Matthew 7:7

New Testament

5 You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. 6 Do not give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before pigs; otherwise they will trample them under their feet and turn around and tear you to pieces. 7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 Is there anyone among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?

Wisdom of Solomon 6:12

Deuterocanon

10 For they will be made holy who observe holy things in holiness, and those who have been taught them will find a defense. 11 Therefore set your desire on my words; long for them, and you will be instructed. 12 Wisdom is radiant and unfading, and she is easily discerned by those who love her, and is found by those who seek her. 13 She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her. 14 One who rises early to seek her will have no difficulty, for she will be found sitting at the gate.

 Notes and References

"... The unit is held together by an inclusion (verse 7: ask ... given, and verse 11: given ... ask). It opens with an exhortation: ask ... be given, search ... find, knock ... be opened. This language is typical of speech about prayer. Compare Jeremiah 29:12-14: call ... hear; search ... find; seek ... find; Isaiah 65:1: sought ... ask ... found ... seek; b. Megillah 12b: 'he knocked at the gates of mercy and they were opened to him.' ... Just as all six sentences of the Lord's Prayer are petitions, so here prayer is understood as asking. It is assumed that disciples appear before God as 'humble receivers from a generous Father.' Is this an affirmation of the efficacy of unrestricted prayer? Or is its meaning more restricted by the context? The latter, I think, in this context. The language is typical of prayers for wisdom. Consider, for example, Proverbs 8:17 - Wisdom says: 'those who seek me diligently find me'; Wisdom of Solomon 6:12 - Wisdom 'is found by those who seek her'; James 1:5 - 'If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.' The language seems to say that those who ask for divine wisdom will be heard and given this treasure ..."

Talbert, Charles H. Reading the Sermon on the Mount: Character Formation and Decision Making in Matthew 5-7 (p. 134) University of South Carolina Press, 2004

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