Albert Barnes Commentary Luke 11:8

"I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will arise and give him as many as he needeth." — Luke 11:8 (ASV)

I tell you. The Latin Vulgate here adds, "if he continues knocking." Though this is not in the Greek, it is indispensable that it should be understood for the meaning. Knocking once would not denote importunity, but it was because he continued knocking.

His importunity. His troublesome perseverance; his continuing to disturb the man, and refusing to take any denial. The word importunity denotes perseverance toward an objective, without any regard to time, place, or circumstances—an improper perseverance. By this the man was influenced. Rather than be disturbed, he would rise and give what was asked.

This is to be applied to God only in the sense that He often hears prayers and grants blessings even long after they appear to be unanswered or withheld. He does not promise to give blessings at once. He promises only that He will do it, or will answer prayer.

But He often makes His people wait long. He tries their faith. He leaves them to persevere for months or years, until they feel entirely their dependence on Him, until they see that they can obtain the blessing in no other way, and until they are prepared to receive it.

Often they are not prepared to receive it when they ask for it at first. They may be proud, or have no proper sense of their dependence, or they would not value the blessing, or it may at that time not be best for them to obtain it. But let no one despair.

If the thing is for our good, and if it is proper that it should be granted, God will give it. Let us first ask rightly; let us see that our minds are in a proper state; let us feel our need of the blessing; let us inquire whether God has promised such a blessing, and then let us persevere until God gives it.

Again, when people ask anything of God, they often give up seeking. They go once, and if it is not granted, they are discouraged. It is not so when we ask anything of people. Then we persevere; we take no denial; we go again and press the matter until we obtain it. We should do the same with God. We should go again and again, until the prayer is heard, and God grants what we ask of Him.