20. TO ASK, REQUEST
20. TO ASK, REQUEST
Both and are translated ‘to ask,’ and in many passages rightly; but some lose much of their force by the translation not preserving a very real distinction between them. is supplicatory, as of an inferior to a superior – of a beggar seeking alms, Act 3:2 (Act 3:3, where is used, would perhaps indicate a change in tone from the accustomed begging to the more peremptory demand); of a child asking from his parents, Mat 7:9; and the disciples from God and the Father. 1Jn 3:22; Jam 1:5-6. John uses the word for ‘prayer,’ and never the ordinary word , nor , ‘prayer,’ save in Rev 5:8; Rev 8:3-4
, on the other hand, carries with it a certain equality or familiarity between those of whom it is used, as of king with king, Luk 14:32. The Lord uses this word of His own asking of the Father, Joh 14:16; Joh 16:26; Joh 17:9; Joh 17:15; Joh 17:20 – never . Martha reveals her unconsciousness of the dignity of His person in applying this last to Him (Joh 11:22), which He never uses Himself
The passage that has suffered most from the obliteration in the A.V. of the distinction between the words is Joh 16:23, which seems to substitute prayer to the Father in the name of Christ, for prayer to Christ directly. Whereas the ‘ask’ () of the first part of the verse refers to Joh 16:19, “Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask () him.” Here the word is used in its ordinary classical sense of ‘question,’ not as ‘prayer’ at all. The Lord is leading on their hearts, from the hour of travail that was before them in His death, to the dawn of a new and endless day in His resurrection, when they would have no more questions, all difficulties would be solved. There had in fact been two difficulties before them in what the Lord had said in Joh 16:17. Joh 16:18 to the first clause of Joh 16:23 complete the Lord’s instruction as to the first difficulty. In the latter clause of Joh 16:23 He takes up their second difficulty, “Because I go to the Father,” and unfolds this first of the consequences of His so going, that now they would be able to ‘ask’ () the Father in His name – to come before the Father in the value of His name as they never had done hitherto, as left to represent Him in the place of His rejection
Help also may be found as to another passage, where there is confessedly more difficulty in preserving the distinction of the Holy Spirit’s use of the two words, namely, 1Jn 5:16. In the beginning of the verse is used as in the verses preceding (1Jn 5:14-15) for prayer. To see a brother sin should lead those who know God’s holiness to pray that he might not be cut off as to this life under His government: see 1Co 11:30-32. But there are cases where the heart of the intercessor is checked, and the apostle would not have the sense of the gravity of sin weakened in such a case. “There is a sin unto death:” this may be the reason of the check [Peter could not have prayed for the life of Ananias and Sapphira.] But he adds “I do not say that he shall pray for it.” (A.V.) ‘Pray’ is here , with the same difference from that we have seen, namely, ‘question concerning it.’ If there was no question, the apostle would have none raised: “All unrighteousness is sin; and there is a sin not unto death.”