CHAPTER 8. Jesus Proclaims the Parables of the Kingly Rule of God (8:1-18). Having commenced this part section with the new Law of the Kingly Rule of God (Luke 6:20), and having in various ways revealed the advance of that Kingly Rule over Gentiles (Luke 7:1), over death (Luke 7:11), over disease a... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GOOD NEWS OF THE KINGLY RULE OF GOD CONTINUES TO GO OUT: A SUMMARY OF THE FORCES AT HIS DISPOSAL FOR WINNING MEN TO COME UNDER THE KINGLY RULE OF GOD (8:1-3). Jesus' ministry of teaching the Good News of the Kingly Rule of God continues (compare Luke 4:18; Luke 4:43; Luke 6:20), and He is accom... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER (8:4-8). The purpose of this parable appears to be in order to explain why not all who heard His words responded fully, and to encourage His followers with the knowledge that this was to be expected. Not all had the same keen interest as they had. But they could be sure of... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when a great crowd came together, and those of every city resorted to him, he spoke by a parable.' The crowds still flocked to Him from towns all around, and He was now teaching in parables so as to stir the people into thought. He had probably already discovered that many of His hearers were... [ Continue Reading ]
‘The sower went forth to sow his seed, and as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and it was trodden under foot, and the birds of the heaven devoured it.' So it was with the sower here. Some of his seed fell on the pathways where others trod on it as they went about their business, in casual uncon... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And other fell on the rock, and as soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture.' Some fell on rocky areas where there was only a thin layer of soil. It might spring up in the rain and sun, but it soon withered because it was planted where it could reach no moisture beneath the su... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And other fell amidst the thorns, and the thorns grew with it, and choked it.' Other seed fell among where the thorns and weeds were beginning to grow, and they grew up and choked it.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And other fell into the good ground, and grew, and brought forth fruit a hundredfold.' But much fell on good ground and grew and produced an abundant harvest. ‘As he said these things, he cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” ' Then He urged His listeners to think carefully about the m... [ Continue Reading ]
THE INTERPRETATION OF THE PARABLE: THE KINGLY RULE OF GOD IS BEING BUILT UP BY THE SPREADING OF THE WORD (8:9-15). ‘And his disciples asked him what this parable might be.' We who are used to the parables and this way of using illustrations are puzzled as to why no one seemed to understand. We for... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he said, To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingly Rule of God, but to the rest in parables, that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.' Then He explained to His disciples that for them the ‘secrets of the Kingly Rule of God' would be unlocked, because they... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.' He explained that the seed represented the Good News of the Kingly Rule of God, the word of God going out to the people from the Scriptures. It was not an idea without precedent as we see in Isaiah 55:10; Isaiah 61:11. Compare also Amos 9:13 w... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And those by the wayside are those who have heard. Then comes the Devil, and takes away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved.' Those by the wayside were people who were like hard, beaten down ground, resistant and unreceptive to the seed of the word of God. And just as... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And those on the rock are they who, when they have heard, receive the word with joy, and these have no root, who for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.' Those on the rock were people whose hearts were like rock, totally impenetrable, but with a veneer of interest on top. When th... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And that which fell among the thorns, these are they who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.' And those that fell among thorns were like people who heard the word of God, but cares and riches and... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And that in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bring forth fruit with patience.' But the seed that fell on good ground represented those whose hearts were honest and open. They had a good, receptive heart. And once they received... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PURPOSE OF THE WORD IS THAT IT MIGHT COME FULLY INTO THE LIGHT, FOR ONE DAY IT WILL CERTAINLY DO SO (8:16-18). ‘And no man, when he has lighted a lamp, covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a bed, but he puts it on a stand, that those who enter in may see the light.' Then He points out tha... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For nothing is hid, that shall not be made manifest, nor anything secret, that shall not be known and come to light.' Indeed he reminds us that in the end everything will be revealed, and nothing will finally be hidden. God's light shines on it now for those who have eyes to see. And there is comi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Take heed therefore how you hear, for whoever has, to him shall be given, and whoever has not, from him shall be taken away even that which he thinks that he has.' So all should be careful how they hear, whether with receptive hearts or hardened ones. For the one who hears and receives, and thus ‘... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And there came to him his mother and brethren, and they could not come at him for the crowd.' Mark 3:21 tells us that they came because they thought that He was ‘beside Himself'. Luke leaves it to be inferred. He had had much to do with Jesus' mother and therefore was sympathetic in his treatment... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS' MOTHER AND BROTHERS COME TO HINDER HIM (8:19-21). Luke gives no explanation as to why Jesus' mother and brothers come seeking Him, but the fact that they are left on ‘the outside' says all that needs to be said. In some way or another they had come to interfere with His ministry, taking adva... [ Continue Reading ]
3). JESUS IS REVEALED AS THE MESSIAH WHO HAS COME WITH POWER (8:19-9:36). In this third part of Section 3 Jesus is Revealed as the glorious Messiah Who has come with power but will be involved in suffering and death (Luke 8:19 to Luke 9:36). It may be analysed as follows: a He no longer owns respo... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And it was told him, “Your mother and your brethren are standing outside, desiring to see you.' Someone then came and informed Jesus that His family were outside wanting to see Him. Note that they wanted Him to come to them ‘outside', away from where God was working. How delicately the gentle Luke... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But he answered and said to them, “My mother and my brethren are these who hear the word of God, and do it.” ' So He replied that the ones who had a right to His attention now were not His earthly family, but His ‘heavenly' family, those who heard the word of God and did it, those who responded to... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Now it came about on one of those days, that he entered into a boat, himself and his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched forth.' Luke gives us the bare details necessary as a context. His whole concentration is on presenting what happen... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS IS REVEALED AS LORD OF WIND AND WAVES (8:22-25). We first come to three incidents which reveal the folly of His mother and brothers. Each reveals His compassionate power as in His manhood He is revealed as Lord of Creation. In the first He stills the storm and there is a calm. In the second H... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But as they sailed he fell asleep. And there came down a storm of wind on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.' As they sailed on, Jesus was lying in the boat exhausted from His labours, and fell asleep. In a boat such as this there would be a special seat at the stern... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, “Master, master, we perish.” Desperately aware that they could sink at any moment they fought their way though the wind and rain to where Jesus was and awoke Him, crying, “Master, master, we perish.” They felt that hope had almost gone. ‘Master, master... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he said to them, “Where is your faith?” And being afraid they marvelled, saying one to another, “Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?” ' Jesus then turned to His disciples and asked, “Where is your faith?” Now under all normal circumstances that w... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is over against Galilee.' Landing on the east side of the Lake of Galilee they arrived in ‘the country of the Gerasenes'. Differing manuscripts and versions have different names for the area in mind, probably mainly because of the later diffic... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS REVEALS HIS AUTHORITY OVER THE LEGION OF DEMONS THAT POSSESSED THE GADARENE DEMONIAC (8:26-39). Disembarking from the boat in the country of the Gerasenes, fresh from His triumph at sea, Jesus is confronted with another ‘storm' in the person of a man possessed by many militant evil spirits wh... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when he was come forth on the land, there met him a certain man out of the city, who had demons, and for a long time he had worn no clothes, and abode not in any house, but in the tombs.' On Jesus landing there after revealing His power on the Lake of Galilee He was met by a demon-possessed man... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God? I beseech you, torment me not.” ' When the man saw Jesus he was forced to acknowledge Him. Crying out that he had nothing in common with Jesus... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For he was commanding the unclean spirit to come out from the man. For oftentimes it had seized him, and he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters, and breaking the bands asunder, he was driven of the demon into the deserts.' The reason for his cry was because Jesus was persistent... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion”, for many demons were entered into him.' Having made His first attempt at casting out ‘the evil spirit' (‘was commanding' confirms a continual process which suggests that He was dealing with more than one) Jesus was now made aware tha... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS RAISES THE DEAD, REVEALING HIS POWER AND AUTHORITY OVER DEATH (8:30-56). Having been rejected by His own family, and having revealed His power and authority by quelling the storm and raging sea, and by dealing with a legion of evil spirits, Jesus was now about to enter a new realm, the realm... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they entreated him that he would not command them to depart into the abyss.' Jesus' persistence in seeking to cast them out was being effective, and now that He knew the detail of what possessed the man they knew that they could not hide themselves any longer. So they did the next best thing an... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Now there was there a herd of many swine feeding on the mountain, and they entreated him that he would give them leave to enter into them. And he gave them leave.' Nearby was a large herd of pigs. The evil spirits would be aware that to One connected with the God of Israel pigs were ‘unclean' crea... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And the demons came out from the man, and entered into the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep into the lake, and were drowned.' The reaction was instantaneous. The evil spirits entered the swine. But animals are more conscious of such evil influences than people are (compare Balaam's ass, a... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when those who fed them saw what had come about, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country.' When those who were watching over the pigs saw what had happened they ‘fled'. What they had seen had been too much for them. And, as they no doubt went to inform the owners, they told every... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man, from whom the demons were gone out, sitting, clothed and in his right mind, at the feet of Jesus, and they were afraid.' Then many came out to see for themselves what had happened, and they came to Jesus and, re... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And those who saw it told them how he who was possessed with demons was made whole.' They were then informed by eyewitnesses of the whole story of what had happened. Note how it is stressed that the man was made whole (‘was saved'). He was a new man.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes round about asked him to depart from them, for they were gripped with great fear, and he entered into a boat, and returned.' The inhabitants of the country of the Gerasenes, who were largely Gentiles, were unanimous in pleading with the Jewish pro... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But the man from whom the demons were gone out prayed him that he might be with him. But he sent him away, saying, “Return to your house, and declare how great things God has done for you.” ' There was one, however, who did not reject Him. The man who had been released from the evil spirits then r... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he went his way, publishing throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done for him.' The man obediently went on his way, and told everywhere what Jesus had done for him. So the spread of the Good News among the Gentiles was already commencing in seed form. Note the paralleling of th... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And as Jesus returned, the crowds welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him.' Jesus arrives back from His rejection among the Gerasenes and find Himself welcomed by the crowds in Galilee, for they were all there waiting for Him.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue, and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him to come to his house,' As Jesus responded to their welcome a man came and fell at His feet. He was a ruler of the synagogue and He begged Jesus ‘to come to his house'. P... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as he went the crowds thronged him.' This man came to Jesus and told Him that his daughter who was twelve years of age, and thus on the verge of adult life, was dying. So Jesus went with him. But the crowds were throngi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, who had spent all her living on physicians, and could not be healed of any, came behind him, and touched the border of his robe, and immediately the issue of her blood stanched.' And in that crowd was a woman who ought not to have been there, for s... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Jesus said, “Who is it that touched me?” And when all denied, Peter said, and those who were with him, “Master, the crowd press you and crush you.” And then to her horror, for she had thought herself unnoticed, the prophet turned round and asked, “Who touched Me?' Everyone else denied it, and... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But Jesus said, “Some one did touch me, for I perceived that power had gone forth from me.” ' Then Jesus said, ‘Yes, but someone did touch Me, for I felt power go out from Me.' Knowing that that was so He was not willing for the person to go away without what had happened to them being brought hom... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people for what reason she touched him, and how she was healed immediately.' And the woman, recognising that this prophet knew the truth, and that she could no longer... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you whole, go in peace.” ' And Jesus looked at her and said, “Daughter, your faith has made you whole, go in peace.” He wanted her to know that it was because of her faith in Him that her sin was forgiven (go in peace) and she was whole. ‘Your fa... [ Continue Reading ]
‘While he yet spoke, there comes one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.” But with the climax came the anticlimax. In the midst of the joy which followed the healing a messenger came from the ruler of the synagogue's house to inform t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But Jesus hearing it, answered him, “Don't be afraid. Only believe, and she shall be made whole.” ' But Jesus turned to Jairus and told him, “Don't be afraid. Only believe, and she shall be made whole.” Jairus had just seen an example of this, a ‘Daughter' who had believed and had been made whole... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when he came to the house, he did not allow any man to enter in with him, except Peter, and John, and James, and the father of the maiden and her mother.' When they came to the house Jesus excluded from it all but Peter, John and James, and the parents. He did not want what He was about to do... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And all were weeping, and bewailing her. But he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead, but sleeps.” ' Meanwhile the professional mourners were going about their business, and all the relatives were joining in. It was in fact polite to make grief public and noisy. It was seen as expressing their l... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.' But all knew that He was wrong. They knew that there was no doubt about her condition. And they laughed scornfully. Some prophet, this one, they may have thought.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But he, taking her by the hand, called, saying, “Maiden, arise.” ' But Jesus took her hand and called to her, saying “Maiden, arise.” The taking of the hand was in order to enable her to sit up. She was given life by the command. By the graciousness of God this young child on the verge of womanhoo... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And her spirit returned, and she rose up immediately, and he commanded that something be given her to eat.' And her life came back into her. Notice the wording. Jesus summoned back her spirit and her life returned. And she immediately rose up, and Jesus then commanded that she be given something t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no man what had been done.' Indeed both parents were amazed. They had not really expected Jesus to raise her. But they had had faith enough to let Him come. These two are a message to us all. Not all of us can have the centurion's faith, but... [ Continue Reading ]