[1] The book containing this chapter is anonymous, but early Christian tradition uniformly affirmed that Luke the Evangelist composed this Gospel as well as the Acts of the Apostles.

Luke's introductory wording (verse 1) states that the parable is intended to show Jesus' disciples "that they should always pray and not give up"[3] or "not lose heart".

[5] It tells of a judge who "did not fear God and did not respect man",[6] who is repeatedly approached by a poor widow who is seeking justice.

[8] Anglican churchman Henry Alford argues that while it is "not perhaps spoken in immediate unbroken sequence after the last discourse", it probably "arose out of it: perhaps [it] was the fruit of a conversation with the disciples about the day of His coming and the mind with which they must expect it".

[8] Alford adds that the persistence intended by the story refers to the believer's "earnest desire of the heart ..., rather than, though of course including, the outward act" of prayer.

[15] This is the same question as had been asked by a lawyer in Luke 10:25, to which Jesus responded with his confirmation of the Great Commandment and the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Each of the three synoptic gospels tells of Jesus healing the blind near Jericho, as he passed through that town, shortly before his passion.