Luke 11:11

If a sonne shall aske bread of any of you that is a father, will hee giue him a stone? Or if he aske a fish, will he for a fish giue him a serpent? Luke 11:11 (KJV)

This verse is part of Jesus’ teaching on prayer, following the instruction of the Lord’s Prayer. He uses the analogy of a friend who goes to his neighbour at midnight to ask for bread to stress the importance of persistent and earnest prayer. In Luke 11:11 Jesus poses a rhetorical question to highlight the goodness and faithfulness of earthly fathers. He points out that if a child asks his father for a fish, no loving and caring father would give him a serpent instead. The underlying message is that fathers naturally want to provide good things for their children and respond to their needs in a loving manner.

Jesus then contrasts this with the character of the Heavenly Father, who is even more eager to provide for His children. He continues in Luke 11:13, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” Here He emphasizes that if earthly fathers, despite their flaws, desire to give good things, then the perfect, loving God will give His children what they truly need—the Holy Spirit.

The passage teaches that God is a loving and generous Father who desires to meet our needs and provide for us. It encourages believers to approach God in prayer with confidence, knowing He is faithful and willing to give good things according to His wisdom and perfect love. By using this analogy, Jesus invites His followers to persistently seek Him, trusting that He hears and answers our prayers, and that His desire to bless us far surpasses any earthly father’s love for his child.