Nov 18, Parable of the Friend at Midnight, Luke 11:5-8

Nov 18, Parable of the Friend at Midnight, Luke 11:5-8

The context of the parable very plainly describes Jesus’ reason for giving this teaching. Jesus went off to pray; when He returned the disciples asked Him to teach them to pray. Jesus gives them the Lord’s Prayer. The Lord’s Prayer shows the content and form of prayer. This parable seems to give the attitude and perseverance of prayer.

The Parable of the Friend at Midnight seems to imply that God is like a selfish friend who will not inconvenience himself to help. The meaning of the parable is not that God will not inconvenience Himself, think how God gave His only Son on the cross for you and me. Our God is a God who goes way out of His way to love and provide for us. The meaning of the parable is to persist in prayer. When it seems like God is unwilling to help, when no answer comes, keep praying. If even an earthly human being will get up and help after persistence, how much more will God answer if we ask.

The verses that follow are equally instructive. The A-S-K refrain: Ask and it will be given unto you, Seek and you shall find, Knock and the door will be opened unto you. (Luke 11:9-10) Jesus then addresses the question of whether God behaves as a human father. If earthly fathers give good gifts to their children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him (Luke 11:13). In Matthew’s Gospel, the Holy Spirit is replaced with “give good gifts” (Matthew 7:11). This is very interesting and worthy of further study because in the Beatitudes, Matthew spiritualizes where Luke leaves them literal and earthly. (Compare Matthew 5 and Luke 6). That study will be for another time.

The simple message of the Parable, here is the Lord’s Prayer, what and in what form to say it. The Friend at Midnight teaches us to persist, keep praying until something happens. PUSH, Pray until something happens. God desires to and will answer your prayers.

⁵Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; ⁶ a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ ⁷ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ ⁸ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.”—Luke 11:5-8