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Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Luke 11:1–13. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Prayer is one of the great laws of natural religion. That man is a brute, is a monster, that never prays, that never gives glory to his Maker, nor feels his favour, nor owns his dependence upon him. One great design therefore of Christianity is to assist us in prayer, to enforce the duty upon us, to instruct us in it, and encourage us to expect advantage by it. Now here,
I.We find Christ himself praying in a certain place, probably where he used to pray, Luk 11:1.
As God, he was prayed to; as man, he prayed; and, though he was a Son, yet learned he this obedience. This evangelist has taken particular notice of Christ's praying often, more than any other of the evangelists: when he was baptized (Luk 3:21), he was praying; he withdrew into the wilderness, and prayed (Luk 5:16); he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer (Luk 6:12); he was alone praying (Luk 9:18); soon after, he went up into a mountain to pray, and as he prayed he was transfigured (Luk 9:28, Luk 9:29); and here he was praying in a certain place. Thus, like a genuine son of David, he gave himself unto prayer, Psa 109:4. Whether Christ was now alone praying, and the disciples only knew that he was so, or whether he prayed with them, is uncertain; it is most probable that they were joining with him.
II.His disciples applied themselves to him for direction in prayer.
When he was praying, they asked, Lord, teach us to pray. Note, The gifts and graces of others should excite us to covet earnestly the same. Their zeal should provoke us to a holy imitation and emulation; why should not we do as well as they? Observe, They came to him with this request, when he ceased; for they would not disturb him when he was at prayer, no, not with this good motion. Every thing is beautiful in its season. One of his disciples, in the name of the rest, and perhaps by their appointment, said, Lord, teach us. Note, Though Christ is apt to teach, yet he will for this be enquired of, and his disciples must attend him for instruction.
Now, 1. Their request is, "Lord, teach us to pray; give us a rule or model by which to go in praying, and put words into our mouths." Note, It becomes the disciples of Christ to apply themselves to him for instruction in prayer. Lord, teach us to pray, is itself a good prayer, and a very needful one, for it is a hard thing to pray well and it is Jesus Christ only that can teach us, by his word and Spirit, how to pray. "Lord, teach me what it is to pray; Lord, excite and quicken me to the duty; Lord, direct me what to pray for; Lord, give me praying graces, that I may serve God acceptably in prayer; Lord, teach me to pray in proper words; give me a mouth and wisdom in prayer, that I may speak as I ought; teach me what I shall say."
2.Their plea is, "As John also taught his disciples. He took care to instruct his disciples in this necessary duty, and we would be taught as they were, for we have a better Master than they had." Dr. Lightfoot's notion of this is, That whereas the Jews' prayers were generally adorations, and praises of God, and doxologies, John taught his disciples such prayers as were more filled up with petitions and requests; for it is said of them that they did deēseis poiountai - make prayers, Luk 5:33. The word signifies such prayers as are properly petitionary. "Now, Lord, teach us this, to be added to those benedictions of the name of God which we have been accustomed to from our childhood." According to this sense, Christ did there teach them a prayer consisting wholly of petitions, and even omitting the doxology which had been affixed; and the Amen, which was usually said in the giving of thanks (Co1 14:16), and in the Psalms, is added to doxologies only. This disciple needed not to have urged John Baptist's example: Christ was more ready to teach than ever John Baptist was, and particularly taught to pray better than John did, or could, teach his disciples.
III.Christ gave them direction, much the same as he had given them before in his sermon upon the mount, Mat 6:9, etc.
We cannot think that they had forgotten it, but they ought to have had further and fuller instructions, and he did not, as yet, think fit to give them any; when the Spirit should be poured out upon them from on high, they would find all their requests couched in these few words, and would be able, in words of their own, to expatiate and enlarge upon them. In Matthew he had directed them to pray after this manner; here, When ye pray, say; which intimates that the Lord's prayer was intended to be used both as a form of prayer and a directory.
1.There are some differences between the Lord's prayer in Matthew and Luke, by which it appears that it was not the design of Christ that we should be tied up to these very words, for then there would have been no variation. Here is one difference in the translation only, which ought not to have been, when there is none in the original, and that is in the third petition: As in heaven, so in earth; whereas the words are the very same, and in the same order, as in Matthew. But there is a difference in the fourth petition. In Matthew we pray, "Give us daily bread this day:" here, "Give it us day by day" - kath' hēmeran. Day by day; that is, "Give us each day the bread which our bodies require, as they call for it:" not, "Give us this day bread for many days to come;" but as the Israelites had manna, "Let us have bread today for today, and tomorrow for tomorrow;" for thus we may be kept in a continual dependence upon God, as children upon their parents, and may have our mercies fresh from his hand daily, and may find ourselves under fresh obligations to do the work of every day in the day, according as the duty of the day requires, because we have from God the supplies of every day in the day, according as the necessity of the day requires. Here is likewise some difference in the fifth petition. In Matthew it is, Forgive us our debts, as we forgive: here it is, Forgive us our sins; which proves that our sins are our debts. For we forgive; not that our forgiving those that have offended us can merit pardon from God, or be an inducement to him to forgive us (he forgives for his own name's sake, and his Son's sake); but this is a very necessary qualification for forgiveness, and, if God have wrought it in us, we may plead that work of his grace for the enforcing of our petitions for the pardon of our sins: "Lord, forgive us, for thou hast thyself inclined us to forgive others." There is another addition here; we plead not only in general, We forgive our debtors, but in particular, "We profess to forgive every one that is indebted to us, without exception. We so forgive our debtors as not to bear malice or ill-will to any, but true love to all, without any exception whatsoever." Here also the doxology in the close is wholly omitted, and the Amen; for Christ would leave them at liberty to use that or any other doxology fetched out of David's psalms; or, rather, he left a vacuum here, to be filled up by a doxology more peculiar to the Christian institutes, ascribing glory to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
2.Yet it is, for substance, the same; and we shall therefore here only gather up some general lessons from it.
(1.)That in prayer we ought to come to God as children to a Father, a common Father to us and all mankind, but in a peculiar manner a Father to all the disciples of Jesus Christ. Let us therefore in our requests both for others and for ourselves, come to him with a humble boldness, confiding in his power and goodness.
(2.)That at the same time, and in the same petitions, which we address to God for ourselves, we should take in with us all the children of men, as God's creatures and our fellow-creatures. A rooted principle of catholic charity, and of Christian sanctified humanity, should go along with us, and dictate to us throughout this prayer, which is so worded as to be accommodated to that noble principle.
(3.)That in order to the confirming of the habit of heavenly-mindedness in us, which ought to actuate and govern us in the whole course of our conversation, we should, in all our devotions, with an eye of faith look heavenward, and view the God we pray to as our Father in heaven, that we may make the upper world more familiar to us, and may ourselves become better prepared for the future state.
(4.)That in prayer, as well as in the tenour of our lives, we must seek first the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof, by ascribing honour to his name, his holy name, and power to his government, both that of his providence in the world and that of his grace in the church. O that both the one and the other may be more manifested, and we and others more manifestly brought into subjection to both!
(5.)That the principles and practices of the upper world, the unseen world (which therefore by faith only we are apprized of), are the great original - the archetupon, to which we should desire that the principles and practices of this lower world, both in others and in ourselves, may be more conformable. Those words, As in heaven, so on earth, refer to all the first three petitions: "Father, let thy name be sanctified and glorified, and thy kingdom prevail, and thy will be done on this earth that is now alienated from thy service, as it is in yonder heaven that is entirely devoted to thy service."
(6.)That those who faithfully and sincerely mind the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof, may humbly hope that all other things, as far as to Infinite Wisdom seems good, shall be added to them, and they may in faith pray for them. If our first chief desire and care be that God's name may be sanctified, his kingdom come, and his will be done, we may then come boldly to the throne of grace for our daily bread, which will then be sanctified to us when we are sanctified to God, and God is sanctified by us.
(7.)That in our prayers for temporal blessings we must moderate our desires, and confine them to a competency. The expression here used of day by day is the very same with our daily bread; and therefore some think that we must look for another signification of the word epiousios than that of daily, which we give it, and that it means our necessary bread, that bread that is suited to the craving of our nature, the fruit that is brought out of the earth for our bodies that are made of the earth and are earthly, Psa 104:14.
(8.)That sins are debts which we are daily contracting, and which therefore we should every day pray for the forgiveness of. We are not only going behind with our rent every day by omissions of duty and in duty, but are daily incurring the penalty of the law, as well as the forfeiture of our bond, by our commissions. Every day adds to the score of our guilt, and it is a miracle of mercy that we have so much encouragement given us to come every day to the throne of grace, to pray for the pardon of our sins of daily infirmity. God multiplies to pardon beyond seventy times seven.
(9.)That we have no reason to expect, nor can with any confidence pray, that God would forgive our sins against him, if we do not sincerely, and from a truly Christian principle of charity, forgive those that have at any time affronted us or been injurious to us. Though the words of our mouth be even this prayer to God, if the meditation of our heart at the same time be, as often it is, malice and revenge to our brethren, we are not accepted, nor can we expect an answer of peace.
(10.)That temptations to sin should be as much dreaded and deprecated by us as ruin by sin; and it should be as much our care and prayer to get the power of sin broken in us as to get the guilt of sin removed from us; and though temptation may be a charming, fawning, flattering thing, we must be as earnest with God that we may not be led into it as that we may not be led by that to sin, and by sin to ruin.
(11.)That God is to be depended upon, and sought unto, for our deliverance from all evil; and we should pray, not only that we may not be left to ourselves to run into evil, but that we may not be left to Satan to bring evil upon us. Dr. Lightfoot understands it of being delivered from the evil one, that is, the devil, and suggests that we should pray particularly against the apparitions of the devil and his possessions. The disciples were employed to cast out devils, and therefore were concerned to pray that they might be guarded against the particular spite he would always be sure to have against them.
IV.He stirs up and encourages importunity, fervency, and constancy, in prayer, by showing,
1.That importunity will go far in our dealings with men, Luk 11:5-8. Suppose a man, upon a sudden emergency, goes to borrow a loaf or two of bread of a neighbour, at an unseasonable time of night, not for himself, but for his friend that came unexpectedly to him. His neighbour will be loth to accommodate him, for he has wakened him with his knocking, and put him out of humour, and he has a great deal to say in his excuse. The door is shut and locked, his children are asleep in bed, in the same room with him, and, if he make a noise, he shall disturb them. His servants are asleep, and he cannot make them hear; and, for his own part, he shall catch cold if he rise to give him. But his neighbour will have no nay, and therefore he continues knocking still, and tells him he will do so till he has what he comes for; so that he must give it to him, to be rid of him: He will rise, and give him as many as he needs, because of his importunity. He speaks this parable with the same intent that he speaks that in Luk 18:1 : That men ought always to pray, and not to faint. Not that God can be wrought upon by importunity; we cannot be troublesome to him, nor by being so change his counsels. We prevail with men by importunity because they are displeased with it, but with God because he is pleased with it. Now this similitude may be of use to us,
(1.)To direct us in prayer.
[1.]We must come to God with boldness and confidence for what we need, as a man does to the house of his neighbour or friend, who, he knows, loves him, and is inclined to be kind to him.
[2.]We must come for bread, for that which is needful, and which we cannot be without.
[3.]We must come to him by prayer for others as well as for ourselves. This man did not come for bread for himself, but for his friend. The Lord accepted Job, when he prayed for his friends, Job 42:10. We cannot come to God upon a more pleasing errand than when we come to him for grace to enable us to do good, to feed many with our lips, to entertain and edify those that come to us.
[4.]We may come with the more boldness to God in a strait, if it be a strait that we have not brought ourselves into by our own folly and carelessness, but Providence has led us into it. This man would not have wanted bread if his friend had not come in unexpectedly. The care which Providence casts upon us, we may with cheerfulness cast back upon Providence.
[5.]We ought to continue instant in prayer, and watch in the same with all perseverance.
(2.)To encourage us in prayer. If importunity could prevail thus with a man who was angry at it, much more with a God who is infinitely more kind and ready to do good to us than we are to one another, and is not angry at our importunity, but accepts it, especially when it is for spiritual mercies that we are importunate. If he do not answer our prayers presently, yet he will in due time, if we continue to pray.
2.That God has promised to give us what we ask of him. We have not only the goodness of nature to take comfort fRom. but the word which he has spoken (Luk 11:9, Luk 11:10): "Ask, and it shall be given you; either the thing itself you shall ask or that which is equivalent; either the thorn in the flesh removed, or grace sufficient given in." - We had this before, Mat 7:7, Mat 7:8. I say unto you. We have it from Christ's own mouth, who knows his Father's mind, and in whom all promises are yea and amen. We must not only ask, but we must seek, in the use of means, must second our prayers with our endeavours; and, in asking and seeking, we must continue pressing, still knocking at the same door, and we shall at length prevail, not only by our prayers in concert, but by our particular prayers: Every one that asketh receiveth, even the meanest saint that asks in faith. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, Psa 34:6. When we ask of God those things which Christ has here directed us to ask, that his name may be sanctified, that his kingdom may come, and his will be done, in these requests we must be importunate, must never hold our peace day or night; we must not keep silence, nor give God any rest, until he establish, until he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth, Isa 62:6, Isa 62:7.
V.He gives us both instruction and encouragement in prayer from the consideration of our relation to God as a Father. Here is,
1.An appeal to the bowels of earthly fathers: "Let any of you that is a father, and knows the heart of a father, a father's affection to a child and care for a child, tell me, if his son ask bread for his breakfast, will he give him a stone to breakfast on? If he ask a fish for his dinner (when it may be a fish-day), will he for a fish give him a serpent, that will poison and sting him? Or, if he shall ask an egg for his supper (an egg and to bed), will he offer him a scorpion? You know you could not be so unnatural to your own children," Luk 11:11, Luk 11:12.
2.An application of this to the blessings of our heavenly Father (Luk 11:13): If ye then, being evil, give, and know how to give, good gifts to your children, much more shall God give you the Spirit. He shall give good things; so it is in Matthew. Observe,
(1.)The direction he gives us what to pray for. We must ask for the Holy Spirit, not only a necessary in order to our praying well, but as inclusive of all the good things we are to pray for; we need no more to make us happy, for the Spirit is the worker of spiritual life, and the earnest of eternal life. Note, The gift of the Holy Ghost is a gift we are every one of us concerned earnestly and constantly to pray for.
(2.)The encouragement he gives us to hope that we shall speed in this prayer: Your heavenly Father will give. It is in his power to give the Spirit; he has all good things to bestow, wrapped up in that one; but that is not all, it is in his promise, the gift of the Holy Ghost is in the covenant, Act 2:33, Act 2:38, and it is here inferred from parents' readiness to supply their children's needs, and gratify their desires, when they are natural and proper. If the child ask for a serpent, or a scorpion, the father, in kindness, will deny him, but not if he ask for what is needful, and will be nourishing. When God's children ask for the Spirit, they do, in effect, ask for bread; for the Spirit is the staff of life; nay, he is the Author of the soul's life. If our earthly parents, though evil, be yet so kind, if they, though weak, be yet so knowing, that they not only give, but give with discretion, give what is best, in the best manner and time, much more will our heavenly Father, who infinitely excels the fathers of our flesh both in wisdom and goodness, give us his Holy Spirit. If earthly parents be willing to lay out for the education of their children, to whom they design to leave their estates, much more will our heavenly Father give the spirit of sons to all those whom he has predestinated to the inheritance of sons.
Historical interpretation
Eleven Centuries of Reception
13 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
For it is in the power of God alone to grant the forgiveness of sins, and not to impute transgressions; since also the Lord commands us each day to forgive the repenting brethren. "And if we, being evil, know to give good gifts," much more is it the nature of the Father of mercies, the good Father of all consolation, much pitying, very merciful, to be long-suffering, to wait for those who have turned.
(Dial. 1. de Trin.) Now unless the Holy Spirit were of the substance of God, Who alone is good, He would by no means be called good, since our Lord refused to be called good, inasmuch as He was made man.
(in Const. c. 1.) If also any one from indolence surrenders himself to his desires, and betrays himself into the hands of his enemies, God neither assists him nor hears him, because by sin he has alienated himself from God. It becomes then a man to offer whatever belongs to him, but to cry to God to assist him. Now we must ask for the Divine assistance not slackly, nor with a mind wavering to and fro, because such a one will not only not obtain what it seeks, but will the rather provoke God to anger. For if a man standing before a prince has his eye fixed within and without, lest perchance he should be punished, how much more before God ought he to stand watchful and trembling? But if when awakened by sin you are unable to pray stedfastly to the utmost of your power, check yourself, that when you stand before God you may direct your mind to Him. And God pardons you, because not from indifference, but infirmity, you cannot appear in His presence as you ought. If then you thus command yourself, do not depart until you receive. For whenever you ask and receive not, it is because your request was improperly made, either without faith, or lightly, or for things which are not good for you, or because you left off praying. But some frequently make the objection, "Why pray we? Is God then ignorant of what we have need?" He knows undoubtedly, and gives us richly all temporal things even before we ask. But we must first desire good works, and the kingdom of heaven; and then having desired, ask in faith and patience, bringing into our prayers whatever is good for us, convicted of no offence by our own conscience.
The argument then persuading to frequent prayer, is the hope of obtaining what we pray for. The ground of persuasion was first in the command, afterwards it is contained in that example which He sets forth, adding, If a son shall ask bread of any of you, will he give him a stone? &c.
(Hom. 23. in Matt.) Now by asking, He means prayer, but by seeking, zeal and anxiety, as He adds, Seek, and ye shall find. For those things which are sought require great care. And this is particularly the case with God. For there are many things which block up our senses. As then we search for lost gold, so let us anxiously seek after God. He shows also, that though He does not forthwith open the gates, we must yet wait. Hence he adds, Knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for if you continue seeking, you shall surely receive. For this reason, and as the door shut makes you knock, therefore he did not at once consent that you might entreat.
We sometimes come near to our bounteous God offering him petitions for various objects according to each one's pleasure. Sometimes we pray without discernment or any careful examination of what truly is to our advantage, and if granted by God would prove a blessing or would be to our injury if we received it. Rather, by the inconsiderate impulse of our fancy, we fall into desires full of ruin that thrust the souls of those that entertain them into the snare of death and the meshes of hell. When we ask of God anything of this kind, we will by no means receive it. On the contrary, we offer a petition suitable only for ridicule. Why will we not receive it? Is the God of all weary of bestowing gifts on us? By no means. "Why then," someone may say, "will he not give, since he is bounteous in giving?" ...When he says, "You who are evil," he means "you whose mind is capable of being influenced by evil and not uniformly inclined to good like the God of all." "You know how to give good gifts to your children; how much more shall your heavenly Father give a good spirit to them that ask him?" By a "good spirit" he means "spiritual grace." This is good in every way. If a person receives it, he will become most blessed and worthy of admiration.
The words, I say unto you, have the force of an oath. For God doth not lie, but whenever He makes known any thing to His hearers with an oath, he manifests the inexcusable littleness of our faith.
In these words our Saviour gives us a very necessary piece of instruction. For often-times we rashly, from the impulse of pleasure, give way to hurtful desires. When we ask any such thing from God, we shall not obtain it. To show this, He brings an obvious example from those things which are before our eyes, in our daily experience. For when thy son asks of thee bread, thou givest it him gladly, because he seeks a wholesome food. But when from want of understanding he asks for a stone to eat, thou givest it him not, but rather hinderest him from satisfying his hurtful desire. So that the sense may be, But which of you asking his father for bread, (which the father gives,) will he give him a stone? (that is, if he asked it.) There is the same argument also in the serpent and the fish; of which he adds, Or if he asks a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? And in like manner in the egg and scorpion, of which he adds, Or if he ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
Now from the example just given he concludes, If then ye being evil, (i. e. having a mind capable of wickedness, and not uniform and settled in good, as God,) know how to give good gifts; how much more shall your heavenly Father?
Desiring that we arrive at the joys of the heavenly kingdom, our Lord and Savior taught us to ask these joys of him and promised that he would give them to us if we asked for them. “Ask,” he said, “and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.” Dearly beloved …, we earnestly and with our whole heart must ponder these words of our Lord. He bears witness that the kingdom of heaven is not given to, found by and opened to those who are idle and unoccupied but to those who ask for it, seek after it and knock at its gates. The gate of the kingdom must be asked for by praying. It must be sought after by living properly. It must be knocked at by persevering.
If we look into the words of our Lord and Savior that he encourages us to ask God our Father after the example of an earthly parent, we quickly recognize what is the righteousness that can open for us the way to the heavenly kingdom. “Which one of you,” he says, “if his son asks his father for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent in place of the fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will hand him a scorpion?” This is truly a clear comparison, easy for all hearers to understand. Any human, mortal, weak and still burdened with sinful flesh, does not refuse to give the good things which he possesses, although they are earthly and weak, to the children whom he loves. Our heavenly Father, even more than this man, lavishes the good things of heaven, which do not perish, on those who ask of him and are endowed with fear and love of him.
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father from heaven give the good Spirit to those who ask him? How do the evil give good? But he called them evil, lovers still of this world and sinners. Truly, the goods they give according to their sense are to be called good because they regard them as such for us, although in nature these are good things, but temporary, and pertaining to this frail life, and whoever gives them, being evil, does not give them from what is his own. For the earth is the Lord's, and its fullness, who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them (Psalm 24). How much then should we expect God to give us good things when we ask, and not be deceived to receive something else when we ask from Him, since even we being evil know how to give that which is asked! For we do not deceive our children, and whatever good things we give, we give not from our own, but from His. Alternatively: The apostles, who by the merit of election had exceeded the goodness of the human race in many ways, are called evil in the view of supernal goodness, because nothing is stable by itself, nothing unchangeable, nothing good, except the Deity alone. All creatures indeed obtain the blessedness of eternity or immutability not by their nature, but by participation and grace of their Creator. That it is said: How much more will your Father from heaven give the good Spirit to those who ask Him? for which Matthew put: Will give good things to those who ask Him (Matthew 7), it shows that the Holy Spirit is the fullness of God's goods and those which are divinely administered do not subsist without Him. Because all benefits, which are received by the grace of God's gifts, emanate from this source.
Or, he calls the lovers of the world evil, who give those things which they judge good according to their sense, which are also good in their nature, and are useful to aid imperfect life. Hence he adds, Know how to give good gifts to your children. The Apostles even, who by the merit of their election had exceeded the goodness of mankind in general, are said to be evil in comparison with Divine goodness, since nothing is of itself good but God alone. But that which is added, How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him, for which Matthew has written, will give good things to them that ask him, shows that the Holy Spirit is the fulness of God's gifts, since all the advantages which are received from the grace of God's gifts flow from that source.
Or else, The midnight is the end of life, at which many come to God. But the friend is the Angel who receives the soul. Or, the midnight is the depth of temptations, in which he who has fallen, seeks from God three loaves, the relief of the wants of his body, soul, and spirit; through whom we run into no danger in our temptations. But the friend who comes from his journey is God Himself, who proves by temptations who has nothing to set before Him, and who is weakened in temptation. But when He says, And the door is shut, we must understand that we ought to be prepared before temptations. But after that we have fallen into them, the gate of preparation is shut, and being found unprepared, unless God keep us, we are in danger.
(Severus Antioch.) Or by the word knock perhaps he means seeking effectually, for one knocks with the hand, but the hand is the sign of a good work. Or these three may be distinguished in another way. For it is the beginning of virtue to ask to know the way of truth. But the second step is to seek how we must go by that way. The third step is when a man has reached the virtue to knock at the door, that he may enter upon the wide field of knowledge. All these things a man acquires by prayer. Or to ask indeed is to pray, but to seek is by good works to do things becoming our prayers. And to knock is to continue in prayer without ceasing.
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Summary
Luke 11:13 concludes Jesus' teaching on prayer by presenting a profound argument from the lesser to the greater, assuring believers of God's unparalleled generosity. It contrasts the imperfect, fallen nature of human parents, who nonetheless provide good things for their children, with the perfect, benevolent character of the heavenly Father, who is infinitely more willing to bestow the ultimate gift: the Holy Spirit, upon those who sincerely ask Him. This verse serves as a powerful encouragement to pray with unwavering confidence and expectation, rooted in God's loving nature.
Context
Literary Context
This verse serves as the powerful culmination of Jesus' detailed instruction on prayer in Luke 11. It immediately follows the Lord's Prayer, which provides a model for how to pray, and the Parable of the Persistent Friend, which emphasizes the attitude of persistence in prayer. While the parable highlights the necessity of unyielding importunity, Luke 11:13 shifts the focus entirely to the character of God Himself. It assures the disciples that their persistence is not to persuade a reluctant God, but to align with a Father who is eager to give. The preceding verses (Luke 11:9-10) also encourage asking, seeking, and knocking, promising that the door will be opened, and the request granted. Thus, Luke 11:13 acts as the theological bedrock for the preceding exhortations, grounding the call to prayer in the very nature of God as a loving, giving Father.
Historical & Cultural Context
In ancient Jewish society, the family unit and the role of the father were central. Fathers were understood as providers and protectors, responsible for the well-being and instruction of their children. While the concept of a loving, providing father was deeply ingrained, the human capacity for goodness was also understood within the framework of a fallen world. The Law and prophetic tradition often spoke of God as a Father to Israel, but Jesus' teaching here deepens this understanding, personalizing it for His disciples. The idea of "good gifts" would have resonated with common parental practices of providing food, clothing, and security. The emphasis on "asking" (Greek: aitéō) reflects a common practice of petitioning, but here it is directed toward a divine Father, not a human patron or judge. The contrast Jesus draws between "evil" human parents and the "heavenly Father" would have been striking, highlighting God's absolute moral perfection compared to human imperfection.
Key Themes
Luke 11:13 contributes significantly to several key themes within Luke's Gospel:
The Nature of God as a Benevolent Father
Jesus consistently portrays God as a loving, accessible, and generous Father, a theme foundational to His teaching (e.g., Luke 15:11-32). This verse underscores His willingness to give abundantly.
The Priority of the Holy Spirit
Unlike the parallel in Matthew 7:11, Luke specifically names the "Holy Spirit" as the ultimate gift. This highlights Luke's particular emphasis on the Spirit's role in the life of believers and the early church, a theme he develops extensively in Acts. The Spirit is presented not as a mere "good thing," but as the essential enabler of Christian life and mission.
Confidence in Prayer
The verse provides a profound basis for approaching God in prayer with absolute confidence, knowing that He is eager to respond with what is truly good and necessary. It reinforces the teaching in Luke 11:9-10 by revealing the Giver's character.
Human Imperfection vs. Divine Perfection
The contrast between "evil" human parents and the "heavenly Father" starkly illustrates the vast qualitative difference between human goodness (even at its best) and divine goodness, affirming God's absolute moral superiority and perfect love.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word (G4190) describes the inherent moral fallenness and imperfection of humanity. It refers to something that is hurtful, malicious, or culpable, not necessarily implying that human parents are intentionally cruel, but rather acknowledging the pervasive reality of sin and human limitations since the Fall. The contrast with the "heavenly Father" highlights God's pure and perfect goodness, which is entirely devoid of such "evil."
This verb (G1325) is used twice in the verse, underscoring the act of bestowing. It signifies a voluntary and active transfer or provision. In the first instance, it describes human parents' natural inclination to provide; in the second, it emphasizes God's proactive and generous disposition to grant the Holy Spirit. The repetition highlights the core action of benevolent provision.
Derived from the same root as dídōmi, this noun (G1390) specifically means "a present." When applied to human parents, it refers to the beneficial things they provide. When applied to God, it frames the Holy Spirit as a deliberate and precious offering from the Father, emphasizing its value and the Father's intention behind its bestowal.
This phrase combines hágios (G40), meaning "sacred, pure, consecrated," and pneûma (G4151), meaning "breath, spirit," often referring to the divine Spirit. Together, they denote the third person of the Trinity, God's divine presence, power, and wisdom. Luke's specific mention of the Holy Spirit, rather than generic "good things," elevates the nature of God's ultimate provision, indicating that the Spirit is the supreme and most essential gift for believers.
This verb (G154) means "to ask, beg, crave, desire, require." It denotes a direct and often urgent request. The verse specifies that the Holy Spirit is given "to them that ask him," emphasizing the necessity of petition and the cultivation of a dependent, expectant relationship with God through prayer.
Verse Breakdown
"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children:"
This opening clause establishes the premise of Jesus' argument. It acknowledges the inherent imperfection ("being evil") of human parents, a reality of the fallen human condition. Despite this, Jesus states that these imperfect parents possess an innate understanding and natural inclination ("know how to give") to provide beneficial things ("good gifts") for their offspring. This is a statement of common human experience and parental affection, setting up the contrast that follows.
"how much more shall your heavenly Father give"
This phrase introduces the powerful a fortiori argument. The "how much more" highlights the vast qualitative difference between human parents and God. The term "heavenly Father" (Greek: ouranós patḗr) emphasizes God's divine perfection, His dwelling in heaven, and His supreme authority and goodness, contrasting sharply with the "evil" nature of human beings. The implied conclusion is that if fallen humans act benevolently, a perfectly good God will act even more so.
"the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"
This final clause reveals the specific, ultimate gift God is eager to bestow: the Holy Spirit. Unlike Matthew's "good things," Luke specifies the Spirit, underscoring His supreme value as the divine presence, guide, and empowerer for believers. The promise is conditional on "them that ask him," reinforcing the necessity of prayer and active seeking, not because God is reluctant, but because asking is the means by which believers align themselves with God's will and receive His promised provision. The rhetorical question implicitly affirms God's absolute willingness.
Literary Devices
Luke 11:13 is rich in Rhetorical Question and employs a powerful Argument from Lesser to Greater (also known as an a fortiori argument). The entire verse is structured as a rhetorical question, designed not to elicit an answer but to make an undeniable point: if the lesser (imperfect human parents) do good, how much more will the greater (the perfect heavenly Father) do good? This logical progression highlights the certainty of God's benevolent response. Furthermore, the verse employs stark Contrast between the "evil" nature of human parents and the perfect, "heavenly" nature of God the Father. This contrast serves to magnify God's goodness and willingness to give, making His generosity appear boundless in comparison to finite human kindness. The specific naming of the "Holy Spirit" also functions as Symbolism, representing the ultimate and most precious gift God can bestow, encompassing all spiritual blessings and divine presence.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Luke 11:13 stands as a cornerstone for understanding God's character and the efficacy of prayer. It profoundly assures us that God is not a reluctant giver, but a perfectly good Father who delights in bestowing the most essential gifts upon His children. The emphasis on the Holy Spirit as the ultimate gift reveals God's priority: He desires to give us Himself, His empowering presence, more than any material blessing. This understanding transforms prayer from a mere petition for things into a communion with a loving Father who knows our deepest needs and provides accordingly. It grounds our confidence in God's perfect nature, assuring us that His response to our asking will always be for our ultimate good, even if it differs from our immediate requests, because His greatest good is the indwelling Spirit.
Reflection and Application
Luke 11:13 offers immense encouragement and a vital perspective for our prayer lives. It dismantles any notion of a distant or stingy God, replacing it with the image of a perfectly loving Father who is eager to give. This means we can approach God with absolute confidence, not based on our worthiness or the eloquence of our prayers, but on His inherent goodness and parental affection. The specific mention of the Holy Spirit reminds us that while we may ask for many things, God's greatest desire is to give us His very presence—the Spirit who guides, comforts, empowers, and transforms us into the likeness of Christ. Therefore, our prayers should prioritize seeking more of God Himself, His wisdom, His strength, and His leading, trusting that with the Spirit, all other truly "good things" for our spiritual journey will follow. It calls us to cultivate a posture of humble dependence and expectant faith, knowing that the Father's heart is always inclined to bless His children.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does Jesus call human parents "evil" in this verse?
The term "evil" (Greek: ponērós) here does not necessarily mean that human parents are malicious or intentionally harmful to their children. Instead, it serves as a stark contrast to God's perfect goodness. It acknowledges the inherent fallenness and imperfection of humanity since the Fall, recognizing that even at our best, human nature is tainted by sin. Despite this pervasive imperfection, human parents still possess a natural, God-given instinct to care for and provide for their children. Jesus uses this common, relatable experience to highlight the infinitely greater and purer goodness of God, who is entirely without sin or defect. The point is an a fortiori argument: if flawed humans give good gifts, how much more will a perfect God give the ultimate good gift, the Holy Spirit, to His children!
Why does Luke specifically mention the "Holy Spirit" while Matthew's parallel says "good things"?
Both Luke 11:13 and Matthew 7:11 convey the same core truth about God's generosity. However, Luke's specific mention of the "Holy Spirit" reflects his unique theological emphasis. Luke's Gospel and its sequel, the Book of Acts, consistently highlight the pivotal role of the Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus, the early church, and individual believers. For Luke, the Holy Spirit is not just one "good thing" among many, but the preeminent, all-encompassing gift from God—the source of spiritual life, power, guidance, and transformation. Receiving the Spirit is the greatest blessing, enabling believers to live out God's will and participate in His mission. Thus, Luke clarifies that the most profound "good thing" God gives is His very presence and power through the Holy Spirit.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Luke 11:13, though spoken by Jesus, points profoundly to His own role in the giving of the Holy Spirit and the establishment of a new covenant relationship with God as Father. Jesus, the Son, perfectly reveals the Father's heart, demonstrating through His life and teaching that God is indeed a loving, giving Father. The promise of the Holy Spirit, which is the ultimate "good gift," finds its fulfillment through Christ's redemptive work. It was Jesus who promised His disciples that He would ask the Father to send "another Helper" (the Holy Spirit) after His departure (John 14:16). His death, resurrection, and ascension were necessary for the Spirit to be poured out upon all believers (John 7:39; Acts 2:33). Therefore, when we "ask" the Father for the Holy Spirit, we are asking for the very presence of God, made available to us through the finished work of Christ. The Spirit empowers us to live as true children of this heavenly Father, bearing witness to Christ and living in accordance with His teachings, fulfilling the very purpose for which Jesus came to earth (Galatians 4:6; Romans 8:15).