Boy Asks for an Egg and Is Offered a Scorpionby CBPepper
7:9Matthew 7:9
Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
The verse pictures a hungry child asking his father for bread, and denies that a father would answer with a stone that is useless, hard and harmful instead. It assures that God as the kind Father in heaven hears those who ask Him and gives good things, not harm, deprivation or disappointment. The argument runs from the lesser to the greater, that if even evil and imperfect human parents know how to give good gifts to their children, much more will the heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him. Believers may therefore come with the simplicity and confiding trust of a child to a parent, asking in earnest, humble faith for what they truly need, especially hunger for righteousness and the bread of life. Those good things include the Holy Spirit with His guidance and power to resist temptation, endure trial and witness for Christ, which God is far more willing to give to those who ask in faith than sinful parents are to give good gifts to their children.
Words and Setting
The saying pictures a hungry son asking his father for bread and denies that the father would answer with a stone instead, something useless, hard and harmful rather than good and nourishing. The familiar care of an earthly father who does not mock or disappoint such a request points to the far greater goodness of the Father in heaven, who gives good things and good gifts, including the Holy Spirit's guidance, to those who ask Him in prayer.
The saying belongs to the Sermon on the Mount, given especially to the disciples while the multitude also listened. That sermon teaches the far-reaching principles of God's law in its spirit, to be impressed on the heart, since the state of the heart shapes life and character.
There Christ states the conditions of entrance into the kingdom and lays its foundation principles, as important now as to the hearers on the hillside. Its lessons are to be shown in daily life, and living them makes a deeper and more lasting impression than preaching them.
The sermon virtually contradicted the doctrines of the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees. It corrects their misrepresentation of God as a stern judge incapable of compassion, mercy and love, and sweeps away misrepresentation so that confidence in God's love is restored.
It presents God in paternal love and His true relation to humanity as Father, teaching people to address the Supreme Ruler of the universe as Our Father, a name that when spoken in sincerity is music in the ears of God. It leads to the throne of God by a new and living way, giving a right conception of Christ's kingdom and character to undo false education. Without directly attacking error or vividly delineating human wretchedness from sin, it teaches something infinitely better than hearers had known, leaving them to conclude its nature for themselves.
Father's Willing Giving
The kind Father in heaven hears those who ask Him and answers with good things, not with harm, deprivation, or disappointment. Those who come with living faith and complete dependence can trust His promise rather than making feelings the measure of faith, for He knows human helplessness and lack of righteousness and supplies what is needed. Those who ask in earnest faith and humility can trust Him to give what they need in the time and way He knows is for their good, and are encouraged to ask Him often and praise Him. The argument runs from the lesser to the greater: even evil, imperfect, and sinful human parents know how to give good gifts to their children, so much more does the heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him.
God holds the same tender relation to people that a father holds to his children, regarding all on earth, even the most learned, noble, and rich, as only little children and babes in knowledge and understanding. His paternal care is more merciful, tender, patient, loving, and generous than any earthly parent's, and He is far more willing to give than sinful parents are to give good gifts to their children. He does not trifle with His child, tantalize him by raising expectations only to disappoint him, or promise nourishing food and then give a stone. He does not refuse appeals, reject need, upbraid those who ask, or weary of earnest coming, but stands behind His promises and answers the cry of the needy and longing heart.
The Lord withholds no good thing and nothing He can give, and does not restrict asking to certain things. He blesses according to the riches of His grace which heaven is ready to bestow on every believer, loves to impart with generous liberality, and gives abundantly to those who make large calls for the bread of heaven. He bestows His best and choicest gifts to supply great need because He loves to help, and nothing will be withheld because all heaven has already been given in Jesus Christ, who is to be received. This is Christ's own lesson to needy and afflicted people that they can come for help and will not seek in vain. His life filled with deeds of mercy and compassion toward the children of sorrow who thronged His steps proves this willingness to give, taught in words so simple that all can understand, so that doubting His willingness to hear is cruel in view of the infinite sacrifice He made to bear human sin and redeem the fallen race for eternal life.
Asking in Faith
Jesus places the picture of a son asking bread and not receiving a stone among promises rich and full about asking, seeking and knocking, assuring that everyone who asks receives, so there is no reason for doubt. Weak, uncertain faith is rebuked in favor of simple, unwavering trust that takes God at His word. The condition is asking and desiring the things of God, and the good things promised include the Holy Spirit.
Believers may approach with the simplicity and confiding trust with which a child comes to an earthly parent, expecting wants to be regarded and things really needed to be received. Asking is to be in earnest faith, humility, simplicity, dependence, and childlike confidence, plainly expressing needs and desiring the things of God. Trust rests on His promise rather than making feelings, abilities, or fear of reproof the measure of faith, for He knows human helplessness and lack of righteousness and supplies what is needed. He can be relied on to help in the work, to give what is needed in the time and way He knows is for good.
This applies to great spiritual need and hunger and thirst after righteousness, asking for the bread of life, the bread of heaven, God's power, grace, love, wisdom, counsel, and strength. One who lacks wisdom is to ask God directly in faith without wavering instead of looking to human wisdom and depending on human guidance, and God who gives liberally will give what is needed to know duty. Prayer must be offered in faith with expectation of receiving, not holding back for fear of reproof and not going on as if nothing is expected. There is no need to mourn lack of spiritual nourishment when the heavenly banquet is spread, but to continue praying with all perseverance, to cut away unbelief that bars the way and hides the open door to the Father, and to come in humble trusting faith to the Source of all power who will do good to the soul and feed it with the bread of heaven. God is more willing to give power to remain steadfast than people are to ask, and gives every needed blessing when people ask in simplicity and faith.
Prayer offered honestly and in faith is heard and answered, though the answer may not come immediately or take the form requested. God gives the needed blessing, often when most needed and beyond expectation, in the way and at the time that best meet the need and are for good, and never fails. Prayer is as necessary to the Christian life as food is to the physical life, unlocking the treasury of heaven. Asking and receiving brings the bread of heaven that makes grace grow, prepares for duty, and fills the heart with peace, and every sincere, earnest prayer, including prayers in loneliness, weariness, and trial, is answered. He holds Himself responsible to hear and answer supplications, bestowing His best and choicest gifts to supply great need because He loves to help, and trusting His wisdom and power gives faith, peace and comfort.
Those who ask are to ask often and praise Him. Promises are fulfilled in experience when people place themselves in right relation to God. The promise is to be repeated in full confidence and taken as more sure and valuable than any human word, with thanksgiving for being barricaded by infallible promises so the wicked one cannot touch, trusting the Lord to reveal Himself for His own name's sake. Those who seek most earnestly should expect to receive the blessing, for He will help them, and He would have them hopeful and cheerful, with hearts filled with thanksgiving and praise, not looking on the dark side but on the bright side, talking faith and hope and courage, and holding fast to divine power. Its promise calls for sober lives built with solid timbers, inquiring at every step what Jesus would have done, and opening the heart to the Spirit lets Him work through the believer and bless his labors.
God may permit disappointment and trial to reveal human helplessness and dependence on Him, and to make known the abundant help He provides regardless of circumstances. He brings those who seek Him to the footstool of mercy and under the bow of promise, where they can be sure of receiving heaven's best gifts. Every soul who asks in faith receives help, and heavenly angels are sent to serve even the weakest person who trusts in God.
The promise to ask and receive belongs to every person individually, not only to leaders or presidents of conferences, and each one who waits upon the Lord and puts petitions before Him will have requests heard and granted, with God as the help of all who call upon Him. Anyone can approach Him, regardless of color, nationality, weakness, or wealth. This instruction is part of the genuine science of higher education and should be studied by physicians and ministers.
Requests for benefits are not meant to serve selfish aims or selfish pleasure, but to equip people to give to those in need, and the Lord gives grace to those who impart to others. Workers who depend on God may ask Him for what they need to advance His work, trusting Him to provide means and move others to help, including the workers in Nashville. All woes and griefs can be carried to God in prayer, with Jesus as Friend to bear them, because He has promised He will not withhold any good thing from those who love Him. Those who pray for counsel and strength, or ask for strength to resist temptation, will not ask in vain but receive help, encouragement, nearness, and strength for the weak and diffident, and habits that once attracted can become repulsive.
Seeking God for His promises and salvation does not result in receiving a harmful deception in answer. Asking the Father for bread does not result in receiving a stone, and the contrast between bread and a stone, alongside the related image of a scorpion, denies the charge that sincere prayer and religious experience are mesmerism or satanic deception, especially when people deny the Holy Spirit.
Holy Spirit Good Gift
The good things the Father gives in answer to prayer include the Holy Spirit, with His guidance, power to remain steadfast, divine power to resist temptation and endure trials, and power to witness for Christ. The picture is simple: as a father answers a son asking for bread with nourishing food rather than something useless, hard, or harmful, God answers those who ask Him with good gifts and not harm. Those who ask may receive without reason for doubt, on the condition of asking and desiring the things of God, in prayer offered in faith with expectation of receiving and without holding back for fear of reproof. This calls for simple faith that takes God at His word, for sober lives built with solid timbers, inquiring at every step what Jesus would have done, and not asking to use the answer for selfish pleasure.
God is far more willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him in faith than sinful and evil human parents are to give good gifts to their children. As even an evil earthly father gives his hungry son bread rather than a stone, the good and righteous God will not deny His children the Holy Spirit but gives blessings abundantly and withholds nothing He can give. The promise to ask and receive belongs to every person individually, not only to leaders such as presidents of conferences, so each one who waits upon the Lord and puts petitions before Him will have requests heard and granted, with God as the help of all who call upon Him. The promise is to be repeated in full confidence and taken as more sure and valuable than any human word, with thanksgiving for being barricaded by infallible promises so the wicked one cannot touch, trusting the Lord to reveal Himself for His own name's sake. Its simplicity is not comprehended, and the assurance of the Holy Spirit to every needy soul feels too good to be true, yet nothing will be withheld because all heaven has already been given in Jesus Christ, who is to be received.
Those who truly seek the Holy Spirit's guidance in faith will not be disappointed, but will have their requests heard and granted. Earthly parents' care for their children represents the greater goodness of the heavenly Father, assuring true seekers of guidance and of power to witness for Christ. Those who pray are therefore encouraged to ask for the Holy Spirit's guidance and believe they will receive an answer.
Feeding Others Bread
Souls hungering for the Bread of Life cry for bread and must not be given a stone in its place. That bread is Bible truth as it is in Jesus, the love of God set forth in words easy to be understood, given line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. The stone is giving babes who do not know the first principles the strongest meat, pressing all the truth in its most striking character upon them at the outset before they are prepared to receive it.
Those who teach and publish must feed God's flock with spiritually nourishing truth, pure spiritual food that leads people to Christ, and not with material that fails to feed them. They are to give people what they can bear, patiently teaching those new to Scripture in the measure they can receive rather than pressing the strongest teachings on them before they are ready. This feeding is to be done in the meekness and love of Jesus, ministering to perishing, starving souls so the truth will have a telling influence. It must never lower God's standard of purity, temperance, and holiness.
One who asks for bread is given bread, not a stone, and so Christ in the heart moves believers to speak sincerely about what God has done for them. They share the life-giving truth they have received, and their words nourish and uplift others rather than wearying them.
The verse pictures a hungry child asking his father for bread, and denies that a father would answer with a stone that is useless, hard and harmful instead. It assures that God as the kind Father in heaven hears those who ask Him and gives good things, not harm, deprivation or disappointment. The argument runs from the lesser to the greater, that if even evil and imperfect human parents know how to give good gifts to their children, much more will the heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him. Believers may therefore come with the simplicity and confiding trust of a child to a parent, asking in earnest, humble faith for what they truly need, especially hunger for righteousness and the bread of life. Those good things include the Holy Spirit with His guidance and power to resist temptation, endure trial and witness for Christ, which God is far more willing to give to those who ask in faith than sinful parents are to give good gifts to their children.
Words and Setting
The saying pictures a hungry son asking his father for bread and denies that the father would answer with a stone instead, something useless, hard and harmful rather than good and nourishing. The familiar care of an earthly father who does not mock or disappoint such a request points to the far greater goodness of the Father in heaven, who gives good things and good gifts, including the Holy Spirit's guidance, to those who ask Him in prayer.
The saying belongs to the Sermon on the Mount, given especially to the disciples while the multitude also listened. That sermon teaches the far-reaching principles of God's law in its spirit, to be impressed on the heart, since the state of the heart shapes life and character.
There Christ states the conditions of entrance into the kingdom and lays its foundation principles, as important now as to the hearers on the hillside. Its lessons are to be shown in daily life, and living them makes a deeper and more lasting impression than preaching them.
The sermon virtually contradicted the doctrines of the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees. It corrects their misrepresentation of God as a stern judge incapable of compassion, mercy and love, and sweeps away misrepresentation so that confidence in God's love is restored.
It presents God in paternal love and His true relation to humanity as Father, teaching people to address the Supreme Ruler of the universe as Our Father, a name that when spoken in sincerity is music in the ears of God. It leads to the throne of God by a new and living way, giving a right conception of Christ's kingdom and character to undo false education. Without directly attacking error or vividly delineating human wretchedness from sin, it teaches something infinitely better than hearers had known, leaving them to conclude its nature for themselves.
Father's Willing Giving
The kind Father in heaven hears those who ask Him and answers with good things, not with harm, deprivation, or disappointment. Those who come with living faith and complete dependence can trust His promise rather than making feelings the measure of faith, for He knows human helplessness and lack of righteousness and supplies what is needed. Those who ask in earnest faith and humility can trust Him to give what they need in the time and way He knows is for their good, and are encouraged to ask Him often and praise Him. The argument runs from the lesser to the greater: even evil, imperfect, and sinful human parents know how to give good gifts to their children, so much more does the heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him.
God holds the same tender relation to people that a father holds to his children, regarding all on earth, even the most learned, noble, and rich, as only little children and babes in knowledge and understanding. His paternal care is more merciful, tender, patient, loving, and generous than any earthly parent's, and He is far more willing to give than sinful parents are to give good gifts to their children. He does not trifle with His child, tantalize him by raising expectations only to disappoint him, or promise nourishing food and then give a stone. He does not refuse appeals, reject need, upbraid those who ask, or weary of earnest coming, but stands behind His promises and answers the cry of the needy and longing heart.
The Lord withholds no good thing and nothing He can give, and does not restrict asking to certain things. He blesses according to the riches of His grace which heaven is ready to bestow on every believer, loves to impart with generous liberality, and gives abundantly to those who make large calls for the bread of heaven. He bestows His best and choicest gifts to supply great need because He loves to help, and nothing will be withheld because all heaven has already been given in Jesus Christ, who is to be received. This is Christ's own lesson to needy and afflicted people that they can come for help and will not seek in vain. His life filled with deeds of mercy and compassion toward the children of sorrow who thronged His steps proves this willingness to give, taught in words so simple that all can understand, so that doubting His willingness to hear is cruel in view of the infinite sacrifice He made to bear human sin and redeem the fallen race for eternal life.
Asking in Faith
Jesus places the picture of a son asking bread and not receiving a stone among promises rich and full about asking, seeking and knocking, assuring that everyone who asks receives, so there is no reason for doubt. Weak, uncertain faith is rebuked in favor of simple, unwavering trust that takes God at His word. The condition is asking and desiring the things of God, and the good things promised include the Holy Spirit.
Believers may approach with the simplicity and confiding trust with which a child comes to an earthly parent, expecting wants to be regarded and things really needed to be received. Asking is to be in earnest faith, humility, simplicity, dependence, and childlike confidence, plainly expressing needs and desiring the things of God. Trust rests on His promise rather than making feelings, abilities, or fear of reproof the measure of faith, for He knows human helplessness and lack of righteousness and supplies what is needed. He can be relied on to help in the work, to give what is needed in the time and way He knows is for good.
This applies to great spiritual need and hunger and thirst after righteousness, asking for the bread of life, the bread of heaven, God's power, grace, love, wisdom, counsel, and strength. One who lacks wisdom is to ask God directly in faith without wavering instead of looking to human wisdom and depending on human guidance, and God who gives liberally will give what is needed to know duty. Prayer must be offered in faith with expectation of receiving, not holding back for fear of reproof and not going on as if nothing is expected. There is no need to mourn lack of spiritual nourishment when the heavenly banquet is spread, but to continue praying with all perseverance, to cut away unbelief that bars the way and hides the open door to the Father, and to come in humble trusting faith to the Source of all power who will do good to the soul and feed it with the bread of heaven. God is more willing to give power to remain steadfast than people are to ask, and gives every needed blessing when people ask in simplicity and faith.
Prayer offered honestly and in faith is heard and answered, though the answer may not come immediately or take the form requested. God gives the needed blessing, often when most needed and beyond expectation, in the way and at the time that best meet the need and are for good, and never fails. Prayer is as necessary to the Christian life as food is to the physical life, unlocking the treasury of heaven. Asking and receiving brings the bread of heaven that makes grace grow, prepares for duty, and fills the heart with peace, and every sincere, earnest prayer, including prayers in loneliness, weariness, and trial, is answered. He holds Himself responsible to hear and answer supplications, bestowing His best and choicest gifts to supply great need because He loves to help, and trusting His wisdom and power gives faith, peace and comfort.
Those who ask are to ask often and praise Him. Promises are fulfilled in experience when people place themselves in right relation to God. The promise is to be repeated in full confidence and taken as more sure and valuable than any human word, with thanksgiving for being barricaded by infallible promises so the wicked one cannot touch, trusting the Lord to reveal Himself for His own name's sake. Those who seek most earnestly should expect to receive the blessing, for He will help them, and He would have them hopeful and cheerful, with hearts filled with thanksgiving and praise, not looking on the dark side but on the bright side, talking faith and hope and courage, and holding fast to divine power. Its promise calls for sober lives built with solid timbers, inquiring at every step what Jesus would have done, and opening the heart to the Spirit lets Him work through the believer and bless his labors.
God may permit disappointment and trial to reveal human helplessness and dependence on Him, and to make known the abundant help He provides regardless of circumstances. He brings those who seek Him to the footstool of mercy and under the bow of promise, where they can be sure of receiving heaven's best gifts. Every soul who asks in faith receives help, and heavenly angels are sent to serve even the weakest person who trusts in God.
The promise to ask and receive belongs to every person individually, not only to leaders or presidents of conferences, and each one who waits upon the Lord and puts petitions before Him will have requests heard and granted, with God as the help of all who call upon Him. Anyone can approach Him, regardless of color, nationality, weakness, or wealth. This instruction is part of the genuine science of higher education and should be studied by physicians and ministers.
Requests for benefits are not meant to serve selfish aims or selfish pleasure, but to equip people to give to those in need, and the Lord gives grace to those who impart to others. Workers who depend on God may ask Him for what they need to advance His work, trusting Him to provide means and move others to help, including the workers in Nashville. All woes and griefs can be carried to God in prayer, with Jesus as Friend to bear them, because He has promised He will not withhold any good thing from those who love Him. Those who pray for counsel and strength, or ask for strength to resist temptation, will not ask in vain but receive help, encouragement, nearness, and strength for the weak and diffident, and habits that once attracted can become repulsive.
Seeking God for His promises and salvation does not result in receiving a harmful deception in answer. Asking the Father for bread does not result in receiving a stone, and the contrast between bread and a stone, alongside the related image of a scorpion, denies the charge that sincere prayer and religious experience are mesmerism or satanic deception, especially when people deny the Holy Spirit.
Holy Spirit Good Gift
The good things the Father gives in answer to prayer include the Holy Spirit, with His guidance, power to remain steadfast, divine power to resist temptation and endure trials, and power to witness for Christ. The picture is simple: as a father answers a son asking for bread with nourishing food rather than something useless, hard, or harmful, God answers those who ask Him with good gifts and not harm. Those who ask may receive without reason for doubt, on the condition of asking and desiring the things of God, in prayer offered in faith with expectation of receiving and without holding back for fear of reproof. This calls for simple faith that takes God at His word, for sober lives built with solid timbers, inquiring at every step what Jesus would have done, and not asking to use the answer for selfish pleasure.
God is far more willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him in faith than sinful and evil human parents are to give good gifts to their children. As even an evil earthly father gives his hungry son bread rather than a stone, the good and righteous God will not deny His children the Holy Spirit but gives blessings abundantly and withholds nothing He can give. The promise to ask and receive belongs to every person individually, not only to leaders such as presidents of conferences, so each one who waits upon the Lord and puts petitions before Him will have requests heard and granted, with God as the help of all who call upon Him. The promise is to be repeated in full confidence and taken as more sure and valuable than any human word, with thanksgiving for being barricaded by infallible promises so the wicked one cannot touch, trusting the Lord to reveal Himself for His own name's sake. Its simplicity is not comprehended, and the assurance of the Holy Spirit to every needy soul feels too good to be true, yet nothing will be withheld because all heaven has already been given in Jesus Christ, who is to be received.
Those who truly seek the Holy Spirit's guidance in faith will not be disappointed, but will have their requests heard and granted. Earthly parents' care for their children represents the greater goodness of the heavenly Father, assuring true seekers of guidance and of power to witness for Christ. Those who pray are therefore encouraged to ask for the Holy Spirit's guidance and believe they will receive an answer.
Feeding Others Bread
Souls hungering for the Bread of Life cry for bread and must not be given a stone in its place. That bread is Bible truth as it is in Jesus, the love of God set forth in words easy to be understood, given line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. The stone is giving babes who do not know the first principles the strongest meat, pressing all the truth in its most striking character upon them at the outset before they are prepared to receive it.
Those who teach and publish must feed God's flock with spiritually nourishing truth, pure spiritual food that leads people to Christ, and not with material that fails to feed them. They are to give people what they can bear, patiently teaching those new to Scripture in the measure they can receive rather than pressing the strongest teachings on them before they are ready. This feeding is to be done in the meekness and love of Jesus, ministering to perishing, starving souls so the truth will have a telling influence. It must never lower God's standard of purity, temperance, and holiness.
One who asks for bread is given bread, not a stone, and so Christ in the heart moves believers to speak sincerely about what God has done for them. They share the life-giving truth they have received, and their words nourish and uplift others rather than wearying them.