The Holy Spirit - Or, as several MSS. have it, πνευμα αγαθον, the good spirit. See on Matthew 7:11 (note).

If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children,.... See Gill on Matthew 7:11.

How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? instead of the Holy Spirit here, the Vulgate Latin version reads, "good Spirit", and so two copies of Beza's; and the Ethiopic version, "the good gift of the Holy Spirit"; and doubtless intends the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, in distinction from, and as preferable to the good things given by earthly parents, to their children.

Being (ὑπάρχοντες)

See on James 2:15.

Heavenly Father

Lit., the Father, he who is from Heaven,

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

11:13 Give the Holy Spirit. Instead of good things (Mt 7:11), Luke says that the Father will give the Holy Spirit, the best possible gift.

11:13 How much more shall your heavenly Father - How beautiful is the gradation! A friend: a father: God! Give the Holy Spirit - The best of gifts, and that which includes every good gift.

[1] give

It is evident that none of the disciples, with the possible exception of Mary of Bethany, asked for the Spirit in the faith of this promise. It was a new and staggering thing to a Jew that, in advance of the fulfilment of Joel 2:28,29 all might receive the Spirit. Mary alone of the disciples understood Christ's repeated declaration concerning His own death and resurrection Jn 12:3-7. Save Mary, not one of the disciples but Peter, and he only in the great confession Mt 16:16 manifested a spark of spiritual intelligence till after the resurrection of Christ and the impartation of the Spirit Jn 20:22 Acts 2:1-4. To go back to the promise of Lk 11:13, is to forget Pentecost, and to ignore the truth that now every believer has the indwelling Spirit Rom 8:9,15 1Cor 6:19 Gal 4:6 1Jn 2:20,27. See Scofield Note: "Acts 2:4"

13. the Holy Spirit-in Matthew (Mt 7:11), "good gifts"; the former, the Gift of gifts descending on the Church through Christ, and comprehending the latter.

11:5-13 Christ encourages fervency and constancy in prayer. We must come for what we need, as a man does to his neighbour or friend, who is kind to him. We must come for bread; for that which is needful. If God does not answer our prayers speedily, yet he will in due time, if we continue to pray. Observe what to pray for; we must ask for the Holy Spirit, not only as necessary in order to our praying well, but as all spiritual blessings are included in that one. For by the influences of the Holy Spirit we are brought to know God and ourselves, to repent, believe in, and love Christ, and so are made comfortable in this world, and meet for happiness in the next. All these blessings our heavenly Father is more ready to bestow on every one that asks for them, than an indulgent parent is to give food to a hungry child. And this is the advantage of the prayer of faith, that it quiets and establishes the heart in God.