Introduction

This is the second volume of Gospel Topics, which treat of the many different kinds of topics addressed in the New Testament Gospels. This is discussed from a layman’s viewpoint, and no biblical knowledge of ancient languages is required. The author seeks to shed light on these eternal topics that have become so important in our lives today, but at once addressed at the time of the writing of the New Testament. Gospel Topics is a way in which we can study the Bible systematically and thoroughly, while the Gospel has many topics that we would not encounter unless we searched for them, it gives each person the advantage of arriving at a deeper love of God and his Word. We can use Gospel Topics as part of our daily Bible study plan.
Friendship in the Gospel is a central theme uniting all of those who followed the Redeemer while on earth. Let’s be real and believe that it is because Jesus makes friends that we become friends with him. There is nothing we could have done to make this happen. On the other hand, we must do our part, regardless of how little a part that is, to maintain that loving trust with Jesus and cooperating with the Holy Spirit is forming us into the children that God wants us to be before Him.

A Friend to a Friend

And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, “Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him, and he says in reply from within, Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.


In this eleventh chapter of St. Luke, he presents three teachings on prayer. First, he gives the Lord’s prayer, the Our Father. (Lk. 11:1-5) Next, this teaching on prayer and the importance of perseverance. (Lk. 11:5-8) Lastly, he presents Jesus instructing the disciples on the importance of asking in prayer and in trusting that the Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask for it in prayer. (Lk. 11:9-13)
Also, we can approach this pericope on a case basis. First, let us see if this person who is being visited may be Jesus himself? Is it the fact that sometimes Jesus doesn’t respond to our prayers but waits for an opportune time to answer them. If this is the case, Jesus may be asking his disciples to wait patiently in prayer and “not lose heart.” Once Jesus taught his disciples that the Father “knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matt. 6:8) In another case, let us ask ourselves if the person who is answering the young man at the door is an ordinary Christian and testing his friend. If this is the case, perhaps the friend is still a friend, whether he wants to come down to answer his friend but is testing him to see just how important he needs his help. This second case seems to be the sense in which Jesus is addressing the disciples on prayer and fits the meaning of the passage here situated between two more passages on prayer. In the very next verse, Jesus tells his disciples to “ask, and you shall receive…knock and the door will be opened.” (Lk. 11:9-10)