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LUKE 11:8 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
Luke 11:7Luke 11:9
I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
The Father-son analogy grounds the ask-seek-knock promise in the nature of God: if a human father who is evil will not give his child a snake when he asks for a fish, or a scorpion when he asks for an egg, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. Luke's version replaces Matthew's good things with the Holy Spirit — the gift of the new age given to persistent seekers.

Church Fathers on Luke 11:8

The Savior had before taught, in answer to the request of His apostles, how men ought to pray. But it might happen that those who had received this wholesome teaching, poured forth their prayers indeed according to the form given to them, but carelessly and languidly, and then when they were not heard in the first or second prayer, left off praying. That this then might not be our case, he shows by means of a parable, that cowardice in our prayers is hurtful, but it is of…

Cyril of Alexandria · 5th century

God is that friend, who loves all men, and wills that all should be saved.

Theophylact · 11th century

Who is a greater friend to us, than He who delivered up His body for us? Now we have here another kind of command given us, that at all times, not only in the day, but at night, prayers should be offered up. For it follows, And shall go into him at midnight. As David did when he said, At midnight I will rise and give thanks to you. For he had no fear of awakening them from sleep, whom he knew to be ever watching. For if David who was occupied also in the necessary affairs of…

Ambrose · 4th century
Read all 13 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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