parables, Their Culture and Style [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1980] 127–41)Google Scholar regards v. 1 as ‘the evangelist's introduction’ but affirms ‘both the parable and the Dominical application as authentic to Jesus' from ‘linguistic, theological, and literary points of view’.
[8] Jesus of the Parables 119–24, 185–9.
[9] Promise and Fulfilment (London: SCM, 1957) 59.Google Scholar
[10] Variation is a distinctive feature of Luke's style. Although he does not call attention to the variations listed here, see Cadbury, H. J., ‘Four Features of Lucan Style’, Studies in Luke-Acts, ed. Keck, L. E. and Martyn, J. L. (Nashville: Abingdon, 1966) 87–102Google Scholar and The Making of Luke-Acts (London: SPCK, 1958) 221–5.Google Scholar
[11] But cf. Mark 3. 23; 12. 12 (variant form in Luke 20. 19; Matt 22. 1).
[12] See Cadbury, H. J., The Style and Literary Method of Luke (Cambridge: Harvard, 1920) 203.Google Scholar
[13] Grundmann, W., ‘δε, δέον Ẻστί’, TDNT 2 (1964) 21–5.Google Scholar
[14] Elsewhere only in Mark 14. 7 = Matt 26. 11; Luke 15. 31; John 6. 34; 7. 6; 8. 29; 11. 42; 12. 8; 18. 20; 2 Tim 3. 7; Heb 7.25.
[15] It may have the same meaning also in Philo, , The Confusion of Tongues 13Google Scholar and perhaps also in 2 Cor 4. 1; Gal 6. 9 and 2 Thess 3. 13; cf. 2 Cor 4. 16; Eph 3.13.
[16] Midrash and Lection in Matthew (London: SPCK, 1974) 50.Google Scholar
[17] A Grammar of New Testament Greek, 310 vols. (Edinburgh: Clark, 1908–1976) 4Google Scholar: Style, by N. Turner, 52.
[18] Style and Literary Method 170.
[19] ‘Lukas als Gleichniserzähler: die Erzählung vom barmherzigen Samariter (Lk 10: 25–37)’, ZNW 65 (1974) 166–89.Google Scholar
[20] For influence of the LXX on Luke see below.
[21] ‘Law in the New Testament’, 180.
[22] The Origins of the Gospel according to St. Matthew (Oxford: Clarendon, 1946) 124–5.Google Scholar
[23] Kingsbury, J. D., ‘The Verb akolouthein (‘to follow’) as an Index of Matthew's View of His Community’, JBL 97 (1978) 66.Google Scholar
[24] ‘Das Gleichnis vom Gottlosen Richter’, 6 n. 25.
[25] Text and trans. from The Roman Antiquities of Dionysins of Halicarnassus, trans. Cary, E.; Loeb Classical Library, 7 vols. (London: Heinemann, 1947) 6. 196–7.Google Scholar
[26] Text and trans. from Josephus, trans. Stählin, H.Thackeray, J.; Loeb Classical Library, 9 vols. (London: Heinemann, 1930) 4. 34–5.Google Scholar
[27] Text and trans. from Josephus, trans. Marcus, R.; Loeb Classical Library, 9 vols. (Cambridge: Harvard, 1937) 6. 202–3.Google Scholar
[28] The command to fear God (τòν θεòν φοβεσθε) occurs in 1 Pet 2. 17, where it is based on Prov 24. 21, and in Rev 14. 7 (φοβήθητε τòν θεό), where it is based on Eccl 12. 13 (cf. LXX Lev 19. 14, 32; 25. 17, 36, 43; Deut 6. 2, 24). ‘Fearing God’ also occurs descriptively in the LXX (e.g. Gen 22. 12; 42. 18; Exod 1. 17, 21; 9. 30; 1 Chron 13. 12; Neh 7. 2; Tob 14. 2; Jdt 8. 8; Isa 29. 23).
[29] ‘Das Gleichnis vom Gottlosen Richter’, 7 n. 26.
[30] Although σεβ. τ. θ. occurs rarely in the LXX (Josh 4. 24; Jonah 1. 9; 3 Macc 3. 4; 4 Macc 5. 24), φοβ. θ. appears many times. σεβ. τ. θ. occurs nowhere in the NT except in Acts (cf. Mark 7. 7 = Matt 15. 9). See Lake, K., ‘Proselytes and God-fearers’, The Beginnings of Christianity, 310 vols., ed. Jackson, F. J. F. and Lake, K. (London: Macmillan, 1922–1942) 5. 74–96.Google Scholar
[31] Hawkins, J. C., Horae Synopticae (Oxford: Clarendon, 1899)198–207Google Scholar; Cadbury, , Style and Literary Method 5, 39–51Google Scholar; Clarke, W. K. L., ‘The Use of the Septuagint in Acts’, Beginnings of Christianity 2. 66–105.Google Scholar
[32] See Stählin, G., ‘χήρα’, TDNT 9 (1974) 440–65.Google Scholar
[33] Cadbury, , Style 186–7.Google Scholar
[34] In light of John's reference (2. 13–15) to money changers of two kinds, one apparently to change larger coins into smaller ones and one to change illegal coins into the proper kind, in the temple, Greek coins of the kind mentioned would hardly have been used for gifts to the temple treasury.
[35] Horae Synopticae 23.
[36] Harnack, A., The Sayings of Jesus (London: Williams and Norgate, 1908) 44–5.Google Scholar
[37] Matt (94); Mark (228); John (163); so Hawkins, , Horae Synopticae 51.Google Scholar
[38] See Schrenk, G., ‘Ẻκδικέω’, TDNT 2 (1964) 442–4Google Scholar and Delling, ‘Das Gleichnis vom Gottlosen Richter’, 8–10.
[39] Cadbury, , Style 202.Google Scholar
[40] Moulton, J. H. and Milligan, G., The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1949) 47.Google Scholar
[41] Adversary at law in Prov 18. 17; Esth 8. 11; Hos 5. 11; enemy in general in 1 Kgs 2. 10; Isa 41. 11; Sir 33. 9.
[42] Deissmann, A., Light from the Ancient East (New York: Doran, 1927) 116–17.Google Scholar
[43] The Erernity of the World 26; cf. The Embassy to Gaius 45.
[44] See below.
[45] Based on Aland, K. et al. , Vollständige Konkordanz zum Griechischen Neuen Testament, 310 vols. (Berlin: de Gruyter, 1978).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[46] See below.
[47] Black, M., An Aramaic Approach to the Gospels and Acts (Oxford: Clarendon, 1954) 237.Google Scholar
[48] Blass, F. and Debrunner, A., A Greek Grammar of the New Testament, ed. Funk, R. W. (Chicago: University of Chicago, 1961) 190.Google Scholar
[49] Perspectives on the Parables 81.
[50] ‘Four Features of Lucan Style’, 95. See below.
[51] E.g. Creed, J. M., The Gospel According to St. Luke (London: Macmillan, 1942) 100Google Scholar; Schulz, S., Q-Die Spruchquelle der Evangelisten (Zürich: Meier & Cie, 1972) 237–8Google Scholar; Dibelius, M., Die Formgeschichte der Evangelien (Tübingen: Mohr, 1971) 44.Google Scholar
[52] Including a Latinism of the kind usually associated with Roman officials; see A Grammar of New Testament Greek 5.
[53] Hawkins, , Horae Synopticae 27Google Scholar; Cadbury, , Style 196.Google Scholar
[54] A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, ed. Gingrich, F. W. and Danker, F. W. (Chicago: University of Chicago, 1979) 812.Google Scholar
[55] ‘Law in the New Testament’, 189–91. Perhaps ii Luke was interested in the judge, he was influenced by Prov 20. 30: ‘Bruises (ύπώπια) and abrasions fall upon bad men’ (LXX; MT differs).
[56] Horae Synopticae 17, 39.
[57] Style 169.
[58] Cadbury, H. J., ‘The Titles of Jesus in Acts’, Beginnings of Christianity 5. 361.Google Scholar
[59] Moulton, J. H., A Grammar of New Testament Greek; 4Google Scholar: Style, by N. Turner, p. 48; see also p. 60.
[60] Horae Synopticae 16.
[61] Horae Synopticae 27, 50.
[62] The insertion of words between the article and the noun and the use of δέ in the same position with ò θεός are features of Paul's style also.
[63] Moulton, J. H., A Grammar of New Testament Greek; 3Google Scholar: Syntax, by N. Turner, p. 56.
[64] For the possible exception in Acts 13. 48 see Conzelmann, H., The Theology of St. Luke (New York: Harper & Row, 1960) 154 n. 2Google Scholar and Jackson, F. J. F. and Lake, K., eds., The Beginnings of Christianity 4. 160.Google Scholar
[65] For these same ideas in Judaism, esp. in QL, see Delling, ‘Das Gleichnis vom Gottlosen Richter’, 15 n. 63.
[66] E.g. B. T. D. Smith, Jeremias, and Linnemann.
[67] The fact that such crying is usually uttered by persons suffering affliction or distress lends support to the idea that the words in Luke may indicate a time of distress. It should be noted also that the object of the verb is always expressed with πρός plus acc., a construction normally preferred by Luke with verbs of saying, but not used in 18. 7. As in Luke, βοάω is used with a simple dat. by Josephus: βοᾱν … αύτος (War 6:3:1); he also uses πρός plus acc.: Ẻβόησε πρóς τòν βασιλέα (Ant. 7:3:1).
[68] Parables 154–5.
[69] Jesus of the Parables 187.
[70] For a recent summary of views on this crux interpretum, see Marshall, I. H., The Gospel of Luke 674–5.Google Scholar For examples from literature to support various interpretations, see Delling, ‘Das Gleichnis vom Gottlosen Richter’, 17–18.
[71] For contrasting views on these points, cf. Ljungvik, H., ‘Zur Erklärung elner Lukas-Stelle (Luk. XVIII. 7)’, NTS 10 (1964) 289–94CrossRefGoogle Scholar and Wifstrand, A., ‘Lukas XVIII. 7’, NTS 11 (1964) 72–4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[72] ‘Das Gleichnis vom Gottlosen Richter’, 19 n. 82.
[73] See Gingrich, and Danker, , A Greek-English Lexicon 807.Google Scholar
[74] See Linnemann, , Jesus of the Parables 188 n. 16.Google Scholar
[75] Cadbury, , Style 147, 123 n.Google Scholar
[76] See Gingrich, and Danker, , A Greek-English Lexicon 104.Google Scholar
[77] For a brief discussion, see Perrin, N., Rediscovering 130–42.Google Scholar
[78] I am concerned only with Luke's use of the noun ‘faith’, not the adjective ‘faithful’ or the verb ‘to believe’.
[79] For the relationship between the question in Luke 18. 8b and the sayings in 17. 22–37, see Catchpole, ‘The Son of Man's Search for Faith’, 85–6.
[80] One should compare the short section on prayer which begins in Luke 11. 1 with the disciples' request, ‘Lord, teach us to pray’ and continues with the Lord's Prayer (11. 2–4; cf. Matt 6. 9–13), the persistent friend (11. 5–8), and the answer to successful prayer (11. 9–13; cf. Matt 7. 7–11).
[81] ‘The Son of Man's Search’, 86–7.
[82] ‘Das Gleichnis vom Gottlosen Richter’, 22.
[83] On the latter point, see Cadbury, H. J., ‘The Speeches in Acts’, Beginnings of Christianity 5. 402–27.Google Scholar
