it, there is something very wrong in the condition of our souls. There are breakers ahead. We are in imminent danger of a shipwreck.
Notes. Luke XI. 5—13.
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6. — [Which of you shall have a friend, SoJ] Here, as in many other cases, we should notice the lowly condition of life, and simple range of social circumstances, from which our Lord drew His illustrations of spiritual truth. This is one of the reasons why the Bihle is so peculiarly suited to that class of mankind which is always most numerous, — the poor.
[Three loaves.'] We may conclude from this expression, that a loaf of hread in the New Testament days was much smaller in size than it commonly is now. Three of our loaves would he more than suflBcien t for the wants of one man. This fact should he rememhered, as it throws light on the miracle of feeding the multitude with a few loaves.
6. — [In his journey.'] In order to imderstand the arrival of a friend from a journey at midnight, we must rememher that in hot countries people often travel hy night, and rest during the day. All who have travelled in India will see the reasonable- ness of this circumstance in the parable.
7. — [My children are with me in bed.] The family of a poor man in eastern climates often all sleep in one common sleeping cham- ber. This appears to be the simple meaning of the expression here used : — "We have all retired to our sleeping chamber. We are all in bed." *
8. — [Importunity.] The Greek word so translated is only used here in the New Testament. It would be rendered more literally " shamelessness." It signifies a continual asking and entreating, in spite of rebuffs, like the asking of an impudent beggar.
11. — [If a son shall ash hread, dc] The sentence so translated would be rendered more literally, " What father of you will his son ask bread ? will he give him a stone ? "
There is an evident resemblance implied between the appear- ances of a loaf and a stone, a fish and a serpent.
12. — [An egg.,. a scorpion.] Bishop Pearce shows, by a quotation from Bochait, that the large kind of scorpions, when coiled and rolled up, had a white body not unlike an egg.
[ WiU he offer.] The Greek word so translated is the same which is rendered in the preceding verse *' will he give."
13. — [Being evil.] Let this expression be noted. It is one of those