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"A Friend At Midnight" explanation

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The first parable portrays a man who has an unexpected visitor and needs some bread to feed him; so he goes to his friend's house at midnight, knocks on his door, and asks for three loaves (v.5,6). At first his friend refuses the request because it is inconvenient for him; that is, it's late and he and his family have already gone to bed (v.7). However, because the man keeps knocking on his door, his friend rises out of bed and gives him what he needs (v.8). The friend's motive is wrong--it's not the motive of love "because he [the man in need] is his friend" (Gal.5:14). Rather, the motive is "because of his importunity," or because the man was persistent in asking; and his friend gave in to his request in order to avoid being bothered any more.

In the preceding verses (Luk.11:1-4), Jesus had just taught the apostles how to pray by giving them an example prayer. He directed the prayer to "Our Father." Thus, prayer is the context for the parable about the man asking a favor of his friend at midnight. The main idea of the parable is that if you ask your friend persistently, he may give you what you ask for just to keep from being troubled any more. Jesus goes on to compare this situation with someone asking God for things (v.9,10). Whom had he just taught them to ask? "Our Father which art in heaven" (v.2). God wants to be our father, and he also wants to be our friend (Pro.18:24, Jam.2:23). But unlike the friend at midnight, God has no wrong motive. His motive for answering our prayers is not so that we'll stop troubling him. He doesn't consider our prayers a bother. God answers our prayers because he is a loving father and a loving friend and therefore wants to give us good things. Besides, there is no inconvenient time for God. Unlike the friend at midnight, he never goes to bed. In fact, Isa.62:7 says, "Give him no rest," or keep praying continually (1Th.5:17). So we can be persistent in asking our heavenly Father for things.

What kind of things can we ask our heavenly Father for? Jesus said, "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you" (Joh.16:23). So the things we request must be in Jesus' name. The name "Jesus" is a word, yes; but what it represents is more than just a word. If an ambassador is sent on a mission in the name of a king, then he represents that king. The king instructs him so that the words he has to speak and his attitude can be the same as if the king himself were present. Jesus came in his Father's name, or he was a representative of his Father (Joh.5:43, Joh.14:10). The name "J-E-S-U-S" stands for all the spiritual things of God that he has to offer us, such as his word, his love, wisdom, and understanding. God was pleased with Solomon's prayer because he asked for "understanding to discern judgment" and not for a long life, natural riches, or the life of his enemies (1Ki.3:9-12). Understanding is one of the phases of spirit contained "in the name" (Isa.11:2). If we ask for spiritual things in faith, we will receive those things (Mat.21:22). If we seek after God (Amo.5:4, Isa.55:6, Mat.6:33), then we will find him (Deu.4:29, Jer.29:13, Act.17:27). If we knock on the door of God's mind, he will hear our prayers and will open up his mind or make his spirit available to us (Psa.34:15, Psa.145:16, Rev.3:8). But we do need to be importunate (persistent) in asking and not waver with doubt (Jam.1:5-8). For more on prayer, see the article: "Prayer: Questions and Answers."

Remember, Jesus said to pray to "Our Father which art in heaven" (Luk.11:2). The next section (v.11-13) is a comparison between a natural father who has evil thoughts and our heavenly Father who is only good (Mat.19:17). Even fathers who have evil thoughts will give their children the good things to eat that they ask for (some bread, a fish, an egg) and not harmful things (a stone, a serpent, or a scorpion). How much more will our heavenly Father, who only has good thoughts, give his holy spirit to them that ask him (his spiritual children--2Co.6:18)! The holy spirit is called "good things" in Mat.7:11. Gal.5:22,23 lists some of these fruits of the holy spirit: "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." God enjoys giving good things to those who ask. Our job is to ASK!

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