And it came to pass that as he was praying
The following directions concerning prayer, though they agree with those in ( Matthew 6:9 ) &c. yet were delivered at another time, and in another place, and upon another occasion: Christ was then in Galilee, now in Judea: he gave the former directions unasked for, these at the request of one of his disciples; the other were given as he was preaching, these immediately after he had been praying; as soon as he had done a work he was often employed in, as man and mediator, on account of himself, his disciples, cause, and interest: and this was done
in a certain place;
perhaps in the Mount of Olives, which was not far from Bethany, where we hear of him last, since this was a place where he used to abide in the night, and pray, ( Luke 21:37 ) . The Arabic version reads, "in a desert place"; and after he had been at Bethany, he did go to a country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, ( John 11:54 )
when he ceased;
from praying; when he had concluded his prayer, and finished all his petitions, and was off of his knees:
one of his disciples;
perhaps one of the seventy disciples who had not heard the summary of prayer, and the directions about it before given on the mount, ( Matthew 6:9 ) The Persic version reads, "his disciples": as if they all united in the request:
and said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his
disciples,
who, as Tertullian says F7, brought in a new order and method of praying, and gave his disciples some instructions and directions concerning it, much better than what the Jews in common had: and this disciple looking upon his Lord and master as much better qualified to give directions in this important affair than even John himself was, requests of him that he would; and what might put him upon it at this time seems to be, his observing that Christ had now been at prayer.