Ask, Seek, Knock

When Jesus invites us to ask, seek and knock, he is inviting us to choose to put our faith in God who will provide what we need. In 1971 The Living Bible was published and we all went out and bought one. I remember reading this passage from Matthew 7:7 and being very disappointed with the paraphrase. It read, “Ask, and you will be given what you ask for.” Literally the the verse reads, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you.”

The promise hangs on the word “it”. What is “it” that Jesus is talking about. The Living Bible interpreted that “it” was whatever you asked for. Are we to assume that by our asking we can win tattslotto, or that God will give us riches in some other way, or that all the sick people we pray for will get better, or that by asking we can bring about world peace? I don’t think so. Certainly Jesus is assuring his disciples that this “it” will be discovered and given.

He repeats the message so that they can’t miss it. First he repeats it by using the three words, ask, seek, knock; three ways of approaching “it”. Then in verse 8 with a small amount of rephrasing, he simple repeats verse 7. Finally with some comic examples, Jesus appeals to their own honesty as parents, suggesting that even they would be reliable in what they give their children. You can be certain that God will.

Spurgeon, a great preacher in the past, related asking to faith, seeking to hope, and knocking to love. We could also think of these three words as relating to learning, growing and action. I think they are simply a repetitive way for Jesus to emphasise the point that our learning, our growth and our mission requires our initiative alone with God’s resources. If you don’t ask for “it” you can’t receive “it”. If you don’t seek “it” you will never find “it”. If you don’t knock on the door, “it” will never be open to you.

In the context of the sermon on the mount, the disciples have been challenged in many ways. Jesus has been rethinking the law, spirituality, morality, their intentions and their behaviour. One can imagine that they might be feeling somewhat overwhelmed. Now he is coming towards the end of the sermon, Jesus wants to assure them of God’s assurance and involvement in their journey. God will provide what they need.

But what is the “it”?

Luke has this teaching too, placed clearly in the context of prayer. Jesus has just taught then his prayer and continues by encouraging them to be persistent. In that context Luke says the “it” is the Holy Spirit. By praying for The Holy Spirit they are choosing to have the presence and empowerment of God to move them into mission.

In Matthew this section reminds us that we are the poor in spirit of the beatitudes. We are those who rely on God for all we need. So we ask, seek, knock, as an act of dependence, but also with persistence, because we want to be consistently doing the will of God. Each of the dangers Jesus points out in the sermon is about us putting ourselves in God’s place. The sermon has been about righteousness; right relationships with God and each other; the life of the Kingdom of Heaven.

So when Matthew reveals the “it” in his context as “good things”, it is about all these things of righteousness and the Kingdom of Heaven he is referring to. The “things” he has already told us not to worry in Chapter 6:33 as we focus on his Kingdom first. God will provide all the things we need to be faithful disciples of Jesus. This will not happen by magic, but by faithfulness and love.