Luke 18:1
ff—Should prayer be continuous or brief?
Problem:
Jesus condemned the long and repetitious prayers of the Pharisees who thought they would “be heard for their many words” (
Matt. 6:7
). Yet in this parable Jesus encouraged incessant prayer of those “who cry out day and night” to God (
Luke 18:7
). But these passages seem to be in conflict.
Solution:
What Jesus spoke against was not
long
prayers but
repetitious
prayers. He was more concerned with the
strength
of the prayer than the
length
of the prayer. Petitioners before God are not heard for their “many words,” but they are heard for their sincere “cry.”