Commentary on the Four Gospel Books
The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ
G095 The Lord Jesus Teaches About Prayer
Luke 11:1-13

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All New Testament verses quoted in this article are from the English Majority Text Version, and Old Testament verses are from the King James Version, unless otherwise noted.

Luke 11:1-13

1 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.”

2 So He said to them, “Whenever you pray, say: Our Father in the heavens, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

3 Give us day by day our daily bread.

4 And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

5 And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves;

6 for a friend has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’;

7 and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door has already been shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give to you’?

8 I say to you, even if he will not get up and give to him, because he is his friend, yet on account of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

9 “So I say to you, ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.

10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

11 And which father among you, if his son asks for bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?

12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he give him a scorpion?

13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, by how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

In this lesson, we will learn together about the Lord Jesus’ teaching to His disciples on prayer. This teaching of the Lord Jesus differs from His teaching to the disciples in His Sermon on the Mount. The Lord Jesus’ teaching to the disciples in the Sermon on the Mount took place at the beginning of His ministry, whereas this teaching occurred at the end of His ministry.

The verses the Lord Jesus spoke in the Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew 6:9-13, are repeated in Luke 11:2-4. The verses He spoke in Matthew 7:7-11 are repeated in Luke 11:9-13.

Luke 11:1

1 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.”

The Lord Jesus had the habit of seeking out a solitary place to pray, whether after a tiring day of travel, after a day of teaching and healing the people, or in the early morning. Perhaps after arriving in the village of Bethany and lodging at the house of Martha and Mary, either that evening or early the next morning, the Lord Jesus went out to a secluded place to pray.

Among the disciples following the Lord, one of them asked Him to teach the disciples how to pray. That disciple had likely not yet followed the Lord when He taught His disciples about prayer in the Sermon on the Mount. It is also possible that he had been a disciple of John the Baptist and, after John the Baptist was killed by King Herod Antipas, he became a disciple of the Lord Jesus.

We do not know how John the Baptist taught his disciples to pray, as the Scriptures do not record that detail. If the disciple who asked the Lord to teach them to pray had indeed been a disciple of John the Baptist and had learned to pray from him, he may have wanted to know what differences there were between John the Baptist’s teaching and the teaching of the Lord Jesus.

Luke 11:2

2 So He said to them, “Whenever you pray, say: Our Father in the heavens, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Perhaps since the Lord Jesus had taught His disciples about prayer in the Sermon on the Mount, many new disciples had begun following Him. They had not had the opportunity to hear His teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. Therefore, the Lord Jesus granted the request of the disciple who asked Him to teach them how to pray.

The Lord Jesus’ teaching on prayer does not mean that it is a prayer to be memorized and recited whenever one wants to pray to the God. Rather, it is a representative form of a prayer to the God. However, if someone memorizes the Lord Jesus’ words and sincerely prays them to the God, it will also be accepted by Him.

In religious organizations bearing the name of the Lord, believers often recite together the prayer that the Lord Jesus taught. Catholics call it the “Our Father,” while Protestants refer to it as the “Lord’s Prayer.”

We see that John 17 records the prayer of the Lord Jesus before He was arrested, and it does not repeat what He had taught His disciples about prayer. The Lord Jesus presented to the God the matters He was facing, the work He had done, and what He desired.

From this, we can understand that the prayer the Lord Jesus taught His disciples is a prayer that glorifies the God, seeks His providence, and asks for His salvation. These are the essential elements in the relationship between God’s people and the God. However, God’s people may also present to the God their needs, difficulties, and other desires.

“Our Father” is the opening address in prayer to the God. God’s people call the God “Father” because He is the One who has regenerated them and granted them the status of being His adopted children. They are His sons and daughters. The Scriptures clearly speak of the status of being children of the God for those who believe in the Gospel.

“For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again unto fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”” (Romans 8:15).

“I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:18).

“Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He bestowed favor upon us in the Beloved.” (Ephesians 1:5-6).

“In the heavens” refers to the One who rules over the heavens, including the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2), where paradise and the throne of the God are; the second heaven, which is the vast expanse of the universe containing the stars and planets; and the first heaven, which is the atmosphere of the earth.

“Hallowed be Your name” means that the name “the God” is sanctified. The verb “hallowed” (G37), when applied to the God, means set apart, above all creation, worthy of honor, obedience, and worship.

“Your kingdom come” is a petition for the reign of the God as King over His kingdom to come swiftly. At present, the Kingdom of the God is not yet established on earth but is only present in the hearts of those who believe in His salvation (Luke 17:21). The Kingdom of the God on earth will be established for the first time immediately after the End Times, as the Millennial Kingdom. After the old heaven and old earth pass away, the Kingdom of the God will be established for the second time, in the new heaven and new earth, as the Eternal Kingdom.

After the Lord Jesus Christ’s resurrection, the authority of the God’s reign was entrusted to the Lord Jesus Christ:

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.”” (Matthew 28:18).

Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ holds the title “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 19:16).

What is important for each of God’s people is that, at present, the Lord Jesus Christ is reigning in their hearts and lives. For the Kingdom of the God has come into the hearts of those who believe in His salvation.

“Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” is a plea for the will of the God to be fulfilled on earth as it is already fulfilled in heaven. In heaven, the will of the God is always carried out. All who opposed Him have been cast out of heaven. Satan and the rebellious angels have been expelled from heaven. Therefore, opposition to the will of the God cannot exist in heaven. However, on earth, opposition to the will of the God is widespread because the God has granted mankind free will. Humans are free to obey the God or to rebel against Him. When the appointed time comes, He will judge the whole world for humanity’s sins and bring His good will to completion on earth.

The first will of the God on earth was to grant salvation to mankind, and that will has been fulfilled. The remaining significant will of the God on earth will be accomplished in two stages. The first stage is the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom, and the second stage is the establishment of the Eternal Kingdom. As God’s people, we should pray for the will of the God on earth to be fulfilled soon so that we may quickly rejoice in eternal life in His kingdom.

Luke 11:3

3 Give us day by day our daily bread.

The noun “bread” in the original Greek of the Holy Bible refers to “bread made from wheat flour” (G740), which was the staple food of the Israelites as well as many other nations.

“Our daily bread” means the essential nourishment needed to sustain us each day, which the God has appointed for us. Each person’s body requires a sufficient amount of food to sustain life, according to what the God has determined.

However, the petition for sufficient food does not mean merely asking for food alone but implies a request for all necessary provisions in life, including both physical and spiritual needs. Physically, at the very least, we need food, water, clothing, shelter, and means of livelihood. Spiritually, we always need the Living Word of the God, which is the Holy Bible. While we always have the Holy Bible with us, we need the God to grant us understanding of the Scriptures through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit.

When we pray for the God to provide the physical nourishment we need each day, we will always be content with having food and clothing, without a covetous desire for wealth that leads to sin:

“But having food and clothing, with these things we shall be content. But those desiring to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and many senseless and harmful lusts which sink men in destruction and perdition.” (1 Timothy 6:8-9).

When we know to pray for the spiritual nourishment we need each day, we will take the time to sit down, read, and meditate on the Word of the Lord to carefully follow it. In doing so, we will prosper and act wisely in all our ways.

Luke 11:4

4 And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

In Matthew 6:12, the Lord Jesus used the noun “debts” (G3783), which literally means financial obligations but figuratively refers to offenses or sins committed against someone that have not been properly resolved. In Luke 11:4, the Lord Jesus used the term “sins.”

God’s people are indebted to the God when they sin—that is, when they violate His commandments, whether unintentionally or deliberately. As long as we live in this fleshly body, we remain capable of sinning. We may sin unintentionally. We may sin due to ignorance, not realizing that our actions are sinful. We may sin due to temporary weakness when facing temptation or trials. The primary reason is that we have not loved the Lord enough to read and meditate on His Word day and night, carefully following it. As a result, we lack the wisdom and strength to live according to His Word.

Many allow the daily busyness of making a living to take away their time for reading and meditating on the Word of the Lord. This is why their lives lack His blessings and the wisdom that comes from His Word, causing them to grow increasingly weary in life. The devil takes advantage of this to tempt them into sin. And surely, those who lack the habit of reading and meditating on the Word of the Lord will suffer spiritual starvation—meaning, sooner or later, they will fall away from their faith, return to a life of sin, and forfeit their share of grace. If they have children, they set a bad example for them, preventing them from receiving the blessings of the God.

It is difficult to understand how a person who is always concerned with finding physical food to sustain the life of the body and have strength for work can neglect spiritual food to nourish their soul.

When Joshua took on the responsibility of leading millions of Israelites into the Promised Land and fighting against the seven Canaanite nations, God gave him only one command:

“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” (Joshua 1:8).

Today, is there anyone among us who has a responsibility heavier than Joshua’s? Is there anyone among us busier than Joshua, to the point of being unable to practice God’s command in Joshua 1:8? If there is someone who, because of being busy making a living for their family, neglects to practice Joshua 1:8, that person is truly foolish, fighting against life with their own strength instead of with the Almighty power of God. We hope that those people will repent in time.

A prayer for the God’s forgiveness is only accepted by Him if the one praying sincerely repents and confesses their sins to Him. Forgiveness is accompanied by sanctification.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 Giăng 1:9).

The prayer for forgiveness of sins includes even those sins we commit unknowingly, not realizing that we have sinned, as King David called out in Psalm 19:12.

What is special is that the God’s forgiveness of us depends on how we forgive those who have wronged us. In other words, we will be forgiven by the God in the same way we forgive others. If we do not forgive others, the God will not forgive us.

God’s people forgive those who owe them not only in material debts that they cannot repay but also forgive those who have sinned against them when they acknowledge their wrong and apologize. There will be no forgiveness without repentance. However, God’s people need to have a heart ready to forgive everyone, just as the God has already forgiven them. The God was willing to forgive us when we were still sinners. He began the work of our salvation before we even knew how to repent (Romans 5:8).

“Lead us not into temptation” in Greek grammar means asking God to guide us in our lives so that we do not fall into temptation.

The verb “πειρασμός” (peirasmos) /pi-ras-mos/ (G3986) means both temptation and trial. If it comes from the devil, it is temptation, but if it comes from the God, it is a trial. As seen in the story of Job, Satan tempted Job, but the God allowed this temptation to happen in order to test Job’s faith. God’s people often face temptations or trials. However, the God will not allow temptation or trial to occur beyond the endurance of His people.

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not permit you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation, He will also make the way out, so as for you to be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

God’s people need to pray and ask the God to keep them from falling into temptation.

“But deliver us from the evil one” is a prayer for deliverance from Satan. The term “the evil one” is in the singular form with the definite article, used to refer to Satan, the one who consistently works against the Word of God, causing suffering and harm to humanity. Being delivered from Satan means being rescued from his schemes, temptations, and disturbances, or from the evil spirits under his authority.

Luke 11:5-8

5 And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves;

6 for a friend has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’;

7 and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door has already been shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give to you’?

8 I say to you, even if he will not get up and give to him, because he is his friend, yet on account of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

The Lord Jesus used a parable to illustrate the result of persistent prayer for righteous requests. A righteous request is one that does not go against the Word of God.

The parable assumes that one of the disciples, in the middle of the night, has a friend come to the door asking to borrow three loaves of bread to serve a guest who has arrived from afar. But since it is late and the children are already in bed, the homeowner does not want to get up to give the bread. However, because the friend keeps knocking and pleading, the homeowner is compelled to rise and give the bread to the friend. The meaning of the parable is that, due to the persistent bothering of the friend, the homeowner must rise and fulfill the request. This parable conveys the same meaning as the one about the widow and the unjust judge (Luke 18:1-8).

The implication of Jesus’ message is that people, due to persistent pleading, may respond to each other’s requests. But the God, who is always ready to help His people, will respond to their righteous prayers even more. Therefore, God’s people should be persistent in prayer.

God’s people need to be persistent in prayer to demonstrate their strong faith in the God. Persistent prayer helps God’s people gain a deeper understanding of the God’s will concerning what they are asking for. Persistent prayer increases the time God’s people spend in fellowship with the God. Persistent prayer helps God’s people cultivate patience. Persistent prayer gives God’s people more time to recognize what needs to change in themselves to receive what they are asking for. Colossians 4:2 and Ephesians 6:18 teach God’s people to be persistent in prayer for themselves and for their brothers and sisters in Christ.

Luke 11:9-10

9 “So I say to you, ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.

10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

We would like to quote the commentary on Matthew 7:7-8 as follows:

People ask for what they need. People seek what they want. And people knock on doors to receive help or to be welcomed.

The first thing a person needs to ask for is to receive God’s gift of salvation. That is, to ask for forgiveness of all sins, to be cleansed from sin, to be made new, and to be given the Holy Spirit so that they can live a new, holy life in the Lord.

The first thing a person needs to seek is the Kingdom of Heaven and the righteousness of the God. After that, all other things will be given to them, including eternal life.

To receive what one asks for and find what one seeks, a person must knock on the right door. That door is Jesus Christ.

When a person comes to Jesus Christ, repents of their sins, and accepts Him as their Savior, they have found God, and the door to the Kingdom of Heaven is opened to them. From then on, everything they need can be asked for in the name of Jesus Christ.

“Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” (John 16:24).

“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13).

In life, there are many times when God’s people pray for very reasonable things, such as asking to be healed from illness, asking to be delivered from poverty or persecution for their faith. But the prayers are not granted. The one praying remains sick until death, or remains poor until death, or is still imprisoned for their faith until death. These are exceptions when the God gives His people something better than what they asked for. In His plan and purpose for that person, they have been called to suffer for His name until death. Therefore, when we have presented our prayers to the God and do not receive what we asked for, let us believe that the God has given us the best. Romans 8:28-39 is an explanation and comfort for us. We need to rejoice and thank the God for granting us the grace to suffer for His name. We follow the example of Job, boldly declaring to the angels, demons, and humanity: “Though He will slay me, yet will I trust in Him!” (Job 13:15a).

We believe that no prayer made in faith by God’s people is ever rejected by the God. However, the God answers the prayers of His people according to His will and timing. Sometimes, the God uses death itself to deliver His people from the persecution of their enemies, as in the case of Deacon Stephen (Acts 7:58-60). There is no greater deliverance than being taken out of this life by the God and into heaven. In the nearly two thousand years of Church history, tens of millions of God’s people have been delivered by the God through death.

Luke 11:11-13

11 And which father among you, if his son asks for bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?

12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he give him a scorpion?

13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, by how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

We would like to quote the commentary on Matthew 7:9-11 as follows:

The Lord Jesus gave an example of the love that parents have for their children. He referred to the normal conscience of parents, which has not been completely corrupted. This conscience is the knowledge and emotions that God has placed in the hearts of mankind. Without needing to be taught or instructed, a parent whose conscience has not been completely corrupted naturally loves their child, is willing to sacrifice for their child, and always gives their child the best, within their ability or even beyond their ability. If fallen humanity, corrupted by sin, still knows how to love and sacrifice for their children, how much more will the God of Love, the Father of those who obey Him, do so for His people?

Certainly, the God will always give His people what they rightly ask for. To ask rightly means to ask in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for things that do not contradict the Scriptures. Or He will give them something better than what they have asked for. He Himself affirms:

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Today, through daily news, we see some people who are parents but whose consciences have been completely corrupted, so they no longer know how to love their children. On the contrary, they abuse and mistreat their children to satisfy their sinful pleasures. This is also a sign that the world is ready for the judgment of God in the End Times.

The important thing is that every prayer of God’s people, even if it is righteous, must be prayed in faith. If one prays without believing that the God will give them what they ask for, then that prayer will never be accepted by the God.

“And all things, as many as you may ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.” (Matthew 21:22).

“And whatever you may ask in My name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you should ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14).

“But let him ask in faith, doubting nothing, for he that doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he shall receive anything from the Lord.” (James 1:6-7).

We conclude this lesson here.

May the Holy Spirit guide us into all the truths of God’s Word (John 16:13). May the Word of God sanctify us (John 17:17). May the Faithful *God of Peace Himself sanctify our spirit, soul, and body entirely, without blame (1 Thessalonians 5:23), at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Beloved Savior. Amen!

Timothy Christian Huynh
Priscilla Christian Huynh
01/18/2025

Note:

About Using “*God”, “the God” and “holy spirit”

Wherever the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts of the Bible use a definite article with a noun to denote GOD, we translate it into English as *God or “the God” to refer to God the Father. We understand that “God,” without a definite article, was used as a collective noun for all and any of the three Persons of the Godhead. And “God,” with a definite article, was used to refer to God the Father.

In the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, the term “holy spirit” (πνευματι αγιω) without the definite article “the” (το) is used to denote the power of God, which is given by God the Holy Spirit. “The Holy Spirit” (το πνευματι το αγιω) is God, and “holy spirit” (πνευματι αγιω) is the power that comes from God.