Luke 8

Luke 8:9-33

9-10 Compare Matthew 13:10-17; Mark 4:10-13; Isaiah 6:9. 11-12 Compare Matthew 13:18-19; Mark 4:14-15. 13 Compare Matthew 13:20-21; Mark 4:16-17. 14-15 Compare Matthew 13:22-23; Mark 4:18-20. 16-18 Compare Luke 11:33-36; Matthew 5:15-16; Matthew 4:21-25.

16 To enable His disciples to discern the difference between the fruitful and unfruitful hearers, He gives a further illustration. The hearty believer places his light on a stand. He makes the message known. The half-hearted one is slothful. He hides it under a couch. The worldly one puts his business first, and hides it under a vessel. These two shall lose the light they have, but the former shall receive more light.

17 Compare Luke 12:2; Matthew 10:26. 18 Compare Luke 19:26; Matthew 13:12; Matthew 25:29.

18 In grace no one is deprived of the light he has, no matter how feebly it may flicker, yet the other part of the principle applies to all. He who has some light is on the way to further illumination.

19 The crowding out of His physical relations is symbolic of the trend of His ministry at this time. He was allying Himself with those of like spirit, and strengthening His union with them.

22-25 Compare Matthew 8:18-27; Mark 4:35-41.

23 A lovely little likeness we have here of that great spiritual storm which engulfed them at His crucifixion. The wind would represent the unseen powers of evil, one of which entered into Judas, and the waters the people who were whipped into fury under their influence. Had the Lord been absent, as on another occasion, we would refer this trial to the time of the end. But He is with them. Does not His sleep speak of His death, and the consternation of the apostles the fear which His decease inspired? And His awakening-did not His resurrection proclaim Him Sovereign over all the powers of evil? Not only wind and wave, but sovereignties and dependencies obey His will.

26-31 Compare Matthew 8:28-29; Mark 5:1-10.

26 Some manuscripts read Gadarenes for Gergesenes, or Gerasenes. Gadara is usually identified with the modern Um Keis, a place about three hours’ travel from the lake shore on the far side of the Jermuk river. This location does not at all suit the circumstances surrounding this miracle. Except at Tiberias there is no overhanging cliff on lake Galilee, but at the site of some ancient ruins called Chersa there is a steep declivity, and beyond the ruins are tombs in the mountain side. This site is “across from Galilee”, on the eastern shore of the lake. The shore is so narrow at the base of the mountain that a herd of hogs, rushing down its steep sides, would not be able to stop before being drowned in the water. These facts, together with the manuscript evidence, seem sufficient to justify us in adopting the reading Gergesenes, rather than the usual Gadarenes.

28 The demons never seemed to be at a loss to identify the Lord. It might take a miracle to make men admit Him to be the Messiah. Few saw Him to be God’s Son. But the demons usually insisted on giving Him this title and acknowledged His authority over them. In spiritual intelligence they were certainly far superior to any of His disciples. Hence they feared Him, realizing the lawlessness of their obsession of human beings.

In some abnormal trance states it is possible for a person to entirely yield control of his body to another mind. In this condition the thoughts of the directing mind find a response in the subject, before they can be uttered and conveyed through the usual channels. If one man can control another in this fashion, it is not difficult to see how demons can break down the human will and impose themselves on their victims. This may have been the case before the deluge, and the reason why mankind was given a flesh diet thereafter. The present time is characterized by the activity of deceiving spirits (1 Timothy 4:1). Satan is transfigured into an angel of light, and those under him seek to simulate the operations of God’s Holy Spirit.

32-83 Compare Matthew 8:30-32; Mark 5:11-15; Leviticus 11:7-8; 1 Kings 22:22.

32 Hog raising was contrary to the law of Moses. Swine were unclean animals’ unfit for food. Hence the Lord was quite justified in being the cause of their destruction. Indeed, there was a fitness in furnishing the unclean demons with unclean habitations.

Luke 8:34-9

34-37 Compare Matthew 8:33-34; Mark 5:14-17.

34 It is evident that the Gergesenes thought more of their hogs than of human beings. It is likely that there were other herds and other lawless practices which His presence would condemn. How terrible is the perversity that prefers darkness to light, because of the evil which it harbors! He seems to have remained but a little while, acceding to their request, but He does not leave them without a witness to His power and love, for the erstwhile demoniac carries on the cure by proclaiming his cure to the whole city. The Lord seldom visited that side of the lake and may never have preached to them again.

38-39 Compare Mark 5:18-20. 40 Compare Matthew 9:1; Mark 5:21. 41-42 Compare Matthew 9:18; Mark 5:22-24.

41 Undoubtedly, there is an intended contrast between this Jew, with the highest of privileges, who is at the head of a synagogue in Capernaum, and the centurion proselyte who had built them a synagogue. But the centurion is humble and confident in the Lord’s power. He did not deem himself worthy of having the Lord enter his home. He saw no necessity for One so great as He to come into personal contact with the case. He recognized His lordship. As a result he received an instantaneous response.

His slave was healed immediately (Luke 7:2-8). Not so Jairus. The centurion felt unqualified to come himself, but Jarius comes and casts himself at His feet, and desires His presence in his house. Surely the chief of the synagogue is worthy to have Him enter his home! Had his faith equaled the centurion’s, his daughter could have been saved long before. He is delayed.

The throngs are so thick that He cannot hurry. So it is with Israel. Their faith is feeble. They cannot grasp His power to bless unless He is present.

43 Meanwhile one who has a larger measure of faith is healed. Whether guided by intuition or by intelligence, she touches the tassel of His cloak. The “blossom”, a fringe or tassel, was put on all garments as a reminder of the commandments (Numbers 15:37-41). On it was a ribbon of blue. The robe speaks of righteousness, the fringe or tassel of its finish. Indeed, the Hebrew word for blue is formed from the word which means to finish.

That which finished or completed our Lord’s righteousness was His obedience to death. So that the woman may well figure that remnant in Israel who receive the salvation of their souls while the nation lies dead (1 Peter 1:9). The soul (not life) of the flesh is in the blood (Leviticus 17:14). Hers was a salvation of blood by blood. His suffering provided a blood redemption for the faithful few while the nation as such waited for redemption by power.

43-48 Compare Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34. 49-50 Compare Mark 5:35-36.

49 The hopelessness of Israel’s state is well figured by death. If we take all the disabilities and diseases which are given as signs of her spiritual condition, their sum would be death. And it is notable that in this case, as well as that of Lazarus, there was delay on His part. This is most marked with Lazarus, and there the Lord gives us the reason for His deliberate delay. He did not want to cure Lazarus; He wanted him to die, in order that God’s glory might be manifested thereby (John 11:4). So it is with Israel nationally.

He could long ago have come and restored them to life. But, for their greater good and God’s greater glory, He is deliberately delaying His return. He will wait until their condition is beyond all human help, until its very hopelessness will proclaim the power of His salvation.

51-56 Compare Matthew 9:23-26; Mark 5:37-43. 1-6 Compare Matthew 10:1-15; Mark 6:7-13.

1 Hitherto, it seems, the apostles had remained with him as disciples, to learn His words and ways. Now, however, they are empowered as apostles, to represent Him and carry the proclamation into communities which He Himself did not visit. We can well imagine the ardor with which they would assume their new powers and responsibilities. This was not a general commission for all time. It continued only so long as He Himself proclaimed the kingdom and was withdrawn when it was rejected and He made known His sufferings. In that the apostles could take no part.

The conditions under which the twelve apostles were sent forth had regard to the customs and usages of the land. They were going to their own countrymen and the most direct road to their hearts and confidence would be to depend entirely on their hospitality. Such was the custom then, and until very lately a poor peasant could travel all over that region without a purse, or provisions, or extra apparel. They slept in the same garments which they wore during the day. Strict etiquette demanded that every villager should invite them to eat with him. Indeed, on this point the Lord goes contrary to the established custom.

To move from house to house would lead to much distraction and consume much time, so they remain in the first house they enter, so long as they are in the neighborhood. The villagers would not seriously object to this arrangement, for it saved them much toil and trouble. Each new lodging required special preparations and feasting and other courtesies which became burdensome and of no real benefit. Otherwise they were careful to keep the customs, and avoid needless persecution.