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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Luke 11:1-13

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, Luke 11:1. As God, he was prayed to;... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Luke 11:5-13

11:5-13 Jesus said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him towards midnight and says to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves because a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to set before him'; and suppose his friend answers from within, 'Don't bother me; the door has already been shut and my children are in bed with me; I can't get up and supply you'--I tell you, if he will not rise and supply him because he is his friend, he will rise and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Luke 11:8

I say unto you ,.... This is the accommodation of the parable; to these words are premised, in the Vulgate Latin version, the following, "if he continue knocking": though he will not rise and give him, because he is a friend ; though mere friendship will not influence and engage him to rise from his bed, at such an unseasonable time, and fulfil the request of his friend; yet because of his importunity, he will rise and give him as many as he needeth : as he asks for, or more, if... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 11:1-13

The Lord ' s teaching on the subject of prayer. Again the scene is far away from Jerusalem; no special note of time or place enables us to fix the scene or date with any exactness. Somewhere in the course of the last journeyings towards Jerusalem, related especially in this Gospel, did this scene and its teaching take place. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 11:1-13

Christ teaching his disciples to pray. "He was praying in a certain place." Might not he have dispensed with the special season and act of prayer? Was not his whole life one continuous act of prayer? Did he not always realize that communion with the Father to which praying is the means? Yes; but even he needed the time and the place of prayer. "Made in all things like to his brethren," he, too, required to recruit the energy; he, too, for power with God and men, must lift up his eyes to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 11:1-13

Lessons on prayer. Luke takes us from "the one thing needful," which Mary's loving waiting on her Lord illustrates, to a kindred subject, viz. the lessons on prayer which Jesus gave his disciples. He had been enjoying what we should now call a " retreat " with them, and had himself led the devotions of the little band. Struck by the beauty of his petitions, one of his disciples asked him to teach them to pray, as John had taught his disciples. To this appeal Jesus responds at once, and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 11:5-10

Continuance in prayer. These words of our Lord are not intended to present God to us as one that is reluctant to respond to our prayer, and that, consequently, has to be besought and entreated with growing energy and ardor, as Baal's prophets imagined to be the case with the deity they worshipped ( 1 Kings 18:1-46 .). Rather should we think of him as of a Divine Father who, for our sake , delays his answer to our prayer, in order that we may be disciplined in devotion, and in order... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 11:5-13

Prayer continued. The wisdom of perseverance in prayer is pressed. The Lord introduces his argument by the short parable of the selfish neighbor. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 11:8

Because of his importunity, he will rise . The one idea left upon the minds of the hearers of this little quaint homely parable is— importunity is completely successful. The borrower had only need to keep on knocking to get all he wanted. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Luke 11:8

I tell you - The Latin Vulgate here adds, “if he shall continue knocking.” Though this is not in the Greek, yet it is indispensable that it should be understood in order to the sense. Knocking “once” would not denote “importunity,” but it was because he “continued” knocking.His importunity - His troublesome perseverance; his continuing to disturb the man, and refusing to take any denial. The word “importunity” denotes perseverance in an object, without any regard to time, place, or... read more

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