Matthew Poole and continuators on Luke 11:1

1 AND it came to pass, that as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased one of his disciples, said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

This seemeth to be a different time from that mentioned by Matthew, where our Saviour directed his Disciples to pray, there his direction was part of his Sermon on the Mount. Besides the doxology or conclusion is there left out. It is said here, as he was Praying in a certain place. Christ looked upon all places as holy enough for Prayer. It also looks as if at this time our Saviour was not at his more secret Devotions, but with the twelve, (which were his Family) praying with them when he ceased. This is very observable against those who pretend impulses of the Spirit, to disturb Ministers in the time when they are Praying and Preaching; it may easily be known from what Spirit, such impulses are. The Disciples of Christ often propounded questions to him after Preaching, but never interupting him in his Work, nor before he was retired into an house. They now come to be informed about Prayer, but they stay till he had first ceased; we having no account in holy Writ of Iohns Disciples asking him, or his teaching of them to Pray, are more at loss, to determine whether our Saviour did intend that his Disciples should use these Words, as the Phrase here seemeth to import in, or only pray this sense, after this manner, as Matthew saith, indeed nothing can be concluded from either Phrase by any judicious Person. For as we read in many places in Scripture, that Christ answered and said, when it is manifest the meaning is, he spake Words to that import or sense, (the Evangelists reporting the Words spoken with variations of expre[illegible: 1 letter]sion,) so when we pray we may say, Our Father which art in Heaven, &c. tho we do not use the same Words and Syllables.