Luke 8

Luke 8:3

[a] ministered] The true notion of the word διακονεῖν, so often used in the scripture, will be worth considering a while, for the right understanding of all places where it is used. And, first, it is sufficiently known to belong unto, and to be frequently taken in general for any kind of service or ministry. Such was that of disciples, who waited, attended on the prophets, did their servile offices, (see note [A] Matt. iii.) and accordingly διάκονος is taken for such a disciple, John xii. 26, compared with Luke vi. 40. Matt. x. 25. But omitting this ordinary notion, the best rise will be by considering the word διάκονοι, and διακονεῖν, as it refers to that one particular office of servants, that of waiting at feasts. Thus Lucian in his Cronosol. among the leyes convivales, mentions this, Οἱ διάκονοι πρὸς χάριν μηδενὶ μηδὲν, “Let the waiters do nothing out of favour or partiality to any;” where διάκονοι are “those that in feasts distribute the μοιράς, or portions to each guest,” as it follows there, μηδὲ τῷ μὲν ὁ μηρὸς, τῷ δὲ ἡ γνάθος σὺς, ἀλλ’ ἰσότης ἐπὶ πᾶσιν, “not to one a larger or better, to another a meaner or lesser piece, but equality in all.” For this we find among those rites or customs of feasts, that the διάκονοι distributed the portions, first to the master of the feast, and then to the guests, each of them in order, either according to the direction of the ἀρχιτρίκλινος, or “the orderer of the feast,” or as they pleased themselves, when he did not direct, only according to that rule of equality, that they should not τῷ μὲν μεγάλα, τῷ δὲ κομιδῇ μικρὰ παρατίθεσθαι, “give one a great, another a very little portion.” This we find in Lucian, both in his Cronosol. and Epist. Saturn., and, speaking of unjust officers, he saith, Ἐσκομισθέντος σὺς οἰκίτης διανέμων τῷ μὲν δεσπότῃ παρατίθησι τὸ ἡμίτομον ὅλον σὺν τῇ κεφαλῇ, τοῖς δὲ ἄλλοις ὀστᾶ φέρει ἐγκεαλυμμένα, “In the division of a swine, the servant gives his master half of it with the head, and to the rest a few bones.” Agreeable to this

Luke 8:12

They that receive the word, parallel to the seed sown by the path or way, are those hearers which receive it so little way into their hearts, that the devil comes presently and picks it up, as birds do corn, and so they are never the better for it.

Luke 8:14

[b] bring no fruit to perfection] The word τελεσφορεῖν here is best explained by Hesychius, καθ’ ὥραν τοὺς καρποὺς, ἡ τελείους αὐτοὺς φέρειν,

m P. 97. o Fragment. p. 558. * Ἐν τῷ κατ’ Ὀνῆτορ.

Luke 8:17

For it is not God’s will that any talent should be laid up useless and unprofitable, Matt x. 26, Mark iv. 22.

Luke 8:18

See therefore that you receive profit by what you hear: for to him that employs his present stock shall more be given; but from him which doth not so, even that which hath formerly been given him, shall be taken away again, Matt. xiii. 12. ¶ kindred near unto him, Matt. xii. 46. ’ speak with thee.

Luke 8:21

Matt. xii. 50. ’ perseverance, inouvert.

Luke 8:22

Matt. viii. 23. ¶ their boat was filled with water. ¹ commanded the wind to cease, and the waves of the sea not to move so turbulently, and accordingly they ceased—

Luke 8:30

Mark v. 9. o cast them into the pit of hell.

p And to shew the people the destructive power of this legion of devils, if not restrained by his omnipotent goodness, and so to let them see the great benefits that were now come to them, if they would receive and believe in Christ, he did permit (or not restrain) them to do what they so much desired, to enter into the swine. See Mark v. 13.

q villages in the country.