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.
And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place - where, it is impossible to say; see introductory remarks at Luke 9:51.
When he ceased, one of his disciples - struck, no doubt, with both the matter and the manner of our Lord's own prayers.
Said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. From this reference to John, it is probable this disciple had not heard the Sermon on the Mount, containing very specific instructions on the subject of Prayer. It is worthy of notice that we have no record of John's teaching on this subject, and that but for this allusion to it we should never have known that he Had touched on it. It shows that the Baptist's inner or more private teaching was of a much more detailed nature than we should have supposed; the specimens of it which we have in the Gospels being chiefly what he taught to the general multitude. One would like to have known more of his teaching on the subject of Prayer. But whatever it was, we may be sure he never taught his disciples, when they prayed, to say, "Our Father." That was reserved for a Greater than he.