Luke 11:1 - Meaning and Application

Prayer is one of the great laws of natural religion. A person who never prays is like a beast, a real disgrace, because he never gives glory to his Maker, never feels God’s favor, and never admits his dependence on him. So one great purpose of Christianity is to help us pray, press the duty on us, teach us how to do it, and encourage us to expect blessing through it.

Here we first find Christ himself praying in a certain place, likely the place where he often prayed (Luke 11:1). As God, people prayed to him. As man, he prayed, and though he was the Son, he still learned obedience in this way. Luke especially notices how often Christ prayed more than the other Gospel writers. When he was baptized, he was praying (Luke 3:21). He withdrew into the wilderness and prayed (Luke 5:16). He went up on a mountain to pray and spent the whole night in prayer (Luke 6:12). He was alone praying (Luke 9:18). Soon after, he went up on a mountain to pray, and while he prayed, he was changed in appearance, or transfigured (Luke 9:28, 29). And here again, he was praying in a certain place. Like a true son of David, he gave himself to prayer (Psalm 109:4).

It is not certain whether Christ was praying alone and the disciples only knew it, or whether they were praying with him. It is most likely that they joined him. Then his disciples asked him for guidance in prayer. When he was praying, they said, “Lord, teach us to pray.” The gifts and graces of others should stir us up to want the same. Their zeal should lead us to holy imitation and healthy rivalry. Why should we not do as well as they?

They came to him with this request when he had finished, because they would not disturb him while he was praying, even for a good purpose. Everything is beautiful in its proper time. One of the disciples spoke for the rest, perhaps with their agreement: “Lord, teach us.” Though Christ is ready to teach, he still wants people to ask him, and his disciples must come to him for instruction.

Their request was, “Lord, teach us to pray. Give us a rule or model to follow, and put words in our mouths.” It is fitting for Christ’s disciples to ask him to teach them prayer. “Lord, teach us to pray” is itself a good and necessary prayer, because it is hard to pray well, and only Jesus Christ can teach us, through his Word and Spirit, how to pray. We may pray, “Lord, teach me what prayer is. Stir me up to this duty. Show me what to ask for. Give me the graces needed for prayer, so I may serve God rightly in it. Teach me to pray in fitting words. Give me words and wisdom, so I may speak as I should. Teach me what I should say.”

Their reason was, “John also taught his disciples.” John the Baptist had taken care to instruct his followers in this necessary duty, and they wanted the same help. Some have understood this to mean that John taught prayers that were more filled with requests than the usual Jewish prayers, which were often mainly praises and blessings of God. In that sense, Christ here taught them a prayer made up entirely of petitions, even leaving out the doxology that had been added to it. The “Amen,” which was usually said in thanksgiving (1 Corinthians 14:16) and in the Psalms, is added only to doxologies. But Christ did not need John’s example to move him. He was more ready to teach than John the Baptist ever was, and he taught prayer better than John could have taught it.

Christ then gave them direction, much the same as he had already given in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:9 and following). We should not think they had forgotten it, but they still needed fuller instruction. At that time he did not think it right to give them more. When the Spirit was poured out on them from heaven, they would find all their requests gathered into these few words, and they would also be able to expand them in their own language.

In Matthew, he said, “Pray in this way.” Here he says, “When you pray, say,” which shows that the Lord’s Prayer was meant both as a form to use and as a guide to follow.

There are some differences between the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew and Luke, which show that Christ did not mean us to be tied to these exact words, since there would have been no variation if that had been his purpose. One difference is only in translation, and should not have been made, because there is no difference in the original text. That is in the third petition: “As in heaven, so on earth.” But the words are the same, and in the same order, as in Matthew.

There is also a difference in the fourth petition. In Matthew we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Here it is, “Give us day by day,” meaning, give us each day the food our bodies need as they need it. It does not mean, “Give us bread for many days ahead.” Rather, like the manna given to Israel, let us have bread for today, and tomorrow’s bread tomorrow. In this way we stay in constant dependence on God, like children depend on their parents. We also receive fresh mercies from his hand every day, and we are reminded to do each day’s work on that day, since God supplies each day’s needs for that day.

There is also a difference in the fifth petition. In Matthew it is, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive.” Here it is, “Forgive us our sins,” which shows that our sins are our debts. We add, “for we forgive,” not because our forgiving others earns God’s pardon or moves him to forgive us. He forgives for his own name’s sake and for his Son’s sake. But forgiving others is a necessary sign of a heart that is fit to receive forgiveness. If God has worked that spirit in us, we may plead that grace when asking pardon for our own sins: “Lord, forgive us, because you have yourself inclined us to forgive others.”

Luke also adds a fuller thought here. We do not merely say in general, “We forgive our debtors,” but confess in particular, “We forgive everyone who owes us anything, without exception.” We forgive in such a way that we do not keep malice or ill will toward anyone, but hold true love toward all.

The doxology at the end is left out here, as is the Amen, because Christ meant to leave them free to use that doxology or any other from David’s Psalms. Or, more likely, he left room there to be filled with a doxology more suited to Christian worship, giving glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Yet the teaching is the same in substance, so we can gather a few general lessons from it.

First, in prayer we should come to God as children come to a father. He is the common Father of us all, and in a special way the Father of all disciples of Jesus Christ. So when we ask for things for ourselves or for others, we should come with humble confidence, trusting his power and goodness.

Second, when we pray for ourselves, we should also include all people, as God’s creatures and our fellow creatures. A deep spirit of Christian love and true human kindness should shape this prayer. The prayer is worded so that it fits that noble principle.

Third, to strengthen a habit of thinking about heavenly things, we should look up to heaven in every prayer. We pray to our Father in heaven, and that helps make the unseen world more real to us. It also prepares us for the life to come.

Fourth, in prayer, as in our whole life, we must seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, that is, his rule and his holy way of life. We do this by honoring his name and his government, both in his providence, his rule over the world, and in his grace, his saving work in the church. We should long for both to be seen more clearly, and for ourselves and others to come more fully under them.

Fifth, the ways of the upper world, the unseen world known by faith, are the true pattern for this lower world. The words, “as in heaven, so on earth,” apply to the first three petitions. In other words: “Father, let your name be honored and praised, let your kingdom spread, and let your will be done on earth, which has turned away from your service, as it is in heaven, which is fully devoted to you.”

Sixth, those who truly care about God’s kingdom and righteousness may humbly hope that other needs will also be supplied, so far as infinite wisdom sees fit. They may also pray for these things in faith. If our first concern is that God’s name be honored, his kingdom come, and his will be done, then we may boldly come to the throne of grace for daily bread. That bread is sanctified to us when we are sanctified to God, and God is honored by us.

Seventh, when we pray for earthly needs, we should keep our desires modest and ask only for enough. The phrase “day by day” is the same as “daily bread.” For that reason, some think the word translated “daily” may mean necessary bread, the bread suited to our bodily needs, the fruit of the earth for our earthly bodies (Psalm 104:14).

Eighth, sins are debts we keep on making every day, so we should ask every day for forgiveness. Each day we fail in duty and in doing duty, and each day we also break God’s law by what we do wrong. Every day adds to our guilt. It is an act of mercy that God invites us daily to the throne of grace, to ask pardon for our daily sins and weaknesses. He multiplies forgiveness beyond seventy times seven.

Ninth, we have no reason to expect God to forgive our sins against him if we do not truly forgive those who have offended or harmed us. If our lips pray these words to God, while our hearts are full of malice and revenge toward others, then we are not accepted. We cannot expect a peaceful answer.

Tenth, we should dread temptation as much as we dread ruin by sin. We should care as much about having sin’s power broken in us as about having sin’s guilt removed. Temptation may seem pleasant, flattering, and attractive, but we must ask God just as earnestly not to be led into it as not to be led by it into sin and then into ruin.

Eleventh, we must trust God and seek him for deliverance from all evil. We should pray not only that we may not be left to ourselves to fall into evil, but also that we may not be left to Satan, the devil, to bring evil upon us. Dr. Lightfoot understands this as a prayer to be delivered from the evil one, meaning the devil, and he suggests praying especially against the devil’s appearances and possessions. Since the disciples were sent to cast out demons, they had reason to pray that they would be protected from his special hatred toward them.

Fourth, Jesus encourages earnestness, fervor, and persistence in prayer by showing, first, that persistence can achieve much even with people. Suppose a man goes to a neighbor late at night, in an emergency, to borrow a loaf or two of bread, not for himself but for a friend who arrived unexpectedly. His neighbor will be reluctant to help, since the knocking has woken him and put him in a bad mood, and he has several excuses. The door is shut and locked, the children are asleep in the same room, and any noise will wake them. His servants are asleep too, and he cannot wake them. He himself would catch cold if he got up.

But the man keeps knocking, and his neighbor finally gives him what he needs just to get rid of him. So Jesus says that he will rise and give him as much as he needs because of his persistence. He says this parable for the same purpose as in (Luke 18:1), that people ought always to pray and not give up. This does not mean that God can be worn down by persistence. We cannot bother him or change his plans by nagging him. We move people through persistence because they are annoyed by it, but we prevail with God because he is pleased by it.

This comparison is useful in two ways. First, it teaches us how to pray. We should come to God with boldness and trust for what we need, as a person goes to a neighbor or friend who loves him and wants to help. Second, we should ask for bread, meaning what is necessary and what we cannot do without.

We should come to God in prayer for others as well as for ourselves. This man did not come asking for bread for himself, but for his friend. The Lord accepted Job when he prayed for his friends (Job 42:10). We can come to God on no more pleasing errand than when we ask for grace that helps us do good, speak helpful words, and welcome and build up those who come to us.

We may come with greater confidence in trouble if that trouble is not the result of our own foolishness or carelessness, but has come to us through God’s providence, his wise care over our lives. This man would not have needed bread if his friend had not arrived unexpectedly. We may cheerfully hand back to God the care that his providence has placed on us.

We should keep praying steadily and watch over our prayers with patience and perseverance. If persistence could move a man who was annoyed by it, how much more will it move a God who is far more kind and ready to do good to us than we are to one another. He is not angered by our persistence, but welcomes it, especially when we are earnest for spiritual blessings. If he does not answer at once, he will answer in due time if we keep praying.

God has also promised to give us what we ask of him. We have not only the witness of our own hearts, but also his word, which he has spoken: “Ask, and it will be given to you.” Sometimes he gives the very thing we ask for, and sometimes he gives what is equal or better, like grace that is enough instead of the removal of the thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). We heard this before in Matthew 7:7-8. “I say to you” comes from Christ’s own mouth. He knows his Father’s will, and all God’s promises are made sure in him.

We must not only ask, but also seek. That means we must use the means God gives us and join our efforts to our prayers. In asking and seeking, we must keep pressing on, knocking again and again at the same door, until we prevail. This is true not only when many pray together, but also in each person’s own prayers. “Everyone who asks receives,” even the humblest believer who asks in faith. “This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him” (Psalm 34:6). When we ask for the things Christ has told us to seek, that God’s name would be honored, his kingdom would come, and his will would be done, we must be urgent. We should not keep silent day or night. We must not give God any rest until he establishes his people and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth (Isaiah 62:6-7).

Christ also teaches and encourages us in prayer by reminding us that God is our Father. He points to the feelings of earthly fathers: if any of you are a father and know a father’s heart, would you give your son a stone if he asked for bread? If he asked for fish, would you give him a serpent that would poison or sting him? Or if he asked for an egg, would you offer him a scorpion? You know you could not be so unnatural to your own children (Luke 11:11-12).

Then Christ applies this to the gifts of our heavenly Father: if you, though evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, much more will God give you the Holy Spirit. Matthew says, “good things.” We should notice the direction Christ gives us for prayer. We must ask for the Holy Spirit, not only because he is needed for right praying, but because he includes all the good things we need. We need no more to make us truly happy, because the Spirit gives spiritual life and is the guarantee, or earnest, of eternal life. The gift of the Holy Spirit is one we should all pray for earnestly and constantly.

We should also notice the strong ground for hope in this prayer: “Your heavenly Father will give.” He has the power to give the Spirit, and all good things are included in that gift. More than that, he has promised it. The gift of the Holy Spirit belongs to the covenant, the saving agreement God makes with his people (Acts 2:33, 2:38). Christ’s argument is drawn from the willingness of parents to meet their children’s real needs and proper desires. If a child asks for a serpent or a scorpion, a loving father will refuse him for his own good. But if he asks for what is needful and nourishing, he will not refuse him.

When God’s children ask for the Spirit, they are, in effect, asking for bread, because the Spirit is the support of life. More than that, he is the giver of the soul’s life. If our earthly parents, though sinful, can still be so kind, and though limited still be so wise that they give what is best in the best way and at the best time, how much more will our heavenly Father, who is far above the fathers of our flesh in wisdom and goodness, give us his Holy Spirit. If earthly parents are willing to provide for the education of children whom they plan to leave their inheritance to, how much more will our heavenly Father give the spirit that marks us as sons to all whom he has chosen for the inheritance of sons.