Senior Class Notes – February 11, 2024

Winter – 2023-2024 Unit 2 Session 4 – Praying Faith; Luke 11:1-13, PSG 128-137 CSB; PSG 102-109 KJV.

February 11, 2024: Please read “Our Daily Bread” Page 138-141 in the CSB workbook or Pages 126-128 in the KJV workbook.

The Point: Faith looks to God to provide what we need.

Inspirational verse: “Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? And your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.” (Isaiah 55:2).

Luke 11:1 And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him. Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

Sometime during Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem, one of those traveling with Him (not necessarily one of the 12) asked Him to teach us to pray. What followed was similar to Matthew 6:9-13, leading one to believe that Jesus taught this prayer on more than one occasion and with variations.¹⁹ Lord, teach us to pray. The Lord’s Prayer illustrates the variety of requests that one can and should make to God, as well as displaying the humble attitude that should accompany prayer. The use of the plural pronoun “us” throughout the prayer shows that it is not just the prayer of one person for his or her own personal needs, but a community prayer.¹⁸ Religious communities of the time customarily had their own distinctive prayers. Perhaps the disciples wanted theirs.¹⁴ This may have been the reason that Jesus gave the disciples the “Model Prayer.” He did not want them to repeat the prayer by rote, but use it as a guide.¹² This model prayer for Jesus’ disciples is similar to the one in the Sermon on the Mount “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive out debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:9-13), but much shorter. Apparently, the disciples were motivated to learn to pray by both Jesus’ example and that of John the Baptist and his disciples.¹⁶

Luke 11:2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

It was unusual for Jews to refer to God as Father. Such an address would seem too personal and familiar. Even though Luke emphasized the offer of the Kingdom of God “And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.” (Luke 4:43) and the nearness of the kingdom in Jesus’ ministry “And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.” (Luke 10:9, 11), some aspects of the kingdom are still to come.¹⁶ The exact wording is not as important as the general pattern and emphasis. Jesus’ prayer begins with worship – recognizing God as Father, as hallowed (holy).¹⁹ Jesus’ use of the familiar Aramaic term Abba (Father) at the head of this prayer is probably the background for similar usage in Romans 8:15 and Galatians 4:6. The beginning phrase, Our Father, is completely uncommon to the prayers of the Old Testament. The two major elements of the prayer are adoration and petition. The phrase Thy kingdom come refers to the eschatological [of or relating to the end of the world or the events associated with it] nature of this prayer. Notice that the kingdom is to be prayed for, implying that it has not arrived. The kingdom represents the full and effective reign of God through the mediatorial office of the Messiah.¹⁴ Thy kingdom come. The reference here is to God’s program and promise. This is more affirmation then request, highlighting the petitioner’s submission to God’s will and the desire to see God’s work come to pass.¹⁸ The recognition of Thy will be done emphasizes the idea that prayer is to bring about the conformity of the will of the believer to the will of God. Prayer is an act of spiritual expression that brings us into conformity to the very nature and purpose of God.¹⁴

Luke 11:3 Give us day by day our daily bread.

All people are dependent on the Lord to meet their daily needs.¹⁶ Jesus’ model prayer continued with a request for material provisions, i.e. daily bread.¹⁹ Bread (Greek artos) may be applied to the provision of food in general. The term daily (Greek epiousios) denotes “indispensable.” The concept of daily provision of bread fits perfectly with the Old Testament example of the daily provision of manna to the Israelites while they were wandering in the wilderness (Ex. 16:14-15).¹⁴ The Israelites were provided Manna from Heaven – [Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.] That rate was “This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.” (Exodus 16:16). The omer (Hebrew: עֹ֫מֶר ‘ōmer) is an ancient Israelite unit of dry measure. It was used during the era of the Temple in Jerusalem and is also known as an isaron. In the Bible, it is described as an ancient unit of volume for grains and dry commodities, equivalent to one tenth of an ephah.⁵⁴ They were not to gather more than needed for it would rot overnight. The exception was on the 6^th day, they were to gather twice as much so that on the 7^th day, the Lord’s Day, they would not have to work. That extra manna did not spoil.¹²

Luke 11:4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

Indebted refers to what is “owed” to us spiritually (i.e. having been sinned against). The phrase lead us not into temptation is in contrast with Christ Himself, who was led by the Holy Spirit to be tested by Satan.¹⁶ Matthew expressed it as “Forgive us our debts” which refers to sins, which are moral and spiritual debts to God’s righteousness. The request for forgiveness of sin is made by the believer. In order to be saved one need not necessarily name all his or her sins, but he must confess that he is a sinner.¹⁴ Jesus never prayed this prayer because he never sinned. Therefore this prayer should be rightly considered a guide or model for the believer, not a listing of a prayer that Jesus prayed.¹² For we also forgive. The petitioner recognizes that if mercy is to be sought from God. then mercy must be shown to others. We need to adopt the same standard that we expect others to follow. Lead us not into temptation. This remark is often misunderstood as suggesting that perhaps God can lead us to sin. The point is that if one is to avoid sin, one must follow where God leads. In short, the petitioner asks God for the spiritual protection necessary to avoid falling into sin.¹⁸

Luke 11:5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him. Friend, lend me three loaves;

Hospitality obligations demanded that one feed a visitor; indeed, the honor of the village would be at stake should hospitality fail to be extended. Since travel after dark was dangerous, a visitor arriving at midnight was an unusual situation. Friend, lend me three loaves. Since local women often baked bread together, they would know which family might still have bread left over.²⁹ Having provided a model for prayer, Jesus moves to the motivation for prayer. To do this, He tells two parables:¹⁷

The first parable deals with one’s request of a friend. The first parable demonstrates the need for persistence in prayer.
The Second parable deals with the request made of one’s father. Jesus teaches that God is like a father who wants only the best for His children.

Luke 11:6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?

This passage (11:5-8) is recorded only by Luke. In this parable, a person whose pantry is bare knocks on a friend’s door at midnight requesting the loan of some bread to feed a hungry traveler who has just arrived. The midnight timing of the request greatly inconvenienced the householder from whom the person wished to borrow bread. People in biblical times regarded hospitality as a sacred duty everyone was expected to observe. Even strangers were to be treated hospitably (Heb. 13:2). Thus, the friend would be dishonored if he could not set food before the traveler who had arrived at his house.²³

Luke 11:7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.

Trouble me not: The neighbor demonstrated his aggravation at being disturbed by not returning the greeting “friend.” To understand this parable we need some understanding of the first-century world in biblical Palestine. First, no one would knock on a door that was already shut unless he was experiencing a crucial need. A householder opened his door in the morning, and it remained open all day. A shut door served as a clear sign that the householder did not want to be disturbed. Furthermore, house generally consisted of only one room. Families were typically large. Family members slept on mats and lay close together for warmth. Additionally, animals the family owned were brought into that room at night. No wonder the householder did not want to answer the knock! To do so would disturb the household.²³ Unless the knocking was kept up persistently and that, in itself, threatened to wake the household.¹²

Luke 11:8 I say unto you, though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

The point of this story is that bold importunity (persistence) pays off. But, as with the story of the widow and the judge in 18:1-8, it must not be understood that God is like the hesitant homeowner in the story. If bold persistence is rewarded even by someone who is disposed against granting our request, how much more so will God, who cares about His children, delight in responding generously to our persistent prayers.¹⁶ We must remember that persistently praying for something that God would never give us, because it would not be in our best interests, will never succeed. If someone kept praying over and over for anything materialistic, or against God’s will for us, would they eventually get it? Of course not.¹² Nevertheless, this does not exempt us from intensity and persistence in prayer. The passion with which we pray demonstrates the reality and sincerity of our desires.²³

Luke 11:9 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.

Asking, seeking, and knocking visualize different aspects of prayer, all of which are valid. The Greek present tense – keep asking, keep searching, keep knocking – reflects the persistence theme of verses 5-8.¹⁶ Both Jesus “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” (Luke 18:1) and Paul “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men.” (1 Tim. 2:1) emphasized the importance of prayer, noting that people ought always to pray. Prayer includes asking and getting answers from God. But it is more than just asking; it is confession, adoration, thanksgiving, and fellowship with God. By its nature, prayer is talking with God. It is the basis of the successful Christian life, and is so important that not praying is considered a sin “Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you . . .”(1 Sam. 12:23). When we pray, we should follow the model prayer Jesus gave His disciples and address it to our heavenly Father – beginning with adoration, including thanksgiving and confession of sins, making reconciliation with others, praying for our needs and the needs of others, and concluding in Jesus’ name (Matt. 6:9-15; John 14:14).¹⁴

Luke 11:10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

The promise of verse 10 does not mean every prayer is answered as we want it to be. Rather, it means that if we persist in prayer, our prayers will eventually be answered according to God’s best for us.¹⁶ Remember God answers all prayers in one way or another. Yes, no, or not yet. That is why we need to be persistent in praying for something. God in His wisdom may determine that you are not ready for the answer.¹² God will answer our prayer when we:¹⁴

Obey Him (1 John 3:22) “And whatever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.”
Confess sin (Ps. 66:18). “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.”
Abide in Christ (John 15:7). “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”
Ask according to the will of God (1 John 5:14). “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:”
Ask in faith (Mark 11:24). “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and you shall have them.”
Have pure motives (James 4:2-3). “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”
And live peaceably with our mate (1 Peter 3:7). “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hendered”¹⁴

Luke 11:11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

Jesus illustrated His point by comparing the willingness of a human father to give his child a gift with our heavenly Father who will gladly give us what we need.¹⁴ A fish and a serpent could look similar in appearance. A snake or serpent was a well-known symbol for evil. The Greek term was used figuratively of a sly malicious person. No human father of any worth would meet his child’s request for food with something that would frighten or harm the child.²³

Luke 11:12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

Scorpion is a transliteration (substituting English letters for the equivalent Greek letters) of the Greek word. This arachnid was known for its venom and sting in its narrow-segmented tail. The Lord protected His people from scorpions as they wondered in the wilderness (Deut. 8:15). Later the term applied to an insidious instrument with lashes and spikes King Rehoboam used to enforce his policies. (see 1 kings 12:11 and 14.)²³ also known as a whip for scourging (2 Chron. 10:11-14).⁴² A scorpion with its tail and claws rolled up resembles an egg in appearance. A scorpion was also a well-known symbol for evil in first-century biblical Palestine. No decent human father would respond to his child’s request for nourishment with a dangerous, stinging scorpion.²³

Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

If the good gifts are related to the Holy Spirit, the wording may be speaking of spiritual gifts (Romans 12; 1 Cor. 12). This verse reflects Luke’s emphasis on the Holy Spirit. Leading up to the day of Pentecost, the apostles and other believers waited in prayer (Acts 1:14) for the baptism of the Spirit to come. In that instance, the heavenly Father gave the Holy Spirit to those who asked Him.¹⁶ But rather than give us everything we ask for (much of which is not necessarily needed or helpful), God provides the Holy Spirit to those who ask. With the wisdom, strength, and comfort provided by God’s Spirit, there is little else we actually need.¹⁷ The term evil is used here of man’s sinful nature. Even sinful men are kind to their children; therefore, how much more shall your heavenly Father delight to answer your prayers.¹⁴

References: Winter 2023-2024, December 3, 2023 – February 25, 2024

(CWB) – Commentary on the Whole Bible by Matthew Henry – Marshall, Morgan & Scott, Ltd. Copyright © 1960. Copyright 1961 by Zondervan Publishing House – Grand Rapids, Michigan. 49506
(CWB#2) – Commentary practical and explanatory on the Whole Bible by Rev. Robert Jamieson, Rev. A.R. Fausset, Rev. David Brown by Zondervan Publishing House – Grand Rapids, Michigan. 49506
(ESVSB) – The English Standard Version Study Bible, Personal size. Copyright © 2008 by Crossway. Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway.
(ETB) – Explore The Book by J Sidlow Baxter. Copyright © 1960 by J. Sidlow Baxter. Published 1960 by Zondervan Publishing House – Grand Rapids, Michigan.
(HISB) – The Holman Illustrated Study Bible – The Holman Illustrated Study Bible Copyright © 2006 by Holman Bible Publishers. The Holman Christian Standard Bible Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers.
(HRTB) He Reads Truth Bible Copyright © 2019 by Holman Bible Publishers Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved. Based on the Christian Standard Bible Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
(IMO) – On occasion, with the prayerful guidance of the Holy Spirit, I will make comments of my own, based on my understanding of the events. I will indicate such times with – In My O
(KJBC) – The King James Bible Commentary, Copyright © 1999 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. ©1983 by Old-Time Gospel Hour. Scripture quotations are from the Open Bible, King James version, © 1975 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
(KJSB) – The King James Study Bible, (previously published as The Liberty Annotated Study Bible and as The Annotated Study Bible, King James Version) © 1988 by Liberty University.
(LESB) Life Essentials Study Bible Copyright © 2019 by Holman Bible Publishers Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved. Based on the Christian Standard Bible Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
(NCBD) – The Nelson’s Compact Bible Dictionary Copyright © 2004 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. with Scripture Quotations from the New King James Version of the Bible Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982, 1990 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
(NIDNTT) – The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology Copyright © 1967, 1969, 1971 by Theologisher Verlag Rolf Brockhaus, Wuppertal. English Language edition Volume 1 Copyright © 1975, 1986, The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.A. and The Paternoster Press, Ltd. Exeter, Devon, U.K.
(NIVBTSB) – The New International Version Biblical Theology Study Bible Copyright © 2018 by The Zondervan Corporation. Text from the Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. previously published as The New International Version Zondervan Study Bible.
(NIVCBSB) – The New International Version Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Copyright © 2016 by The Zondervan Corporation text from the Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. published by the Zondervan Corporation.
(NIVJSB) – The New International Version Jeremiah Study Bible, Copyright © 2016 by David Jeremiah, Inc. Using the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan.
(NIVLASB) – The New International Version Life Application Study Bible, Hardcover Edition. Copyright © 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Wheaton Il. 60189. Hardcover editions are published by Tyndale house.
(NIVMEB) – The New International Version Ministry Essentials Bible, Copyright © 2014 by Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, LLC. Based on The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.
(NIVSB) – The New International Version Study Bible Copyright © 1985 by the Zondervan Corporation text from the Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by the New York International Bible Society.®
(NIVSB #2) – The New International Version Study Bible Copyright © 1985, 1995, 2002, 2008, 2011, 2020 by Zondervan Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546, USA. text from the Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.®
(NIVZSB) – The New International Version Zondervan Study Bible Copyright © 2015 by the Zondervan Corporation. Text from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.
(NKJVBGTCB) – The New King James Version Billy Graham Training Center Bible © 2004 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. with Scripture Quotations from the New King James Version of the Bible Copyright © 1982, by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
(NKJVSB) – Holman Study Bible, New King James Version Edition Copyright © 2013 by Holman Bible Publishers Nashville, Tn. Text from the New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
(PSG) – Bible Studies For life – King James Version Adults Personal Study Guide Winter 2023-2024 Volume 11, Number 2.
(QNBD) – Quick Notes Bible Dictionary based on text from the King James Version of the Bible and cross referenced with the NIV and NRSV Bibles. Copyright © 1998 by George W. Knight and Rayburn W. Ray.
(SEC) – Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible with Dictionaries of the Hebrew Bible and the Greek Testament words. Copyright © 1890 by James Strong. Based on the King James Version of the Bible.
(TATA) – The Acts of The Apostles by Charles Caldwell Ryrie Copyright © 1961 by The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago.
(TDNT) – Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
(THBC) – Today’s Handbook of Bible Characters Copyright © 1979 by E.M. Blaiklock, published by Bethany House Publishers.
(TMEB) – The Ministry Essential Bible © 2014 by Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, LLC P.O. Box 3473 Peabody, Massachusetts 01961-3473.
(TZPEB) – The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, copyright © 1975, 1976 by the Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
(WIKI) Wikipedia – internet source.