Luke
Chapter
8
Luke 8:1-3
1 And
it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village,
preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom
of God: and the twelve were with him,
2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits
and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza
Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of
their substance.
Jesus spent His days on earth preaching the gospel
of the Kingdom. Although He reflected
grace in His teaching and actions, He never mentioned the coming grace to
Gentiles.
The use of the word grace in English and in Greek is
very limited within the four gospels. In
fact, it is never used in Matthew or Mark!
During his journey, Christ healed many of various
diseases and cast out Demons whenever He encountered them. No demon failed to
obey Christ Jesus!
Mary Magdalene, Mary of Magdala,
was one of those from whom He cast seven demons!
Although some today look for a demon under every
rock, that is highly improbable! Demons are very limited in both how many there
are and the power they possess. Their greatest power is found in deception!
Satan’s authority is very limited, and his imps do
not have more authority than he does! Satan’s power is also based in deception!
He is defeated, but deceives most into thinking that his power is real!
Among those who aided Jesus as He preached was Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's
steward, and a woman named Susanna! God
uses humans in His plan for the ages. In fact, His plan revolves around
humanity!
And,
yes Jesus’ influence extended into Herod’s very home! There were many who
helped Jesus during His earthly ministry!
Luke
8:4-21
4 And
when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every
city, he spake by a parable:
5 A sower went out to sow his seed:
and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the
fowls of the air devoured it.
6 And some fell upon a rock; and as
soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the
thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
8 And other fell on good ground, and
sprang up, and bare fruit an
hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him
hear.
9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What
might this parable be?
10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God:
but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they
might not understand.
11 Now the parable is this: The seed
is the word of God.
12 Those by the way side are they
that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the
word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive
the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in
time of temptation fall away.
14 And that which fell among thorns
are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and
riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
15 But that on the good ground are
they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it,
and bring forth fruit with patience.
16 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth
it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed;
but setteth it on a candlestick, that they
which enter in may see the light.
17 For nothing is secret, that shall
not be made manifest; neither any thing hid,
that shall not be known and come abroad.
18 Take heed therefore how ye hear:
for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him
shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.
19 Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and
could not come at him for the press.
20 And it was told him by certain which said, Thy
mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see
thee.
21 And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my
brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.
On
one occasion, many were gathered around Jesus, and as was His custom He used
the opportunity to teach. His teaching style made wide use of parables.
The use of parables was specific and with reason!
Matt 13:13 Therefore speak I
to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and
hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Christ taught in parables to hide the
truth from those who had not been chosen to believe! That is a hard truth for
most people to accept! At this point in history, God’s call is universal, but
His choosing is limited!
This parable of the “sower” is perhaps the most
misunderstood parable in the entire Bible!
Christ Jesus taught wisely! However, men have perverted the
teachings of Christ!
There are two things that become abundantly clear after
reading this section.
1.
The seed is consistent!
2.
The subject is the soils!
When you grasp those two truths the facts of the parable
will open to you!
The seed
is the word of God, the Word of God! It is NOT money!
The sower simply throws out the seed! He is not responsible for the results of his
sowing, nor is he responsible for where the seed lands!
Any
teaching that the seed is anything other than the word of God is a corruption!
We sow the word!
The soils represent the hearts of men!
Jesus closes the parable by saying, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”
Biblical hearing requires a positive response!
The disciples again did not understand what Jesus was
teaching, so they asked Him to explain the parable.
Jesus’ first response to their request may have surprised
them, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the
kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and
hearing they might not understand.”
Again, Jesus did not teach using parables in order to
enlighten the Jews! He did it expressly
so that they would not understand.
Then, Jesus explained what He had just taught them and the
others.
Let me restate here, “The
seed is the word of God!” Any reference to your “seed” being
money is a false teaching for a person who twists Scripture!
During Jesus’ teaching, He includes, “No man lights a candle, and the hides the light. Instead, he
sets it on a candlestick, so
that those who enter in may see the light! Nothing
is so secretive, that shall not be made manifest! Neither is anything so hidden that it shall not
be known to all.
“Watch out how you all
hear! Because, whoever has, to him shall be given, and
whoever has not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth
to have.”
Jesus did not explain that last statement, but the focus should
be on the word “seemeth.”
“Seemeth” (Gr. dokeō-δοκέω) speaks of what a person simply thinks he/she has. The
person in question may think he/she has this or that but it is just his/her
opinion, and is worthless!
At that moment, Jesus’ mother and brothers appeared but
because of all those around Jesus they could not come into the meeting area.
When told that his mother and brothers wanted to see Him, Christ Jesus replied,
“My mother and my brethren are these
which hear the word of God, and do it.”
That has not changed! Those who are called and given the
faith, by the Holy Spirit, to believe in Christ will hear His voice and do what
He has appointed them to do!
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them,
and they follow me:
Luke 8:22-39
22 Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship
with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go
over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.
23 But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm
of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in
jeopardy.
24 And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master,
master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the
water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.
25 And he said unto them, Where is your faith?
And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What
manner of man is this! for he
commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey
him.
26 And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes,
which is over against Galilee.
27 And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the
city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither
abode in any house, but in the tombs.
28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him,
and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with
thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.
29 (For he had commanded the
unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him:
and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake
the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)
30 And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name?
And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.
31 And they besought him that he would not command them to go
out into the deep.
32 And there was there an herd of
many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer
them to enter into them. And he suffered them.
33 Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the
swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the
lake, and were choked.
34 When they that fed them saw what was done, they
fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country.
35 Then they went out to see what was done; and came to
Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the
feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
36 They also which saw it
told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed.
37 Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for
they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned
back again.
38 Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought
him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying,
39 Return to thine
own house, and shew how great things God hath done
unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city
how great things Jesus had done unto him.
This section is filled with great
sermon material!
At this point, Jesus told His
Apostles, “Let us go over unto the other side of the
lake.” And so, He and His Apostles boarded a small boat to cross the
Galilean Sea.
As they sailed Christ Jesus fell asleep.
Then, came the storm! The boat began to fill with
water.
The Apostles went to Jesus wakening
Him and declaring, “Master, master, we perish!”
Then Christ got up and “rebuked”
(Gr. epitimaō-ἐπιτιμάω), admonished the wind! At that storm subsided and once
again it was calm!
However, there was still the matter
of their faith. Whether He is awake or
asleep, all who trust in Christ are safe!
After admonishing the storm, Jesus
admonished His followers, “Where is your faith?”
Their response was that they
wondered what type of man could command nature!
As the landed on the shore in the Gadarenes, they encountered a man there who lived in the
local grave yard. He was demon possessed!
When he saw Jesus, he shouted, and
fell prostrate before Christ. Then the
demon within him asked Christ, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, You Son of
God most high? Please do not torment me.”
During the encounter, Jesus had
commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.
The man had often been restrained by
the locals using chains! However, that
did not restrain him for long. The man was able to break the chains and escape
into the wilderness due to the demonic possession!
Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
In those days, it was thought that
if you would say the name of a spirit, you could control that spirit. Because
of that rumor Jews even to this day will not speak the name of the God of all
creation. None may “control” the omnipotent God, Yahweh! Christ Jesus, God the
Son had absolute control over that demon spirit lone before he asked the demon’s
name!
Just because Christ spoke to the
demon, it is not our authority to talk to demons!
The demon told Christ, “Legion,
because many devils were entered into him.”
Apparently Legion was the spokesman for the demons!
The demons asked Jesus not to
command them to go into the deep (Gr. abyssos-ἄβυσσος).
Close by there was a herd of pigs.
The demons asked Jesus to allow them to go into the pigs, and He did.
At that the demons left the man and
went into the pigs. And, the pigs, being
a bit upset, ran into the Sea of Galilee and drowned! Even pigs don’t want
demon spirits!
When the herdsmen saw that they ran to
the nearby town and told what happened.
As the local townspeople came to see
who did all the damage to the local economy of unclean animals, there was the
man whom they feared.
But now,
the one whom they feared was sitting calmly with Jesus and “in his right mind!”
How did they respond?
They were afraid!
Many non-believers fear the results
of Christianity!
In addition to their fear, they also
asked the Savior of the world (1 John 4:14) to leave!
Christ Jesus got back into the boat and
He and the Apostles left!
Prior to their leaving, the man out
of whom the devils were cast asked if he might go with Jesus.
But, Christ told him to go back to
his local community, “Go back home, and show what God
has done for you!” That is evangelism!
The man did as Jesus told him! He
told all who would listen about the wonderful things Christ Jesus, God the Son
had done!
As a child of God considering all
that Christ has done for you, you should tell others what He has done for you!
Luke
8:41-48
41 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 that he would come into his
house:
42 For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age,
and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him.
43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which
had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,
44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his
garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
45 And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were
with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of
me.
47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came
trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the
people for what cause she had touched him, and how she
was healed immediately.
48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be
of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go
in peace.
About that time a Synagogue leader, Jairus,
came to Christ and bowing he asked Jesus to come to his home.
Jairus
had a daughter, about twelve years old who was very ill. She was dying. As
Jesus walked along the people mobbed him.
As they were walking to Jairus’
home, a woman who had having an issue of blood for twelve years, which had
spent all her living upon physicians. They could not heal her.
The Bible says that she came behind Him! The simple statement has been distorted by most to say that
she crawled to him from behind.
If she crawled up on Christ from behind, she must have been
in excellent physical condition!
Just because she was ill, does not, in any way indicate that
she could not walk!
As the woman approached Christ, she touched the “border (Gr.
kraspedon- κράσπεδον) of his garment (Gr. himation-ἱμάτιον).”
Many have incorrectly identified that as the fringe at the bottom
of Jesus’ outer garment!
Others say that she touched the border of Jesus prayer shawl,
the tallit!
Woven into the tallit is a blue thread that indicates
healing.
As she touched the blue thread, the issue of blood was
healed.
Immediately Jesus reacted, “Who
touched me?”
At that time, Jesus was surrounded by a large crowd. They
were pressing in on Him!
And in the midst of all that he asked, “Who touched me?”
The question was confusing to most around Him!
Peter, the apostolic loud-mouth is reported to say, “Master,
the multitude throng is surrounding You, and yet You
asked, ‘Who touched me?’”
But the woman did not merely touch Christ! He explained, “Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that
virtue is gone out of me.”
Many have pressed in on Christ, but only one “touched” Him!
When the woman perceived she had been noticed, she fell at
Jesus’ feet and confessed it was her.
Both Christ and the woman knew that He had been touched to
the point that “virtue,” power, (Gr. dunamis-δύναμις) had
flowed from Him and into her causing the healing!
Jesus calmed her saying, “Daughter,
be of good comfort! Your faith has made you whole (Gr. sōzō-σῴζω)! Go in peace!”
We may go in peace when we understand that Christ has healed
us from the scars of sin!
Luke
8:49-56
49 While he yet spake, there cometh
one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter
is dead; trouble not the Master.
50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.
51 And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go
in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the
maiden.
52 And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.
53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and
called, saying, Maid, arise.
55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he
commanded to give her meat.
56 And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that
they should tell no man what was done.
While the healing of the woman was happening, a messenger
from Jairus’ home arrived and told him, Your daughter is dead! Do not trouble the Master further!
In today’s society that bluntness may seem harsh! But things
were more blunt in those days.
But, Christ assured Jairus, “Fear not! Only believe, and she shall be made whole (Gr.
sōzō-σῴζω)!
When they came to Jairus’ home, Jesus
did not allow any except Peter, and James, and John, Jairus,
and the mother of the young girl to enter the room where she lay.
All the professional mourners wept, openly, but Jesus told
them, “Do not cry, she is not dead, she is only asleep!”
With that they laughed at Jesus!
Christ Jesus ushered all except a few out of the room!
Then, Christ took the young girl by the hand and commanded
her, “Maid, get up!”
At that her spirit returned to her, and she immediately
arose!
Jesus commanded others to bring food!
The girl’s parents were astonished!
However, Jesus commanded them to keep silent concerning what
happened.