Matthew 7:11
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Even though we are inherently flawed and prone to sin, the fact that we, as imperfect humans, instinctively know how to give good gifts to our children highlights a deep truth: our capacity for good, however limited, points to God’s perfect goodness. This verse challenges us to consider that if our flawed love reflects even a sliver of divine love, how much more will our heavenly Father, who is pure goodness, lavish blessings upon those who approach Him.
Jesus has just offered a series of teachings about prayer, urging his listeners to ask, seek, and knock. He uses the example of human parents to illustrate God's willingness to give good gifts to those who ask, emphasizing that even imperfect, "evil" humans know how to provide for their children. This leads into the Great Commandment, presented as the practical outworking of all Jesus has taught about prayer and God's generous nature.
We often hear about God's love, but Jesus points to something incredibly familiar to show it off. What does our own imperfect love reveal about His perfect love?
Jesus uses a powerful, down-to-earth comparison here. He acknowledges that even though we are 'evil' – flawed and fallen – there's a spark of goodness within us, especially the instinct to care for our children.
A Glimpse of Fatherhood
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We might struggle to give perfectly, but God’s giving is flawless. What does Jesus mean when He says God gives 'good things,' and why is this so reassuring?
The core of this verse is the incredible magnification of God's goodness. If flawed humans give good gifts, how much more will a perfect, heavenly Father give good things to those who ask?
What are 'Good Things'?
Understand the original words
ponēroi · Greek Adjective
A term describing the fallen, depraved condition of humanity since the Fall. It signifies a fundamental moral corruption and alienation from the holiness of God.
patēr · Greek Noun
The divine Creator and Redeemer who sustains and governs the universe. In Scripture, God is revealed as a personal, loving Father who initiates relationship and provides for His children.
This passage is the parallel account to Matthew 7:11, explicitly stating that God will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him, highlighting the spiritual nature of the 'good things' God gives.
Romans 8:32Paul echoes this sentiment by arguing that if God gave His own Son, He will certainly give us all things, reinforcing the immeasurable generosity of God towards believers who ask.
James 1:5This verse directly links asking God for wisdom with God giving generously and without reproach, mirroring the Matthew passage's assurance that God grants good things to those who ask.
1 John 5:14This passage assures believers that if we ask anything according to God's will, He hears us, underscoring the conditional aspect of receiving from God – that our requests align with His good purposes.
Matthew 6:33This verse immediately precedes the Sermon on the Mount's conclusion and instructs believers to seek first God's kingdom and righteousness, implying that these are the 'good things' God is most eager to give to those who ask.
pulpitMatthew 7:11: "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?"
Verse 11. - Parallel passage: Luke 11:13. If ye then being evil. Application of the thought of vers. 9, 10, with further emphasis on the evil of human nature. If you with your moral worthlessness (Matthew 6:13, note), etc. (cf. also Matthew 12:34). Being (gyros). The presence here in the parallel passage of Luke of his…
gillMatthew 7:11: "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?"
If ye then being evil,.... As all mankind in general are, both by nature and practice: they are conceived in sin, shapen in iniquity; are evil from their youth, and transgressors from the womb; are corrupt, and do abominable things; and such these Jews were Christ speaks unto; and who, very likely, has respect chiefly t…
Even though we are inherently flawed and prone to sin, the fact that we, as imperfect humans, instinctively know how to give good gifts to our children highlights a deep truth: our capacity for good, however limited, points to God’s perfect goodness. This verse challenges us to consider that if our flawed love reflects even a sliver of divine love, how much more will our heavenly Father, who is pure goodness, lavish blessings upon those who approach Him.
Jesus has just offered a series of teachings about prayer, urging his listeners to ask, seek, and knock. He uses the example of human parents to illustrate God's willingness to give good gifts to those who ask, emphasizing that even imperfect, "evil" humans know how to provide for their children. This leads into the Great Commandment, presented as the practical outworking of all Jesus has taught about prayer and God's generous nature.
Jesus has just offered a series of teachings about prayer, urging his listeners to ask, seek, and knock. He uses the example of human parents to illustrate God's willingness to give good gifts to those who ask, emphasizing that even imperfect, "evil" humans know how to provide for their children. This leads into the Great Commandment, presented as the practical outworking of all Jesus has taught about prayer and God's generous nature.
"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" — Even though we are inherently flawed and prone to sin, the fact that we, as imperfect humans, instinctively know how to give good gifts to our children highlights a deep truth: our capacity for good,…
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