THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE - Chapter 11 - Verse 5

Verses 5-7. And he said unto them, &c. Jesus proceeds to show that, in order to obtain the blessing, it was necessary to persevere in asking for it. For this purpose he introduces the case of a friend's asking bread of another for one who had come to him unexpectedly. His design is solely to show the necessity of being importunate or persevering in prayer to God.

At midnight. A time when it would be most inconvenient for his friend to help him; an hour when he would naturally be in bed and his house shut.

Three loaves. There is nothing particularly denoted by the number three in this place. Jesus often threw in such particulars merely to fill up the story, or to preserve the consistency of it.

My children are with me in bed. This does not necessarily mean that they were in the same bed with him, but that they were all in bed, the house was still, the door was shut, and it was troublesome for him to rise at that time of night to accommodate him. It should be observed, however, that the customs of Orientals differ in this respect from our own. Among them it is not uncommon—indeed it is the common practice—for a whole family—parents, children, and servants—to sleep in the same room. See (The Land and the Book, vol. i. p. 180). This is not to be applied to God, as if it were troublesome to him to be sought unto, or as if he would ever reply to a sinner in that manner. All that is to be applied to God in this parable is simply that it is proper to persevere in prayer. As a man often gives because the request is repeated, and as one is not discouraged because the favour that he asks of his neighbour is delayed, so God often answers us after long and importunate requests.