Luke Chapter 18, Verse 4
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4: και ουκ ηθελησεν επι χρονον μετα δε ταυτα ειπεν εν εαυτω ει και τον θεον ου φοβουμαι και ανθρωπον ουκ εντρεπομαι
4: And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within
himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
4: And he would not for a long time. But afterwards he said within
himself: Although I fear not God nor regard man,
Verses 4,5. For a while. Probably this means for a considerable
time. It was his duty to attend to the claims of justice, but this was
long delayed.
Within himself. He thought, or came to a conclusion.
Though I fear not, &c. This contains the reason why he attended to the case at all. It was not from any regard to justice, or to the duties of his office. It was simply to avoid trouble. And yet his conduct in this case might have appeared very upright, and possibly might have been strictly according to law and to justice, How many actions are performed that appear well, when the doers of those actions know that they are mere hypocrisy! and how many actions are performed from the basest and lowest motives of selfishness, that have the appearance of external propriety and even of goodness!
