9 And G2504 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 Ask, G154 and G2532 it shall be given G1325 you; G5213 seek, G2212 and G2532 ye shall find; G2147 knock, G2925 and G2532 it shall be opened G455 unto you. G5213
And G2532 in G1722 that G1565 day G2250 ye shall G3756 ask G2065 me G1691 nothing. G3762 Verily, G281 verily, G281 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 G3754 Whatsoever G3745 G302 ye shall ask G154 the Father G3962 in G1722 my G3450 name, G3686 he will give G1325 it you. G5213 Hitherto G2193 G737 have ye asked G154 nothing G3756 G3762 in G1722 my G3450 name: G3686 ask, G154 and G2532 ye shall receive, G2983 that G2443 your G5216 joy G5479 may be G5600 full. G4137
And G2532 this G3778 is G2076 the confidence G3954 that G3739 we have G2192 in G4314 him, G846 that, G3754 if G1437 we ask G154 any thing G5100 according G2596 to his G846 will, G2307 he heareth G191 us: G2257 And G2532 if G1437 we know G1492 that G3754 he hear G191 us, G2257 whatsoever G3739 G302 we ask, G154 we know G1492 that G3754 we have G2192 the petitions G155 that G3739 we desired G154 of G3844 him. G846
For G5228 this thing G5127 I besought G3870 the Lord G2962 thrice, G5151 that G2443 it might depart G868 from G575 me. G1700 And G2532 he said G2046 unto me, G3427 My G3450 grace G5485 is sufficient G714 for thee: G4671 for G1063 my G3450 strength G1411 is made perfect G5048 in G1722 weakness. G769 Most gladly G2236 therefore G3767 will I G2744 rather G3123 glory G2744 in G1722 my G3450 infirmities, G769 that G2443 the power G1411 of Christ G5547 may rest G1981 upon G1909 me. G1691
Ask, G154 and G2532 it shall be given G1325 you; G5213 seek, G2212 and G2532 ye shall find; G2147 knock, G2925 and G2532 it shall be opened G455 unto you: G5213 For G1063 every one G3956 that asketh G154 receiveth; G2983 and G2532 he that seeketh G2212 findeth; G2147 and G2532 to him that knocketh G2925 it shall be opened. G455 Or G2228 what G5101 man G444 is G2076 there of G1537 you, G5216 whom G3739 if G1437 his G846 son G5207 ask G154 bread, G740 will he give G3361 G1929 him G846 a stone? G3037 Or G2532 if G1437 he ask G154 a fish, G2486 will he give G3361 G1929 him G846 a serpent? G3789 If G1487 ye G5210 then, G3767 being G5607 evil, G4190 know G1492 how to give G1325 good G18 gifts G1390 unto your G5216 children, G5043 how much G4214 more G3123 shall your G5216 Father G3962 which G3588 is in G1722 heaven G3772 give G1325 good things G18 to them that ask G154 him? G846
Strive G75 to enter in G1525 at G1223 the strait G4728 gate: G4439 for G3754 many, G4183 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 will seek G2212 to enter in, G1525 and G2532 shall G2480 not G3756 be able. G2480 When once G575 G3739 G302 the master of the house G3617 is risen up, G1453 and G2532 hath shut G608 to the door, G2374 and G2532 ye begin G756 to stand G2476 without, G1854 and G2532 to knock G2925 at the door, G2374 saying, G3004 Lord, G2962 Lord, G2962 open G455 unto us; G2254 and G2532 he shall answer G611 and say G2046 unto you, G5213 I know G1492 you G5209 not G3756 whence G4159 ye are: G2075
Seek H1875 ye the LORD H3068 while he may be found, H4672 call H7121 ye upon him while he is near: H7138 Let the wicked H7563 forsake H5800 his way, H1870 and the unrighteous H205 man H376 his thoughts: H4284 and let him return H7725 unto the LORD, H3068 and he will have mercy H7355 upon him; and to our God, H430 for he will abundantly H7235 pardon. H5545
Glory H1984 ye in his holy H6944 name: H8034 let the heart H3820 of them rejoice H8055 that seek H1245 the LORD. H3068 Seek H1875 the LORD, H3068 and his strength: H5797 seek H1245 his face H6440 evermore. H8548
And G1161 when he looked G816 on him, G846 he was G1096 afraid, G1719 and G2532 said, G2036 What G5101 is it, G2076 Lord? G2962 And G1161 he said G2036 unto him, G846 Thy G4675 prayers G4335 and G2532 thine G4675 alms G1654 are come up G305 for G1519 a memorial G3422 before G1799 God. G2316 And G2532 now G3568 send G3992 men G435 to G1519 Joppa, G2445 and G2532 call for G3343 one Simon, G4613 whose G3739 surname is G1941 Peter: G4074 He G3778 lodgeth G3579 with G3844 one G5100 Simon G4613 a tanner, G1038 whose G3739 house G3614 is G2076 by G3844 the sea side: G2281 he G3778 shall tell G2980 thee G4671 what G5101 thou G4571 oughtest G1163 to do. G4160
Philip G5376 findeth G2147 Nathanael, G3482 and G2532 saith G3004 unto him, G846 We have found G2147 him, of whom G3739 Moses G3475 in G1722 the law, G3551 and G2532 the prophets, G4396 did write, G1125 Jesus G2424 of G575 Nazareth, G3478 the son G5207 of Joseph. G2501 And G2532 Nathanael G3482 said G2036 unto him, G846 Can G1410 there any G5100 good thing G18 come G1511 out of G1537 Nazareth? G3478 Philip G5376 saith G3004 unto him, G846 Come G2064 and G2532 see. G1492 Jesus G2424 saw G1492 Nathanael G3482 coming G2064 to G4314 him, G846 and G2532 saith G3004 of G4012 him, G846 Behold G2396 an Israelite G2475 indeed, G230 in G1722 whom G3739 is G2076 no G3756 guile! G1388 Nathanael G3482 saith G3004 unto him, G846 Whence G4159 knowest thou G1097 me? G3165 Jesus G2424 answered G611 and G2532 said G2036 unto him, G846 Before G4253 that Philip G5376 called G5455 thee, G4571 when thou wast G5607 under G5259 the fig tree, G4808 I saw G1492 thee. G4571 Nathanael G3482 answered G611 and G2532 saith G3004 unto him, G846 Rabbi, G4461 thou G4771 art G1488 the Son G5207 of God; G2316 thou G4771 art G1488 the King G935 of Israel. G2474
For thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 unto the house H1004 of Israel, H3478 Seek H1875 ye me, and ye shall live: H2421 But seek H1875 not Bethel, H1008 nor enter H935 into Gilgal, H1537 and pass H5674 not to Beersheba: H884 for Gilgal H1537 shall surely H1540 go into captivity, H1540 and Bethel H1008 shall come to nought. H205 Seek H1875 the LORD, H3068 and ye shall live; H2421 lest he break out H6743 like fire H784 in the house H1004 of Joseph, H3130 and devour H398 it, and there be none to quench H3518 it in Bethel. H1008
By night H3915 on my bed H4904 I sought H1245 him whom my soul H5315 loveth: H157 I sought H1245 him, but I found H4672 him not. I will rise H6965 now, and go about H5437 the city H5892 in the streets, H7784 and in the broad ways H7339 I will seek H1245 him whom my soul H5315 loveth: H157 I sought H1245 him, but I found H4672 him not. The watchmen H8104 that go about H5437 the city H5892 found H4672 me: to whom I said, Saw H7200 ye him whom my soul H5315 loveth? H157 It was but a little H4592 that I passed H5674 from them, but I found H4672 him whom my soul H5315 loveth: H157 I held H270 him, and would not let him go, H7503 until I had brought H935 him into my mother's H517 house, H1004 and into the chamber H2315 of her that conceived H2029 me.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Luke 11
Commentary on Luke 11 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 11
Lu 11:1-13. The Disciples Taught to Pray.
1. one, &c.—struck with either the matter or the manner of our Lord's prayers.
as John, &c.—From this reference to John, it is possible that disciple had not heard the Sermon on the Mount. Nothing of John's inner teaching (to his own disciples) has been preserved to us, but we may be sure he never taught his disciples to say, "Our Father."
2-4. (See on Mt 6:9-13).
3. day by day, &c.—an extension of the petition in Matthew for "this day's" supply, to every successive day's necessities. The closing doxology, wanting here, is wanting also in all the best and most ancient copies of Matthew's Gospel. Perhaps our Lord purposely left that part open: and as the grand Jewish doxologies were ever resounding, and passed immediately and naturally, in all their hallowed familiarity into the Christian Church, probably this prayer was never used in the Christian assemblies but in its present form, as we find it in Matthew, while in Luke it has been allowed to stand as originally uttered.
5-8. at midnight … for a friend is come—The heat in warm countries makes evening preferable to-day for travelling; but "midnight" is everywhere a most unseasonable hour of call, and for that very reason it is here selected.
7. Trouble me not—the trouble making him insensible both to the urgency of the case and the claims of friendship.
I cannot—without exertion which he would not make.
8. importunity—The word is a strong one—"shamelessness"; persisting in the face of all that seemed reasonable, and refusing to take a denial.
as many, &c.—His reluctance once overcome, all the claims of friendship and necessity are felt to the full. The sense is obvious: If the churlish and self-indulgent—deaf both to friendship and necessity—can after a positive refusal, be won over, by sheer persistency, to do all that is needed, how much more may the same determined perseverance in prayer be expected to prevail with Him whose very nature is "rich unto all that call upon Him" (Ro 10:12).
9-13. (See on Mt 7:7-11.)
13. the Holy Spirit—in Matthew (Mt 7:11), "good gifts"; the former, the Gift of gifts descending on the Church through Christ, and comprehending the latter.
Lu 11:14-36. Blind and Dumb Demoniac Healed—Charge of Being in League with Hell, and Reply—Demand of a Sign, and Reply.
(See on Mt 12:22-45.)
14. dumb—blind also (Mt 12:22).
20. the finger of God—"the Spirit of God" (Mt 12:28); the former figuratively denoting the power of God, the latter the living Personal Agent in every exercise of it.
21, 22. strong man—meaning Satan.
armed—pointing to all the subtle and varied methods by which he wields his dark power over men.
keepeth—"guardeth."
his palace—man whether viewed more largely or in individual souls—how significant of what men are to Satan!
in peace—undisturbed, secure in his possession.
22. a stronger than he—Christ: Glorious title, in relation to Satan!
come upon him and overcome him—sublimely expressing the Redeemer's approach, as the Seed of the woman, to bruise the Serpent's head.
taketh from him all his armour—"his panoply," "his complete armor." Vain would be the victory, were not the means of regaining his lost power wrested from him. It is this that completes the triumph and ensures the final overthrow of his kingdom. The parable that immediately follows (Lu 11:24-26) is just the reverse of this. (See on Mt 12:43-45.) In the one case, Satan is dislodged by Christ, and so finds, in all future assaults, the house preoccupied; in the other, he merely goes out and comes in again, finding the house "EMPTY" (Mt 12:44) of any rival, and all ready to welcome him back. This explains the important saying that comes in between the two parables (Lu 11:23). Neutrality in religion there is none. The absence of positive attachment to Christ involves hostility to Him.
23. gathereth … scattereth—referring probably to gleaners. The meaning seems to be, Whatever in religion is disconnected from Christ comes to nothing.
27, 28. as he spake these things, a … woman of the company—of the multitude, the crowd. A charming little incident and profoundly instructive. With true womanly feeling, she envies the mother of such a wonderful Teacher. Well, and higher and better than she had said as much before her (Lu 1:28, 42); and our Lord is far from condemning it. He only holds up—as "blessed rather"—the hearers and keepers of God's word; in other words, the humblest real saint of God. (See on Mt 12:49, 50.) How utterly alien is this sentiment from the teaching of the Church of Rome, which would excommunicate any one of its members who dared to talk in the spirit of this glorious saying! (Also see on Mt 12:43.)
29-32. (See on Mt 12:39-42.)
33-36. (See on Mt 5:14-16; Mt 6:22, 23.) But Lu 11:36 here is peculiarly vivid, expressing what pure, beautiful, broad perceptions the clarity of the inward eye imparts.
Lu 11:37-54. Denunciation of the Pharisees.
38. marvelled, &c.—(See Mr 7:2-4).
39-41. cup and platter—remarkable example of our Lord's way of drawing the most striking illustrations of great truths from the most familiar objects and incidents of life.
ravening—rapacity.
40. that which is without, &c.—that is, He to whom belongs the outer life, and right to demand its subjection to Himself—is the inner man less His?
41. give alms … and … all … clean—a principle of immense value. As the greed of these hypocrites was one of the most prominent features of their character (Lu 16:14; Mt 23:14), our Lord bids them exemplify the opposite character, and then their outside, ruled by this, would be beautiful in the eye of God, and their meals would be eaten with clean hands, though never so fouled with the business of this worky world. (See Ec 9:7).
42. mint … rue, &c.—rounding on Le 27:30, which they interpreted rigidly. Our Lord purposely names the most trifling products of the earth, as examples of what they punctiliously exacted the tenth of.
judgment and the love of God—in Mt 23:25, "judgment, mercy, and faith." The reference is to Mic 6:6-8, whose third element of all acceptable religion, "walking humbly with God," comprehends both "love" and "faith." (See on Mr 12:29; Mr 12:32, 33). The same tendency to merge greater duties in less besets us still, but it is the characteristic of hypocrites.
these ought ye, &c.—There is no need for one set of duties to jostle out another; but of the greater, our Lord says, "Ye ought to have done" them; of the lesser, only "ye ought not to leave them undone."
43. uppermost seats—(See on Lu 14:7-11).
greetings—(See on Mt 23:7-10).
44. appear not, &c.—As one might unconsciously walk over a grave concealed from view, and thus contract ceremonial defilement, so the plausible exterior of the Pharisees kept people from perceiving the pollution they contracted from coming in contact with such corrupt characters. (See Ps 5:9; Ro 3:13; a different illustration from Mt 23:27).
46. burdens grievous, &c.—referring not so much to the irksomeness of the legal rites (though they were irksome, Ac 15:10), as to the heartless rigor with which they were enforced, and by men of shameless inconsistency.
47, 48. ye build, &c.—Out of pretended respect and honor, they repaired and beautified the sepulchres of the prophets, and with whining hypocrisy said, "If we had been in the days of our fathers, we should not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets," while all the time they "were witnesses to themselves that they were the children of them that killed the prophets" (Mt 23:29, 30); convicting themselves daily of as exact a resemblance in spirit and character to the very classes over whose deeds they pretended to mourn, as child to parent.
49-51. said the wisdom, &c.—a remarkable variation of the words in Mt 23:34, "Behold I SEND." As there seems plainly an allusion to ancient warnings of what God would do with so incorrigible a people, so here Christ, stepping majestically into the place of God, so to speak, says, "Now I am going to carry all that out." Could this be other than the Lord of Israel in the flesh?
50. all … required of this generation—As it was only in the last generation of them that "the iniquity of the Amorites was full" (Ge 15:16), and then the abominations of ages were at once completely and awfully avenged, so the iniquity of Israel was allowed to accumulate from age to age till in that generation it came to the full, and the whole collected vengeance of Heaven broke at once over its devoted head. In the first French Revolution the same awful principle was exemplified, and Christendom has not done with it yet.
prophets—in the New Testament sense (Mt 23:34; see 1Co 12:28).
51. blood of Zacharias—Probably the allusion is not to any recent murder, but to 2Ch 24:20-22, as the last recorded and most suitable case for illustration. And as Zacharias' last words were, "The Lord require it," so they are warned that "of that generation it should be required."
52. key of knowledge—not the key to open knowledge, but knowledge, the only key to open heaven. In Mt 23:13, they are accused of shutting heaven; here of taking away the key, which was worse. A right knowledge of God's Word is eternal life (Joh 17:3); but this they took away from the people, substituting for it their wretched traditions.
53, 54. Exceedingly vivid and affecting. They were stung to the quick—and can we wonder?—yet had not materials for the charge they were preparing against Him.
provoke him, &c.—"to harass Him with questions."