Luke 8

Luke 8:1

H. Certain Women Minister to Jesus (8:1-3) It is good to remember that the Gospels contain only a few incidents from the life and ministry of our Lord. The Holy Spirit selected those subjects which He chose to include, but passed over many others. Here we have a simple statement that Jesus ministered with His disciples in every city and village of Galilee. As He preached and announced the good news of the kingdom of God, He was ministered to, probably in the way of food and lodging, by women who had been blessed by Him. For instance there was Mary called Magdalene. Some think she was a titled lady from Magdala (Migdol).

At any rate, she had been wonderfully delivered from seven demons. There was Joanna, whose husband was Herod’s steward. Susanna was another, and there were many others. Their kindness to our Lord did not go unnoticed or unrecorded. Little did they think as they shared their possessions with Jesus that Christians of all subsequent ages would read of their generosity and hospitality. The subject of the Lord’s ministry was the good news of the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God means the realm, visible or invisible, where God’s rule is acknowledged. Matthew uses the term the kingdom of heaven, but the thought is basically the same; it simply means that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men (Dan_4:17) or that Heaven rules (Dan_4:26). There are various stages of development of the kingdom in the NT:

1. First of all, the kingdom was announced by John the Baptist as being at hand (Mat_3:1-2).
2. Then the kingdom was actually present in the Person of the King (the kingdom of God is in the midst of you, Luk_17:21, JND). This was the good news of the kingdom which Jesus announced. He offered Himself as Israel’s King (Luk_23:3).
3. Next we see the kingdom of God rejected by the nation of Israel (Luk_19:14; Joh_19:15).
4. Today the kingdom is in mystery form (Mat_13:11). Christ, the King, is temporarily absent but His rule is acknowledged in the hearts of some people on earth. In one sense the kingdom today embraces all who even profess to accept the rule of God, even if they are not truly converted. This sphere of outward profession is seen in the parable of the sower and seed (Luk_8:4-15), the wheat and the tares (Mat_13:24-30), and the fish in the dragnet (Mat_13:47-50). But in its deeper, truer sense, the kingdom includes only those who have been converted (Mat_18:3) or born again (Joh_3:3). This is the sphere of inward reality. (See diagram in Mat_3:1-2.)
5. The kingdom will one day be set up in a literal sense here on earth and the Lord Jesus will reign for one thousand years as King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev_11:15; Rev_19:16; Rev_20:4).
6. The final phase is what is known as the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2Pe_1:11). This is the kingdom in eternity.

Luke 8:4

I. Parable of the Sower (8:4-15) 8:4-8 The parable of the sower describes the kingdom in its present aspect. It teaches us that the kingdom of God includes profession as well as reality. And it forms the basis for a very solemn warning as to how we hear the word of God. It is no light thing to hear the Scriptures preached and taught. Those who hear are made more responsible than they ever were before. If they shrug off the message, or consider obedience an optional matter, they do so to their own loss. But if they hear and obey, they put themselves in a position to receive more light from God. The parable was spoken here to a great multitude, then explained to the disciples.

KIND OF SOILRESULT1. Wayside1. Trampled by men and devoured by birds. 2. Rock2. Withered away for lack of moisture. 3. Thorns3. Growth choked by thorns. 4. Good ground4. Yielded one hundred grains for each seed. The Lord ended the parable with the words, He who has ears to hear, let him hear! In other words, when you hear the word of God, be careful what kind of reception you give to it. The seed must fall into good ground in order to become fruitful. 8:9, 10 When His disciples inquired concerning the meaning of this parable, the Lord Jesus explained that the mysteries of the kingdom of God would not be understood by everyone. Because the disciples were willing to trust and obey, they would be given the ability to understand the teachings of Christ. But Jesus purposely presented many truths in the form of parables so that those who had no real love for Him would not understand; so that seeing, they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. In one sense, they saw and heard. For instance, they knew that Jesus had talked about a sower and his seed. But they did not understand the deeper meaning of the illustration. They did not realize that their hearts were hard, impenitent, and thorny soil, and that they did not benefit from the word which they had heard. 8:11-15 Only to the disciples did the Lord expound the parable. They had already accepted the teaching they had received, and so they would be given more. Jesus explained that the seed is the word of God, i.e. the truth of GodHis own teaching. The wayside hearers heard the word but only in a shallow, superficial way. It remained on the surface of their lives. This made it easy for the devil (the birds of the air) to snatch it away. The rock-hearers heard the word too, but they did not let the word break them. They remained unrepentant. No encouragement (moisture) was given to the seed, so it withered away and died. Perhaps they made a bright profession of faith at first, but there was no reality. There seemed to be life, but there was no root beneath the surface. When trouble came, they abandoned their Christian profession. The thorny ground hearers seemed to get along nicely for a while, but they proved that they were not genuine believers by their failure to go on steadfastly. The cares, riches, and pleasures of life took control, and the word was stifled and smothered. The good ground represented true believers whose hearts were noble and good. They not only received the word but allowed it to mold their lives. They were teachable and obedient, developing true Christian character and producing fruit for God. Darby summarized the message of this section as follows: If, on hearing, I possess that which I hear, not merely have joy in receiving it, but possess it as my own, then it becomes a part of the substance of my soul, and I shall get more; for when the truth has become a substance in my soul, there is a capacity for receiving more.

Luke 8:16

J. The Responsibility of Those Who Hear (8:16-18) 8:16 At first glance there does not seem to be much connection between this section and what has gone before. Actually, however, there is a continuous flow of thought. The Savior is still emphasizing the importance of what His disciples do with His teachings. He likens Himself to a man who has lit a lamp, not to be put under a vessel or under a bed, but on a lampstand for all to see the light. In teaching the disciples the principles of the kingdom of God, He was lighting a lamp. What should they do with it? First of all, they should not cover it with a vessel. In Mat_5:15, Mar_4:21, and Luk_11:33 (KJV), the vessel is spoken of as a bushel. This of course is a unit of measure used in the world of commerce. So hiding the lamp under a bushel could speak of allowing one’s testimony to be obscured or crowded out in the rush of business life. It would be better to put the lamp on top of the bushel, that is, practice Christianity in the marketplace and use one’s business as a pulpit for propagating the gospel. Secondly, the disciple should not hide the lamp under a bed. The bed speaks of rest, comfort, sloth, and indulgence. How these can hinder the light from shining! The disciple should put the lamp on a stand. In other words, he should live and preach the truth so that all can see. 8:17 Verse 17 seems to suggest that if we allow the message to be confined because of business or laziness, our neglect and failure will be exposed. Hiding of the truth will be revealed, and keeping it a secret will come to light. 8:18 Therefore we should be careful how we hear. If we are faithful in sharing the truth with others, then God will reveal new and deeper truths to us. If, on the other hand, we do not have this spirit of evangelistic zeal, God will deprive us of the truth we think we possess. What we don’t use, we lose. G. H. Lang comments: The disciples listened with a mind eager to understand and ready to believe and obey: the rest heard with either listlessness, or curiosity, or resolute opposition. To the former more knowledge would be granted; the latter would be deprived of what knowledge they seemed to have. For we must share if we would keep That good thing from above: Ceasing to give, we cease to have; Such is the law of love. R. C. Trench

Luke 8:19

K. Jesus’ True Mother and Brothers (8:19-21) At this point in His discourse, Jesus was told that His mother and brothers were waiting to see Him. Because of the crowd, they could not get near Him. The answer of the Lord was that real relationship with Him does not depend on natural ties, but on obedience to the word of God. He recognizes as members of His family all who tremble at the word, who receive it with meekness, and who obey it implicitly. No crowd can prevent His spiritual family from having audience with Him.

Luke 8:22

L. The Son of Man Stills the Storm (8:22-25) 8:22 In the remainder of this chapter Jesus is seen exercising His lordship over the elements, over demons, over disease, and even over death. All these obey His word; only man refuses. Violent storms do rise quickly on the Sea of Galilee, making navigation perilous. Yet perhaps this particular storm was of satanic origin; it might have been an attempt to destroy the Savior of the world. 8:23 Jesus was asleep when the storm broke; the fact that He slept attests His true humanity. The storm went to sleep when Jesus spoke; this fact attests His absolute deity. 8:24 The disciples awoke the Savior, expressing anguished fears for their own safety. With perfect poise, He rebuked the wind and waves; and all was calm. What He did to the Sea of Galilee, He can do to the troubled, storm-tossed disciple today. 8:25 He asked the disciples, Where is your faith? They should not have worried. They did not need to awaken Him. No water can swallow the ship where lies the Master of ocean and earth and skies. To be with Christ in the boat is to be absolutely safe and secure. The disciples did not fully appreciate the extent of the power of their Master. Their understanding of Him was defective. They marveled that the elements obeyed Him. They were no different from us. In the storms of life, we often despair. Then when the Lord comes to our aid, we are astonished at the display of His power. And we wonder that we did not trust Him more fully.

Luke 8:26

M. The Gadarene Demoniac Healed (8:26-39) 8:26, 27 When Jesus and His disciples reached shore, they were in the district of the Gadarenes. There they met a certain man possessed with demons. Matthew mentions two demoniacs, while Mark and Luke speak of only one. Such seeming discrepancies might indicate that they were actually two different occasions, or that one writer gave a fuller account than the others. This particular case of demon-possession caused the victim to discard his clothes, shun society, and live in the tombs. 8:28, 29 When he saw Jesus, he begged Him to let him alone. Of course, it was the unclean spirit who spoke through the pitiful man. Demon-possession is real. These demons were not mere influences. They were supernatural beings who indwelt the man, controlling his thoughts, speech, and behavior. These particular demons caused the man to be extremely violentso much so that when he had one of these violent convulsions, he broke the chains that were intended to restrain him and ran off into the wilderness. This is not surprising when we realize that cooped up within this one man were enough demons to destroy about two thousand pigs (see Mar_5:13). 8:30, 31 The man’s name was Legion because he was possessed by a legion of demons. These demons recognized Jesus as the Son of the Most High God. They knew too that their doom was inevitable, and that He would bring it to pass. But they sought a reprieve, begging Him that He would not command them to depart at once into the abyss. 8:32, 33 They sought permission, when cast out of the man, to enter a herd of many swine nearby on the mountain. This permission was granted, with the result that the pigs ran headlong down the steep place into the lake and drowned. The Lord is criticized today for destruction of someone else’s property. However, if the swine keepers were Jews, they were engaged in an unclean and illegal business. And whether they were Jews or Gentiles, they should have valued one man more than two thousand pigs. 8:34-39 The news quickly spread throughout that region. When a great crowd gathered, they saw the former demoniac completely restored to normal sanity and to decency. The Gadarenes became so upset that they asked Jesus to depart. They thought more of their swine than of the Savior; more of their sows than of their souls. Darby observes: The world beseeches Jesus to depart, desiring their own ease, which is more disturbed by the presence and power of God than by a legion of devils. He goes away. The man who was healed … would fain be with Him; but the Lord sends him back … to be a witness of the grace and power of which he had been the subject. Later when Jesus visited Decapolis, a sympathetic crowd met Him (Mar_7:31-37). Could this have been the result of the faithful witness of the healed demoniac?

Luke 8:40

N. Curing the Incurable and Raising the Dead (8:40-56) 8:40-42 Jesus went back across the Sea of Galilee to its western shore. There another crowd was waiting for Him. Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, was especially anxious to see Him because he had a twelve year old daughter who was dying. He urgently begged Jesus to go with him quickly. But the multitudes thronged Him, hindering His progress. 8:43 In the crowd was a timid, yet desperate woman, who had been afflicted with a flow of blood for twelve years. Luke the physician admits that she had spent all her life-savings and her income on physicians without getting any help. (Mark adds the unprofessional touch that she actually got worse!) 8:44, 45 She sensed that there was power in Jesus to heal her, so she eased her way through the crowd to where He was. Stooping down, she touched the border of His garment, the hem or fringe that formed the lower border of a Jew’s robe (Num_15:38-39; Deu_22:12). Immediately the blood stopped flowing and she was completely cured. She tried to steal away quietly, but her escape was blocked by a question from Jesus, Who touched Me? Peter and the other disciples thought that this was a silly question; all kinds of people were shoving, pushing, and touching Him! 8:46 But Jesus recognized a touch that was different. As someone has said, The flesh throngs, but faith touches. He knew that faith had touched Him, because He sensed an outflow of powerthe power to heal the woman. He perceived that power had gone forth from Him. Not, of course, that He was any less powerful than He had been before, but simply that it cost Him something to heal. There was expenditure. 8:47, 48 The woman … came trembling … before Him and gave an apologetic explanation of why she had touched Him, and a grateful testimony of what had happened. Her public confession was rewarded with a public commendation of her faith by Jesus, and a public pronouncement of His peace upon her. No one ever touches Jesus by faith without His knowing it, and without receiving a blessing. No one ever confesses Him openly without being strengthened in assurance of salvation. 8:49 The healing of the woman with the issue of blood probably did not delay Jesus very long, but it was long enough for a messenger to arrive with the news that Jairus’ daughter was dead, and that therefore the Teacher’s services would no longer be needed. There was faith that He could heal, but none that He could raise the dead. 8:50 Jesus, however, would not be dismissed so easily. He answered with words of comfort, encouragement, and promise. Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.8:51-53 As soon as He arrived at the home, He went to the room, taking with Him only Peter, James, and John, along with the parents. Everyone was wailing in despair, but Jesus told them to stop because the girl was not dead, but sleeping. This caused them to ridicule Him, because they were positive that she was dead. Was she really dead, or was she in a deep sleep, like a coma? Most commentators say she was dead. They point out that Jesus referred to Lazarus as being asleep, meaning that he was dead. Sir Robert Anderson says that the girl was not really dead. His arguments are as follows:

1. Jesus said that the girl would be made well. The word He used is the same word used in verse 48 of this chapter, where it refers to healing, not resurrection. The word is never used in the NT of raising the dead.
2. Jesus used a different word for sleeping in the case of Lazarus.
3. The people thought she was dead, but Jesus would not take credit for raising her from the dead when actually He knew she was sleeping. Anderson says it is simply a matter of whom you want to believe. Jesus said that she was sleeping. The others thought they knew she was dead. 8:54-56 In any case, Jesus said to her, Little girl, arise. She arose immediately. After restoring her to her parents, Jesus told them not to publicize the miracle. He was not interested in notoriety, in fickle public enthusiasm, in idle curiosity. Thus ends the second year of Jesus’ public ministry. Chapter 9 opens the third year with the sending forth of the twelve.