Matthew 7:7-8

Ask, Seek, Knock

7:7 “Ask ¹  and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door ²  will be opened for you. 7:8 For everyone who asks ³  receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Genesis 32:25-29

32:25 When the man ⁴  saw that he could not defeat Jacob, ⁵  he struck ⁶  the socket of his hip so the socket of Jacob’s hip was dislocated while he wrestled with him.

32:26 Then the man ⁷  said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” ⁸  “I will not let you go,” Jacob replied, ⁹  “unless you bless me.” ¹⁰  32:27 The man asked him, ¹¹  “What is your name?” ¹²  He answered, “Jacob.” 32:28 “No longer will your name be Jacob,” the man told him, ¹³  “but Israel, ¹⁴  because you have fought ¹⁵  with God and with men and have prevailed.”

32:29 Then Jacob asked, “Please tell me your name.” ¹⁶  “Why ¹⁷  do you ask my name?” the man replied. ¹⁸  Then he blessed ¹⁹  Jacob ²⁰  there.

Luke 11:8-10

11:8 I tell you, even though the man inside ²¹  will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of the first man’s ²²  sheer persistence ²³  he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

11:9 “So ²⁴  I tell you: Ask, ²⁵  and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door ²⁶  will be opened for you. 11:10 For everyone who asks ²⁷  receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door ²⁸  will be opened.

Luke 18:1-8

Prayer and the Parable of the Persistent Widow

18:1 Then ²⁹  Jesus ³⁰  told them a parable to show them they should always ³¹  pray and not lose heart. ³²  18:2 He said, ³³  “In a certain city ³⁴  there was a judge ³⁵  who neither feared God nor respected people. ³⁶  18:3 There was also a widow ³⁷  in that city ³⁸  who kept coming ³⁹  to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 18:4 For ⁴⁰  a while he refused, but later on ⁴¹  he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people, ⁴²  18:5 yet because this widow keeps on bothering me, I will give her justice, or in the end she will wear me out ⁴³  by her unending pleas.’” ⁴⁴  18:6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! ⁴⁵  18:7 Won’t ⁴⁶  God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out ⁴⁷  to him day and night? ⁴⁸  Will he delay ⁴⁹  long to help them? 18:8 I tell you, he will give them justice speedily. ⁵⁰  Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith ⁵¹  on earth?”

Luke 18:39

18:39 And those who were in front ⁵²  scolded ⁵³  him to get him to be quiet, but he shouted ⁵⁴  even more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Colossians 4:2

Exhortation to Pray for the Success of Paul’s Mission

4:2 Be devoted to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving.

Colossians 4:1

4:1 Masters, treat your slaves with justice and fairness, because you know that you also have a master in heaven.

Colossians 1:17

1:17 He himself is before all things and all things are held together ⁵⁵  in him.

[7:7]  ¹ sn The three present imperatives in this verse (Ask…seek…knock) are probably intended to call for a repeated or continual approach before God.

[7:7]  ² tn Grk “it”; the referent (a door) is implied by the context and has been specified in the translation here and in v. 8 for clarity.

[7:8]  ³ sn The actions of asking, seeking, and knocking are repeated here from v. 7 with the encouragement that God does respond.

[32:25]  ⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:25]  ⁵ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:25]  ⁶ tn Or “injured”; traditionally “touched.” The Hebrew verb translated “struck” has the primary meanings “to touch; to reach; to strike.” It can, however, carry the connotation “to harm; to molest; to injure.” God’s “touch” cripples Jacob – it would be comparable to a devastating blow.

[32:26]  ⁷ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:26]  ⁸ tn Heb “dawn has arisen.”

[32:26]  ⁹ tn Heb “and he said, ‘I will not let you go.’” The referent of the pronoun “he” (Jacob) has been specified for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:26]  ¹⁰ sn Jacob wrestled with a man thinking him to be a mere man, and on that basis was equal to the task. But when it had gone on long enough, the night visitor touched Jacob and crippled him. Jacob’s request for a blessing can only mean that he now knew that his opponent was supernatural. Contrary to many allegorical interpretations of the passage that make fighting equivalent to prayer, this passage shows that Jacob stopped fighting, and then asked for a blessing.

[32:27]  ¹¹ tn Heb “and he said to him.” The referent of the pronoun “he” (the man who wrestled with Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:27]  ¹² sn What is your name? The question is rhetorical, since the Lord obviously knew Jacob’s identity. But since the Lord is going to change Jacob’s name, this question is designed to bring focus Jacob’s attention on all that his name had come to signify.

[32:28]  ¹³ tn Heb “and he said.” The referent of the pronoun “he” (the man who wrestled with Jacob) has been specified for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:28]  ¹⁴ sn The name Israel is a common construction, using a verb with a theophoric element (אֵל, ’el) that usually indicates the subject of the verb. Here it means “God fights.” This name will replace the name Jacob; it will be both a promise and a call for faith. In essence, the Lord was saying that Jacob would have victory and receive the promises because God would fight for him.

[32:28]  ¹⁵ sn You have fought. The explanation of the name Israel includes a sound play. In Hebrew the verb translated “you have fought” (שָׂרִיתָ, sarita) sounds like the name “Israel” (יִשְׂרָאֵל, yisra’el ), meaning “God fights” (although some interpret the meaning as “he fights [with] God”). The name would evoke the memory of the fight and what it meant. A. Dillmann says that ever after this the name would tell the Israelites that, when Jacob contended successfully with God, he won the battle with man (Genesis, 2:279). To be successful with God meant that he had to be crippled in his own self-sufficiency (A. P. Ross, “Jacob at the Jabboq, Israel at Peniel,” BSac 142 [1985]: 51-62).

[32:29]  ¹⁶ sn Tell me your name. In primitive thought to know the name of a deity or supernatural being would enable one to use it for magical manipulation or power (A. S. Herbert, Genesis 12-50 [TBC], 108). For a thorough structural analysis of the passage discussing the plays on the names and the request of Jacob, see R. Barthes, “The Struggle with the Angel: Textual Analysis of Genesis 32:23-33,” Structural Analysis and Biblical Exegesis (PTMS), 21-33.

[32:29]  ¹⁷ tn The question uses the enclitic pronoun “this” to emphasize the import of the question.

[32:29]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “and he said, ‘Why is it that you ask my name?’” The referent of the pronoun “he” (the man who wrestled with Jacob) has been specified for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:29]  ¹⁹ tn The verb here means that the Lord endowed Jacob with success; he would be successful in everything he did, including meeting Esau.

[32:29]  ²⁰ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:8]  ²¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man in bed in the house) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:8]  ²² tn Grk “his”; the referent (the first man mentioned) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:8]  ²³ tn The term ἀναίδεια (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.

[11:9]  ²⁴ tn Here καί (kai, from καγώ [kagw]) has been translated as “so” to indicate the conclusion drawn from the preceding parable.

[11:9]  ²⁵ sn The three present imperatives in this verse (Ask…seek…knock) are probably intended to call for a repeated or continual approach before God.

[11:9]  ²⁶ tn Grk “it”; the referent (a door) is implied by the context and has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:10]  ²⁷ sn The actions of asking, seeking, and knocking are repeated here from v. 9 with the encouragement that God does respond.

[11:10]  ²⁸ tn Grk “it”; the referent (a door) is implied by the context and has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:1]  ²⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[18:1]  ³⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:1]  ³¹ tn Or “should pray at all times” (L&N 67.88).

[18:1]  ³² sn This is one of the few parables that comes with an explanation at the start: …they should always pray and not lose heart. It is part of Luke’s goal in encouraging Theophilus (1:4).

[18:2]  ³³ tn Grk “lose heart, saying.” This is a continuation of the previous sentence in the Greek text, but a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the pronominal subject “He.”

[18:2]  ³⁴ tn Or “town.”

[18:2]  ³⁵ sn The judge here is apparently portrayed as a civil judge who often handled financial cases.

[18:2]  ³⁶ tn Grk “man,” but the singular ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used as a generic in comparison to God.

[18:3]  ³⁷ sn This widow was not necessarily old, since many people lived only into their thirties in the 1st century.

[18:3]  ³⁸ tn Or “town.”

[18:3]  ³⁹ tn This is an iterative imperfect; the widow did this on numerous occasions.

[18:4]  ⁴⁰ tn Grk “And for.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[18:4]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “after these things.”

[18:4]  ⁴² tn Grk “man,” but the singular ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used as a generic in comparison to God.

[18:5]  ⁴³ tn The term ὑπωπιάζω (Jupwpiazw) in this context means “to wear someone out by continual annoying” (L&N 25.245).

[18:5]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “by her continual coming,” but the point of annoyance to the judge is her constant pleas for justice (v. 3).

[18:6]  ⁴⁵ sn Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! The point of the parable is that the judge’s lack of compassion was overcome by the widow’s persistence.

[18:7]  ⁴⁶ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[18:7]  ⁴⁷ sn The prayers have to do with the righteous who cry out to him to receive justice. The context assumes the righteous are persecuted.

[18:7]  ⁴⁸ tn The emphatic particles in this sentence indicate that God will indeed give justice to the righteous.

[18:7]  ⁴⁹ sn The issue of delay has produced a whole host of views for this verse. (1) Does this assume provision to endure in the meantime? Or (2) does it mean God restricts the level of persecution until he comes? Either view is possible.

[18:8]  ⁵⁰ tn Some argue this should be translated “suddenly.” When vindication comes it will be quick. But the more natural meaning is “soon.” God will not forget his elect and will respond to them. It may be that this verse has a prophetic perspective. In light of the eternity that comes, vindication is soon.

[18:8]  ⁵¹ sn Will he find faith on earth? The Son of Man is looking for those who continue to believe in him, despite the wait.

[18:39]  ⁵² sn That is, those who were at the front of the procession.

[18:39]  ⁵³ tn Or “rebuked.” The crowd’s view was that surely Jesus would not be bothered with someone as unimportant as a blind beggar.

[18:39]  ⁵⁴ sn Public opinion would not sway the blind man from getting Jesus’ attention. The term shouted is strong as it can be used of animal cries.

[1:17]  ⁵⁵ tn BDAG 973 s.v. συνίστημι B.3 suggests “continue, endure, exist, hold together” here.