The tax collector realized how his sinfulness offended God; hence, he asked God to be propitiated, to be appeased toward him by a propitiatory sacrifice for sins, that God might be merciful and gracious to him (see note Rom. 3:25^2a, note Heb. 2:17^4d, note 1 John 2:2^1a).

Or, prevent, hinder.

See note Luke 4:43².

The same Greek word as for Sabbath in Matt. 28:1 and for week in John 20:1. This seven-day week is the week of the Sabbath established by the Jews according to Gen. 2.

This does not sound like a prayer but like an arrogant boast to God. Such boasting is an utterly detestable sin.

This does not sound like a prayer but like an accusing of others.

What is covered in vv. 9-30 may be considered the conditions and requirements for entering into the kingdom of God:
1) to humble oneself as a sinner before God, realizing the need of God's propitiation (vv. 9-14);
2) to be like a little child, without any preoccupying concept (vv. 15-17); and
3) to follow the Savior by overcoming being occupied by riches and all other material matters (vv. 18-30).

The persistent faith for our persistent prayer, like the faith of the widow. Hence, it is the subjective faith, not the objective faith.

God's avenging us of our enemy will take place at the Savior's coming back (2 Thes. 2:6-9).

We believers in Christ have an opponent, Satan the devil, concerning whom we need God's avenging. We ought to pray persistently for this avenging (cf. Rev. 6:9-10) and should not lose heart.

Or, procure justice for.

In a sense, the believers in Christ are a widow in the present age because their Husband, Christ (2 Cor. 11:2), is absent from them.

A little child, not filled with and occupied by old concepts, can easily receive a new thought. Hence, people need to be like little children and, with an unoccupied heart, receive the kingdom of God as a new thing.

For vv. 18-30, see notes in Matt. 19:16-29.

See note Luke 10:25².

The Greek word here for needle is different from that in Matthew and Mark. This is the word used by surgeons.

Lit., And.

Lit., saved.

Matt. 19:29 has "for My name's sake." This indicates that the Savior is the kingdom of God (see note Luke 17:21¹).

See note Matt. 20:18^1a and note Mark 10:33¹.

This means that the Savior healed the blind man before He entered Jericho. But according to Matt. 20:29 and Mark 10:46, the healing occurred at His going out from Jericho. Luke's narrative has a spiritual significance. The blind man's receiving of sight was followed in Luke 19:1-9 by the salvation of Zaccheus. This indicates that to receive salvation one must first have sight to see the Savior. These two cases, occurring at Jericho one after the other, should be considered, spiritually, as one complete case. A sinner in darkness needs to receive sight that he may realize that he needs salvation (Acts 26:18).

What is covered in Luke 18:35-43; 19:1-10 shows how one can fulfill the conditions revealed in vv. 9-30 for entering the kingdom of God — first, one must receive sight from the Savior (vv. 35-43), and then one must receive the Savior as the dynamic salvation (Luke 19:1-10). In this way the blind man could be like the repenting tax collector and the unoccupied little child and receive the Savior, and Zaccheus could renounce all his riches and follow Him. The way to enter into all spiritual things is to receive sight from the Lord and to receive the Lord Himself.

See note Matt. 20:30^1b.

See note Mark 10:51¹.

The present age.