Luke 11

Last updated
Luke 11
←  chapter 10
chapter 12  →
Uncial 0191 (K. 9031).jpg
Fragment of Uncial 0191, 6th century bilingual Greek-Coptic manuscript of the Gospels with text of Luke 11:51-12:5
Book Gospel of Luke
Category Gospel
Christian Bible part New Testament
Order in the Christian part3

Luke 11 is the eleventh chapter of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It records Luke's version of the Lord's Prayer and several parables and teachings told by Jesus Christ. [1] The book containing this chapter is anonymous, but early Christian tradition uniformly affirmed that Luke the Evangelist composed this Gospel as well as the Acts of the Apostles. [2]

Contents

Text

The original text was written in Koine Greek. Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:

This chapter is divided into 54 verses.

The Lord's Prayer

Luke 11:2 in Codex Sinaiticus. Codex Sinaiticus-small.jpg
Luke 11:2 in Codex Sinaiticus.

The chapter opens with Jesus praying in "a certain place" and being asked by one of his disciples to teach them to pray, as John the Baptist had taught his disciples. [3] The place is not named but the context is within Jesus' "journey to Jerusalem" which he has commenced, with his disciples, in Luke 9:51. Frederic Farrar suggests that Luke "did not possess a ... definite note of place or of time". [4]

The form of prayer taught by John the Baptist has perished. [4]

In reply, Jesus taught his disciples the "model prayer", [5] known generally as the Lord's Prayer. Some writers looking at Matthew's account (Matthew 6:9–13) alongside Luke's account have argued that the disciple was probably a later recruit to Jesus' entourage and therefore not present at the Sermon on the Mount. [6] Eric Franklin notes the "appropriate" connection between this section and the end of chapter 10, where Mary's listening to Jesus has been commended rather than Martha's activism. [7] : 942 

A friend comes at midnight

And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'?" [8]
Etching by Jan Luyken illustrating the parable of the friend at night, from the Bowyer Bible Teachings of Jesus 17 of 40. ask and ye shall receive. Jan Luyken etching. Bowyer Bible.gif
Etching by Jan Luyken illustrating the parable of the friend at night, from the Bowyer Bible

For Luke, the Lord's Prayer has a strongly eschatological focus: it prays for the coming of the Kingdom of God and maintaining that until such coming, Jesus' disciples "should live under its shadow and out of its strength". So Luke follows on from the prayer with a parable which speaks of the need for urgent and insistent prayer, portrayed through "a determined petition for bread". The parable indicates that God is not indifferent during this time of waiting, and Franklin observes that any suggestion to the contrary "arises out of a misreading of the signs of the times". [7] : 943 

Farrar adds an allegorical reading in his assessment of this story:

Allegorically we may see here the unsatisfied hunger of the soul, which wakens in the midnight of a sinful life. [4]

Keep asking, seeking, knocking

So I say to you, "Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you". [9]

The text here:

Greek : αιτειτε και δοθησεται υμιν ζητειτε και ευρησετε κρουετε και ανοιγησεται υμιν, [10] (aiteite kai dothēsetai hymin zēteite kai eurēsete krouete kai anoigēsetai hymin)

mirrors Luke's text at 6:38:

Give, and it will be given to you
(δίδοτε καὶ δοθήσεται ὑμῖν, didote kai dothēsetai hymin)

God's responsiveness to persistent prayer can be understood in the light of the parable of the friend at midnight and the persistence in seeking help which it represents.

Verses 11-12 maintain the theme of asking:

11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? [11]

Luke gives three examples of possible requests, two matching Matthew's account, asking for a loaf, and for a fish, [12] and a third of his own, requesting an egg. Codex Bezae omits the first example. [13] Meyer sees in this passage an example of the literary technique known as anacoluthon, an unexpected discontinuity in the expression of ideas. [6]

He who does not gather with me scatters

The Latin text of Luke 10:41-11:5 in Codex Claromontanus V, from 4th or 5th century. Codex Claromontanus V (f. 166r).JPG
The Latin text of Luke 10:41-11:5 in Codex Claromontanus V, from 4th or 5th century.

Luke 11:23b, also Matthew 12:30.

Baptist theologian John Gill suggests that "the allusion [in verse 23b] is either to the gathering of the sheep into the fold, and the scattering of them by the wolf; or to the gathering of the wheat, and binding it in sheaves, and bringing it home in harvest; and to the scattering of the wheat loose in the field, whereby it is lost". [14]

Woes of the Pharisees

Verses 37-54 enumerate a number of criticisms raised by Jesus against scribes (lawyers) and Pharisees, which are also recorded in Matthew 23:1–39. [15] Mark 12:35–40 and Luke 20:45–47 also include warnings about scribes.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark 11</span> Chapter of the New Testament

Mark 11 is the eleventh chapter of the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament of the Christian Bible, beginning Jesus' final "hectic" week, before his death as he arrives in Jerusalem for the coming Passover. It contains the stories of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, his cursing of the fig tree, his conflict with the Temple money changers, and his argument with the chief priests and elders about his authority. Biblical commentator Christopher Tuckett notes that "the Passion narrative in Mark is usually adjudged to start at chapter 14, but there is a real sense in which it can be said to start ... at the start of chapter 11".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke 24</span> Chapter of the New Testament

Luke 24 is the twenty-fourth and final chapter of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The book containing this chapter is anonymous, but early Christian tradition uniformly affirmed that Luke the Evangelist composed this Gospel as well as the Acts of the Apostles. This chapter records the discovery of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, his appearances to his disciples and his ascension into heaven.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew 13</span> Chapter of the New Testament

Matthew 13 is the thirteenth chapter in the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament section of the Christian Bible. This chapter contains the third of the five Discourses of Matthew, called the Parabolic Discourse, based on the parables of the Kingdom. At the end of the chapter, Jesus is rejected by the people of his hometown, Nazareth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke 10</span> Chapter of the New Testament

Luke 10 is the tenth chapter of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It records the sending of seventy disciples by Jesus, the famous parable about the Good Samaritan, and his visit to the house of Mary and Martha. This Gospel's author, who also wrote the Acts of the Apostles, is not named but is uniformly identified by early Christian tradition as Luke the Evangelist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew 9</span> Chapter of the New Testament

Matthew 9 is the ninth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. It continues the narrative about Jesus' ministry in Galilee as he ministers to the public, working miracles, and going through all the cities and towns of the area, preaching the gospel, and healing every disease. This chapter opens with Jesus back in "his own town", i.e. Capernaum. This chapter reflects "the crucial role of faith" in relation to healing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew 18</span> Chapter of the New Testament

Chapter 18 of the Gospel of Matthew contains the fourth of the five Discourses of Matthew, also called the Discourse on the Church or the ecclesiastical discourse. It compares "the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven" to a child, and also includes the parables of the lost sheep and the unforgiving servant, the second of which also refers to the Kingdom of Heaven. The general themes of the discourse are the anticipation of a future community of followers, and the role and "spiritual condition" of his apostles in leading it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew 19</span> Chapter of the New Testament

Matthew 19 is the nineteenth chapter in the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament section of the Christian Bible. The book containing this chapter is anonymous, but early Christian tradition uniformly affirmed that Matthew composed this Gospel. Jesus commences his final journey to Jerusalem in this chapter, ministering through Perea. It can be seen as the starting point for the passion narrative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew 20</span> Chapter of the New Testament

Matthew 20 is the twentieth chapter in the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. Jesus continues his final journey through Perea and Jericho, heading towards Jerusalem, which he enters in the following chapter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John 19</span> Chapter of the New Testament

John 19 is the nineteenth chapter of the Gospel of John in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The book containing this chapter is anonymous, but early Christian tradition uniformly affirmed that John composed this Gospel. This chapter records the events on the day of the crucifixion of Jesus, until his burial.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke 5</span> Chapter of the New Testament

Luke 5 is the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament of the Christian Bible, traditionally attributed to Luke the Evangelist, a companion of Paul the Apostle on his missionary journeys. The chapter relates the recruitment of Jesus' first disciples and continues to describe Jesus' teaching and healing ministry. Early criticism from the Jewish religious authorities is encountered as the chapter progresses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke 6</span> Chapter of the New Testament

Luke 6 is the sixth chapter of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament of the Christian Bible, traditionally attributed to Luke the Evangelist, a companion of Paul the Apostle on his missionary journeys. Jesus' teaching about the Sabbath enrages the religious authorities and deepens their conflict. The selection of twelve apostles is recounted and this is followed by the "Sermon on the Plain", where key aspects of Jesus' teaching are presented.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke 8</span> Chapter of the New Testament

Luke 8 is the eighth chapter of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The book containing this chapter is anonymous but early Christian tradition uniformly affirmed that Luke the Evangelist, a companion of Paul the Apostle on his missionary journeys, composed both this Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. This chapter mentions the women who supported Jesus and records some of the great miracles he performed, as well as several parables told by him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke 12</span> Chapter of the New Testament

Luke 12 is the 12th chapter of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It records a number of teachings and parables told by Jesus Christ when "an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together", but addressed "first of all" to his disciples. The book containing this chapter is anonymous, but early Christian tradition uniformly affirmed that Luke the Evangelist composed this Gospel as well as the Acts of the Apostles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke 14</span> Chapter of the New Testament

Luke 14 is the fourteenth chapter of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It records one miracle performed by Jesus Christ on a Sabbath day, followed by his teachings and parables, where he "inculcates humility ... and points out whom we should invite to our feasts, if we expect spiritual remuneration". The book containing this chapter is anonymous, but early Christian tradition uniformly affirmed that Luke the Evangelist composed this Gospel as well as the Acts of the Apostles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke 15</span> Chapter of the New Testament

Luke 15 is the fifteenth chapter of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The book containing this chapter is anonymous, but early Christian tradition uniformly affirmed that Luke the Evangelist composed this Gospel as well as the Acts of the Apostles. This chapter records three parables of Jesus Christ: the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost or 'prodigal' son, a trilogy about redemption that Jesus tells after the Pharisees and religious leaders accuse him of welcoming and eating with "sinners".

Luke 18 is the eighteenth chapter of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It records the teachings and a miracle of Jesus Christ. The book containing this chapter is anonymous, but early Christian tradition uniformly affirmed that Luke the Evangelist composed this Gospel as well as the Acts of the Apostles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke 19</span> Chapter of the New Testament

Luke 19 is the nineteenth chapter of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It records Jesus' arrival in Jericho and his meeting with Zacchaeus, the parable of the minas and Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem. The book containing this chapter is anonymous, but early Christian tradition uniformly affirmed that Luke the Evangelist composed this Gospel as well as the Acts of the Apostles.

Luke 20 is the twentieth chapter of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It records the teaching of Jesus Christ in the temple in Jerusalem, especially his responses to questions raised by the Pharisees and Sadducees. The book containing this chapter is anonymous, but early Christian tradition uniformly affirmed that Luke the Evangelist composed this Gospel as well as the Acts of the Apostles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke 21</span> Chapter of the New Testament

Luke 21 is the twenty-first chapter of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It records the observations and predictions of Jesus Christ delivered in the temple in Jerusalem, and his exhortation "to be watchful". The book containing this chapter is anonymous, but early Christian tradition uniformly affirmed that Luke the Evangelist composed this Gospel as well as the Acts of the Apostles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke 22</span> Chapter of the New Testament

Luke 22 is the twenty-second chapter of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It commences in the days just before the Passover or Feast of Unleavened Bread, and records the plot to kill Jesus Christ; the institution of the Lord's Supper; and the Arrest of Jesus and his trial before the Sanhedrin.

References

  1. ↑ Halley, Henry H. Halley's Bible Handbook: an Abbreviated Bible Commentary. 23rd edition. Zondervan Publishing House. 1962.
  2. ↑ Holman Illustrated Bible Handbook. Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. 2012.
  3. ↑ Luke 11:1
  4. 1 2 3 Farrar, F. W. (1891), Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges on Luke 11, accessed 16 September 2023
  5. ↑ Sub-heading at Luke 11:1 in the New King James Version
  6. 1 2 Meyer, H. A. W. (1873), Meyer's NT Commentary on Luke 11, translated from the German sixth edition, accessed 9 January 2022
  7. 1 2 Franklin, E., 58. Luke in Barton, J. and Muddiman, J. (2001), The Oxford Bible Commentary Archived 2017-11-22 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ↑ Luke 11:5–7: NKJV
  9. ↑ Luke 11:9: NKJV
  10. ↑ Luke 11:9: Westcott-Hort New Testament
  11. ↑ Luke 11:11–12: NKJV
  12. ↑ Matthew 7:9–10
  13. ↑ Nicoll, W. R., The Expositor's Greek Testament on Luke 11, accessed 21 September 2023
  14. ↑ Gill, J. (1746–48), Gill's Exposition on Luke 11, accessed 17 June 2018
  15. ↑ Kupfer, Marcia Ann, ed. (2008). The Passion Story: From Visual Representation to Social Drama. University Park, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State University Press. pp. 223–224. ISBN   978-0-271-03307-5. OCLC   180190788.
Preceded by
Luke 10 		Chapters of the Bible
Gospel of Luke 		Succeeded by
Luke 12
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.