Anaideia and the Friend at Midnight (Luke 11:8) (Critical Notes‪)‬

The parable of the Friend at Midnight continues to vex interpreters, particularly because of the uncertainty of the meaning of [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII], a hapax legomenon in both the NT and the LXX (Sir 25:22). The word signifies "shamelessness," but, as is well known, debate centers on four issues: 1. Does "shamelessness," almost always a negative idea, possibly have a positive connotation in Luke 11:87 If it has the usual negative connotation, it means one either has no understanding of what is shameful or no hesitation in committing shameful acts. The shameless person has no proper sense of shame to guide conduct. If, however, there is a positive meaning, it is that one has a proper sense of shame and seeks to act in ways that will not bring shame.