[Propertalk] Fw:[Goodsermons] Preaching Resource: Exegesis of Luke 11:1-13

[Joe Parrish]

HIE TemplatePreaching Resource: Exegesis of Luke 11:1-13
The Luke text for this Sunday can be read either as a four-part instruction about prayer, or perhaps even better, as a passage that variously depicts God as a loving parent for whom prayer is important. Jesus speaks when the disciples come to him and ask him how to pray. All four parts are his response.

The first part of the text, the Lord's Prayer, can be the basis of a sermon series in itself, and has been for many preachers. Luke's version is slightly shorter than Matthew's (6:9-13), omitting "Our.in heaven"; "Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven"; and the ending, "but rescue us from the evil one." Also, Luke's version confidently declares, "for we forgive everyone indebted to us"-anyone who says this and does not do it invites condemnation-where Matthew says more conditionally, "as we also have forgiven our debtors." The Greek word for father here is not the Aramaic daddy (abba) of Mark 14:36, Romans 8:15, and Galatians 4:6, but nonetheless communicates remarkable intimacy and trust.

Several other features of the prayer are worth noting. The first line echoes both the third commandment (do not take God's name in vain) and an ancient understanding that a name represents both the person and personality of the one named. It is not separate from the person. The prayer is, first, for God's name to be reverenced, next for God's kingdom to come, then for daily bread, then for forgiveness, and finally for avoidance of "the time of trial."

It is a bold thing to address God by name, yet Jesus encourages this in acknowledgement that God is the loving head of the human family. God as parent continues to be the theme in the second part, a parable of a father in bed with his family, interrupted by the friend at midnight needing three loaves of bread for an unexpected guest. The father may not get out of bread for the sake of the friend, but "at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs" (11:8). Scholars debate whether the Greek anaideia, should be translated as persistence, importunity, solicitousness, or shamelessness. In any case, both the friend and the father risk being shamed, the one by his pleading in the middle of the night for bread to save his honor, and the other for failing to respond. The father responds as he does out of concern for the character and honor of the friend. This parable anticipates two later ones also unique to Luke that deal with prayer, the Persistent Widow and the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Lk 18:1-8; 9-14). 

Part three continues the theme of the parable father giving whatever is needed and seems to be a commentary on it. Three actions-"ask. search.knock"-are paired with three responses on the part of God-"it will be given.you will find.the door will be opened" (11:9)-that meet the need perfectly. Persistent in prayer is again suggested: ask, seek, and knock. Further, whatever the need, be it expressed by asking, seeking or knocking, it will be met with a positive response. Finally, this response is not for a special few, for three times Jesus says that this applies to "everyone" (v. 10). 

In part four of our passage Jesus denies that any of his listeners would give a child a snake instead of a requested fish, or a scorpion instead of a requested egg. The snake and scorpion are both poisonous and could kill a child. Since even an "evil" parent would not give those to a child but would instead give "good gifts," "how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (v. 13). >From what went before, one expects the last phrase to read, 'how much more will the heavenly Father give what is good' or 'give what is needed,' not 'give the Holy Spirit.' The latter comes as a surprise. Jesus introduces an idea not previously mentioned. Of course it fits, for if one receives the Holy Spirit, one receives the source of all goodness and the meeting of all need. By closing his comments on how to pray in this manner, Jesus also gives a final instruction: pray to be given the Holy Spirit.

This four-part text is about prayer and how to pray. We are to pray using the prayer that Jesus taught: it is a simple prayer yet it covers all the bases, pray that God may be glorified, that God's realm will come, that people will have their basic needs met, that they may be forgiven, and that they may avoid being tested. We are to be persistent in prayer and dependent upon God in all things (ask, seek, knock). We are to expect that God will delight in giving us good things in the Holy Spirit. 

Any passage about prayer is about more than prayer. It says something about the ones who pray, in this case about our human needs, our fallen (evil) nature, and our dependence upon our Creator to supply all our needs. Perhaps more important still, this passage also says something about our God: God is a loving parent whom we may look to as the head of our family, whom we may address in trust and intimacy by name, who supplies our daily bread, who forgives us, who saves us from the time of trial, who desires us to be persistent in our requests, who is pleased to give us whatever we need, and who delights to give us fullness of life in and through the gift of the Spirit. 

Scripture affirms that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of all the laws. We may affirm, should we desire, that he is the fulfillment of all our prayers as well. Through his life, death, resurrection, and ascension, he has bestowed upon us his Spirit who is the gift of life itself. When his kingdom finally comes, all need will be met, and we have a taste of that even now. 

Paul Scott Wilson, Professor of Homiletics, University of Toronto

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