Gifts to children

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The ask, seek and knock model fits well for Matthew 7:9-11 (ask and seek) and Luke (11:12) (added knock part) where Jesus talks about giving good and/or bad gifts to children.

Ask: bread or stone (to get started)
Seek: fish or serpent (snake) (for the journey)
Knock: egg or scorpion (with possible surprise)

Since God and (evil) people give good gifts to their children, the following questions comes to mind. Who are the children? Who, then, would not give good gifts to their children?

Matthew 7:9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? [kjv]

7:10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? [kjv]

Luke 11:12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? [kjv]

Who would give "bad" "gifts" to their "children"?
Would the religious establishment give "bad" "gifts" to their "children"?

Would the religious establishment, deceptively, do any of the following?

stone

sand

bread

life

serpent

fish

scorpion

egg

More: A scatter-brained approach to the sting of a scorpion

This can be God giving good gifts.
This can be the (evil) world giving good gifts.
This can be human organizations giving bad gifts.

The first type of gift appears to fit the "ask" part of "ask", "seek" and "knock".

Matthew 7:9

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KJV: Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

Greek: η τις εστιν εξ υμων ανθρωπος ον εαν αιτηση αιτησει ο υιος αυτου αρτον μη λιθον επιδωσει αυτω

The second type of gift appears to fit the "seek" part of "ask", "seek" and "knock".

Matthew 7:10

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KJV: Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

Greek: η και εαν ιχθυν αιτηση αιτησει μη οφιν επιδωσει αυτω

Luke 11:12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? [kjv]

η και αιτησει ωον επιδωσει αυτω σκορπιον [gnt]

The third type of gift appears to fit the "knock" part of "ask", "seek" and "knock".

Matthew has only the first two. Luke has all three parts.

Luke adds the "knock" (with possible "surprise") part.

More: A scatter-brained approach to the sting of a scorpion

Luke 11:12

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KJV: Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

Greek: η και εαν αιτηση αιτησει ωον μη επιδωσει αυτω σκορπιον

Latin: aut si petierit ovum numquid porriget illi scorpionem

Wessex: oððe gyf he hym bytt aig. segst þu raecd he him scorpionem þaet is an werm-kyn.

Wycliffe: or if he axe an eye, whether he schal a reche hym a scorpioun?

Tyndale: Or yf he axe an egge: wyll he offer him a scorpion?

Luther: oder so er um ein Ei bittet, der ihm einen Skorpion dafür biete?

Spanish: ¿O si le pide un huevo, le dará un escorpión?

Matthew 7:11

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KJV: If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Greek: ει ουν υμεις πονηροι οντες οιδατε δοματα αγαθα διδοναι τοις τεκνοις υμων ποσω μαλλον ο πατηρ υμων ο εν τοις ουρανοις δωσει αγαθα τοις αιτουσιν αυτον

On the surface, these statements appear to lack significant logical meaning.

Those being evil, Jews, non-Jews, Christians, secular people, etc., give good gifts to their children.
The Father in heaven does so too, even more. That is nice.

If everyone does this, what then is the meaning? It can often as important as what is not said as to what is said? Who would not give good gifts but, instead, give the not good gifts? These declarative statements need some verses at the end of the chapter to complete the picture - the houses built on rock and on sand. Those people in the human sand infrastructure are the ones that would not give good gifts to their "children" as in followers, flock, etc. Examples include the Sadducees and Pharisees, and, later, many Christian church infrastructures (throughout the ages) who would rather take advantage of their flock than give them good gifts (or guidance or teaching, etc.).