Note 3 at Lk. 11:5: Many people interpret this parable on prayer to say that we should be persistent with our prayers in the same way that this man was with his friend. That interpretation leads people to believe that there are times that God is not inclined to answer our prayers, but if we will just "keep after Him," He will finally "give in." Nothing could be further from the truth of what this parable is actually teaching.

Jesus is rather ministering assurance to us that the Father is ready and willing to answer our prayers. To make that point, He asked which of the disciples had a friend who would be so rude as to deny them help simply because it was late at night and the friend was already in bed. The answer to that question is none. No friend would ever treat his friend that way! Even if one could imagine a man feeling the way Jesus described the friend in the parable, he would still help the man just to get rid of him.

The point that Jesus is making is that if we put so much faith in human friendship, how much more should we be able to completely trust our heavenly Father to grant our requests? We should come expecting to receive our answers to prayer much more so than to have a friend help us in a time of need.

This makes verses 9-13 compatible with this parable instead of contradictory. Verses 11-13 use this same reasoning and comparison with human relationships to stress "how much more" our heavenly Father loves us. The comparison in this parable is a contrast--not a representation. The same method of interpretation holds true with the parable of the woman and the unjust judge (see note 2 at Lk. 18:2, p. 320).

The Lord is promoting the opposite of importunity (see ref. r at Lk. 11:8 for definition) in prayer. He is saying, "You wouldn't have to hound a friend with insistent and repeated requests. Why would you then think that you have to treat God that way? Just ask and you shall receive . . . ."