Luke 18:12
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I fast twice a week and pay tithes of all that I acquire.’
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
PARABLE OF THE IMPORTUNATE WIDOW. (Luk 18:1-8) always--Compare Luk 18:7, "night and day." faint--lose heart, or slacken.
Open source ↗In this chapter we have, I. The parable of the importunate widow, designed to teach us fervency in prayer (Luk 18:1-8). II. The parable of the Pharisee and publican, designed to teach us humility, and humiliation for sin, in prayer (Luk 18:9-14). III. Christ's favour to little children that were brought to him (Luk 18:15-17). IV. The trial of a rich man that had a mind to follow Christ, whether he loved better Christ or his riches; his coming short upon that trial; and Christ's discourse with his disciples upon that occasion (Luk 18:18-30). V. Christ's foretelling his own death and sufferings (Luk 18:31-34). VI. His restoring sight to a blind man (Luk 18:35-43). And these four passages we had before in Matthew and Mark.
Open source ↗18:12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income: Fasting and tithing were signs of piety in Judaism. The law required fasting only once a year (Lev 16:29-31), but pious Jews in Jesus’ day fasted twice a week (see also Luke 5:33; 11:41-42).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
Woe to you Pharisees! You pay tithes of mint, rue, and every herb, but you disregard justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former.
At that time John’s disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast so often, but Your disciples do not fast?”
So you also, when you have done everything commanded of you, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”
“Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you ask, ‘How do we rob You?’ In tithes and offerings.
For physical exercise is of limited value, but godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for the present life and for the one to come.
not by works, so that no one can boast.
and God met with him. “I have set up seven altars,” Balaam said, “and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”
I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
When Samuel reached him, Saul said to him, “May the LORD bless you. I have carried out the LORD’s instructions.”