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LUKE 11:9 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
Luke 11:8Luke 11:10
“And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”
The Beelzebul accusation divides the crowd into those who attribute Jesus' exorcisms to Beelzebul the prince of demons and those who demand a sign from heaven. Jesus responds to both: the divided-kingdom logic refutes the Beelzebul charge (a self-fighting army cannot stand), and the strong-man parable explains what is actually happening in the exorcisms.

Church Fathers on Luke 11:9

Having laid aside the metaphor, our Lord added an exhortation, and expressly urged us to ask, seek, and knock, until we receive what we are seeking. Hence he says, And I say to you, Ask, and: it shall be given you.

Augustine · 4th century

The words, I say to you, have the force of an oath. For God does not lie, but whenever He makes known any thing to His hearers with an oath, he manifests the inexcusable littleness of our faith.

Cyril of Alexandria · 5th century

Now by asking, He means prayer, but by seeking, zeal and anxiety, as He adds, Seek, and you 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 to you; for if you continue…

Chrysostom · 4th century
Read all 17 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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Luke 11:9 — Community Reflections | HolyStudy