Lucas 11
J. Vernon McGee · Citado em PreceptAustin
Lucas 11
Vernon McGee - My friend, do you think that God is asleep? Do you feel that He has gone to bed when you pray, and you cannot get Him up? Do you believe that He does not want to answer your prayers? God does want to answer your prayers and He will. That is what this parable is saying. It is a parable by contrast and not by comparison. You do not have to storm the gates of heaven or knock down the door of heaven in order to attract God's attention. God is not reluctant to hear and answer you. God tells us in Isaiah 65:24, "And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." God wants to hear and answer. (Luke - can be borrowed or listen to Mp3 -Luke 11) Persistence (335)(anaideia from a = without + aidos = shame) means shamelessnesss in the sense that one is insensitive to what is proper, "carelessness about the good opinion of others," (BDAG), but in this context is may also convey a positive sense of "persistence, tenacious insistence without regard to time, place, or person." (Friberg) The meaning of anaideia depends to a large degree on whether on interprets this as noun as a description of the friend asking or the friend being asked (See Rosscup below). Gilbrant on anaideia - In classical Greek the predominant sense of anaideia points to “shamelessness.” There are a few examples where this word or one from the same root means “impudence,” but in classical literature no form of anaideia has the sense of “persistence.”...(The man in Lk 11:5) had no shame in making an unreasonable request in the middle of the night. It was impudent of him to expect help at such a time. NET Note on anaideia - The term anaideia is hard to translate. It refers to a combination of ideas, a boldness that persists over time, or "audacity," which comes close. It most likely describes the one making the request, since the unit's teaching is an exhortation about persistence in prayer. Some translate the term "shamelessness" which is the term's normal meaning, and apply it to the neighbor as an illustration of God responding for the sake of his honor. But the original question was posed in terms of the first man who makes the request, not of the neighbor, so the teaching underscores the action of the one making the request. ESV Study Bible on anaideia - In all of its other known uses in ancient literature, the term means “lack of sensitivity to what is proper,” “impertinence,” “impudence”; it describes being without aidōs (“respect,” “modesty”). “Impudence,” then, would indicate that the friend is shamelessly and boldly awakening his neighbor, and of course the neighbor will give him whatever he needs. On this interpretation, Jesus’ point is that if even a human being will respond to his neighbor in that way, then Christians should go boldly before God with any need they face, for God is more gracious and caring than any human neighbor. Some other interpreters believe that anaideia means “persistence” here, even though there are no other known occurrences of that meaning. Such a reading does fit the context, however, for the very next verses emphasize that believers must keep seeking, asking, and knocking (Lk 11:9–10). This would make the parable similar to Lk 18:1–8. Both ideas—a kind of shameless persistence—are possibly intended by this unusual term. (Ed: But see Rosscup's analysis below) (Borrow ESV Study Bible) Rosscup favors the noun anaideia as referring to the sleeping friend, not the asking friend - A story about prayer (Lk 11:5–8). Luke is the only gospel writer to incorporate this parable. Jesus relates practically with His disciples. He asks which of them shall have a friend he asks at midnight for three loaves to feed a visitor, a friend who first refuses because he and his family are in bed. The friend does get up and give as much as the one asking needs on another basis than just friendship, however. He gives due to the prompting of “his anaideia” [the Gr. term, Lk 11:8]. Some believe that the “his” refers to the disciple outside the door, asking for loaves. The word anaideia, used only here in the N. T., is taken to mean the caller’s “persistency” in keeping up the asking until he rousts the hesitant friend. A large part of this is the assumption that the word does mean “persistency,” and the fact that in both Matt. 6 and here in vv. 9–10 the three words “ask … seek … knock” are all in the present tense, “keep on asking,” etc. The point is that those praying gain encouragement from the idea that if they just can persist to pray through, they are sure finally to get God’s provision. He honors tenacious prayer. Another way of thinking, which fits the details even better, is this. The “his” refers back to the friend in bed. In Lk 11:7–8, he is the subject of all the other clauses (“he … me … my children … I … I … I …” (Lk 11:7), then “he … he … friend.…”). After all of this flow, it seems natural that in the last part of Lk 11:8, also, the meaning is “yet because of his [the same friend in bed] anaideia, he [the friend in bed] will get up and give him.…” A second reason for the latter explanation is that the word anaideia itself is based on aidos, “blame,” and the prefix letter “a” called an alpha privative; the prefix causes the meaning to be the opposite of “blame” as an “atheist” (a + theist) is a person who is not a theist, does not believe there is a God. Here, the idea then is “shamelessness” [reaction against shame] or “sense of honor” that the friend in bed has. He thinks of his reputation in his community, which one in a small town must live with the rest of his life. He has an honor toward a neighbor and must keep this as a shining thing, or his dishonor will quickly be all over the village; if he fails he will be known for not helping a friend in need. So he gets up and gives due to his image that is worth protecting. Still another reason for this view is that Luke 11:2 emphasizes God’s shining honor at the outset, “hallowed be Thy name.” His character is also the great emphasis at the close of the prayer verses (Lk 11:13). He, “much more than” human fathers, knows how to give what is good. Fourth, it is a far greater encouragement for prayer to think of the Father’s blameless character answering prayer than to dwell on our faithfulness to persist. Aroused by his image of being shameless, the friend rises to answer with “as much as he [the one requesting] needs.” The “three loaves” is a normal meal in the culture at the time, and “three” also a number of completeness, a supply that is full, adequate. The provision includes a loaf to set before the guest, a loaf to put at his own place, and an extra loaf to put the guest at ease because there is plenty. While the man is selfish in some ways and God is not like these, his basic honor to respond with good illustrates God very well (cf. vv. 8–13). (An Exposition on Prayer in the Bible) Steven Cole on Luke 11:5-8 - Jesus is responding to the request of an unnamed disciple, “Lord, teach us to pray” (11:1). In 11:2-4, He gives us the pattern for prayer, that we are to pray to the Father about His concerns and we are to pray about the family’s needs. In 11:5-13, Jesus continues His instruction by showing us how we should approach God in prayer. If you live in a country with a sovereign monarch, you don’t just pop in on the king and say, “Hey, how’s it going?” If you have an interview with the king, you need some coaching on what to say and do and what not to say and do. You need to know what social courtesies are expected in the presence of the king. When you come before the King of kings, you need some coaching about how to do it. Some may think that because God is sovereign and holy, perhaps we shouldn’t bother Him with our petty needs. Or, perhaps we should come apologetically and timidly, afraid to let Him know what is really on our minds. Maybe once we’ve let our needs be known, we should back off and not bother God again. Jesus shows us here how to approach God to receive the things we need as we seek to do His will: Approach God with bold persistence, knowing that as a loving Father, He will provide for our spiritual good. The instruction of Luke 11:5-13 assumes the foundational instruction of Luke 11:2-4. We must be children of God through the new birth before we can address God as Father and approach Him with our needs. We must be committed to seeking first His kingdom and glory, so that our prayers are properly motivated and directed. Our prayers for our needs are not just for the purpose of making us happy, but for the overall aim of seeing the Father’s name hallowed and His kingdom brought about on the earth. In this context, Jesus tells a humorous parable (Luke 11:5-8) to teach that we should approach God with boldness as His friend, persisting until we obtain what we need in order to minister to our friends. Then (Luke 11:9-10) He applies the parable by telling us to keep on asking, seeking, and knocking in prayer until we obtain the answer we need. Next (Luke 11:11-12) Jesus shifts the picture with a ludicrous, but memorable, illustration of a boy asking his father for a fish or an egg. The father would not give his son a snake or a scorpion! Then (Luke 11:13) Jesus applies this illustration by saying that if we, being evil, know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more shall the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him. The strong emphasis in this whole section is on receiving answers to our prayers. The friend at midnight did not go away empty-handed. He got the bread that he came for. The application emphasizes that one who keeps asking, seeking, and knocking will receive what he is after. The story of the father and his son makes the same point: the boy will get what he asks from his father. The final application drives it home again with force: How much more will the heavenly Father respond favorably to those who ask Him? John
Lucas 11
Vernon McGee - As a young preacher I prayed for God to open up the door to a certain church where I wanted to serve as pastor. I was asked to candidate, which I did. The machinery of the church and the political bigwigs met behind closed doors to decide if I would be pastor. They decided not to accept me because I was not a church politician, and theirs was a strategic church in that day. I went to the Lord and cried about it and told Him how He had let me down. Today I am ashamed of myself, and I have asked Him to forgive me for my attitude. He did not let me down. He knew what was best for me. He had something much better in store for me. Many times since then I have thanked Him for that "NO." Rod Mattoon - God is not a celestial slot machine where you pull the handle enough times in prayer and you will get what you want! There is more to prayer than this. This passage tells us how to pray for Christlike character in our lives. It instructs us how to pray the Lord's Prayer. It teaches us to pray that our morals and ethics will be like the Lord Jesus Christ. In a word, Jesus teaches us how to pray for our spiritual lives as well as for other needs. (ILLUSTRATION) The story of Frances Havergal is an example of this truth. As a young woman, Frances Havergal, author of the hymns, Take My Life and Let It Be and Like a River Glorious, had a very quick temper. It was the kind that would easily explode. After she would blow up, she would be mortified and confess her failure to the Lord only to lose her temper, again and again. One day after a particularly bad explosion, she threw herself down by her bed and wept. She prayed, "Lord, must it always be so? Will I always have this temper to keep me humble before you?" While she was on her knees, the Lord injected a verse of Scripture in her mind: "The Egyptians whom you have seen today you will see no more forever." God spoke these words to Moses when the Egyptians pursued the Israelites to take them back into bondage. Havergal related the verse to her temper and the way in which Satan wanted to use it to pull her into failure, bondage, and defeat. She saw that God could take her temper away. She asked, "Lord, could it be forever?" It seemed to her that the words came back from the Lord, "Yes. No more, forever." Her sister said that from that day Frances Havergal never again lost her temper. She believed God, and the Lord gave her total victory in her life. (Treasures from the Scriptures) ILLUSTRATION - When Howard Carter, the British archaeologist, peered wide-eyed into an ancient Egyptian tomb in 1922, at first he saw nothing. For more than twenty centuries archaeologists, tourists, and tomb robbers had searched for the burial places of Egypt's pharaohs. It was believed that nothing remained undisturbed, especially in the Royal Valley where the ancient monarchs had been buried for over half a millennium. With only a few scraps of evidence, Carter carried on his pursuit, privately financed, because nobody felt there was anything left to be discovered. He was convinced, however, that there was one remaining tomb. Twice during his six-year search he came within two yards of the first stone step leading to the burial chamber, and finally he found it. "Can you see anything?" his assistants asked, as Carter's eyes adjusted. He was seeing, but he had difficulty speaking because he saw what no modern man had ever seen. Wooden animals, statues, chests, chariots, carved cobras, vases, daggers, jewels, a throne and a hand-carved coffin of a teenage king were in the tomb. Mr. Carter found the priceless tomb and treasure of King Tutankhamen, the world's most exciting archaeological discovery. Howard Carter's persistence and steadfastness brought him King Tut's treasure. How much greater our rewards will be when we pray with persistence for God's spiritual treasures! King Tut left his treasures behind after he died, but the treasures that Christ gives to us are ours for eternity. (Mattoon Treasures from the Scriptures) Morning and Evening
Lucas 11
Vernon McGee - The convincing nature of Jesus' miracles forced the Pharisees to offer some explanation for them. They could not deny the existence of miracles when they were happening before their eyes. They resorted to the basest and most blasphemous explanation for the miracles of Jesus. They did not deny that they took place but claimed that they were done by the power of the Devil. (Luke - can be borrowed; Mp3 - Luke 11) Michael Andrus - Satan’s power is delegated but it is also very real. Anyone who denies the existence of Satan or his power is making a very foolish mistake. He has the power to bring spiritual blindness upon millions of people, causing them to believe a false religious system, and believe it so fanatically that they are even willing to commit suicide in its service. Satan also has the power to perform miracles, as evident in Moses’ day when the early plagues were imitated by Pharaoh’s magicians. But Satan’s miracle-working power is not unlimited. The same magicians hit a wall when the plagues increased in intensity.Clearly there are some things Satan cannot imitate and some things his power cannot accomplish. But the Pharisees ignore those limitations with their claim that Jesus has done this amazing miracle by the power of Satan. MacArthur describes the some of them as "propagandists spreading the lies of the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, were quick to offer their slanderous, false explanation of the Lord’s miraculous power. The same lie that had been spread in Galilee was now heard in Judea as well. Since it was impossible even for His enemies to deny that Christ’s miracles occurred (cf. John 11:47), they sought instead to attack the source and assign them to demonic power. (See Luke Commentary) Steven