Literary: The reference for “neither do ye knock” depends upon an understanding of the concept of knocking to attain someone’s attention. This is certainly part of the available cultural context of the Old World, and is part of a famous passage from the New Testament (Matt 7:7; Luke 11:9). Whether or not this remained an understandable allusion in the New World is unknown. Personal dwellings typically did not have doors, so the mode of announcing a visitor may have been different.
The allusion also appears in Christ’s restatement of the Sermon on the Mount during his appearance in the New World. Either the allusion was understandable, or Joseph was translating the concept into familiar Biblical language.
The second literary allusion is the light/darkness contrast. The imagery of light and dark has been used before in Nephi’s writings, and later will become an important distinction for the Qumran community (pitting the Children of Light against the Children of Darkness).
Scriptural: Regardless of the terminology, this concept of the necessity of asking was familiar to Nephi. He had specifically addressed Laman and Lemuel on this subject many years before:
1 Ne. 15:7-9
7 And they said: Behold, we cannot understand the words which our father hath spoken concerning the natural branches of the olive-tree, and also concerning the Gentiles.
8 And I said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord?
9 And they said unto me: We have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us.
Laman and Lemuel were in the wrong position with the Lord, having assumed that the Lord did not speak to them, they didn’t ask, and not having asked, could not have the Lord speak to them. In this current discourse, Nephi is making sure that his people understand that it is their responsibility to take the initiative and to ask.