Luke 8

Luke 8:1

Luke: The Man Christ Jesus Jesus in Galilee An EasyEnglish Bible Version and Commentary (2800 word vocabulary) on Luke 4:14 to 9:50

www.easyenglish.info Ian Mackervoy This commentary has been through Advanced Checking.

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Chapter 8 Jesus teaches in stories – Luke 8:1–21 The story of the seeds – Luke 8:1-15 v1 After this, Jesus went through all the towns and villages. He taught the good news about the *kingdom of God. The 12 *disciples were with him. v2 Also, with him were some women whom he had cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among these was Mary Magdalene from whom 7 *demons had gone out. v3 And there was Joanna, the wife of Chuza. Chuza was the manager of Herod’s house. And there was Susanna and many other women. These women used their own resources to help Jesus and his *disciples.

v4 A great crowd gathered. People came to Jesus from every town. Jesus told them this story. v5 ‘A farmer went out to sow his seeds. As he scattered the seeds, some seeds fell along the path. People walked on the seeds, and the birds of the air ate the seeds. v6 Some seeds fell on rocks. These seeds began to grow. But they died because they had no water. v7 Some of the seeds fell among weeds with *thorns. The weeds grew up and caused the plants to die. v8 And some seeds fell on good soil and they grew well. They yielded a crop 100 times more than the farmer had planted.’ Jesus finished the story. Then he called out to the crowd. ‘Everyone that is able to hear, listen.’

v9 Jesus’ *disciples asked him what this story meant. v10 He said to them, ‘God has allowed you to know the secrets of his *kingdom. But I speak to other people in stories. “So, they will look but they may not see. They will hear but they may not understand.”

v11 This is what the story means. The seed means God’s word. v12 Those along the path are people who hear God’s word. Then the devil comes and he takes that word from their hearts. So, they do not believe and God does not save them. v13 Those on the rocks are people who receive God’s word with joy. They believe for a short period of time, but they are like plants without roots. But when troubles come, they give up. v14 Those among the weeds are people who hear God’s word.

But as they go, the worries, wealth and joys of this life replace the word. The word does not achieve any successful result in their lives. v15 The good soil is like those people who receive God’s word with good and honest hearts. They continue to be loyal to God’s message. They are patient and their lives produce good results.’

Verses 1-3 Jesus and his 12 *disciples went through all the towns and villages in Galilee. In each place, Jesus spoke about the *kingdom of God.

Several women travelled with Jesus. Some of these he had cured of diseases and evil spirits. Among them was Mary. They called her Magdalene because she came from Magdala. Magdala was a small town on the Sea of Galilee about three miles from Tiberius. Jesus had sent away 7 *demons from this woman.

She became a close friend of Jesus. She was present at the death of Jesus (John 19:25). She was among the women who prepared *spices for his body (Mark 16:1). Early on the morning that Jesus rose from death, she came to his grave. She discovered that the stone was not at the entrance. And she ran to tell Peter and the other *disciples about this.

She went back to the grave and there Jesus met her (John 20:11-18). There is a tradition that links her with the woman in Simon the *Pharisee’s house (see Luke 7:36-50). But there is nothing in the Bible to suggest this.

Joanna was the wife of Chuza. He was the manager of Herod’s house. This Herod was Herod Antipas. Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great. Herod Antipas ruled over the regions called Galilee and Perea from 4 *BC to *AD 39. We know nothing more about Chuza. Joanna was probably there when Jesus hung on the cross of wood (Luke 23:55). She was with the 11 *apostles at the time when Jesus rose from death (Luke 24:10).

Susanna with the other women helped Jesus. We know nothing else about her. These women used their own resources as they served Jesus and his *disciples.

Verses 4-8 A very large crowd came to Jesus on the shore of the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 13:2, Mark 4:1). They came from all the towns in the region. As Jesus taught them, he told them a story. It was about a farmer who sowed his seeds. The farmers in that country scattered the seed on the ground. Then they covered the seed with soil.

There was a path across the plot of land. Some of the seeds fell on this path. People walked on the seeds. And birds came and ate the seeds. There were areas of rock in the field where there was not much soil. The seeds that fell there started to grow. But there was not enough soil and it was too dry for them. They soon died. Other seeds fell among weeds. The weeds grew faster than the seeds. And the weeds stopped their growth. The seeds in the good soil grew well. This situation was familiar to the people. This is what happened in their fields.

Then Jesus called to the crowd. He asked the crowd to consider what the story meant. But he did not tell them what it meant.

Verses 9-15 Even the *disciples did not know what the story meant. So, they asked Jesus to explain it to them. He told them that they could know the secrets of the *kingdom of God. The word ‘secret’ here means that which we cannot know by natural means. These secrets are those things about the *kingdom of God that God shows to his people. The people who did not believe in Jesus would not understand these stories. In Luke 8:10, Jesus repeats words from Isaiah 6:9 to explain that fact.

The story was about the seed rather than the farmer. The seed means the word of God. The farmer scatters the seed. Those who hear the word of God receive it in different ways.

Many people hear the good news about God’s *kingdom but they do not take it in. The devil takes the truth away from them. And they soon forget it. So, they do not believe it.

Some people hear the word of God and they accept it. But it does not change their hearts and minds. This temporary belief does not last. Soon the effect becomes weaker. When difficulties come, they turn away from the *Lord.

Other people hear the word of God and they let the word change them for a time. But then they get too busy to think much about God.

The shallow belief of these three groups cannot last. And it has little effect in their lives. Such belief is of no use. It produces nothing worthwhile.

Then there are those people who hear the word of God. They believe it and it changes their lives. The word of God lives in their hearts. They live for God and they continue firm in their belief. So, they grow strong in the *Lord. And the results of their lives please God.

This story teaches us an important lesson. We must not only hear the word of God but we must believe it. We must not only believe the word of God but we must act on it. We must allow the word of God to change our whole life. The purpose of a lamp is to give light – Luke 8:16-18 v16 Nobody lights a lamp to hide it under a bowl or to put it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a lamp holder. Then those people who come in can see the light. v17 You may try to hide something but someone will find it. He will tell other people where it is. You may try to keep a secret but someone will discover it. And he will tell your secret to other people. v18 So, be careful how you listen. Whoever has will receive more. Some people may think that they have something. However, they do not and they will lose it all.’

Verses 16-18 The lamp here was an oil lamp. It gave light by a flame as the oil burned. It would be foolish to hide such a light under a bowl. The light would go out for lack of air. It would be foolish to put such a light under a bed. It could burn the bed if it did not go out first.

The purpose of the light was so that people could see. If we cover the light, it will not help us to see in the dark. We put the light where it lights up the dark places. In the light, nothing can be secret. The light shows up all the things that the darkness hides.

Those people who believe in Jesus should not hide that fact. They should be like a light to show other people the way to Christ.

We can hide nothing from God. We can have no secrets from God. He will show all that we try to hide. He will tell all our secrets. When the *Lord comes as the judge, he will see everything whether good or evil.

As in the story of the seeds, it is important to listen to what Jesus says (verse 8b). Those people who accept the word of God receive from God. We must use what God has given to us. If we do, he will give to us more. If we do not accept the word of God, we will receive nothing from God. We may think that we have something. But we will lose all that we have. Jesus’ mother and brothers – Luke 8:19-21 v19 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to him. But they could not reach him because of the crowd. v20 Someone told Jesus, ‘Your mother and your brothers are standing outside. They want to see you.’ v21 But Jesus answered, ‘My mother and my brothers are these people. They hear the word of God and they do it.’

Verses 19-21 Jesus taught the people probably in a house. His mother Mary and his brothers wanted to speak with him. But they could not get in because of the crowd that was already there. Someone told Jesus that his mother and brothers were outside.

Then Jesus told the crowd a strange thing. His mother and brothers were already round him, he said. They were listening to his words and they had become like his mother and brothers. And they did what God said.

Jesus was not refusing his family. He respected his mother very much. But he taught that we could become his family. This is not in the normal physical sense. We can be his family when by *faith we accept the word of God. We must hear the word of God and we must obey it. Jesus works *miracles – Luke 8:22–56 Jesus orders the storm to be calm – Luke 8:22-25 v22 One day Jesus got into a boat with his *disciples. He said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side of the lake.’ So, they set off across the lake. v23 As they sailed, Jesus slept. A storm and strong winds blew over the lake. The boat began to fill with water and they were in danger. v24 The *disciples went to Jesus and they woke him up. They said, ‘Master, Master, we will drown.’ Jesus woke up. He ordered the wind to stop and the waves to be calm. The wind stopped and the sea became calm. v25 Jesus said to his *disciples, ‘You should have *faith.’ They were afraid. And what Jesus had done astonished them. They said to each other ‘We do not know what kind of man Jesus is. He even gives orders to the winds and waves, and they obey him.’

Verses 22-25 It was late in the day (Mark 4:35). Jesus and his *disciples started to go across the lake, which was the Sea of Galilee. Jesus went to sleep in the back of the boat.

They were part of the way across the lake when a fierce storm began. Such storms happen often on the Sea of Galilee. The wind was so powerful that it caused the waves to crash against the boat. And water began to fill the boat. There was a danger that the boat would sink.

The *disciples could do nothing to save themselves and they were afraid. Jesus was still asleep so they woke him up. Several of them were *fishermen; they understood how to control a boat. But perhaps they thought that Jesus could do something. Maybe somehow he could save them.

Jesus had already shown his power over *demons, diseases and death. Now he shows his control over the forces of the natural world. He stood up and he spoke to the wind and the waves. The wind and the waves obeyed him and they became calm.

Jesus asked the *disciples why they were afraid. They ought to have had more *faith. Then the situation would not have frightened them. They should have trusted God, even in this frightening situation.

They knew that Jesus was someone special. But this display of power made them afraid. It astonished them. They wondered what kind of man Jesus was.

In the Psalms, God has the power to control the wind and the waves (see Psalms 107:23-32). Jesus shows that he has this same power. This event is evidence that Jesus is God. The man with many *demons – Luke 8:26-39 v26 They sailed across the lake from Galilee to the region of the people called Gerasenes. v27 When Jesus stepped out of the boat, a man from the town came to him. This man had *demons inside him. For a long time he had worn no clothes. He lived among the graves and not in a house. v28 The man screamed when he saw Jesus. He threw himself down in front of Jesus. He shouted, ‘Jesus, Son of the Most High God, what do you want with me? I appeal to you, do not punish me.’ v29 He said this because Jesus had ordered the evil spirit to go out of him. Many times, it had taken hold of him. He had been a prisoner, with chains that bound his hands and his feet. But he broke the chains and the *demon forced him out into a lonely place.

v30 Jesus asked him, ’What is your name?’ He answered, ‘*Legion,’ because many *demons were in him. v31 The *demons appealed to Jesus not to send them to the deep hole.

v32 A large group of pigs were eating there on the hill. The *demons asked Jesus to allow them to go into the pigs. Jesus let them do this. v33 When the *demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs. Then all the pigs ran down the hill and into the lake. And the pigs drowned in the lake.

v34 The men who fed the pigs saw that event. Then they ran away and they reported it in the town and among the farms. v35 The people went to see what had happened. They came to Jesus. There they found the man from whom the *demons had gone out. He was sitting by the feet of Jesus. The man was wearing clothes and he was quite normal. This made the people afraid. v36 Some people saw how Jesus had sent the *demons out of the man. They told the other people how Jesus had cured the man. v37 All the people of the Gerasene region asked Jesus to leave because they were so afraid. So, Jesus got into the boat and he left them.

v38 The man from whom the *demons had gone out asked to go with Jesus. But Jesus sent him away. v39 Jesus said to him, ‘Go back home. Tell people how much God has done on your behalf.’ So, the man went all over the town. There he told the people how much Jesus had done on his behalf.

Verses 26-29 Jesus and the *disciples arrived in the region of the people called Gerasenes. There are three names for this region in the *Gospels. The first one is the region of the Gerasenes. But Gerasa was about 40 miles south and east of the lake and it probably had no border on the lake. The second name is the region of the people called Gadarenes. But Gadar was a town 6 miles from the lake with a deep valley between it and the lake. The third name is the region of the people called Gergesenes. Gergesa was probably a small town near the lake. We do not know from which of these towns the man came.

As Jesus stepped out of the boat, a naked man came towards him. Many *demons lived in this man. He came from the town in that region. But he had made his home among the graves. The man, or rather, the *demons recognised Jesus. They knew who Jesus was. They knew that Jesus was the Son of God. And they were afraid of him. The man cried out with fear. The *demons knew that the *Lord would punish them one day (Matthew 8:29). But they appealed to Jesus not to punish them now. Jesus had ordered the *demons to come out of the man.

Often the *demons took control of the man. The people tried to control the man with chains. But with the power of the *demons, he broke the chains. Then the *demons caused him to go to live in lonely places.

Verses 30-39 Jesus asked the man what his name was. He called himself Legion. The word legion means a large number of people or things. Also, a legion was a group of several thousand soldiers in the *Roman army. The man called himself Legion because many *demons were in him.

The deep hole here is the final prison for *demons (Revelation 20:1). So, they appealed to Jesus not to send them there. They knew that they could not stay in the man. Instead, they asked that they might go into the pigs. Jesus let them go into the pigs. The pigs ran into the lake. And the pigs all drowned in the lake. There were about 2000 pigs (Mark 5:13).

The men who looked after the pigs ran away to the town. They reported what had happened. And people came out to see what the men had told them. They came to Jesus.

There they saw the man whom Jesus had freed from the power of the *demons. He sat there and he had dressed himself. Clearly, someone had given some clothes to him. The man was now completely normal. The people saw this and they were afraid.

The men who had seen the event told the people about it. They described what had happened. They told how the *demons had gone into the pigs. They described how Jesus had authority over the *demons. They told the people how Jesus had cured the man.

Because they were so afraid, the people in that region asked Jesus to go away from them. Jesus got into the boat with his *disciples and he left them.

Before Jesus went away, the man asked to go with him. But Jesus sent him back to his home to declare the good news. He obeyed Jesus and went to his town. He told the people, there and in the whole region, what God had done on his behalf. Jesus had done it, so therefore God had done it. Jesus and God are one. A dead girl and a sick woman – Luke 8:40-56 v40 When Jesus got back, a crowd came to meet him. Everyone was expecting him to come. v41 Then a man called Jairus, a leader of the *synagogue, came to Jesus. He fell down at Jesus’ feet. He appealed to Jesus to come to his house. v42 Jairus’ only daughter, who was about 12 years old, was dying.

While Jesus was on his way to Jairus’ house, people crowded all round him. v43 A woman in the crowd had suffered a loss of blood for 12 years. And nobody was able to cure her. v44 She came up behind Jesus and she touched the edge of his clothes. Immediately the loss of blood stopped.

v45 Jesus asked, ‘Who touched me?’ All the people denied it. Peter said to him, ‘Master, the crowds surround you and they press against you.’ v46 But Jesus said, ‘Someone did touch me. I know it because power has gone out from me.’

v47 The woman knew that she could not hide. She came to Jesus. She trembled and she fell down in front of him. Then she told him and the crowd why she had touched Jesus. She told them how that touch had cured her immediately. v48 Then Jesus said to her, ‘Daughter, your belief in God has cured you. Go and be *at peace with God.’

v49 While Jesus was speaking to the woman, someone came from the house of Jairus, the *synagogue leader. He said to Jairus, ‘Your daughter has died. Do not bother the teacher any more.’

v50 Jesus heard this. He said to Jairus, ‘Do not be afraid. Just believe and your daughter will be well.’

v51 Jesus arrived at the house. He would not let anyone go in with him, except Peter, John, James and the child’s father and mother. v52 All the people wept and they cried out with sad cries. Jesus said to them, ‘Do not cry. She is not dead. She is asleep.’

v53 The people laughed at Jesus. They knew that the girl was dead. v54 But Jesus took hold of the girl’s hand. He said to her, ‘Child, get up.’ v55 Her spirit came back into her. Immediately she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her some food. v56 This *miracle astonished the girl’s parents. But Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

Verses 40-42a (Verse 42a means the first part of verse 42.) Jesus returned from the region of the people called Gerasenes, and he came back to Galilee. Probably he came to Capernaum, which was then his own town (Matthew 9:1). When he arrived, a crowd came to meet him. Jairus, a leader of the *synagogue, came to Jesus. His 12-year-old daughter was dying. She was his only daughter. He asked Jesus to come to his house before she died. He believed that Jesus could cure her.

Verses 42b-44 (Verse 42b means the second part of verse 42.) Jesus started to go with Jairus along the narrow streets. They were in the middle of the crowd. In the crowd, a woman forced her way through to get to Jesus. She came up behind him and she touched his clothes.

This woman had been ill for 12 years. All that time, she suffered a loss of blood. She had been to many doctors. But none of them could cure her. This had cost her all her money (Mark 5:26). Her state made her unclean in the *Jewish religion (Leviticus 15:25). In other words, she could not join in public *worship. She could not go to the *temple. And she could not even touch other people. She was now desperate. But she believed that Jesus could cure her. She thought, ‘I will touch his clothes. That will cure me.’ She touched his clothes. Immediately power from Jesus cured her.

Verses 45-48 Jesus was aware that someone had touched his clothes. He asked who had touched him. In the crowd, as they went along, many people would have touched Jesus. So, this seemed to be a strange question to ask. But Jesus felt power go from him. He knew that a particular person had touched his clothes. Jesus would have known who had touched him. But he wanted the woman to come forward. At first, everybody denied it. But the woman knew that she could not hide. She had to admit it.

Jesus felt power go from him. This does not mean that it reduced the power in him. His power was God’s power in him.

The woman had come in secret. She did not want to make public her problem. She would have been afraid to speak about it. Now she trembled and she fell down in front of Jesus. Perhaps she was afraid that Jesus would be angry. Then she told him and the crowd the whole truth. And she told them that the power of Jesus had cured her.

Jesus spoke to her in a gentle manner. He told her that her belief in God had cured her.

Verses 49-50 Probably because of the delay, Jesus did not get to the little girl in time. She had just died. Someone came to tell her father, Jairus, the sad news. It was too late. There was now no reason for Jesus to come to the house.

Jesus heard that the child was dead. Either he heard the conversation with Jairus or Jairus told him the news. The news did not worry Jesus at all. But it would have greatly upset Jairus. So, Jesus told him not to be afraid. Jairus believed that Jesus could cure his daughter. But that was before she died. Now Jesus told Jairus to believe that he would bring the girl back to life.

Verses 51-56 Jesus and the people who were with him arrived at Jairus’ house. As was the custom in those days people gathered in and outside the house. There were family, friends, servants and people whose job was to weep for the dead person. They were all weeping and they made a loud noise. Jesus said to them all, ‘Do not cry.’ (This probably means that they must not continue to make all that noise.) ‘She is not dead. She is asleep.’ But they knew that she was dead. So, they laughed at Jesus. None of them believed that he could bring the girl back to life.

Jesus said that she was only asleep. Jesus was not pretending that she was not dead. Rather, he meant that her death was like sleep. This death was not permanent. The girl would wake up as from sleep.

Jesus told all the people to go out. Then with the parents of the girl, Jesus went into the room where the girl was. Also, he took with him Peter, James and John. But he did not allow anyone else to go in.

Jesus took the hand of the girl. He said to her, ‘Little girl, get up.’ Immediately the girl’s life returned. She got up and walked (Mark 5:42).

Jesus told the parents to give some food to the girl. It may be that during her illness she was not able to eat. Now she was alive and her illness had gone. Jesus raised her to good health.

What had happened astonished the parents. Clearly, they were full of emotions and very happy. They would have felt great excitement. But Jesus asked them not to tell anyone what had happened. The people knew that the girl was dead. Now they will know that she is alive again. But what happened in that room was in private.

© 2013, Wycliffe Associates (UK)

This publication is in EasyEnglish Level B (2800 words).

April 2013

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var w4 = new Array;w4[0]=’<b%3Ekingdom</b%3E ~ the place or territory where a king rules. In the New Testament, this word nearly always refers to the people over whom the king rules and not a territory on earth.