Luke 11:5

5 Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him,

Luke 11:5 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 11:5

And he said unto them, which of you shall have a friend,
&c.] A neighbour, or acquaintance:

and shall go unto him at midnight;
which may seem a very unseasonable time, and which nothing but real distress, not knowing what otherwise to do, would put a man upon:

and say unto him, friend, lend me three loaves:
it was usual of the Jews to borrow bread of one another, and certain rules are laid down, when, and on what condition, this is to be done; as for instance, on a sabbath day ^F11,

``a man may ask of his friend vessels of wine, and vessels of oil, only he must not say, lend me: and so a woman, (twrkk htrybxm) , "bread of her friend".''

Again ^F12,

``so said Hillell, let not a woman lend (htrbxl rkk) "bread to her friend", till she has fixed the price; lest wheat should be dearer, and they should be found coming into the practice of usury.''

For what was lent, could not be demanded again under thirty days ^F13.

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 Misn. Sabbat, c. 23. sect. 1.
F12 Misn. Bava Metzia. c. 5. sect. 9.
F13 T. Bab. Maccot, fol. 3. 2. Jarchi in T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 148. 1. Bartenona in Misn. Sabbat, c. 23. sect. 1.

Luke 11:5 In-Context

3 Give us each day the food we need,

4 and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation. ”

5 Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him,

6 ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’

7 And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’