Luke 11:5–13

Context

After seeing Jesus praying, one of his disciples asks him to teach them to pray, just as John the Baptist taught his disciples (Luke 11:1). Jesus teaches the Lord's Prayer and then continues with this passage. The teaching thus moves from the content of prayer to the attitude of the one who prays and to the God who hears prayer.

The passage consists of three parts:

• Verses 5–8: The parable of a man who goes to a friend at midnight to borrow bread. It appears only in the Gospel of Luke.
• Verses 9–10: The exhortation to ask, seek, and knock.
• Verses 11–13: The analogy of a father and his children.

Verses 9–13 closely parallel Matthew 7:7–11. Matthew, however, says that God gives "good things," whereas Luke says that he gives "the Holy Spirit."

Interpretation

• As persistent prayer: Many churches understand the "importunity" of verse 8 as prayer that perseveres without losing heart, even when the answer is slow in coming. The passage is often read together with the parable of the widow and the judge in Luke 18, which addresses the same theme.
• As contrast: Even the reluctant neighbor eventually gets up and gives, and even a father who is evil gives good things to his children; how much more, then, will God do so. This reading places its weight on the "how much more" argument. On this reading, the passage does not mean that God gives grudgingly but that he gives far more willingly than human beings do.
• As "shamelessness": The Greek word anaideia, rendered "importunity," originally means "shamelessness" or "lack of shame." Some scholars therefore take it as the boldness of the one asking, while others see it as the sleeping friend getting up to avoid losing face in a culture that placed great importance on hospitality. On the latter interpretation, the emphasis shifts from the persistence of the one asking to the character of the one giving.
• As the gift of the Holy Spirit: Verse 13 points to the Holy Spirit, whom Luke and Acts both emphasize. In Pentecostal and charismatic circles, this verse is often cited as a basis for earnestly seeking baptism in the Holy Spirit. In the Reformed tradition, including Presbyterianism, it is often held that the Holy Spirit has already been given to all believers. On this view, the verse is read as a call to pray for the fullness and ongoing work of the Holy Spirit.

Debates and Issues

• Manuscript differences: Some manuscripts include an additional clause in verse 11: "If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone?" Some scholars regard this as the result of influence from Matthew. The Korean Revised Version (Gaeyeok Hangeul) omits this clause. Some manuscripts are also reported to have a different reading in place of "the Holy Spirit" in verse 13, such as "good things."
• Quotation out of context: The words "Ask, and it shall be given you" are sometimes detached from their context and used as a promise that one will receive whatever one asks for. Critics of prosperity theology point to this usage as problematic. They note that this passage immediately follows the Lord's Prayer and that the promised gift culminates in the Holy Spirit.

In Korean Churches

In Korean Protestant preaching, the passage is frequently cited as the basis for the expression "importunate prayer." It is also a favorite text in Korean churches for encouraging early-morning prayer, all-night prayer, and committed prayer (jakjeong gido).

Related Passages

• Matthew 7:7–11
• Luke 18:1
• James 4:2–3
• 1 John 5:14–15