In brief
The friend at midnight is the character of a short parable Jesus tells in Luke 11:5-8, right after teaching the Lord's Prayer. In the middle of the night, a man goes to wake his friend to borrow three loaves, because a traveler has just arrived at his house. The friend first refuses, then gets up because of his persistence. Jesus follows at once with the call to ask, seek and knock, with the promise of an answer.
What does the name The Friend at Midnight mean?
This character has no name. The word importunate comes from the persistence mentioned in Luke 11:8, a Greek word generally understood as a shameless boldness, an insistence that is not afraid to disturb.
The story of The Friend at Midnight
Teach us to pray
Luke 11:1-4After seeing Jesus pray, a disciple asks him to teach them to pray. Jesus gives them the model of the Lord's Prayer: the hallowing of God's name, the coming of his kingdom, daily bread, forgiveness and deliverance from temptation. The parable that follows extends this teaching.
A need in the middle of the night
Luke 11:5-6A man goes to his friend in the middle of the night and asks him to lend him three loaves. A friend of his has just arrived from a journey and he has nothing to offer him. In a culture where hospitality is sacred, he cannot leave his guest without food.
A door already shut
Luke 11:7From inside, the friend answers that he should not be bothered: the door is already shut, and he and his children are in bed. Getting up means waking the whole household. The answer seems final, and many would have given up at that point.
Persistence rewarded
Luke 11:8-10Jesus says that even if the friend will not get up out of friendship, he will get up because of the man's boldness and give him whatever he needs. From this he draws the call to ask and it will be given, to seek and you will find, to knock and the door will be opened.
How much more the heavenly Father
Luke 11:11-13Jesus concludes with a comparison to a father: no father gives a stone or a snake to a son who asks for bread or a fish. If evil men know how to give good gifts, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.
Test your knowledge
What The Friend at Midnight teaches us
- Jesus encourages bold prayer, which dares to ask God even at the moment that seems least fitting.
- We can pray for the needs of others, like this man who knocks at the door to feed his traveling friend.
- God is not a neighbor to be forced: he is a good Father who loves to give to his children.
- Asking, seeking and knocking are verbs of perseverance that call us not to give up on prayer.
Key verses
The friend gets up because of the man's boldness. Jesus values a prayer that dares to insist, with the confidence of someone who knows he can count on the one he is asking.
Ask, seek, knock: the promise of Jesus is attached to the invitation to persevere, and it assures every believer who keeps praying that the door will open.
The heavenly Father gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. The parable leads to the greatest of gifts and to God's goodness toward his children.
Bible verses to meditate on
Sermons about The Friend at Midnight
Frequently asked questions
What does the parable of the friend at midnight mean?
Jesus shows that a bold and persistent request ends up being heard, even by a reluctant friend woken in the middle of the night. The lesson is an argument from the lesser to the greater: if a man yields to persistence, how much more will the good heavenly Father answer those who pray with trust.
Do we have to keep pressing God to be answered?
The parable does not teach that God is reluctant. Jesus concludes it by presenting God as a Father who knows how to give good things (Luke 11:13). Persistence expresses the believer's faith and dependence, as he keeps asking, seeking and knocking because he counts on God.
Where can I find the parable of the friend at midnight in the Bible?
It appears in Luke 11:5-8, only in the Gospel of Luke. It follows the Lord's Prayer (Luke 11:1-4) and comes before the words about asking and receiving (Luke 11:9-13), which give its application.