Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
What does Matthew 7:10 mean?
Prayer is the appointed means for obtaining what we need. Pray; pray often; make a business of prayer, and be serious and earnest in it.
Key themes
Read with
Keep this verse inside Matthew 7:7-10 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Matthew 7:10
Fish and bread are mentioned, because these were common food; see Mark 6:41 John 21:13 and particularly in Galilee, a fish country, where Christ now was, and from whence he had called his disciples, who were fishermen. In Luke 11:12 it is added, "or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?" which is used, as the rest, to show the absurdity and inhumanity of such conduct; and that indeed nothing of this kind is to be found among men, unless it be among monsters in nature.
Key words
- fish
-
Fish and bread are mentioned, because these were common food; see Mark 6:41 John 21:13 and particularly in Galilee, a fish country, where Christ now was, and from whence he had called his disciples, who were fishermen.
Context in Matthew 7
Show chapter context
Matthew 7 belongs to the early movement of the book, especially the section often described as birth and preparation. Matthew presents Jesus as Davidic Messiah, new Moses, teacher of the kingdom, suffering Son of Man, and risen Lord who commissions the nations. Read this chapter with the wider themes of fulfillment, kingdom of heaven, and discipleship in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
Explore by topic
Passages on asking, persistence, confession, dependence, and the way prayer shapes Christian life and attention.