Ask, seek, knock
For parallel, see Lk 11:9-13.
v.7-8 The three commands (ask, seek, knock) indicate continual, habitual prayer. Persist in prayer with confidence that the Lord will provide according to his perfect will. Be conscience of your dependence on God for his daily provision. The one who asks receives; however, this is not an invitation to satisfy our base desires.
v.9-11 Jesus illustrates with a story. If your son asks for some food, you don’t give him stones. If we, being evil, can give good gifts to our son, how much more will God in heaven give good gifts to those who ask. Our Father, in heaven, is better than the best earthly parents.
The Golden Rule
For parallel, see Lk 6:31.
v.12 The golden rule should come naturally to those who love the Lord with all their heart and their neighbors as themselves, i.e., Mt 22:34-40. Do to others what you have determined reasonable to be done to yourself. This verse is the concluding verse and summary of the material starting in Mt 5:17 which states that Jesus came to fulfill the law and the prophets. He requires the same of his disciples. The rule appears in a negative form in Jewish writings. Carson comments that the goats in Mt 25:31-46 would be acquitted using the negative form of the rule but not under the form attributed to Jesus here.
The Narrow Gate
v.13-14 Enter by the narrow gate. The way of discipleship is the way of opposition, persecution, going against the crowd. The wide gate leads to destruction, but many are they that take this route. See also Lk 13:23-24. The ‘narrow’ way (to heaven) is through Jesus alone; and the ‘wide’ way (to hell) seeks approval of men rather than God. Those who find life will be a minority and will be subject to persecution.