Luke 8
OGC**Butler’s Comments
Chapter Eight
(Luke 8:1-56)**
THE SON OF MAN EXERCISING DIVINE AUTHORITY
IDEAS TO INVESTIGATE:
How would women have means by which to contribute to Jesus-’ needs (Luke 8:1-3)?
Why would the sower let most of his seed fall on unproductive ground (Luke 8:4-8)?
How can the word of God be the seed (Luke 8:11)?
If the disciples had seen Jesus raise the dead, how could they be afraid in the storm if He was in the boat (Luke 8:22-25)?
Why would Jesus allow demons to go into pigs and destroy them (Luke 8:26-33)?
Why didn-’t Jesus let the healed man accompany Him (Luke 8:38-39)?
If Jesus was going to raise Jairus-’ daughter from the dead, why didn-’t he want a big crowd to witness it (Luke 8:51)?
IS THERE DEMON POSSESSION TODAY AS THERE WAS DURING THE TIME OF CHRIST’S INCARNATE MINISTRY?
By Paul T. Butler
It is my opinion that there is no demon possession of human beings today in the precise manner such as manifested in the phenomenal way it was during Christ’s incarnate ministry (and perhaps as it was during the remainder of the ascendancy of the Roman empire).
It is my opinion that the binding of Satan in Revelation 20:1-6 was initiated and resulted from the redemptive work of Christ in His Incarnation. It was completed when the beast of the 4th universal empire (as Daniel predicted), Rome, fell. At that time, it is my opinion, demon possession, as manifested in the Gospels and Acts apparently was to cease. All binding of Satan is relative. He has always been bound to some degree or other due to the fact that God is Almighty. God is the only being who is Almighty. It is my opinion a part of Satan’s binding has to do with the restriction imposed by God that Satan’s demons are no longer able to possess human bodies as they were during the time of Christ’s incarnation.
To have this opinion does not mean I deny the power of Satan to deceive the minds of people today who deliberately choose to believe falsehood perpetrated by lying signs and wonders. If the definition of demon possession means simply that Satan has captured the minds of men by unbelief, I would agree.
Satan entered into Judas. (Luke 22:3 and John 13:27) but he was not what other scriptures describe as demon possessed.
Do the alleged demons possessing people today ever enter into animals? (See Matthew 8:28-34; Luke 8:26-36; Mark 5:1-16.)
Do the alleged demons possessing people today ever testify to the identity and deity of Christ or the messengers of Christ and what their work is? (See Acts 16:17; Acts 19:15; Matthew 8:29; Mark 1:24 and above references.)
Do the alleged demons possessing people today ever speak out as recognizable separate individualsdefinitively separate from the human whose body they possess?
How may demons (alleged) today be exorcised? Is the exorcism always miraculous and always instantaneous? If not, is it simply a matter of conversion by the power of the gospel regenerating the mind through preaching and teaching? When there is an unsuccessful exorcism, or casting out, are those possessed by alleged demons doomed to suffer such possession until they die?
Only Jesus could give power to exorcise demons. That was a direct gift and a supernatural power. It apparently did not require being a born again believer to receive this powerJudas apparently was given this powerhe was one of the twelve (cf. Matthew 10:1; Matthew 10:8).
On the other hand, many pseudo-faith-healers today, and ministers from all differing theological and doctrinal positions, claim they have cast out or exorcised demons. Whom are we to believe? Who has that power today among all who claim it? What are we to conclude from their claims? Who is to decide which are real demons and real exorcists? By what criteria?
Demons in the scripture were not ecto-plasmthey were (and still are, in the abyss) real persons!
The psychic powers of the human mind over matter have been well documented. What some think is demon possession could very well be such psycho-somatic phenomena. Voodooism, etc., may be classified under this heading.
The most destructive power of the devil is not possession of a human body but a mind or soul (cf. Matthew 10:28). It appears that while demons possessed bodies of some humans during Christ’s incarnationthe mind or soul of that person was not possessed. Demons merely troubled humans (Luke 6:18); they drove people to do, physically, what they did (Luke 8:29).
Of all the miraculous gifts the Corinthian Christians were given, exorcism of demon possessed was not among them (I Cor. ch. 12-14).
How do we know when someone is demon possessed? What is the criteria by which distinction is made between demon possession and epilepsy, mental illness, perverted maliciousness and crazed murderousness (e.g. Hitler, de Sade, etc.)?
Is it not possible that all the mania for the occult and the practice of it is being used by the devil to get people to think he has powers which he does not really have (Revelation 13:13-15)?
If demon possession could only come to those who were willingwas the little daughter of the Syro-Phoenician woman a willing victim? In other words, demon possession had nothing to do with the willingness of the possessed. Therefore, exorcism was not done by conversion but by the exercise of divine authority in a miraculous way.
It seems apparent that only Jesus and the apostles, or specially endowed disciples (Luke 10:1-42) could exorcise demons. This they did, not by conversion but by miracle. There is no evidence from the scriptures that this miraculous power could be given by any other than Christ Himself and that while He was in His incarnate ministry.
If miracles of healing, speaking in foreign languages, prophecy, including discernment of spirits (1 Corinthians 12:10), etc., ceased with the end of the New Testament era and the death of the apostles (or the ones to whom the apostles imparted these gifts), so that we can only be certain of the documented miracles of Scripture, then the same principle ought to be applied, for the same reason, to demon possession and exorcism. Otherwise, we are in a quandary to decide about -modern claims of demon possession and exorcism among religious groups from one end of the doctrinal spectrum to the other. There are also pagan exorcists making claims.
There really is not any documentation of demon possession in the Old Testament such as occurred during the Incarnation (with an exception or two, e.g. King Saul).
It appears, then, that demon possession in the precise manner in which it occurred during Christ’s incarnate ministry was uniquely for the purpose of affording historical evidence that Christ (and His apostles) possessed the Sovereign Spirit of Godthat their message was one of victory and power over Satan and all of hell.
A recent case in point, excerpts from article in Joplin, Mo., Globe, 3-8-81:
Catholic priests were attempting to rid an 11 year old boy in Brookfield, Conn. of demons. (The boy’s name is unknown.)
A 19 year old friend was watching these sessions, challenged the demons to take me on. Control me. Leave this boy alone, acc. to tape recordings of the sessions. Arne Johnson was the friend. Johnson allegedly stabbed to death a co-worker (Alan Bono) after Bono had quarreled at Bono’s apartment. Johnson is now pleading that he is not responsible for his acts because of demonic possession. Ed and Lorraine Warren, who worked on the Amityville Horror case were asked to help the boy who appeared to be possessed (the 11 year old boy). The Warrens said they found movement of objects and frightening manifestations in the house. The Warrens said the boy was indeed possessed, and he seemed to be possessed off and on, 24 hours a day, said one family member. Tape recordings the Warrens made of some of the sessions have the boy making guttural and hissing sounds, cursing his mother, and threatening to stab and kill those present in the room. Photographs of the sessions show family members attempting to restrain the boy, who the Warrens said seemed to have superhuman strength. A priest named Virgulak was called to investigate the case; he has made several reports to the bishop of the diocese, but no public reports. He has declined to discuss the reports but said no formal exorcism has ever been requested or performed on the boy. There were prayer sessions called a deliverance which is supposed to be a lesser form of exorcism that does not require approval of the bishop. The Warrens say Johnson’s attempts to help the boy were amateurish because the only way to order demons out of a person is by using the name of Jesus Christ. Mrs. Warren said, … (Johnson) he challenged what was within the child to take him onand none of us ever do that, not even priests. Problems with this account:
a.
Based on a number of begging the question statements such as, appeared to be., seemed to be., seemed to have., no public reports., supposed to be., approval of the bishop..
b.
In the name of Jesus means in the Bible, by the authority of Jesus. Does Roman Catholicism have the authority of Jesus to exorcise? The name of Jesus is to be used in exorcism by only those authorized to use it (cf. Acts 19:13-16). Whom are we to believe now has that authorization? What credentials do they present for it? Do such exorcists agree doctrinally with the Word of the Holy Spirit in the Bible? If not, are we to believe they have the power of the Spirit?
There are two Old Testament prophecies, clearly Messianic, which predict the cessation of sorceries and soothsayers (Micah 5:12-13), and unclean spirits or demon-possession (Zechariah 13:2). Homer Hailey, in his book, A Commentary on the Minor Prophets, pub. Baker, sums up Zechariah 13:1-6 in these words, A fountain for sin and uncleanness will be opened for all the people. At that time the falsehood of idols will cease, prophesying will be discontinued, and the unclean spirits will pass out of the land. Mr. Hailey contends that Zechariah 13:1-9 is entirely Messianic and says, Once the foundation was laid and the new revelation was complete, the need for prophets would cease. Daniel indicates the same in a strong Messianic prophecy, when he said of the anointed one, the prince, that He would bring in everlasting righteousness, and seal up vision and prophecy. Likewise, unclean spirits, the antithesis of the prophets, would cease. In the conquest of Christ over Satan and his forces, unclean spirits have ceased to control men as they did in the time of the ministry of Christ and the apostles.
Of course, these prophecies from Micah and Zechariah do not preclude the attempts of human beings and Satan to try to deceive the world that demon possession and sorceries are still supernaturally viable. We believe the Bible clearly indicates what is alleged today to be supernatural demon possession is no longer a possibility. Lying wonders and deceiving signs remain very much a possibility so long as men and women refuse to believe and love the truth and prefer to believe what is false (see 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12; 2 Timothy 4:3-4, etc.).
The crucial and ultimate question about modern (alleged) demon possession is: Whose testimony is reliable? Whose testimony is inerrantly, infallibly reliable besides the testimony of the Scriptures? None! Any man today, without the inerrancy and infallibility of the Holy Spirit to verify his experience and accredit his testimony may be either deceived or a deceiver.
**Applebury’s Comments
CHAPTER EIGHT
Outline**
A.
Luke told more about the teaching ministry of Jesus (Luke 8:1-21).
On one of the tours of Jesus (Luke 8:1-3).
a)
He went through the cities and villages bringing the good tidings of the kingdom of God.
b)
Those who accompanied Him:
(1)
The twelve.
(2)
Certain woman who had been healed of evil spirits and other infirmities.
(a)
Mary Magdalene from whom seven demons had gone out.
(b)
Joanna, the wife of Chuzas who was Herod’s steward.
(c)
Susanna and many others.
(3)
These women ministered to them out of their material possessions.
The parable of the sower: How to understand the Word 4-15).
a)
Jesus spoke the parable to a crowd that assembled from every city.
b)
Results of sowing the seed:
(1)
On the wayside, the birds got it.
(2)
On the rocky soil, it withered for lack of moisture.
(3)
On the thorny soil, the thorns choked it out.
(4)
On the good soil, it produced a hundredfold.
c)
Jesus warned: He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
d)
Jesus explained the parable to the disciples.
(1)
The disciples were to understand the secrets of the kingdom, although others did not.
(2)
The seed is the Word that was heard by four classes.
(a)
On the wayside, those who hear and do not understand. The devil takes away what was heard.
(b)
On the rocky soil, those who hear but have no depth in themselves. They fall when temptation comes.
(c)
On the thorny soil, those who hear but allow the cares of the world and pleasures to choke out the Word.
(d)
On the good soil, those who heed the word and hold it fast and produce the harvest with patience.
The parable of the lamp: The Word is to be understood (Luke 8:16-18).
a)
A lighted lamp isn-’t covered up, but placed where it enables people to see.
b)
Nothing is hid, that is, Jesus-’ teaching is to enable men to understand.
c)
Jesus warned, Take heed how you hear. Hearing can add to understanding or cause one to lose what he thinks he has.
Spiritual kinship: The result of hearing and understanding the Word (Luke 8:19-21).
a)
Jesus-’ mother and brothers were trying to reach Him, but couldn-’t for the crowd.
b)
When He was told that they were seeking Him, He said, My mother and my brethren are those who hear the Word of God and do it.
B.
Luke told more about the healing ministry of the Master (Luke 8:22-56). 1. Stilling the tempest (Luke 8:22-25).
a)
The circumstances.
(1)
It happened on one of those days.
(2)
Jesus and His disciples entered a boat and He said, Let’s go to the other side of the lake.
(3)
They set out for the other side, and Jesus fell asleep.
(4)
A wind storm came down upon them, filling the boat with water and putting their lives in jeopardy.
(5)
The disciples awoke Jesus and said, Master, Master, we are perishing.
b)
The miracle.
(1)
Jesus awoke and rebuked the wind and the waves.
(2)
The wind ceased blowing; the waves stopped tossing; a calm set in.
c)
Then the Master taught the lesson on faith.
(1)
He asked, Where is your faith?
(2)
In reverence and wonder, they said to one another, Who is this who gives orders to the winds and the waves and they obey Him?
The Gerasene demoniac (Luke 8:26-39).
a)
The circumstances.
(1)
It was in the country of the Gerasenes on the opposite side of the lake from Galilee.
(2)
A naked demon-possessed man who lived in the tombs met Jesus as He landed.
(3)
He fell down before Jesus and in a loud voice said, What have I to do with you Jesus, Son of the Most High God?
b)
Casting out the demons (Luke 8:29-33).
(1)
The fact that Jesus was commanding them to come out had caused the man to cry out as he did.
(2)
No one had been able to keep him under guard, for the demons drove him into the desert places.
(3)
Jesus asked him, What is your name?
(4)
He said, Legion, for many demons had entered him.
(5)
The demons begged not to be ordered to depart into the abyss.
(6)
Jesus granted them permission to enter into the swine that were feeding nearby.
(7)
When they did, the swine rushed down the steep bank and were drowned in the sea.
c)
The effect of the miracle (Luke 8:24-39).
(1)
The herdsmen fled and told the story in the city and country, for they were afraid.
(2)
Those who came to investigate found Jesus and the man sitting at His feet, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.
(3)
The Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave their country, for they were seized with a great fear.
(4)
Jesus entered the boat and returned, for He was rejected by those who lost their possessions.
(5)
The man wanted to go with Jesus, but He sent him to his own house and city to tell about the great things God had done for him.
Two more miracles of mercy (Luke 8:40-56).
a)
A twelve year old girl was dying (Luke 8:40-42 a).
(1)
A crowd that had been waiting for Jesus welcomed Him when He returned.
(2)
Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue and father of the dying girl, asked Jesus for help.
b)
A miracle that happened while He was on the way to Jairus house (Luke 8:42 b - Luke 8:48).
(1)
As the people crowded around Him, a woman who had suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years touched Him and it stopped.
(2)
Jesus, knowing that power to heal had gone forth from Him, said, Who touched me?
(3)
The woman, in the presence of all the people, told why she had touched Him and how she had been healed.
(4)
Jesus said to her, Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace.
c)
Raising Jairus-’ daughter from the dead (Luke 8:49-56).
(1)
As He was speaking to the woman, there came one from Jairus-’ house to say, Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher.
(2)
Jesus said, Believe and she shall be saved.
(3)
He permitted only Peter, John and James, and the father and mother of the child to enter the house with Him.
(4)
To the mourners within, He said, Stop weeping. She is not dead, she is sleeping.
(5)
They laughed Him to scorn for they knew that she was dead.
(6)
Jesus took her by the hand and said, Child, arise.
(7)
Her spirit returned and she arose.
(8)
Jesus had them give her some food, but told the parents to say nothing of what had happened.
Summary
Jesus and His disciples were on one of the many tours that took them through the villages and towns of Galilee. Certain women whom He had healed accompanied them and ministered to the group. On one occasion a crowd gathered and He taught them in parables. The parable of the sower showed them that the Word of God is the seed. Four classes of hearer were described by Jesus, but the ones who heard and understood produced the harvest. The parable of the lamp explained that Jesus intended them to understand His words, for a lamp lets people see. He warned them to be careful how they heard. On another occasion when He was teaching, His mother and brothers asked for Him; but He said that those who hear the word of God and do it are the members of His family. The pressures of His busy ministry made it necessary for Him to get away for some rest from time to time. Jesus and the disciples got into a boat, and Jesus said, Let’s go to the other side. As they set out, He fell asleep. A sudden storm was about to sink their boat. The fearful disciples awoke Him. He rebuked the winds and waves and a calm set in. In reverent wonder they said, Who is this who speaks to the winds and waves and they obey Him? They were met by a demon-possessed man as they landed on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus cast out the legion of demons and allowed them to enter a herd of swine that was feeding nearby. The swine rushed over the cliff and drowned in the sea. People came to see what had happened and were amazed to find this one whom they had never been able to control sitting calmly at Jesus-’ feet. Fear seized them and they asked Jesus to leave. As He was getting into the boat, Jesus said to the man, Go to the people of your house and city and tell them about the great things God has done for you. The daughter of a ruler of the synagogue was dying. Jairus, the father, asked Jesus to come to his home and help him. On the way, a woman from the crowd that was following touched Him and was immediately healed. On arriving at the home of Jairus, they were told that the child was dead. Jesus took Peter, James and John and the parents and entered the house. Taking the girl by the hand, He said, Child, arise. Her spirit returned and she arose. He said, Give her something to eat, but say nothing to anyone about what has happened.
Questions
Where did Jesus conduct His teaching ministry?
What do the Scriptures indicate about preaching in the great centers of population?
What did Jesus and the disciples preach?
How were they supported?
What are the known facts about Mary Magdalene?
How explain her loyalty to Christ?
What is a parable?
Why did Jesus speak in parables?
What do the four types of soil represent?
What is represented by the seed?
How did the disciples learn the meaning of the parable of the sower?
What bearing does this have on understanding figurative language of the Bible?
What is meant by mysteries of the kingdom?
What lesson is taught by the parable of the sower?
How does the parable of the Lamp continue the lesson of the parable of the Sower?
What lesson is taught by the parable of the Lamp?
What was the attitude of Jesus-’ brothers toward Him during His ministry?
Why did Jesus and the disciples start across the sea?
What changed their view?
What lesson did Jesus teach about spiritual kinship?
What is known about storms on the Sea of Galilee?
What effect did the miracle of stilling the storm have on the disciples?
Why did Jesus ask, Where is your faith?
Where is the country of the Gerasenes?
What proof that the man was demon-possessed?
Why did the people ask Jesus to leave?
What did Jesus say to the man who wanted to go with Him? Why?
Who was Jairus?
What did he ask Jesus to do?
What happened on the way to his house?
Why did the woman in the crowd have faith that Jesus could heal her?
How does this differ from the lack of faith that kept the disciples from casting out the demon from the epileptic boy?
Why did Jesus ask, Who touched me?
When did they learn that the daughter of Jairus was dead?
Why did He say, Fear not; only believe, and she shall be made well?
Why did He limit those permitted to enter the home?
What did He do in raising the child from the dead?
What was the effect of the miracle on the parents?
What restriction did Jesus place on them? Why?
What about those who had laughed at Him in the presence of death?
Luke 8:1-3
Applebury’s Comments
Those Who Accompanied Jesus Scripture
Luke 8:1-3 And it came to pass soon afterwards, that he went about through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good tidings of the kingdom of God, and with him the twelve, 2 and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary that was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 and Joanna the wife of Chuzas Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, who ministered unto them of their substance.
*Comments
And it came to pass soon afterwards.*Luke indicates that this is a continuous story about the teaching ministry of Jesus and the miracles He performed to confirm His preaching. Our chapter divisions sometimes keep us from seeing the connection between the incidents he selected to make up his logically arranged story of the Life of Christ.
*that he went about through the cities and villages.*Jesus went where the people were. He did not remain at the temple in Jerusalem, but visited even the little towns and villages that all might have an opportunity to hear Him.
Jesus and the apostles, of course, did not overlook the importance of preaching in the great centers of population. Jerusalem was one of those centers, and some of Jesus greatest discourses were delivered there. Antioch of Syria and Ephesus became radiating centers from which the gospel was heard. While Paul was at Ephesus all Asia Minor heard about the gospel. It was his plan to preach where no one had ever told the story of Jesus. Finally, he realized his dream to preach the gospel in Rome also. Wherever he went, he preached the whole counsel of God, publically and from house to house. In doing so, he was following the pattern of Jesus’s ministry of teaching and healing.
The methods that proved so effective in the ministries of Jesus and of the apostles are, where they are being tried, proving effective today. Church buildings for the assembly of the saints are necessary, but so many of those who are lost never set foot inside of them. Just as Paul did, the church must teach the Word in all the homes where permission can be had to do so. Many practical aids are available to assist those who want to share in this task. The assembly of the saints is designed, among other things, to give encouragement to the people of God, to instruct them in the Word, and to help them to know how to share the gospel with others. See Jesus-’ emphasis on this very thing in Luke 8:38-39.
*preaching and bringing good tidings of the kingdom.*Preaching on current issues on which the people may be as well or even better informed than the preacher tends to make the whole experience useless. The authoritarian approach of the preacherthis is entirely different from preaching the authoritative Word of Godoften points to the importance of the preacher, but fails to help the people in the task of sharing the good news with those who so desperately need it. When Jesus preached, He proclaimed the good news about God’s rule in the hearts of men. He trained His apostles and sent them out to preach repentance and remission of sins. Luke 24:46-47. In this day when we demandand rightly sothat there shall be relevance in preaching, is there anything more relevant to the sinner than the message of salvation? In this sinful age, can we do better than point to Jesus whose very name indicates that He came to save His people from their sins? There was need for social reform in Jesus day. His answer to the problem was to proclaim God’s rule in the hearts of men that their lives might be transformed, for a transformed life is the only sure way of transforming the social structure of any day.
*certain women who had been healed.*Jesus meant something to those who faithfully followed and ministered to His and the apostles-’ needs. The reason for their devotion is to be found in their appreciation for what Jesus had done for them. Church people may need to reexamine their own relation to the Lord. Has He done anything for them? Does salvation from sin mean much to many who make up the churches today? Or is the church composed of nice people whose company is enjoyed by those who join?
Every sinnerevery one who has transgressed God’s lawis in desperate need of the salvation and forgiveness that Christ alone can give (Acts 4:12). Devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ depends on the awareness of what it means to be saved from eternal death. Great as release from demon possession was, it does not compare with the importance of release from slavery to sin.
*Mary that was called Magdalene.*She was called Magdalene because she was from Magdala, a town near Tiberias on the southwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. Matthew mentions a town by the name of Magadan (Matthew 15:39), and Mark speaks of Dalmanutha (Mark 8:10) in connection with the journeys of Jesus. There is not sufficient evidence to identify either with the home of Mary Magdalene, although some assume that Magadan may be a variant of Magdala.
Luke says that seven demons had gone out from Mary Magdalene. Mark states that Jesus had cast them out (Mark 6:9). Her demon possession is the basis of the totally unfounded tradition that Mary Magdalene is the woman of the city mentioned in Luke 7:37. There isn-’t the slightest evidence in the record that would indicate that she was responsible for the demon possession or that it in any way proves that she was a sinner. Mary’s great loyalty to Jesus evidently grew out of her sincere appreciation for what He had done for her. Her loyalty did not lag, for she was among those who were at the cross when Jesus died for the sins of the world (Mark 15:44-47). After His resurrection, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9; John 19:1-18). She was with the women who brought the news of the resurrection to the apostles (Luke 24:10).
*the wife of Chuzas Herod’s steward.*The Herodian family arrayed itself against Christ and the church, but the wife of one of Herod’s servants was among those who ministered to Jesus and His apostles.
*who ministered unto them of their substance.*This answers in part the question about Jesus-’ source of support. He and His disciples had not time to make a living. These women contributed to the support of the Teacher and His disciples, for teachers were highly regarded by the people; and this was particularly true of Jesus and the people for whom He had done so much.
Luke 8:1-21
**Butler’s Comments
SECTION 1
In Educating The Ego (Luke 8:1-21)**
8 Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, 2and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.
4 And when a great crowd came together and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable: 5A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the path, and was trodden under foot, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6And some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7And some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew with it and choked it. 8And some fell into good soil and grew, and yielded a hundredfold. As he said this, he called out, He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
9 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10he said, To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, that they may not believe and be saved. 13And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 14And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures, of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience.
16 No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, that those who enter may see the light. 17For nothing is hid that shall not be made manifest, nor anything secret that shall not be known and come to light. 18Take heed then how you hear; for to him who has will more be given, and from him who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.
19 Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him for the crowd. 20And he was told, Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you. 21 But he said to them, My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.
**Luke 8:1-3 Dogma: **Jesus went about from one city and village to another (Gr. kata polin kai komen) making proclamation (Gr. kerusson) and delivering a message (euangelizomenos) or evangelizing. The message was: the kingdom of God has come! This is the essential dogma for the education of the human ego or soul. God is Sovereign! He has never and will never be dethroned. That is good news! G. Campbell Morgan suggests a slight change in translation of the Greek phrase, ten basileian tou Theou, to read the kingdom of God. There is no grammatical reason for objection to such a change. Actually, kingship is the primary meaning of the word basileian, (see Arndt & Gingrich, Greek lexicon, page 134). Territory is the secondary meaning of the word. The fact that God rules and He has made a way for rebellious man to be reconciled and receive citizenship in His kingdom, is what Jesus proclaimed. This is the Gospelthe good news. God is in chargehistory will ultimately be consummated under His sovereignty, and man has an opportunity to harmonize himself to that absolute dogma and become the recipient of its consequences. No human mind or heart has been educated until it has heard the Gospel and no human being can be a citizen of the kingdom of God without surrendering to the kingship of Christ.
In the ministry of the women to Jesus and the twelve we have an example of the kingship of Christ taking root in the human heart. These women lovingly expressed their citizenship by participating in heralding the good news through their financial support of Christ’s evangelizing. The Greek imperfect verb diekonoun indicates they kept on deaconessing, or ministering (RSV providing) for Jesus and the twelve out of their own belongings. Supernaturally speaking, Jesus did not have to depend on anyone for physical subsistence. He could change water to wine and multiply bread and fish. He had the power to create or destroy. But if He is to capture the hearts of men and women for God He must, by humble grace, allow them to share in the work (kingdom) of God. G. Campbell Morgan writes, I always see here for myself the grace of Christ, that He was content to be supported in that way, while He carried on His work. It is more blessed to give than receive, and it takes more grace to receive than it does to give. He was content to live on charity, while He carried on His mighty ministry.
Mary is from the Hebrew name Miriam (which means, rebel) called Magdalene, out of whom Jesus had cast seven demons; Joanna (means, dove) the wife of Herod’s steward (Gr. epitropos, one who looks after the king’s financial affairs); and Susanna (means, lily), who had also been healed of some infirmity. Barclay notes the significance that in this group of women are united such diverse backgroundsMary, with the dark past and Joanna, a lady of the king’s court in one company. He says, There is nothing which the Church needs more than to learn how to yoke in common harness the diverse temperaments and qualities of different people. If we are failing it is our own fault, for, in Christ, it can be doneit has been done.
It is also significant that the only mention of how Jesus was supported in His ministry tells of women leading out. Womanhood is glorified as it serves God:
a.
Jesus, the Messiah, was born of woman.
b.
Women supported His ministry. Luke 8:1-3.
c.
Women stayed with Him in His agony at the cross, John 19:25.
d.
Women were first to the tomb, Luke 23:55.
e.
Women were prominent in service in the early church, Acts 1:14; Acts 12:12; Acts 16:13-15.
f.
Many women served in the church at Rome, Romans 16:3-23.
g.
Women supported the apostle Paul’s ministry, Philippians 4:3.
The glory of womanhood is in helping others serve Christ!
**Luke 8:4-15 Dynamic: **The dynamic, the germinating power in the education of the human ego is the Word of God. Jesus makes this dramatically clear in His parable of the sower. Actually, it is a parable of the soils. The word parable in Greek is parabole and literally means, that which is cast alongside, or something deliberately placed parallel. Someone has graphically described a parable as an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. The essential rule in interpreting parables is to find the one central truth which the parable intends to teach. Parables are mainly illustrative and many of the details in a parable are window dressing and have nothing to do with doctrine. Doctrine does not lean on parables; parables lean on doctrine. In other words, parables do not constitute or give rise to the formation of doctrinesthey simply explain and help apply doctrines already constituted.
At this very crucial point in Jesus-’ public ministry, it is apparent that He begins to make much more use of parables. This may be due to a number of circumstances:
a.
There is a growing opposition from the religious and political authorities toward His teaching (cf. Matthew 12:22-45, etc.).
b.
His own family and twelve disciples are expressing anxieties about His welfare (cf. Matthew 12:46-50; Luke 8:19-21).
c.
Great multitudes are following Him but their minds are so enthralled with the materialistic aspects of the kingdom of God He is having difficulty penetrating that with any spiritual concepts (cf. Matthew 13:10-13; Matthew 13:34-35).
e.
His own select group of twelve disciples have also manifested a need to have some truths concerning the kingdom more graphically imprinted on their minds.
Parables are enigmatic enough and require just enough self-honesty and effort to know the truth that they will conceal the truth from those who would oppose the truth and only use it for violent purposes. Parables have a way of stripping the human mind bare of all bias and rationalization and laying it open to reality so that those who hate the truth have their opposition intensified. Jesus now tells a parable to explain this about parables:
a.
the way (Gr. hodos) is more than a path (Gr. tribos). Hodos is translated highway in Matthew 22:10; Luke 14:23 and means the hard, packed-down roadway. It is impenetrable. Some seed falls on such soil and because it cannot take root it never produces. It is vulnerable. Birds come and take the seed away.
b.
the rock (Gr. petran) is the ground which is underlaid with limestone. It is very shallow soil on top of hard rock which will not retain moisture. Seed sown on such soil may sprout but the young plant withers almost immediately.
c.
the thorns (Gr. akanthon) may be a generic term for the many thorns and thistles and prickly weeds which grow in Palestine. Seed falling in soil not thoroughly plowed and weeded will find thorns and thistles growing up with the young plants. The weeds are more prolific and hardier and will soon choke out the domestic plants. Soil must be constantly plowed and cultivated so the plants will grow.
d.
the good soil (Gr. agathev) is that which is prepared. It is broken up, plowed, fertile, retains moisture and is cleared of weeds and other hindrances.
Jesus concluded the parable with an admonition to hear. In the Hebrew language the word shema means hear and obey; to the Hebrew mind to hear was to obey. The same is true of the Greek word hupakouo obey which comes from the root akouw which means hear, hearken. The person who really hears the teaching of Jesus will obey it. Jesus came to accomplish man’s salvation by His death and resurrection, but man must hear and obey to receive that salvation. When the Gospel is taught people are held responsible by God as to how they hear. Those who teach the gospel have responsibilities to be faithful in proclamation, but those who are taught also have awesome responsibilities in hearing and obeying!
The disciples asked Jesus what this parable meant. He replied it was to teach the truth that proclaiming the kingship of God would not be easy. In effect, Jesus is explaining why He has suddenly intensified His use of the parabolic method of preaching. The truth of God’s sovereignty may be widely disseminated but it will have limited receptionnot because the truth has no germinating power nor because the proclaimer is inept but because the hearts of men refuse to receive it. This parable was to show the difference between His disciples who heard His proclamation that the kingdom of God had come and left all and followed Him and the self-righteous religious leaders and materialistic multitudes who heard but did not produce the fruit of repentance in their lives. Most of the time Jesus could speak plainly to His disciples and they understood. Of course, there were times when they did not understand because of their finite limitations, but they were good men and His teaching did not motivate them to want to kill Him as it did the rulers. The Greek word musteria (mysteries, KJV) is translated secrets in the RSV. The word in Biblical context means revelation. It is not mysterious in that it cannot be known but in the sense that it is unknown until it is revealed. What Jesus is actually saying is He could reveal the things concerning the kingdom of God plainly to His disciples most of the time without fear of being misunderstood and opposed but for the rest of the people then He must speak of the kingdom in parables. So Jesus explained the parable to His disciples:
a.
the seed is the word of God. The Greek is, ho logos tou theou. Jesus is the Logos in John 1:1-18 and Revelation 19:13. The word of Jesus is Life (cf. John 6:63). The gospel of Christ is the seed by which men are born again (1 Peter 1:22-24) and it must be obeyed to produce the new life. This is of primary importance. The dynamic for eternal life is not religious systems or human traditions but faith in a Person, Jesus Christ, which is expressed by obedience to His commandments.
b.
the wayside soil represents people with hardened hearts. The word of God cannot bear fruit there because they do not love the truth but take pleasure in unrighteousness (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12) and the devil is allowed to come and take the truth away and replace it with delusion and falsehood. This is the mind that has become calloused with continued rejection of truth (cf. Romans 1:18-32; Hebrews 3:7-13; 2 Peter 3:5; Proverbs 21:29; Proverbs 28:14, etc.). This represents the coldly indifferent, close-minded, arrogant, self-righteous person, obstinately impervious to the historical reality of scripture because of the moral implications for his life-style. The disciple of Jesus who goes proclaiming the kingship of God will find that the Word can be absolutely resisted, that there is a real devil who will take away any word of God when a person does not want it, and, all who sow the seed of the kingdom will meet with some hard hearts.
c.
the rocky of shallow soil represents those who respond quickly and emotionally to the Word, but superficially. This person never really thinks about the hard historical realities of discipleship, stewardship, persecution, and self-controlthey just feel. These have no endurance when the heat of worldly opposition comes to their life because they have not allowed the Word of God to have root in their character. Their relationship to the Word is emotional but not mental and practical. The disciple of Jesus who sows the seed of the Gospel must understand that if the Word is to produce any lasting fruit it must be sown in minds characterized by stability, reality, endurance and depth.
d.
the thorny soil represents those who want the best of both worlds at the same time. It is the heart with potential (for if it will grow thorns, it will grow wheat) but it allows the weeds of worldliness to grow alongside the wheat of the Word. The desires and cares of this world, if allowed to go unchecked, will choke out desires and cares for the next world. If Jesus ever emphasized anything it was that Christian discipleship is impossible with divided loyalties. We must set our minds on things above. not on things on the earth (Colossians 3:2). The rich young ruler and Demas are examples of thorny soil.
e.
the good soil represents people with honest and good (Gr. kale, agathe) hearts. They are fair-minded, know what is right when it is proclaimed and practiced, and desire the truth even though it may involve suffering in the flesh. They hold on to all the truth they know and are loyal to it because they recognize its value. They have patience (Gr. hupomone, endurance). They are not fickle, but steadfast. They are not shallow but deep. The seed of the gospel sown in their hearts grows automatically (Gr. automate, Mark 4:28), or, of its own accord. No manipulation is necessary, it grows according to its own schedule.
Jesus revealed in this parable that the kingdom of God (God’s rule in the hearts of men) is produced by the Word of God preached to men. Those who proclaim the Word must be warned that it will fall on four different types of hearts. The Word will produce the fruit of salvation in only one kind of heart, honest and good; in all others it will not produce. Thus, by implication, Jesus is also teaching that sowing requires caring, training, work, persuasiveness, honesty, humility, patience, and faith. The student should definitely study Matthew 13:1-53 and Mark 4:1-34 in conjunction with Luke 8:4-18. We also recommend the very fine comments of Harold Fowler in, The Gospel of Matthew, Vol. III, pages 14-172, pub. College Press.
Luke 8:16-18 Development: If the sower sows and the seed has automatic life in itself, then the ultimate responsibility for producing fruit lies with the soil. Hearing is the ultimate responsibility! The disciples may have wondered about Jesus-’ statement, but for others they (the revelations of the kingdom) are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. Jesus-’ answer to their perplexity: Lamps are made for lighting and light may be seen unless one is blind. Jesus is not going to refuse to reveal the kingdom to anyone. He will preach the kingdom to everyone He possibly can. He is not going to conceal the light of the gospelHe is going to let it shine. The light of truth, so far as it depends on Him and His disciples, will be made available to all who are willing to see it. But truth is perceived only to the degree of honesty, and desire which the mind has toward it. Truth will not be forced upon anyone. Jesus is using parabolic form to present truth simply because for those who refuse to let God tell them anything, the door to the kingdom of God must be closed. Take heed then how you hear (obey)! The truth about the kingdom has all been revealed in Jesus and the apostolic writings. Nothing is hid that shall not be made manifest, nor anything secret that shall not be known and come to light. God has no more revelation about the kingdom than what the New Testament reveals. The Light is there! It is up to man to see it! Those who put the most faith in Jesus-’ words will understand them and profit from them most. Those who do not believe Jesus, even what little truth they have will soon become meaningless and lost. What a man does not use he will lose!
Luke 8:19-21 Disposition: Matthew and Mark (Matthew 12:46-50; Mark 3:31-35) place this incident in a different position in their accounts. Most commentators think the incident should chronologically come before the sermon in parables and that Luke has placed it according to literary usage. Whatever the case, it is a classic example of the Son of Man exercising authority in the realm of the human ego. It also exemplifies the very thing Jesus warned against in the parable of the soils (the thorny soil) that the word of the kingdom may be choked out by worldly-mindedness. Jesus-’ mother and brothers may have been altogether sincere in trying to call Him, aside from the intensity of His present situation. Jesus had been so busy He had not even taken time to eat (cf. Mark 3:20); the Pharisees were openly intensifying their attacks upon Him (Matthew 12:24) and saying He was demon possessed; they probably thought Jesus was so carried away with His cause that He had become oblivious to the dangers all about Him and they must take things in hand and give corrective guidance. At first, Jesus-’ answer seems flippant. But Jesus is not being frivolous toward family love at allHe is simply putting it in its proper place. Family relationships must come behind our spiritual relationship with the Heavenly Father. The true man of God is loyal to God and His work first. The old adage that blood is thicker than water (originally intended to advocate that family ties are stronger than the ties of baptism into the spiritual family of God) is wrong! The mother and brothers of Jesus needed to understand that they had no right to use their family relationship to hinder His spiritual mission. They were, in fact, dangerously close to becoming thorny soil by their worldly attitude toward His work. The ultimate criterion of our relationship to Jesus is not human family ties, or any other circumstance of human birth, but spiritual rebirth. As Jesus put it, our relationship to Him depends entirely upon whether we are doing the will of God or not. That is the kingdom disposition; Jesus wishes to exercise His authority through His word upon the human ego to produce that disposition.
Luke 8:4-15
Applebury’s Comments
The Parable of the Sower Scripture
Luke 8:4-15 And when a great multitude came together, and they of every city resorted unto him, he spake by a parable: 5 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. 6 And other fell on the rock; and as soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7 And other fell amidst the thorns; and the thorns grew with it, and choked it. 8 And other fell into the good ground, and grew, and brought forth fruit a hundredfold. As he said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
9 And his disciples asked him what this parable might be. 10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to the rest in parables; that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 And those by the way side are they that have heard; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved. 13 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, 14 And that which fell among the thorns, these are they that 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. 15 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.
*Comments
he spake by a parable.*Crowds gathered to hear Jesus wherever He went. This is not the first time He used parables in His teaching. But this is unusual because He used a series of parables to present the lessons about the kingdom.
A parable is a comparison or illustration. Usually it is something that happens in a natural way that permits the teacher to point to its counterpart in the spiritual realm. They were not used because they were so simple that everybody could easily understand them. In fact, the disciples of Jesus didn-’t understand the parable of the sower until He explained it to them. Many who heard didn-’t understand and didn-’t take the pains to ask the Teacher what He meant by the parables.
The emphasis in this series of parables is on the necessity of understanding the Word. Parables helped those who wanted to understand what Jesus was saying, but were of no value to those who were not concerned about His message.
*The sower went forth to sow.*The four types of soil represent the reaction of four types of hearers. Some who heard allowed the devil to snatch away the implanted Word. James says, Wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls (James 1:21). Others, like the seed that fell on the rocky soil, had no depth in themselves. They received the word with joy, but their convictions were not deep-rooted. Because they couldn-’t stand the trials of life, they fell away. Still others, like the ground that produced the thorns, allowed the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches to choke out the Word. But those who heard and understood were like the good soil that produced a rich harvest.
*He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.*There was more to be learned in the parables than appeared on the surface. This phrase is repeated in each of the seven letters to the churches of Asia (Revelation 2:7).
*And his disciples asked him what this parable might be.*Of this group of parables, Jesus explained only two: The Sower and The Tares. On the basis of His explanation of these two, the disciples were able to understand the others (Matthew 13:51-53).
All figurative language of Scripture is to be explained in the light of the plain statements. This is true of the figurative language of Revelation. John explains many of the symbols used in the book, and on the basis of his explanations many other figures of speech that are not explained are made understandable.
Since we now have the complete and final and authoritative revelation of God in the Bible (Hebrews 1:1-2), we should let the whole Bible interpret any particular passage that may not appear to be clear. The Lord intended His Word to be read and understood (Ephesians 3:4).
*Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God.*Mysteries refer to that which was not known until the secret was told. The secrets of the kingdom are told in the Bible, and they can be understood; but it takes effort to search the Scriptures (Acts 17:11), time to meditate on their meaning (Psalms 1:2), and a sincere desire to translate them into life to really know the sacred writings that can save those who believe in Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 3:14-15).
*The seed is the word of God.*Thus makes the parable meaningful to all who really want to know God’s will for man. See also James 1:18; James 1:22-25; Ephesians 6:17; Psalms 119:9-16.
Luke 8:16-18
Applebury’s Comments
The Parable of the Lamp Scripture
Luke 8:16-18 And no man, when he hath lighted a lamp, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but putteth it on a stand, that they that enter in may see the light. 17 For nothing is hid, that shall not be made manifest; nor anything secret, that shall not be known and come to light. 18. Take heed therefore how ye hear; for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he thinketh he hath.
*Comments
that they that enter may see.*The purpose of the lamp is to let the light shine so that people may see. The parables of Jesus were intended to give light to their pathway. They were not to obscure the truth for anyone who wanted to understand.
By placing the parable of the lamp after the parable of the sower, Luke suggests that the Word of Godthe seedwas like a lamp to give understanding to all who are willing to accept it. See Psalms 119:105; 2 Peter 1:12-21.
*For nothing is hid, that shall not be made known.*What was hid from the disciples by the parable was made plain to them by the explanation which Jesus gave.
*Take heed therefore how ye hear.*The disciples were to hear with the intention of understanding and being enlightened by the lesson Jesus taught. That person who hears only to criticize will not be helped.
*for whoever hath, to him shall be given.*See Matthew 13:12-13 for a similar statement. To the one who has a desire to understand, more will be given, that is, the matter will be explained so that he may understand. But the one who did not have the desire to understand will soon forget that he had heard the parable, for it had no meaning to him.
In this connection, Matthew quotes from Isaiah 6:9-10 which seems to suggest that some had deliberately closed their eyes and stopped their ears so that they wouldn-’t hear and understand.
Luke 8:19-21
Applebury’s Comments
Spiritual Kinship Scripture
Luke 8:19-21 And there came to him his mother and brethren, and they could not come at him for the crowd. 20 And it was told him, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee. 21. But he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these that hear the word of God, and do it.
*Comments
Thy mother and thy brethren.*Mark reminds us that some of Jesus-’ friends thought that He was beside himself with the dream of messiahship. They tried to rescue Him from the crowds that followed Him (Mark 3:21). It is possible that His brothers felt the same way about Him, for John says that they did not believe on Him (John 7:5). But they were concerned about Him, for they had grown up with Him and must have had a very high regard for Him as their older brother. Of course, they did not know the facts about His birth that could not be shared with them by their mother until after His resurrection. It was the force of the resurrection that compelled them to believe that He was truly the Messiah. The Epistle of James begins with this statement: James, servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. If we are correct in assuming that this is James the Lord’s brother (Galatians 1:19), we have in this remarkable statement the genuine faith of Jesus-’ brothers after they had become convinced that He was the Son of God.
What a wonderful older brother He must have been to them; what a wonderful Lord He became to them!
*My mother and my brethren are these that hear the word of God.*The parable of the sower shows us how to understand the Word of God. The parable of the lamp indicates that it can be understood. The lesson on spiritual kinship shows the results of hearing the Word of God and obeying it. Once, only the little family at Nazareth knew Jesus as their older Brother; now all who obey the word spoken by Him can enjoy this privilege. See Hebrews 2:11-12.
Luke 8:22-25
**Butler’s Comments
SECTION 2
In The Elements (Luke 8:22-25)**
22 One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, Let us go across to the other side of the lake. So they set out, 23and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a storm of wind came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, amd were in danger. 24And they went and woke him saying, Master, Master, we are perishing! And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25He said to them, Where is your faith? And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, Who then is this, that he commands even wind and water, and they obey him?
Luke 8:22-23 Peril: The beautiful Sea of Galilee Isaiah 685 feet below sea level. It is surrounded by hills rising 2000 feet high which make the area resemble a huge cup. Jesus apparently decided to go across the sea, away from Capernaum, in order to bring some moderation to the intense popularity of His ministry. The opposition to His popularity was becoming vicious and murderous. Jesus wished very much that the people would not seek Him simply for the physical things such as healing and bread and fish (cf. John 6:26 ff). So He went away from Capernaum to let that attitude cool. He also knew it was not His time to die at the hands of His enemies so His retirement to the region of the Gerasenes (Luke 8:26) was to temporarily postpone that crisis.
As they were out on the sea, a storm of wind came down on the lake. Luke’s use of the word down is minutely accurate! Storms to this day come down upon the Sea of Galilee because of its unique topography. Matthew, describing this same storm, uses the Greek words seismos megas, meaning great shaking (we get the English prefix mega and the noun, seismograph from these Greek words). Seismographs register the intensity of earthquakes. This must have been an awesome storm. Mark and Luke use the Greek words, lailapsi megale anemou, meaning literally, a hurricane of great driving wind. Anyone who has ever been in a storm at sea in a large ship knows how utterly awesome and terrifying an experience it is. Jesus and his disciples were in a small fishing boat which could hold twelve men but not a large catch of fish. These boats were wide and solid, but not very fastnot much larger than a life-boat on modern sea-going vessels. The waves were already swamping the boat and it was dangerously close to sinking with all aboard. Luke indicates Jesus went to sleep almost immediately after they set sail, and He slept on while the storm raged. He was at perfect peace with His Father and had no fear whatever. But the disciples were terrified. Mark records that they woke Jesus and said to him, Teacher, do you not care if we perish? Luke tells us the disciples addressed Jesus, Master, Master. (Gr. epistata, epistata, means, commander, commander,). How could they doubt Jesus-’ concern? How could they doubt their eternal safety with Him as their commander? It is easy to believe in one’s safety as long as one is safe! The test of faith comes when one faces death and all human power is useless. Of course Jesus cared! He had demonstrated His care for fearful, suffering, dying humanity many times over already. He demonstrated His power to do whatever He wished about any human predicament. So, as Matthew records, when Jesus was awakened He said, Why are you afraid, O men of little faith? Matthew uses the Greek word oligopistoi for little faith. It could be more accurately translated brief faith. Faith is not measured so much by quantity as by quality. The faith that pleases God is steadfast, enduring and stable. Faith that is here today and gone tomorrow or that vacillates with circumstances, emotionally up one day and emotionally gone the next day is unacceptable to God.
**Luke 8:24-25 Power: **All three of the synoptic gospel writers used the Greek word epitimao to express Jesus-’ action in rebuking the wind and the sea. Epitimao means to lay honor upon. In other words, Jesus laid His honor (power and authority) upon nature and it obeyed Him immediately. As co-Creator (John 1:1-18; Colossians 1:16) and co-Sustainer (Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3) He exercises His sovereign authority over the elements and they do His will. Jesus was not scolding nature: He was simply ordering it to do His will. Luke, like Matthew, indicates Jesus wondered where the faith of the disciples had gone, for he reports Jesus asking, Where is your faith?
Whereas before they were afraid at the raging of the storm, now they were awe-stricken with the power of Jesus over the elements. With simply a word He gave orders and was obeyed immediately. There is no possibility that this was a hoax. These men were fishermen by occupation. They had sailed this sea hundreds of times. They knew what storms were like. This was no ordinary stormand it was real. The storm was stopped suddenly (not gradually) and at its apex. So these men said, Who is this, that he commands even wind and water and they obey him? Who is He indeed! He is Lord of all creation! What have you decided about Jesus? If we stand in awe before the almost unbelievable powers of nature (even of atomic power) how much more must we bow our wills to the absolute authority of His word!
Applebury’s Comments
Stilling the Tempest Scripture
Luke 8:22-25 Now it came to pass on one of those days, that he entered into a boat, himself and 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 filling with water, and were in jeopardy. 24 And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. And he awoke, 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 being afraid they marvelled, saying one to another, Who then is this, that he commandeth even the winds and the water, and they obey him.
*Comments
on one of those days.*Crowds gathered around the Master wherever He went. On one of those days He got into a boat with the disciples and said, Let’s go to the other side of the lake. And as they crossed the lake, the Master of ocean and earth and skies fell asleep, relaxing from the pressures of His busy ministry. On another occasion, He said to the disciples, Come ye apart into a desert place and rest a while (Mark 6:31).
His desire to go to the other side of the lake reveals a perfectly normal human desire, for He was the Son of Man; but His command to the winds and waves that obeyed His voice just as clearly reveals Him as the Son of God.
*and there came down a storm of wind on the lake.*The Sea of Galilee is some 682 feet below sea level; sudden storms on the lake are not uncommon, The disciples knew what they were facing and cried out to Jesus, Master, we are perishing. They were sure that they were about to lose their lives in the storm. At the command of Jesus, the winds ceased blowing; the waves stopped tossing; a calm set in.
*Where is your faith?*They had willingly followed Him. They had carried out orders even when they were against their own better judgment (Luke 5:5). But they had not yet learned what it meant to be in the presence of the Son of God who upholds all things through the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3). But there came the time when they did trust Him even in the threat of death (Acts 5:40-42).
*Who then is this, that he commandeth even the winds and the water?*Their question was not one of unbelief, but one of beginning faith that led them to acknowledge Him as the Son of God.
Luke 8:26-39
**Butler’s Comments
SECTION 3
In Evil Spirits (Luke 8:26-39)**
26 Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27And as he stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons; for a long time he had worn no clothes, and he lived not in a house but among the tombs. 28When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and said with a loud voice, What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech you, do not torment me. 29For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him; he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters, but he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the desert.) 30Jesus then asked him, What is your name? And he said, Legion; for many demons had entered him, 31 And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. 32Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside; and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them leave, 33Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.
34 When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country. 35Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36And those who had seen it told them how he who had been possessed, with demons was healed. 37Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them; for they were seized with great fear; so he got into the boat and returned. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but he sent him away, saying, 39Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you. And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.
**Luke 8:26-33 Emancipation: **Matthew says Jesus arrived across the Sea of Galilee at the country of the Gadarenes. Both Mark and Luke make the place of arrival the country of the Gerasenes. The Greek manuscripts vary here probably due to the fact that Matthew, writing mostly for a Jewish audience, used the name of the city Gadara (about 5 miles southeast of the seashore), which would be more likely used by the Jews, as a generalization for the whole area. Mark and Luke, writing mostly for a Gentile audience used the name of a city 50 miles south of the Sea of Galilee, Gerasa (the Roman capital of the whole region) as a synonym for the whole area. Both Gadara and Gerasa were cities of the Decapolis mentioned in the New Testament. Some ancient Greek texts read Geresa which may be a scribal emendation (attempting to correct what was thought to be an error in an earlier manuscript) since there apparently was a city on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee closer to the seashore than Gadara.
Matthew says there were two men possessed of demons. Mark says there was a man with an unclean spirit. Luke says Jesus met a man from the city who had demons.
a.
Matthew, Mark and Luke are all correct. They are inspired. Our removal from the situation by 2000 years is the problem.
b.
Probably Mark and Luke were interested in recording the more dominant one (the more spectacular one) possessed of many demons.
c.
Mark confirms in his account that the man was possessed of more than one demon (Mark 5:14-20).
d.
Modern-day news reporters vary in accounts just as these men did and no one accuses them of historical errors.
e.
There is no contradiction unless Mark says there was only one demon-possessed man.
Luke records that when Jesus stepped out of the boat onto the land there met Him a man from the city (Gadara) who had demons. For an extensive discussion of demon possession in the New Testament see our comments on Luke 4:32-41. Modern archaeologists have excavated the cliffs around Gadara (today called, Um Keis) and found tombs measuring 20 feet square; with side recesses for bodies. Like the demoniacs, people still dwell in them today. Nearby there is a field of several acres strewn with stone coffins and their lids. Every demon possessed person Jesus met received compassion and pity from Him. This was an exceptionally pitiful case.
a.
The man had been naked for a long time.
b.
He lived in tombs among dead bodies.
c.
He was seized with fits of violence many times by the. demons.
d.
He was kept under guard and bound with chains and leg irons by the people of the area.
e.
But he broke the chains and irons and the demons drove him into the uninhabited wild places of the area:
When the man saw Jesus, he prostrated himself on the ground before Jesus and (the demons, or one specific demon among many) cried out, What have you do to with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech you, do not torment me. Demons recognise their true sovereign! Jesus is Lord of all, and the demons know it. They know they have nothing in common with Jesus except that He is ultimately set to punish them in torments. When asked his name, the man said, Legion. A Roman legion of soldiers numbered 6000, thus the word legion came to signify many. The word abyssos in classical Greek meant bottomless, and was used to describe the ancient Greek cosmogony of a deep, limitless universe or space beyond this world. In the N.T. it is used to describe the nether world or the place of torments where the disobedient spirits are bound. It is translated bottomless pit in Revelation 9:1; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 11:1-19; Revelation 11:7; Revelation 17:8; Revelation 20:1-3. The demons feared this bottomless pit more than anything else.
The demons begged Jesus to allow them to inhabit a herd of swine feeding near the tombs. Mark says there were approximately 2000 swine in the herd. There were strict prohibitions in Judaism against Jews eating, raising or touching swine, However, the Jews who lived east of the Jordan River often accommodated themselves to the culture of the Gentile majority and paid little attention to religious custom, especially if it involved economics. We do not really know if the herdsmen were Jews or Gentiles. The demons knew Jesus would not allow them to inhabit human beingsHe cast them out at every opportunity. They knew they were doomed to return to the abyss if they had no physical body in this world to inhabit. Perhaps they also knew that since the swine had no will by which they could control them, they could destroy the swine and Jesus would be blamed by the populace and the demons would have some temporary victory over Him. The malicious, destructive rebellion of the devil and his cohorts is graphically illustrated here. They will grasp at any straw to destroy anything God has made!
They did not fool Jesus! He knew all along the outcome of this incident. He was not being merciful to the demons. He knew this would shock the materialistic-minded people of this country (which they proved to be, Luke 8:37) out of their indifference later when the man who had been emancipated from this demonic enslavement testified among them how much God had done for him. Many people of this area later became followers of Christ and some of the earliest Christian churches were formed in this area. Anyone who finds occasion to denounce Jesus for allowing swine to be destroyed is as spiritually blind as the people of Gadara were. They see neither the salvation of the one pitiful demon-possessed man nor the subsequent discipleship of the whole area as important as the loss of private property. Foster comments, How often this is the main thing which men considermaterial lossand not the rescue of human beings!. The perverted estimate of the value of material things and of a human soul must needs be corrected. The issue was really: which is more important, hogs or men?
Luke 8:34-39 Effects: This spectacular demonstration of divine authority over demons and the material creation resulted in a number of exciting consequences:
a.
When the herdsmen saw what happened, they fled, and told it in the city and country. Spontaneous evangelism!
b.
Then people went out to see what had happened. No one could remain indifferent to such storiesthey had to see for themselves.
c.
The multitudes saw the man clothed and in his right mind and were afraid.
d.
When the story was told again of how the demons were cast out of the man and the swine ran down into the sea and drowned, the people were seized (Gr. suneichonto, grasped, gripped in, laid hold of) by great fear (Gr. phobos).
The impact of what Jesus had done, and Who He must be paralyzed them with fear at what He might yet do.
e.
The people of the area entreated Jesus to leave their area. They may have been concerned that more private property might be destroyed by this mysteriously powerful Galilean. More probably, they were afraid of Him because of their sinful guilt. Even Peter had earlier cried, Depart from me, O Lord, for I am a sinful man (Luke 5:8).
Guilty, unforgiven sinners, in the presence of divine holiness and power are slain and destroyed with fear!
f.
The man kept on begging Jesus that he might go with Him:
(1)
His love and gratitude would make him ready to serve Jesus with his very life.
(2)
He could be sure of staying rid of demon possession if he remained at Jesus-’ side.
(3)
Everyone in this area knew him and would forever associate him with the loss of 2000 hogs.
But Jesus had a work for him to do right in the most difficult place on earth to live for Christone’s own home area.
The emancipated man proclaimed throughout the whole region what Jesus had done for him. The record of this great demonstration of divine power had been proclaimed now for almost 2000 years and millions have believed Jesus is who He claimed to be and have been freed from an enslavement worse than 2000 demons.
Applebury’s Comments
The Gerasene Demoniac Scripture
Luke 8:26-39 And they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is over against Galilee. 27 And when he was come forth upon 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. 28 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 thee, Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God? I beseech thee, torment me not. 29 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. 30 And Jesus asked him, What is thy name? And he said, Legion, for many demons were entered into him. 31 And they entreated him that he would not command them to depart into the abyss. 32 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. 33 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. 34 And when they that fed them saw what had come to pass, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country. 35 And they went out to see what had come to pass; 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. 36 And they that saw it told them how he that was possessed with demons was made whole. 37 And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes round about asked him to depart from them; for they were holden with great fear: and he entered into a boat, and returned. 38 But the man from whom the demons were gone out prayed him that he might be with him: but he sent him away, saying, 39 Return to thy house, and declare how great things God hath done for thee. And he went his way, publishing throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done for him.
*Comments
the country of the Gerasenes.*Both Mark and Luke say Gerasenes, but Matthew says the country of the Gadarenes. See Matthew 8:28 and Mark 5:1. It is possible that the country belonging to Gadarathe city itself was situated several miles southeast of the Sea of Galileereached to the shores of Galilee. Luke locates the incident on the banks of the Lake opposite the territory of Galilee.
*a certain man out of the city, who had demons.*Matthew says there were two demoniacs (Matthew 8:28). Luke tells of only one of them.
That this is a genuine case of demon possession manifesting itself as extreme mental illnessnote the psychotic symptomscannot be questioned. Luke, a trained physician, says the demon was an unclean spirit. Further proof that this was demon possession is indicated by the following: (1) Jesus conversed with the demons; He asked the man, What is your name? He said, Legion, for many demons had entered him, (2) Jesus commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (3) The demons begged Jesus not to send them into the abyss, but to allow them to enter the bodies of the swine. (4) When they entered the swine, the herd rushed headlong into the sea and were drowned.
*at the feet of Jesus.*When the report of the miracle reached the people of the city and surrounding country, they came to Jesus and found the man whom they had often tried to subdue sitting at the feet of Jesus. The storm that once raged in his wretched life had ceased. He was as calm as the sea after Jesus had rebuked the winds. He was clothed and in his right mind, that is, the demons were gone, and he was in control of his mental powers.
*and they were afraid.*The miracle of the Lord caused them to fear, for they were sinful people. Peter reacted the same way after he witnessed the miracle of catching fish (Luke 5:8). Adam and Eve hid themselves from God, because they knew they had disobeyed Him.
*asked him to depart.*They were seized with a great fear. Fear, not the loss of property, caused them to make the request. Sinners will always hide from God unless they can become convinced that He has commended His love toward them by the fact that Christ died for them while they were yet sinners. Romans 5:8.
*prayed him that he might be with him.*At the request of the people, Jesus was leaving their shores. But the man from whom the demons had gone out, wanted to be with Him. Jesus said, Go back to your home and tell how great the things are that God has done for you, for this is the secret of being with Him.
Luke 8:40-48
**Butler’s Comments
SECTION 4
In Enfeebling Sickness (Luke 8:40-48)**
40 Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue; and falling at Jesus-’ feet he besought him to come to his house, 42for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.
As he went, the people pressed round him. 43And a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years and could not be healed by any one, 44came up behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment; and immediately her flow of blood ceased. 45And Jesus said, Who was it that touched me? When all denied it, Peter said, Master, the multitudes surround you and press upon you! 46But Jesus said, Some one touched me; for I perceive that power has gone forth from me. 47And 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 why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48And he said to her, Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.
Luke 8:40-42 The Seeking: Jesus left the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee and sailed in a boat (Matthew 9:1; Mark 5:21) back to Capernaum. The multitudes received Him back with gladness (Gr. apedexato) or welcomed Him. Mark tells us that the multitudes thronged about Him at the seashore (Mark 5:21) and they continued to gather and press in upon Him until it became almost impossible for Him to move. Everyone was trying to touch Him (cf. Mark 5:30-31 with Luke 8:45). Luke informs us the multitudes had been waiting (Gr. prosdokontes, expecting, anticipating with eagerness) for Him to return. This was about the middle of the second year of Jesus-’ public ministry. It was the year of great popularityconducted mostly in Galilee. Crowds followed Him wherever He went surrounding Him, begging Him to heal them or do some miracle for them to improve their physical and material situation. The scenes out in the streets and highways of Galilee would resemble the scenes of modern American cities when America’s President walks their streets, except that Jesus had no bodyguards or roped-off areas to keep the crowds at a distance. In this teeming, pushing, chattering throng, there was a ruler of one of the synagogues by the name of Jairus. Matthew and Mark record that Jairus spoke to Jesus, saying, My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live. Luke, always the precise physician, notes that she was his only daughter and she was twelve years of age. Jesus had apparently sat down and was teaching this clamoring crowd, for Matthew indicates Jesus rose and followed Jairus with His disciples. The great multitude went right along toward Jairus-’ house, continuing to press in upon Jesus and His disciples as they walked.
Luke 8:43-48 The Saved: On the way to the home of Jairus, in the midst of the clamoring crowd was a woman who had a flow of blood (hemorrhage) for twelve years. Mark records the woman had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. Some ancient manuscripts of Luke’s gospel also note that the woman had spent all her living upon physicians. Her infirmity was incurable by the physicians of that day (perhaps even by physicians of today). She must have been very emaciated and weak. The fringe of the garment is called tzitzith in Hebrew and kraspedou in Greek. It consisted of tassels of twisted cords fastened to the outer garments as borders on cloaks or coats to remind Israelites of their obligations to be loyal to Jehovah (cf. Numbers 15:38-39; Deuteronomy 22:12). Later such fringes became distinct badges of Judaism and many of the Pharisees lengthened theirs to make a public show that they considered themselves more righteous than the common people.
Why did the woman want only to touch the fringe of His garment? (Matthew 9:21; Mark 5:28). She was probably ashamed to approach Jesus face to face since her hemorrhage made her unclean ceremonially (Leviticus 15:19-31). As a result she was banned from the public, banned from the temple worship services, and should she touch anyone else she would make them unclean (cf. Numbers 19:22). Considering the woman’s helpless, hopeless and shameful plight it is to her credit that she had not become bitter. She had heard the reports about Jesus (Mark 5:27) and believed He could heal her even if all she could do was touch the fringe of His garment. Her faith was not based on mysticism or on her own feelingsbut on reports from eyewitnesses to former healings by Jesus. Our faith that Jesus is who He claims to be and will do what He says is based on the very same kind of evidenceeyewitness testimony. Her faith in Jesus was, to some extent, born of desperation. This is the case with all of us. Ultimately none of us will trust in Jesus until we are convinced there is nothing else that can save us. We must all finally come to the point where we despair even of life itself before we learn to rely on God (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:8-9). When we have come to that place, then the testimony of who Jesus is (historical evidence) and that He is able to save, is there in the Bible for us to believe and act (obey) upon.
Luke records precisely that when she touched Jesus her flow (Gr. hrusis) of blood ceased. Mark uses a less precise and more figurative description, literally, and immediately was dried up the fountain of the blood of her. (Mark 5:29). The healing was instantaneousnot gradual. No need for her to return to Jesus for more healing sessions. We feel sure that Jesus not only knew someone had touched Him, but that He also knew who. Why then did he ask? Probably to (a) publicly prove the woman’s cure so that she might return to worship in the temple and social fraternization; (b) to make sure she knew that the power to heal was with Jesus, not His cloak; (c) to give the woman an opportunity to express her gratitude and become a witness to those in that crowd of who Jesus was. When Jesus asked who had touched Him, all in the crowd denied it (probably afraid He was upset about it). Peter and His other disciples thought it rather odd that Jesus would suddenly become aware someone had touched Him when the crowd had been pressing in upon Him, undoubtedly jostling and bumping and touching Him all the way from the seashore. But Jesus was talking about an unique toucha touch of faith. Jesus perceived (Gr. epignous, knowing) that power had gone forth from Him. The Greek word ginosko is not used to describe physical sensations but mental comprehensions. Jesus had no particular sensation that power had gone from Him, but he knew it. Even the woman’s feeling in her body that she was healed (Mark 5:29) is described by the Greek word ginosko and means she knew it mentallynot emotionally. It actually happened to hershe didn-’t just feel like it had happened.
The woman saw that she could not remain anonymous (ashamed because of her unclean condition). If Jesus had the power to heal her in such a miraculous way, He would surely know who had touched His garment. She came trembling (Gr, tremousa) and prostrated herself down before Jesus in the presence of that pushing, shoving crowd and declared (Gr. apengeilen, from apangello, meaning, to declare precisely, plainly and clearly) why she had touched Him and how she had been immediately cured. But Jesus spoke tenderly to her (she was probably expecting some rebuke from this great rabbi because she had touched Him when she was unclean) and said, Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace. All three gospel writers use the Greek word sesoken (from sodzo, meaning primarily, saved) which has been translated in the RSV, well. The woman had been delivered and saved from her physical infirmity and thus made well. And then He told her to go in peace. Peace in Hebrew is shalom and means, well-being, integrated wholeness, goodness. Jesus meant for the woman to go her way also in spiritual well-being for her faith in Him had delivered her from her uncleanness. She was restored to communion with God. She could now return to the temple to offer sacrifices and worship. This was the greatest aspect of her healing! Some day, she would become ill again and die, physically, but she had been restored to fellowship with God and that was what made her well in the ultimate sense. Jesus demonstrated His power over the ultimate diseasesin.
Applebury’s Comments
Jairus-’ Urgent Request Scripture
Luke 8:40-42 a And as Jesus returned, the multitude welcomed him; for they were all waiting for him. 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 to come into his house; 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.
*Comments
Jairus-’ a ruler of the synagogue.*Jesus had begun His ministry in the synagogue in Nazareth. He often found an audience in the synagogues, and sometimes He found those who need healing in these Jewish assemblies. But He did not always meet with a friendly reception there, especially from the leaders; but even the leaders had been known to ask His help in times of distress. We have no knowledge of Jairus after this incident, but Luke tells of another ruler of the synagogue whose name was Crispus who believed the gospel of Christ as Paul preached it in Corinth and was baptized. Acts 18:8.
*and be fell down at Jesus-’ feet.*His respect for the Teacher, the urgency of the case, and his great distress caused him to fall at the feet of Jesus and ask Him to come and save his dying daughter.
A Woman in the Crowd Healed Scripture
Luke 8:42b-48 But as he went the multitudes thronged him.
43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, who had spent all her living upon physicians, and could not be healed of any, 44 came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately the issue of her blood stanched. 45 And Jesus said, Who is it that touched me? And when all denied, Peter said, and they that were with him, Master, the multitudes press thee and crush thee. 46 But Jesus said, Some one did touch me; for I perceived that power had gone forth from me. 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people for what cause she touched him, and how she was healed immediately. 48 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.
*Comments
the multitudes thronged him.*The crowd was waiting for Him and welcomed Him as He returned from the other side of the Sea of Galilee, They followed Him as He went with Jairas.
*And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years.*Luke gives the medical history of this woman. She had spent everything, but no one could cure her. Mark says that after spending everything, she was no better, but rather grew worse (Mark 5:25-26).
*touched the border of his garment.*The reports of the miracles that Jesus had worked must have led her to believe that even touching the hem of His garment would do what all others had failed to do. The flow of blood stopped immediately. What a contrast that was to the twelve years during which she had been treated without success by her physicians.
*Who touched me?*Peter had a ready answer, but evidently failed to see why Jesus had asked the question. Jesus was aware of the multitudes who were pressing upon Him. He was aware that power had gone forth from Him. Why the question? Luke does not tell us, but it seems clear that He asked it to call attention to the miracle and to encourage the woman to let it be known.
*And when the woman saw that she was not hid.*Her timidity caused her to try to hide the great favor, but at the word from the Master she came trembling, and falling down before Him she declared in the presence of all the people that she had touched Him and that she had been healed immediately.
*Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.*She had a right to believe that He would heal her, for she knew that He had been healing all who came to Him. This is entirely different from the faith through which miracles were performed by those to whom such power had been given, See comment on Luke 9:37-45 for further explanation of faith in connection with performing miracles.
Her faith in Christ was rewarded, for she was made well. She no longer needed to fear. The gentle Healer said, Go in peace.
Luke 8:49-56
**Butler’s Comments
SECTION 5
In Eternity (Luke 8:49-56)**
49 While he was still speaking, a man from the ruler’s house came and said, Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more. 50But Jesus on hearing this answered him, Do not fear; only believe, and she shall be well. 51And when he came to the house, he permitted no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. 52And all were weeping and bewailing her; but he said, Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping. And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54But taking her by the hand he called, saying, Child, arise. 55 And her spirit returned, and she got up at once; and he directed that something should be given her to eat. 56And her parents were amazed; but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.
**Luke 8:49-53 Only Believe: **Jairus had been following Jesus closely all the time. No doubt Jairus was growing more anxious for his daughter’s life moment by moment. While Jesus was still speaking to the woman healed of her issue of blood Jairus was standing next to Jesus in the pushing, pressing multitude. Suddenly, pushing through the crowd, came someone from Jairus-’ house (he was the ruler of a synagogue in Capernaum and a very important man of the community) blurting out the shocking news, Your little daughter is dead, do not vex the teacher any longer. There was no doubt on the part of the messenger that the little girl was dead for he used the Greek word tethneken, a perfect tense verb which indicates the child had died before he left the house and was even now dead. Jairus must have been pestering Jesus constantly to hurry up to this house for the Greek word skulle (trouble) literally means to flay off the skin of someone and so in a figurative way means to agitate, vex, annoy, distress.
Jesus, hearing the shocking announcement, spoke directly to Jairus (Gr. apekrithe, answered him), rather tersely, Do not fear, only believe and she will be saved. The Greek word translated well, is sothsetai, the future tense of sodzo, meaning, to save, to make whole. It is the same word Jesus used with the woman with an issue of blood. Jesus did not explain how the child would be saved or who would do the savingHe implied that Jairus was simply to trust Him and all would be well. Arriving at Jairus-’ house, Jesus entered the house with only Peter, John and James, and Jairus and his wife (cf. Mark 5:37). Inside the house was pandemonium; flute players (Matthew 9:23), a tumult (Mark 5:38), and a crowd of people weeping and bewailing the child loudly (the Greek word, thorubon, translated tumult in Mark 5:38-39, literally means, loud, deafening noise, confusion). Confusion, loud wailing, flutes playing funeral dirges, and rooms packed with curiosity-minded people was in no way conducive to the majestic, yet privately tender thing Jesus was about to do, so He put them all outside (Mark 5:40), He commanded them (Gr. anachoreite, imperative mood), You all withdraw (Matthew 9:24) for she is not dead but is sleeping.
Jesus knew He was going to clear the house of all the confusion and noise by ordering the mourners outside. What he was going to do needed to be done, for the sake of the parents and the girl, as privately as possible. This was no time for even more confusion and uproar, well-intentioned though it might be. At the same time, Jesus wanted eyewitnesses to the event whose personal involvement might not later be challenged as it might if the father and mother themselves were the only witnesses. These three disciples would be impersonal and objective in their observance. Furthermore, it is evident from Luke 8:56 that Jesus wanted as little publicity of this miracle as possible because it would simply attract more and more multitudes seeking only healing, and intensify official opposition, (cf. also Matthew 9:26). If people wanted to believe and trust Jesus for forgiveness and salvation, He had already done enough miracles. Jesus did not have to heal every single sick person in the world to establish His power and faithfulness to keep His promise to forgive. As a matter of fact, the more physical healing that took place, the more people tended to seek it and neglect the cleansing of their souls unto salvation.
Why would Jesus say the child was sleeping when it was plain to everyone present she was dead? As G. Campbell Morgan puts it, From Christ’s viewpoint that is not death which we call death. When the spirit has left the body, that is not death. Death is a deeper thing than that. Physical death is merely the separation of the spirit from the body. Jairus-’ daughter still lived, somewhere, in another existence, absent from the body of flesh. Jesus wants everyone to know that the child is very much alive somewhere else, and that He has the power to bring her back from there to her fleshly body if He wishes. For Jesus, death is separation from God. Sin brings death in all its terrible reality. Death is separation from goodness, truth, purity, loveliness, wholeness and guiltlessness. Separation from God is by choice. Men may choose death or life. Life is by faith in God and His son. This little girl was not deadshe evidently believed in God and was still alive somewhere else. So Jesus simply used a figure of speech to describe the state of her present existence as one of rest (cf. Revelation 14:13)not unconsciousness. When He spoke to her, she heard and obeyed. Jesus has the power to speak to invisible spirits. But when Jesus said, She is sleeping the people laughed at Him. The Greek word is kategelon, literally, laughed-downin other words, they scorned Him or ridiculed Him.
**Luke 8:54-56 Overwhelmingly Blessed: **This miracle, as recorded by the gospel writers, demands an absolute decision about Jesus one way or another. Either He did raise this little girl from the dead or He is the world’s biggest fraud. The account precludes any possibility of mythology or figurative language. Taking the girl by the hand, in the presence of her parents and three disciples, Jesus said (in Aramaic, Mark 5:41), Talitha cumi, which means, Little girl, I say to you, arise. Surely her parents knew whether she was dead or not. If Jesus simply pretended to raise her from the dead and did not, what a cruel trick He tried to play upon the bereaved parents. If she was not dead, what a cruel trick Jesus has played upon millions of believers (including His own contemporaries). If either of these propositions be true Jesus should not be considered a teacher worthy of following no matter how eloquent His doctrines. But Jesus is no fraud! He actually raised the girl from the dead.
The gospel writers record that the little girl got up immediately and walked and Jesus directed that she be given food to eat. All this proves beyond any doubt that it was a real resurrection and not a symbolic one. This was no spiritist seanceJairus-’ daughter was no ghost! The parents were amazed with great astonishment (Mark 5:42). The Greek word exestesan is translated amazed but literally means, stand out from. In other words, the girl’s parents were beside themselves with astonishment at what Jesus had done.
Why would Jesus enjoin the parents to tell no one what had happened? We have already discussed the probable reasons above. Matthew notes that the report of this miracle went through all that district (Matthew 9:26) so someone told. In the very next chapter of Luke’s gospel we see that Jesus-’ great popularity as a miracle-worker precipitates an official inquiry by the murderous Herod Antipas (Luke 9:7-9) and poses problems for the further conduct of a public ministry by Jesus (Luke 9:11-17; Mark 6:31-44; Matthew 14:13-21). These are the fundamental reasons Jesus wanted to keep a low profile as a miracle-worker.
STUDY STIMULATORS:
What is the seed in the parable of the sower?
What is Jesus saying generally about evangelism or proclamation of the gospel in the parable of the sower?
How is the attempt of Jesus-’ mother and brothers to see Him an illustration of the parable of the sower?
How did Jesus evaluate the faith of His disciples during the storm at sea?
How many demon-possessed men came to meet Jesus on the other side of the sea?
Do you see a problem in the ethics of Jesus in allowing the demons to destroy a herd of swine? Why?
In such a clamoring, pushing multitude in Capernaum, why was Jesus concerned that someone had touched Him?
What implications, other than physical, did the woman’s hemorrhaging have upon her life?
Why did Jesus command the mourners to leave the house of Jairus?
Why did Jesus say the little girl was asleep when she was dead?
Why did Jesus tell the parents to tell no one what had happened?
IS THERE DEMON POSSESSION TODAY AS THERE WAS DURING THE TIME OF CHRIST’S INCARNATE MINISTRY?
By Paul T. Butler
It is my opinion that there is no demon possession of human beings today in the precise manner such as manifested in the phenomenal way it was during Christ’s incarnate ministry (and perhaps as it was during the remainder of the ascendancy of the Roman empire).
It is my opinion that the binding of Satan in Revelation 20:1-6 was initiated and resulted from the redemptive work of Christ in His Incarnation. It was completed when the beast of the 4th universal empire (as Daniel predicted), Rome, fell. At that time, it is my opinion, demon possession, as manifested in the Gospels and Acts apparently was to cease. All binding of Satan is relative. He has always been bound to some degree or other due to the fact that God is Almighty. God is the only being who is Almighty. It is my opinion a part of Satan’s binding has to do with the restriction imposed by God that Satan’s demons are no longer able to possess human bodies as they were during the time of Christ’s incarnation.
To have this opinion does not mean I deny the power of Satan to deceive the minds of people today who deliberately choose to believe falsehood perpetrated by lying signs and wonders. If the definition of demon possession means simply that Satan has captured the minds of men by unbelief, I would agree.
Satan entered into Judas. (Luke 22:3 and John 13:27) but he was not what other scriptures describe as demon possessed.
Do the alleged demons possessing people today ever enter into animals? (See Matthew 8:28-34; Luke 8:26-36; Mark 5:1-16.)
Do the alleged demons possessing people today ever testify to the identity and deity of Christ or the messengers of Christ and what their work is? (See Acts 16:17; Acts 19:15; Matthew 8:29; Mark 1:24 and above references.)
Do the alleged demons possessing people today ever speak out as recognizable separate individualsdefinitively separate from the human whose body they possess?
How may demons (alleged) today be exorcised? Is the exorcism always miraculous and always instantaneous? If not, is it simply a matter of conversion by the power of the gospel regenerating the mind through preaching and teaching? When there is an unsuccessful exorcism, or casting out, are those possessed by alleged demons doomed to suffer such possession until they die?
Only Jesus could give power to exorcise demons. That was a direct gift and a supernatural power. It apparently did not require being a born again believer to receive this powerJudas apparently was given this powerhe was one of the twelve (cf. Matthew 10:1; Matthew 10:8).
On the other hand, many pseudo-faith-healers today, and ministers from all differing theological and doctrinal positions, claim they have cast out or exorcised demons. Whom are we to believe? Who has that power today among all who claim it? What are we to conclude from their claims? Who is to decide which are real demons and real exorcists? By what criteria?
Demons in the scripture were not ecto-plasmthey were (and still are, in the abyss) real persons!
The psychic powers of the human mind over matter have been well documented. What some think is demon possession could very well be such psycho-somatic phenomena. Voodooism, etc., may be classified under this heading.
The most destructive power of the devil is not possession of a human body but a mind or soul (cf. Matthew 10:28). It appears that while demons possessed bodies of some humans during Christ’s incarnationthe mind or soul of that person was not possessed. Demons merely troubled humans (Luke 6:18); they drove people to do, physically, what they did (Luke 8:29).
Of all the miraculous gifts the Corinthian Christians were given, exorcism of demon possessed was not among them (I Cor. ch. 12-14).
How do we know when someone is demon possessed? What is the criteria by which distinction is made between demon possession and epilepsy, mental illness, perverted maliciousness and crazed murderousness (e.g. Hitler, de Sade, etc.)?
Is it not possible that all the mania for the occult and the practice of it is being used by the devil to get people to think he has powers which he does not really have (Revelation 13:13-15)?
If demon possession could only come to those who were willingwas the little daughter of the Syro-Phoenician woman a willing victim? In other words, demon possession had nothing to do with the willingness of the possessed. Therefore, exorcism was not done by conversion but by the exercise of divine authority in a miraculous way.
It seems apparent that only Jesus and the apostles, or specially endowed disciples (Luke 10:1-42) could exorcise demons. This they did, not by conversion but by miracle. There is no evidence from the scriptures that this miraculous power could be given by any other than Christ Himself and that while He was in His incarnate ministry.
If miracles of healing, speaking in foreign languages, prophecy, including discernment of spirits (1 Corinthians 12:10), etc., ceased with the end of the New Testament era and the death of the apostles (or the ones to whom the apostles imparted these gifts), so that we can only be certain of the documented miracles of Scripture, then the same principle ought to be applied, for the same reason, to demon possession and exorcism. Otherwise, we are in a quandary to decide about -modern claims of demon possession and exorcism among religious groups from one end of the doctrinal spectrum to the other. There are also pagan exorcists making claims.
There really is not any documentation of demon possession in the Old Testament such as occurred during the Incarnation (with an exception or two, e.g. King Saul).
It appears, then, that demon possession in the precise manner in which it occurred during Christ’s incarnate ministry was uniquely for the purpose of affording historical evidence that Christ (and His apostles) possessed the Sovereign Spirit of Godthat their message was one of victory and power over Satan and all of hell.
A recent case in point, excerpts from article in Joplin, Mo., Globe, 3-8-81:
Catholic priests were attempting to rid an 11 year old boy in Brookfield, Conn. of demons. (The boy’s name is unknown.)
A 19 year old friend was watching these sessions, challenged the demons to take me on. Control me. Leave this boy alone, acc. to tape recordings of the sessions. Arne Johnson was the friend. Johnson allegedly stabbed to death a co-worker (Alan Bono) after Bono had quarreled at Bono’s apartment. Johnson is now pleading that he is not responsible for his acts because of demonic possession. Ed and Lorraine Warren, who worked on the Amityville Horror case were asked to help the boy who appeared to be possessed (the 11 year old boy). The Warrens said they found movement of objects and frightening manifestations in the house. The Warrens said the boy was indeed possessed, and he seemed to be possessed off and on, 24 hours a day, said one family member. Tape recordings the Warrens made of some of the sessions have the boy making guttural and hissing sounds, cursing his mother, and threatening to stab and kill those present in the room. Photographs of the sessions show family members attempting to restrain the boy, who the Warrens said seemed to have superhuman strength. A priest named Virgulak was called to investigate the case; he has made several reports to the bishop of the diocese, but no public reports. He has declined to discuss the reports but said no formal exorcism has ever been requested or performed on the boy. There were prayer sessions called a deliverance which is supposed to be a lesser form of exorcism that does not require approval of the bishop. The Warrens say Johnson’s attempts to help the boy were amateurish because the only way to order demons out of a person is by using the name of Jesus Christ. Mrs. Warren said, … (Johnson) he challenged what was within the child to take him onand none of us ever do that, not even priests. Problems with this account:
a.
Based on a number of begging the question statements such as, appeared to be., seemed to be., seemed to have., no public reports., supposed to be., approval of the bishop..
b.
In the name of Jesus means in the Bible, by the authority of Jesus. Does Roman Catholicism have the authority of Jesus to exorcise? The name of Jesus is to be used in exorcism by only those authorized to use it (cf. Acts 19:13-16). Whom are we to believe now has that authorization? What credentials do they present for it? Do such exorcists agree doctrinally with the Word of the Holy Spirit in the Bible? If not, are we to believe they have the power of the Spirit?
There are two Old Testament prophecies, clearly Messianic, which predict the cessation of sorceries and soothsayers (Micah 5:12-13), and unclean spirits or demon-possession (Zechariah 13:2). Homer Hailey, in his book, A Commentary on the Minor Prophets, pub. Baker, sums up Zechariah 13:1-6 in these words, A fountain for sin and uncleanness will be opened for all the people. At that time the falsehood of idols will cease, prophesying will be discontinued, and the unclean spirits will pass out of the land. Mr. Hailey contends that Zechariah 13:1-9 is entirely Messianic and says, Once the foundation was laid and the new revelation was complete, the need for prophets would cease. Daniel indicates the same in a strong Messianic prophecy, when he said of the anointed one, the prince, that He would bring in everlasting righteousness, and seal up vision and prophecy. Likewise, unclean spirits, the antithesis of the prophets, would cease. In the conquest of Christ over Satan and his forces, unclean spirits have ceased to control men as they did in the time of the ministry of Christ and the apostles.
Of course, these prophecies from Micah and Zechariah do not preclude the attempts of human beings and Satan to try to deceive the world that demon possession and sorceries are still supernaturally viable. We believe the Bible clearly indicates what is alleged today to be supernatural demon possession is no longer a possibility. Lying wonders and deceiving signs remain very much a possibility so long as men and women refuse to believe and love the truth and prefer to believe what is false (see 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12; 2 Timothy 4:3-4, etc.).
The crucial and ultimate question about modern (alleged) demon possession is: Whose testimony is reliable? Whose testimony is inerrantly, infallibly reliable besides the testimony of the Scriptures? None! Any man today, without the inerrancy and infallibility of the Holy Spirit to verify his experience and accredit his testimony may be either deceived or a deceiver.
Applebury’s Comments
Raising Jairus-’ Daughter From the Dead Scripture
Luke 8:49-56 While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Teacher. 50 But Jesus hearing it, answered him, Fear not: only believe, and she shall be made whole. 51 And when he came to the house, he suffered not any man to enter in with him, save Peter, and John, and James, and the father of the maiden and her mother. 52 And all were weeping, and bewailing her: but he said, Weep not; for she is not dead, but sleepeth. 53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. 54 But he, taking her by the hand, called, saying, Maiden, arise. 55 And her spirit returned, and she rose up immediately: and he commanded that something be given her to eat. 56 And her parents were amazed: but he charged them to tell no man what had been done.
*Comments
While he yet spake.*Jesus was still speaking to the woman who had just been miraculously healed when one came from Jairas-’ home to give him the tragic news, Thy daughter is dead. Perhaps we now see why Jesus had not let that miracle go unnoticed. The messengers said hopelessly, Do not trouble the Teacher.
*But Jesus hearing it, answered him.*He had already given them a reason to hope. Now He said, Fear not; only believe, and she shall be made well. He wanted them to believe what they had seen and to have hope that He would perform this miracle also.
*And when he came to the house.*He allowed only Peter, John, and James, and the father and mother of the child to enter the house with Him. The crowd had already seen the wonder of healing the woman in their midst. Jesus did not work miracles merely to be spectacular. His miracles were done primarily to prove that the message He taught came from God. See Hebrews 2:3-4.
*All were weeping.*Inside the house, He met the usual mourning that accompanied death. He said to the mourners, Stop crying. She did not die, she is sleeping. That turned their mourning to scornful laughing, for they knew she was dead.
*But he, taking her by the hand.*Without further rebuke, Jesus gently took the hand of the dead child and said, Child, arise. Luke simply adds, Her spirit returned, and she rose up immediately, and He directed them to give her food.
*And her parents were amazed.*Nothing is said about those who had laughed at Him in the presence of death. Did anyone of them have the grace to apologize to the Lord? Were they ashamed of what they had done? Did they acknowledge the miracle as the woman in the crowd had done? The parents were amazed. Thus in simple words, Luke tells about the effect of this wonderful miracle. Their gratitude must have been unlimited, but Jesus told them to say nothing of what had happened.
Summary
Jesus and His disciples were on one of the many tours that took them through the villages and towns of Galilee. Certain women whom He had healed accompanied them and ministered to the group. On one occasion a crowd gathered and He taught them in parables. The parable of the sower showed them that the Word of God is the seed. Four classes of hearer were described by Jesus, but the ones who heard and understood produced the harvest. The parable of the lamp explained that Jesus intended them to understand His words, for a lamp lets people see. He warned them to be careful how they heard. On another occasion when He was teaching, His mother and brothers asked for Him; but He said that those who hear the word of God and do it are the members of His family. The pressures of His busy ministry made it necessary for Him to get away for some rest from time to time. Jesus and the disciples got into a boat, and Jesus said, Let’s go to the other side. As they set out, He fell asleep. A sudden storm was about to sink their boat. The fearful disciples awoke Him. He rebuked the winds and waves and a calm set in. In reverent wonder they said, Who is this who speaks to the winds and waves and they obey Him? They were met by a demon-possessed man as they landed on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus cast out the legion of demons and allowed them to enter a herd of swine that was feeding nearby. The swine rushed over the cliff and drowned in the sea. People came to see what had happened and were amazed to find this one whom they had never been able to control sitting calmly at Jesus-’ feet. Fear seized them and they asked Jesus to leave. As He was getting into the boat, Jesus said to the man, Go to the people of your house and city and tell them about the great things God has done for you. The daughter of a ruler of the synagogue was dying. Jairus, the father, asked Jesus to come to his home and help him. On the way, a woman from the crowd that was following touched Him and was immediately healed. On arriving at the home of Jairus, they were told that the child was dead. Jesus took Peter, James and John and the parents and entered the house. Taking the girl by the hand, He said, Child, arise. Her spirit returned and she arose. He said, Give her something to eat, but say nothing to anyone about what has happened.
Questions
Where did Jesus conduct His teaching ministry?
What do the Scriptures indicate about preaching in the great centers of population?
What did Jesus and the disciples preach?
How were they supported?
What are the known facts about Mary Magdalene?
How explain her loyalty to Christ?
What is a parable?
Why did Jesus speak in parables?
What do the four types of soil represent?
What is represented by the seed?
How did the disciples learn the meaning of the parable of the sower?
What bearing does this have on understanding figurative language of the Bible?
What is meant by mysteries of the kingdom?
What lesson is taught by the parable of the sower?
How does the parable of the Lamp continue the lesson of the parable of the Sower?
What lesson is taught by the parable of the Lamp?
What was the attitude of Jesus-’ brothers toward Him during His ministry?
Why did Jesus and the disciples start across the sea?
What changed their view?
What lesson did Jesus teach about spiritual kinship?
What is known about storms on the Sea of Galilee?
What effect did the miracle of stilling the storm have on the disciples?
Why did Jesus ask, Where is your faith?
Where is the country of the Gerasenes?
What proof that the man was demon-possessed?
Why did the people ask Jesus to leave?
What did Jesus say to the man who wanted to go with Him? Why?
Who was Jairus?
What did he ask Jesus to do?
What happened on the way to his house?
Why did the woman in the crowd have faith that Jesus could heal her?
How does this differ from the lack of faith that kept the disciples from casting out the demon from the epileptic boy?
Why did Jesus ask, Who touched me?
When did they learn that the daughter of Jairus was dead?
Why did He say, Fear not; only believe, and she shall be made well?
Why did He limit those permitted to enter the home?
What did He do in raising the child from the dead?
What was the effect of the miracle on the parents?
What restriction did Jesus place on them? Why?
What about those who had laughed at Him in the presence of death?