Luke 18:8 When the Son of Man comes, INDEED, will He find FAITH on the earth?
In the Greek version of Luke 18:8, there is a word included that isn’t included in many of English translations. It is the word, “indeed.” biblehub.com/text/luke/18-8.htm
This missing word adds an important insight into Christ’s coming. The word alludes to Christ’s Luke 18:8 coming as being somewhat of a “surprise entrance” and, as such, requires a unique readiness of faith to properly respond to His arrival.
The Greek word for INDEED is ára. According to biblehub.com, “this difficult-to-translate interrogative particle (adverb) injects the element of surprise and the pressing need to respond. Depending on the context, ‘ára’ will emphasize the aspect of hesitation, bewilderment, etc. (J. B. Lightfoot).”
One thing is clear from Luke 18:8. If we have the uniquely prepared, full-persuaded Christ-formed faith that Jesus is looking for when He arrives, we will be enabled by the Holy Spirit to readily perceive and recognize Him, and properly respond to Him—even though His arrival may come in a surprisedly unique way.
We must want the Person of Christ more than we want His blessings, or His things. It is only Christ formed within us that will be able to stand before Him unashamed when He arrives. If we are looking for His things or what He can do for us, not only will we wobble at His appearing, we may run away from Him, or worse, not even recognize His Personal arrival. If we have presumptuously defined how He must come to us and what things must look like when He does, we are relating to Him from a Self-centered perspective of what’s in it for us and we will miss His coming.
This distinction between pursuing the Person as opposed to His things, requires a unique level of faithful watching that involves a vigorous process of preparation. The preparation especially embraces the Galatians 2:20 process of dying to our self-centered, aggravated ego cycles. The fiery trials sent our way test and prove our faith. If we have stayed faithful to Him in this dying-to-self, sacrificed-ego process, we will also be ready to receive Him as our new and abundant Life.
Even though Christ’s arrival may come with a significant surprise, the delightfully surprised person will rejoice, eagerly respond, and “come out to meet Him!” Because they met the condition of Luke 18:8 faith that Jesus was looking for when He came. The surprise didn’t take them out, it brought them into Him! Jesus wants to marry His Beloved Bride. He Himself is our Great Reward!
The Matthew 25 parable of the 10 virgins also describes this surprise element within the wedding narrative.
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ 9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11 Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ 13 Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”