But, independent of their connection with what precedes or follows in this most admirable sermon, these verses contain a most important direction and encouraging exhortation to the people of God to seek help of him in all difficulties whatsoever, and all those aids of his Spirit, and other blessings necessary to their salvation. Or the passage may refer to the whole preceding discourse, and Christ might intend thereby to prevent his disciples from being discouraged by the holiness of the doctrine, and the strictness of the precepts he had been inculcating, and therefore thus directs them to apply to God for supernatural aid and assures them, if they did so with fervency, importunity, and perseverance, they should not apply in vain. The exhortation contained in these verses may be considered as connected with the caution given in those immediately preceding, and then the sense of it will be, If you be at a loss to know who are and who are not proper subjects of reproof or admonition or to whom you may with propriety speak of the higher truths of Christianity, even of those of experimental religion, and therefore want wisdom to guide you in these difficulties, ask, and it shall be given you, &c. There is the “asking” in the spoken words of prayer, the “seeking” in the efforts and labours which are acted prayers, the “knocking” at the gate with the urgent importunity which claims admission into our Father’s house.īenson Commentary Matthew 7:7-11. The three words imply distinct degrees of intensity.
Otherwise we may ask and receive not, because we ask amiss. It is assumed (1) that we ask for good gifts-for “bread” and not for a “stone,” for a “fish” and not for a “serpent ” and (2) that we ask, as Christ has taught us, in His name and according to His spirit. Here, once more, the words are absolute and unqualified, and yet are clearly limited by implied conditions. The latent sequence of thought would seem to be this, “If the work of reforming others and ourselves,” men might say, “is so difficult, how shall we dare to enter on it? Where shall we find the courage and the wisdom which we need?” And the answer is, In prayer for those gifts. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(7) Ask, and it shall be given.-The transition is again abrupt, and suggests the idea that some links are missing.
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