Question 1

What does the parable of the unjust judge and the widow teach about prayer?

Accepted Answer

This parable shows that followers of Jesus should keep praying and not give up, even when answers seem slow. The unjust judge does not care about God or people, yet he finally helps the widow because she keeps coming. Jesus uses this to say that if a hard, uncaring judge will finally act, then God, who loves his chosen people, will certainly listen to their cries. The point is not that God is like the judge, but the opposite. God may seem to delay, but he hears, he cares, and he will act at the right time, so we should keep praying.

Question 2

Why does Jesus say we should always pray and not faint?

Accepted Answer

Jesus knows that when life is hard, people easily lose heart and think prayer does not matter. By saying we should always pray and not faint, he is calling us to steady, ongoing prayer, especially when we face trouble or injustice. Prayer is not just for quick fixes; it is a way of trusting God over time. Delays are a test of faith, not a sign that God has forgotten. As we keep praying, God is training our patience and deepening our trust, and he promises that our seeking him will not be in vain.

Question 3

What is the main lesson from the Pharisee and the tax collector in the temple?

Accepted Answer

The Pharisee and the tax collector show two very different ways of coming to God. The Pharisee lists his good deeds and looks down on others, thanking God that he is better than they are. The tax collector stands far off, will not even lift his eyes, and beats his chest, saying, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” Jesus says the humble man, not the proud one, went home right with God. The lesson is that God accepts those who admit their sin and look for mercy, not those who trust in their own goodness and despise others.

Question 4

What does it mean that everyone who exalts himself will be humbled?

Accepted Answer

When Jesus says everyone who exalts himself will be abased and whoever humbles himself will be exalted, he is turning human thinking upside down. People tend to lift themselves up, compare themselves with others, and rely on their own works. God resists that attitude. To be humbled here means to be brought low before God, shown as empty and wrong. To be exalted means to be lifted up by God’s grace, counted right with him. So we should not come boasting or trusting in ourselves, but confessing our need and resting on God’s mercy. In the end, God will honour the lowly in heart.

Question 5

Why did Jesus welcome little children and say the kingdom belongs to such as these?

Accepted Answer

When people brought infants to Jesus, the disciples tried to stop them, perhaps thinking children were unimportant. Jesus corrected them and called the little ones to himself, saying that the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. He then added that whoever does not receive the kingdom like a little child will never enter it. Children picture simple trust, dependence, and lowliness. They do not bring achievements; they come empty-handed. Jesus is teaching that people enter God’s kingdom not by status or works, but by coming to him in humble, childlike faith, ready to receive rather than earn.

Question 6

What is the lesson from Jesus and the rich ruler about eternal life and riches?

Accepted Answer

The rich ruler asks what he must do to inherit eternal life and claims to have kept the commandments from youth. Jesus shows him what rules his heart: his possessions. He tells him to sell what he has, give to the poor, and follow him. The man becomes very sad because he is very rich. This reveals that he loved his wealth more than following Jesus. The lesson is not that every believer must sell all, but that anything we cling to above Christ keeps us from the kingdom. Riches make it hard to rely on God, yet what is impossible with us is possible with God.

Question 7

What does Jesus mean by a camel going through the eye of a needle?

Accepted Answer

When Jesus says it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom, he is using a striking picture to show how hard it is. A camel is large and a needle’s eye is tiny, so the picture is of something humanly impossible. Wealth often leads people to trust in their resources, comfort, and status instead of God. The disciples are shocked and ask who can be saved. Jesus answers that what is impossible with people is possible with God. Only God’s power can free hearts from the grip of riches and bring anyone into the kingdom.

Question 8

Why did Jesus tell his disciples about his coming suffering and resurrection, and why did they not understand?

Accepted Answer

On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus takes the twelve aside and tells them that everything written about the Son of Man will be fulfilled: he will be handed over, mocked, beaten, killed, and on the third day rise again. He is preparing them so they will know his death is not an accident but part of God’s plan. Yet the disciples do not grasp it; the saying is hidden from them. Their minds are not ready to accept a suffering Messiah. This shows how slow human hearts can be to receive God’s way, and how much we need God to open our eyes.

Question 9

What does the healing of the blind man near Jericho show about faith?

Accepted Answer

The blind man by the road hears that Jesus of Nazareth is passing and cries out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” Even when people tell him to be quiet, he cries out all the more. He calls Jesus by a royal title, trusting him as the promised king. Jesus stops, asks what he wants, and the man says he wants to see. Jesus replies, “Receive your sight: your faith has saved you.” The man is healed at once, follows Jesus, and praises God, and the people praise God too. This scene shows that real faith clings to Jesus for mercy, pushes past hindrances, and gives glory to God for what he does.

Question 10

How can this passage guide my own prayer and faith today?

Accepted Answer

This passage invites you to pray steadily, like the widow, and to come humbly, like the tax collector. You can bring your needs to God again and again, trusting that delays are not neglect but loving training. When you pray, do not list your good points or compare yourself to others. Instead, honestly confess, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner,” and rest in his kindness. Come to Jesus with the simple trust of a child and hold him above any wealth or comfort. Like the blind man, keep calling on him for mercy, believing he is able to save and help you.

Luke 18:1

And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Jesus Blesses the Children

The Rich Young Ruler

The Third Prediction of the Passion

Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

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Luke 18:1

And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

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The Parable of the Persistent Widow

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Jesus Blesses the Children

The Rich Young Ruler

The Third Prediction of the Passion

Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

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