Luke 11:7

Second, regarding the refusing difficulty, he adds: And he answering from within should say: Do not trouble me, namely by disturbing one who is at rest and rousing him from sleep, as Abner said to David in 1 Kings 26: "Who are you who cry …

But according to the spiritual understanding, by this friend is understood Christ, of whom Ecclesiasticus six says: "A faithful friend is a strong protection: and he who finds him finds a treasure." Concerning this, John fifteen says: "I will no longer call you servants, but …

And he from within shall answer: Do not bother me, the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot rise and give to you. The door of the divine friend is the understanding of the word, which the Apostle …

(ordin.) He does not then take away the liberty of asking, but is the more anxious to kindle the desire of praying, by showing the difficulty of obtaining that we ask for. For it follows, The door is now shut. (ordin.) And because of what has gone before he adds, I cannot rise and give thee, which must have reference to the difficulty of obtaining.

God is that friend, who loveth all men, and wills that all should he saved. Or else, The midnight is the end of life, at which many come to God. But the friend is the Angel who receives the soul. Or, the midnight is the depth of temptations, in which he who has fallen, seeks from God three loaves, the relief of the wants of his body, soul, and spirit; through whom we run into no danger in our temptations. But the friend who comes from his journey is God Himself, who proves by temptations who has nothing to set before Him, and who is weakened in temptation. But when He says, And the door is shut, we must understand that we ought to be prepared before temptations. But after that we have fallen into them, the gate of preparation is shut, and being found unprepared, unless God keep us, we are in danger.

"Children" resting "on the bed" are people who have converted and thereby become children of the Lord and have been deemed worthy to rest together with Him.

And he from within shall answer and say,....

(2.) To encourage us in prayer. If importunity could prevail thus with a man who was angry at it, much more with a God who is infinitely more kind and ready to do good to us than we are to one another, and is not angry at our importunity, but accepts it, especially when it is for spiritual mercies that we are importunate.

My children are with me in bed - Or, I and my children are in bed; this is Bishop Pearce’s translation, and seems to some preferable to the common one. See a like form of speech in 1Co 16:11, and in Eph 3:18. However, we may conceive that he had his little children, τα παιδια, in bed with him; and this heightened the difficulty of yielding to his neighbor’s request. But if he persevere knocking. (At si ille perseveraverit pulsans).

at midnight . . . for a friend is come--The heat in warm countries makes evening preferable to day for travelling; but "midnight" is everywhere a most unseasonable hour of call, and for that very reason it is here selected.

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In these verses, our Lord Jesus Christ instructs us about prayer. The subject is one which can never be too strongly pressed on our attention. Prayer lies at the very root of our practical Christianity. It is part of the daily business of our Christian life. We have reason to thank God, that upon no point has our Lord Jesus Christ spoken so fully and frequently, as upon prayer. We learn for one thing, from these verses — the importance of perseverance in prayer. This lesson is conveyed to us in the simple parable, commonly called the "Friend at Midnight." We are there reminded what man can obtain from man, by the force of importunity . As selfish and indolent as we naturally are — we are capable of being roused to exertion, by continual asking . The man who would not give three loaves at midnight for friendship's sake, at length gave them — to save himself the trouble of being further entreated. The application of the parable is clear and plain. If importunity succeeds so well, between man and man — then how much more may we expect it to obtain mercies, when used in prayer to God . The lesson is one which we shall do well to remember. It is far more easy to begin a habit of prayer, than to keep it up. Myriads of professing Christians are regularly taught to pray when they are young — and then gradually leave off the practice as they grow up. Thousands take up a habit of praying for a little season, after some special mercy or special affliction — and then little by little become cold about it, and at last lay it aside. The secret thought comes stealing over men's minds, that "it is no use to pray." They see no visible benefit from it. They persuade themselves that they get on just as well without prayer. Laziness and unbelief prevail over their hearts, and at last they altogether "diminish prayer before God." (Job 15:4.)

In these verses, our Lord Jesus Christ instructs us about prayer. The subject is one which can never be too strongly pressed on our attention. Prayer lies at the very root of our practical Christianity. It is part of the daily business of our Christian life. We have reason to thank God, that upon no point has our Lord Jesus Christ spoken so fully and frequently, as upon prayer. We learn for one thing, from these verses — the importance of perseverance in prayer. This lesson is conveyed to us in the simple parable, commonly called the "Friend at Midnight."