| Clarke's Commentary on the Bible She weary me - Ὑπωπιαζῃ με, Stun me. A metaphor taken from boxers, who bruise each other, and by beating each other about the face blacken the eyes. See 1 Corinthians 9:27. Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleYet because this widow troubleth me,.... By often knocking at his door, by loud cries and earnest entreaties, with strong arguments, and floods of tears, and could not easily be removed from his presence, or got out of his house: I will avenge her; I will hear her cause, do her justice, and deliver her from her troublesome adversary: lest by her continual coming she weary me: so that it was not from a conscience of duty in him, as a judge, or from a commiseration of the poor widow's case; but from a selfish end, for his own ease, in perfect agreement to his character, that his house might not be disturbed, and his ears stunned with her noise and cry, and he was pestered with her company day after day. The character of this judge, his reasoning with himself upon it, his principles from which he acted, and the ends he had in view, are wholly to be left out in the accommodation of this parable; and no farther to be considered than as the argument from the lesser to the greater may be strengthened by them; the intention of the parable being only to show the force, efficacy, and usefulness of importunity in prayer, as appears by the application of it, by our Lord, in the verses following. Vincent's Word StudiesLest by her continual coming she weary me (ἵνα μὴ εἰς τέλος ἐρχομένη ὑπωπιάζῃ με) Εἰς τέλος, lit., unto the end, may mean continually; but weary or wear out for ὑπωπιάζῃ is more than doubtful. That word is from ὑπώπιον, 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 Corinthians 9:27, and in its literal sense: "I buffet my body;" treat it as the boxer does his adversary. The more literal sense of this word, and of εἰς τέλος, in the end, or finally, give a sound and much livelier meaning here. "Lest at last she come and assault me." So Goebel and Meyer, and so Wyc., "Lest at the last she, coming, strangle me;" and Tynd., "Lest at the last she come and rail on me." The judge fears lest importunity may culminate in personal violence. Perhaps, also, as Goebel suggests, he intentionally exaggerates his fear. Geneva Study BibleYet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she {c} weary me. (c) Literally, beat me down with her blows, and it is a metaphor taken of wrestlers who beat their adversaries with their fists or clubs: in the same way those that are persistent beat the judge's ears with their crying out, even as it were with blows. People's New Testament 18:5 This widow troubleth me. What neither the fear of God nor the regard for human rights could do, her persistence accomplished, because her continual coming wearied him. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary5. continual coming-coming for ever. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary18:1-8 All God's people are praying people. Here earnest steadiness in prayer for spiritual mercies is taught. The widow's earnestness prevailed even with the unjust judge: she might fear lest it should set him more against her; but our earnest prayer is pleasing to our God. Even to the end there will still be ground for the same complaint of weakness of faith. |