Charles Spurgeon Commentary Luke 18:4-5

"And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest she wear me out by her continual coming." — Luke 18:4-5 (ASV)

But afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

She came again, and again, and again, and again; she would not stop coming, for she was determined to have the justice she sought, and she did get it.

Now that is the way to pray, as if we would even weary God with our supplications, though we never can do so. It is impossible to weary him with earnest, believing entreaties, yet we must show the same determination in prayer which this importunate widow manifested while pleading with the unjust judge.

But afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

She seems to have gone to him so often that he grew quite fatigued and pained by her persistence; the Greek words are very expressive, as though she had beaten him in the eye and so bruised him that he could not endure it any longer.

Of course, the poor woman had not done anything of the kind, but the judge thus describes her continual importunity as a wounding of him, as an attacking of him, an assault upon him, for he perhaps had a little conscience left.

He had, at least, enough honesty to confess that he did not fear God nor regard man—and there are some of whom that is true who will not acknowledge it—but this judge admitted it. And though he was little troubled about it, he said, "So that I am not worried to death by this woman's continual coming, I will grant her request and avenge her of her adversary."