Luke 8

H. Leo Boles Commentary On Luke 7 THE WOMENLuk_8:1-3 Luk 8:1 —And it came to pass soon afterwards,—Luke is the only writer that gives an account of these events. From the account of the forgiven woman (Luke 7:45-50), Luke naturally goes on to narrate the ministering of other women to Jesus during the preaching tour that was made about this time. Soon after the events recorded in chapter 7 Jesus “ went about through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good tidings of the kingdom of God.” “ Soon afterwards” means “ in the order” or “ succession”; the same word is used in Luke 1:3, and is rendered “ in order,” and means “ in close succession.” This is probably the second tour that Jesus made through Galilee. He went “ about through cities and villages” on this circuit. He took city by city and village by village on this tour. Luke in this brief paragraph covers the entire circuit.

The first circuit may be referred to in Luke 4:42-44, and more definitely in Matthew 4:23-25 and Mark 1:35-39, before the formal selection of the twelve. This second circuit is mentioned only by Luke and was made after the twelve apostles were chosen. A third circuit in Galilee seems to be referred to in Matthew 11:1 and Mark 6:6, though it is not certain that there were three distinct circuits in Galilee. The purpose of Jesus in traveling through the cities and villages was to preach and bring the good tidings of the kingdom of God to the attention of the people. Luke 8:2 —and certain women who had been healed—These women are referred to again in Luke 23:55 Luke 24:10; and the names of some are given in Matthew 27:56 and Mark 15:40. They seem to have been attached to the company of Jesus and his disciples; they were very grateful for the remarkable cures that they had received. The first mentioned is “ Mary that was called Magdalene”; she is the one out of whom Jesus had cast seven demons. This fact is stated also in Mark 16:9. The presence of seven demons in one person indicates special malignity. (Mark 5:9.) See Matthew 12:45 for the parable of the demon who came back with seven other demons worse than the first. It is not known where Magdala was, from whence Mary gets part of her name.

There is no valid reason for identifying her with the sinful woman in chapter 7. She was terribly afflicted with demons and Jesus cured her. She was truly grateful to him and showed her gratitude by minis¬tering to him. Luke 8:3 —and Joanna the wife of Chuzas Herod’ s steward,—Joanna is mentioned here as the wife of Chuzas who was steward of Herod; some think that he was a nobleman (John 4:46-53) who believed on Jesus and all of his house. It is notable that Jesus had a disciple from the household of Herod Antipas who had such curiosity to see and hear him; again there was later Manaen, “ the foster-brother of Herod the tetrarch,” who was a disciple . (Acts 13:1.) Joanna is mentioned again with Mary Magdalene in Luke 24:10. These women with “ many others” ministered unto Jesus and his company. The very fact that Jesus now had twelve men going with him called for help from others, and these women of means responded to the demand. They ministered with “ their substance.” They ministered with the things which belonged to them; their gratitude and zeal were such that they were willing to do everything that they could to help Jesus and his company. They were benevolent, full of good deeds, and gentle ministrations.

Through the gratitude for blessings received these women contributed freely to the necessities of Jesus. They appear again in the scenes at and after his crucifixion; they provided costly spices for his body after his death; they may be classed with the godly women who “ adorn themselves in modest ap¬parel, with shamefastness and sobriety; not with braided hair, and gold or pearls or costly raiment; but (which becometh women professing godliness) through good works.” (1 Timothy 2:9-10.) THE PARABLE OF THE SOWERLuk_8:4-18 Luke 8:4 —And when a great multitude came together,—Parallel ac-counts of the “ parable of the sower” are found in Matthew 13:3-23 and Mark 4:3-25. A study of all these records will show that Mark has the fullest account in detail, and that Luke has the least number of details. The great points of the parable are found in all, and yet the three accounts should be studied in order to obtain a clear and connected view of this important scripture. A fuller comment on this parable may be had in the author’ s “ Commentary on the Gospel According to Matthew,” pages 285-295. Mark and Luke place this parable before the stilling of the tempest, the cure of the demoniacs of Gadara, and the raising of Jairus’ daughter; this seems to be the correct chronological order for it. When a great multi¬tude came together, and especially “ they of every city resorted unto him,” Jesus taught “ by a parable.” This multi¬tude may have come together as a result of his “ preaching” circuit mentioned in verses 1-3.

The parable was a very easy and simple style of teaching. Mark uses “ parables” as does Matthew (Matthew 13:3; Mark 4:2), while Luke uses “ a parable.” There are ten of these parables in Matthew and Mark, but only two recorded in Luke; Luke uses the expression “ in par¬ables” in verse 10. Luke 8:5 —The sower went forth to sow his seed:—The scene described here was very familiar to the hearers of Jesus. The sower went out from his house, from the village or city into his field or country to sow his seed. The time is indefinite, but the fact was of common occurrence. It may be that a sower was present or near at hand in a field, making the preparation for the sowing of his seed; this would make the parable more striking and impressive. Some of the seed fell “ by the way side.” Fields were very commonly unenclosed, or separated only by a narrow footpath. The ordinary roads also were not fenced; hence the seed of the sower was liable to fall beyond the plowed ground upon the hard ground, path or road which formed the “ way side.” The seed was thus exposed to a double danger. “ It was trodden under foot” by those who passed along and “ the birds of the heaven devoured it.” The birds, such as the lark, sparrow, and raven “ devoured it.”Luke 8:6 —And other fell on the rock;—“ The rocky ground” (Matthew 13:5) was “ the rocky places,” or the places where the soil was very thin over the rock. The grain sprang up quickly above the surface, and then quickly died; the hot sun soon scorched it and “ it withered away, because it had no moisture.” There was no chance for the plant to grow, as the soil was not deep enough above the rock, hence it withered away. Luke 8:7 —And other fell amidst the thorns;—This seed fell in the midst of or among the thorns, where the roots of the thorns remained, not having been carefully taken away. When the seed germinated it could not grow because it was choked by the thorns. These thorns stifled the grain by pressing upon it, overtopping it, shading it, and exhausting the soil. Thorny shrubs and plants abounded in Palestine. Luke 8:8 —And other fell into the good ground,—The “ good ground” was the rich, deep soil, which was free from rocks, thorns, and hard surface of the wayside. The seed therefore sprang up and brought forth “ fruit a hundredfold.” Matthew and Mark give the different increase, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold; Matthew begins with the greatest and descends to the lowest, thirty; while Mark begins with the lowest and ascends to the highest; Luke records only the greatest increase. “ Hundred¬fold” is used with respect to the increase which Isaac received when he sowed in the land of the Philistines. (Genesis 26:12.) Of the four kinds of soil only one was fruitful. When Jesus presented this parable “ he cried” and said: “ He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” “ He cried,” that is, with a loud voice he spoke this last warning to the people; both Matthew and Mark record this statement of Jesus. Luke 8:9-10 —And his disciples asked him—His disciples asked him the meaning of this parable; they did not ask him what the parable was, for they knew what it was, but did not know its meaning. This is one of the parables of Jesus that we need not misunderstand its meaning, for Jesus here gives the mean-ing of it. His disciples were perplexed over this parable; it was a new mode of teaching for Jesus to use; so when the twelve and a few others were alone (Mark 4:10) they asked him several questions as to what the meaning of the parable was and why he had spoken in parables. Jesus replied that it was given to them “ to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to the rest in parables.” He meant to say that his disciples had a desire to know the truth, and that these truths could be understood by them. A similar thought was expressed at another time when Jesus said: “ If any man willeth to do his will, he shall know of the teaching.” (John 7:17.) The “ mysteries” or secrets, the hidden power of spiritual truth, are revealed to those who sincerely desire to know them. “ Mysteries” is from “ musterion” and means to close or shut. The disciples had been initiated into the secrets of the kingdom of heaven; so Jesus here explains that this parable is open to the disciples, but shut to the Pharisees with their hostile minds. In the gospels “ musterion” is used only here and in the parallel passages. (Matthew 13:22; Mark 4:11.) If the truths were explained to those having no heart to receive them, the truths would not be appreciated nor understood; they would tend to harden the heart, and would be as pearls cast before swine. Luke 8:11 —The seed is the word of God.—Jesus now proceeds to in-terpret his own parable. The word of God is the seed of the kingdom; the phrase “ the word of God” does not appear in Matthew and only once in Mark (Mark 7:13) and John (John 10:35), but four times in Luke (Luke 5:1 Luke 8:11 Luke 8:21 Luke 11:28) and twelve times in Acts. In Mark 4:14 we have only “ the word.” In Mark 3:35 we have “ the will of God,” and in Matthew 12:50 “ the will of my Father” where Luke 8:21 has “ the word of God.” Luke means the word that comes from God. The truths of the gospel mean the same thing as the word of God; hence the same thing as the seed is “ the word of God.” (1 Peter 1:23.) The word of God or gospel is preached, people hear it, believe it, and obey it, and are brought into the kingdom of God; hence it is the seed of the kingdom. “ Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth.” (James 1:18.) “ So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17.) “ Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God.” (1 John 5:1.) These explain how the word of God is the seed, because it is essen¬tial to one’ s becoming a Christian. Luke 8:12 —And those by the way side—This parable has long been known as the “ Parable of the Sower,” but some in recent years have suggested that a more appropriate name would be the “ Parable of Different Soils,” and others have called it the “ Parable of Different Hearers.” The first kind of hearers Jesus represents by those who hear but when they have heard the devil cometh and “ taketh away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved.” The word of God finds no entrance and Satan taketh it away as a bird picks up the grain which falls by the wayside. These hearers do not care to believe; the word of God is good, the teacher is faith¬ful in preaching it, but the heart is not prepared for it. Luke 8:13 —And those on the rock—Other hearers are compared to the thin layer of earth which covers a ledge of stone; seed which fall into such soil spring up quickly because warmed by the underlying rock; but as the roots cannot go to any depth, the blade soon withers beneath the hot sun. Some hearers “ receive the word with joy”; they give the impression at first that they will make faithful children of God; “ who for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.” They are impulsive, demonstrative, and ardent for a little while, but when trials and testings come through putting their profession into practice, they give up and go back into the world. They can¬not stand persecution and trials; they quickly desert the Christ in the hour of temptation. Luke 8:14 —And that which fell among the thorns,—Other hearers are compared to seed which fall where thorns are growing; the seed springs into life, but it has no room for development; it is robbed by the thorns of its needed nourishment. So some Christians are so preoccupied by “ cares and riches and pleasures of this life” that they “ bring no fruit to perfection.” They may have some evidence of bearing fruit for a time, but the spiritual fruit is blasted and never comes to rightness or completeness. They have conviction of sin, show signs of sorrow and repentance, but the heart is divided, and the full powers of body and soul are not given to Christ. They are not thoughtless hearers, like those of the first class, neither like those of the second; they hear, hear seriously, enter upon a conflict with the world, but fail to conquer. They are not fully consecrated and hence they let the riches and pleasures of this life draw away their heart from God. Many are in the church today like this class of hearers. Luke 8:15 —And that in the good ground,—This class of hearers are like seed which fell on “ good ground” and “ brought forth fruit a hundredfold.” They receive the truth “ in an honest and good heart,” and patiently and perseveringly they produce in their lives a golden harvest of grain. Of the four kinds of hearts or hearers, only one kind really is profited by the hearing of the word of God. This class with constancy of purpose, with a consistent perseverance, through a life of discouragements and trials “ bring forth fruit with patience.” Luke 8:16 —And no man, when he hath lighted a lamp,—Jesus here uses a very vivid figure; it was contrary to custom, and even to reason, to light a lamp and cover it with a vessel or put it under a bed. Mark 4:21 has a more definite figure; he uses “ under the bushel” as does Matthew 5:15. The purpose of a light is to enable one to see something else, not the light. Jesus had told his disciples that it was given to them to know “ the mysteries of the kingdom of God,” but the unbelieving multitude could not know; hence one reason for his speaking in parables. The apostles might infer that these “ mysteries” of the great truths of his kingdom were to be kept secret, and that instruction in parables is, in its very nature, adapted to darken and becloud truth rather than enlighten people. Jesus at this time dispels any such ideas by this figure which he used.

It is the nature of truth to enlighten; if truth darkens, it is the fault of the hearer and not the truth. The truths of the gospel are like the lamp; they are designed, not to cover up, but to be made known, so as to give light to the world. Luke 8:17 —For nothing is hid,—Here Jesus gives the use of his figurative language; it is to enlighten and instruct. It is not the teaching of Jesus to say that secret sins will be revealed, though that is a truth elsewhere taught; he teaches here that everything pertaining to the kingdom of God shall be revealed ; nothing shall be kept back that may enlighten and instruct those who are anxious to know. All the truth pertaining to the kingdom of God which was spoken in parables should be revealed and broadcast to the world. Luke 8:18 —Take heed therefore how ye hear:—The manner of hear¬ing is important; Mark 4:24 gives the warning to take heed “ what ye hear.” Putting these two records together, the disciples were to give heed to how they heard what they heard. They were to take heed how they heard, for now they are hearing for themselves, and for others, since they must teach what they heard to others. The manner of hearing and the matter heard are both supremely important; some things possibly should not be heard at all; others that are heard should be forgotten; still others heard should be treasured and practiced. Those who had the truth and taught it to others would receive a clearer conception of the truth themselves; “ for whatsoever hath, to him shall be given.”THE KINDRED OF JESUS Luke 8:19-21 Luke 8:19 —And there came to him his mother and brethren,—Parallel records of this incident are found in Matthew 12:46-50 and Mark 3:31-35. The place of this visit is not mentioned, but it is generally supposed that it was in or near Capernaum. “ His mother and brethren” came to see him. Both Matthew and Mark place the time of this visit before the speaking of the parable of the sower; usually Luke follows Mark’ s order, but he does not do so here.

At first the brothers of Jesus, who were younger sons of Joseph and Mary, were not unfriendly to the work of Jesus, as seen in John 2:12, when they with the mother of Jesus are with him and the small group of disciples in Capernaum after the wedding in Cana. But as Jesus went on with his work and was rejected at Nazareth (Luke 4:16-31), there developed an evident disbelief in his claims on the part of the brothers who ridiculed him six months before the end (John 7:5). It seems that at this time they had come with Mary to take Jesus home out of the excitement of the crowds, perhaps sharing in the sentiment of others, that he was beside himself. (Mark 3:21.) Luke 8:20 —-And it was told him,—Jesus was in the crowd; he was busy teaching and healing; someone brought him word that his mother and brethren were desiring to speak to him. Who the “ brethren” were has caused much discussion. Many think that they were only “ cousins” or near relatives, but not “ brothers,” that is, sons of Mary. Others think that they were sons of Joseph by a former marriage, hence only half brothers in a legal sense. The natural meaning would be that they were his own “ brothers.” There is no evidence that Mary had no other children, and the easy, natural construetion of this and the parallel accounts is that they were his brothers in the flesh. This view must be accepted until some valid objection is established against it. Luke 8:21 —But he answered and said unto them,—Here Jesus makes spiritual ties take precedence above fleshly ties; family ties are at best temporal, but spiritual ties are eternal. Luke gives a very brief statement of Jesus and makes it clear that those who “ hear the word of God, and do it,” are mother and brothers to him. No one is a child of God because of human parentage. (John 1:13.) Luke emphasizes that they must “ hear” the word of God and “ do” it in order to be called his brethren. Jesus makes “ doing” a test of friendship for him. (John 15:14.) Hence those who hear the word of God and do it are the nearest relatives of Jesus; this spiritual relation¬ship outranks in tenderness the natural or fleshly relationship. The spiritual kinship is more vital than any relationship of blood or of nature; it results in a fellowship at once blessed which is possible for all. The reply of Jesus could not have offended his brethren even though it did contain a delicate rebuke. JESUS THE STORM Luke 8:22-25 Luke 8:22 —Now it came to pass on one of those days,—Parallel ac-counts of this are found in Matthew 8:18-27 and Mark 4:35-41. Luke is not definite with respect to the time; “ on one of those days” is a very indefinite time. Jesus was preaching in Galilee and Luke places the time during his Galilean ministry. Jesus and his disciples entered into a boat in the Sea of Galilee ; he desired to go to the other side; hence he said: “ Let us go over unto the other side of the lake.” He had entered a ship in order to discourse to the people. (Matthew 13:2; Mark 4:1.) It seems from Matthew that after preaching from the boat, he retired for a short time to the house, probably where he resided at Capernaum (Matthew 13:36); then he returned to the boat and possibly discoursed again for some time; but seeing the multitude continuing (Matthew 8:18), he commands to depart to the opposite side, which was the east side of the lake. Luke 8:23 —But as they sailed he fell asleep:— Luke describes the details very accurately; his graphic and accurate language makes him a good historian. Jesus had been busy all day, and this was probably about sunset when they left the coast near Capernaum. He needed sleep, like other men, especially after a day of hard work. However, the storm which came upon them simultaneously with his sleep was not an accident. His disciples needed to feel their extremity and be the more deeply impressed with his power over the elements. Like Jonah, he slept in the midst of the storm; but how different from Jonah was the Christ!

Luke describes the storm as coming “ down” “ on the lake.” The rain from the heavens and the surrounding mountains upon the lake fits Luke’ s description. It was one of those sudden, violent whirlwinds, at¬tended with some rain, which Luke here describes. The boat was “ filling with water” and all were in jeopardy. Matthew says “ that the boat was covered with the waves.” (Matthew 8:24.) ^ Luke 8:24 —And they came to him,—It seemed strange to his disci¬ples that Jesus would be sleeping amidst such danger. His disciples aroused him by saying: “ Master, master, we perish.” Matthew records their saying: “ Save, Lord; we perish.” (Matthew 8:25.) Mark (Mark 4:38) says: “ Teacher, carest thou not that we perish?” Jesus in this incident is spoken of as “ Master,” “ Teacher,” and “ Lord.” The disciples recognized in Jesus one who filled all three of these offices to them. They appealed to him for help. Jesus arose, rebuked the wind and the surging of waves, and they ceased and there was a calm. Luke narrates all of these events with simple dignity; there is no effort on his part to amplify, give needless details, or excite wonder; there is a sublimity of truth. Luke 8:25 —Where is your faith?—After all the miracles they had witnessed, after all the wisdom and power Jesus had shown, and after all his teaching for months past, why should they not have had faith? They should have had faith enough to feel secure in the presence of Jesus; they should have known that if they perished Jesus would also perish with them. They should have understood that the work of Jesus had not been completed, and that nothing could prevent his complet¬ing the Father’ s will. They marveled and said one to another : “ Who then is this, that he commandeth even the winds and the water, and they obey him ?”THE HEALED Luke 8:26-39 Luke 8:26 —And they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes,—Parallel accounts are found in Matthew 8:28-34 and Mark 5:1-21. Of the three accounts of this miracle Matthew speaks of two demoniacs, while Mark and Luke speak of only one. This slight discrepancy is of no importance since Mark and Luke give attention to the one which was the most fierce. The old maxim: “ He who tells of two includes the one, and he who tells of the one does not deny the two” holds good as an explanation in this case. There are two difficulties presented here. One is with respect to the exact name of the place, and the other is with respect to its location.

The name is “ Gadarenes,” “ Gerasenes,” “ Gergesenes.” Matthew uses “ Gadarenes,” while Mark uses “ Gerasenes” as does Luke. Its location is on the east side of the Sea of Galilee; however the exact location cannot be determined. Students of Bible geog¬raphy are not agreed as to its exact location. Many think that it was not far from “ Gadara.” It was a political district extending to the southeast shore of the Sea of Galilee with Gadara as its capital. Luke 8:27 -And when he was come forth upon the land,—It seems that Jesus and his disciples had sailed down the coast and came “ forth upon the land.” Luke, like Mark, fixes attention upon one of the demoniacs and says that “ there met him a certain man out of the city.” The man belonged to, or had lived in one of the towns which was called “ Gergesa” until this affliction of demons came upon him; after his affliction he dwelt in the caves also used as burial places for the dead. Luke is very minute in describing the man, and says, “ for a long time he had worn no clothes, and abode not in any house, but in the tombs.”Luke 8:28 -And when he saw Jesus,—When the demoniac saw Jesus “ he cried out, and fell down before him.” There seems to have been a dual or double will in this poor man; he had consciousness of his own, and there seems to have been a con-sciousness of the demons manifesting themselves in his speech and in his acts. When the two wills came into collision, the man fell down before Jesus; he recognized the superior authority and power and divinity of Jesus. He said: “ What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God?” He then added a request in the words “ torment me not.” The demons knew Jesus; they knew who he was and the power that he possessed. They made confession of their knowledge and feared his mighty power.Luke 8:29 -For he was commanding the unclean spirit—The man possessed with the evil spirit is described as having an “ unclean spirit,” or possessing a demon. While in this verse Luke speaks of the “ evil spirit” in the singular; in the next verse he speaks of demons in the plural.

This possession gave the man extraordinary strength at times, and caused him to break the “ chains and fetters” and bands with which the guard had attempted to keep him bound. After breaking the bands he would rush away from the guards into the wilderness or “ into the deserts.” Matthew describes the man as being so dangerous “ that no man could pass by that way.” (Matthew 8:28.) Mark describes him as being so that “ no man had strength to tame him.” (Mark 5:4.) Luke 8:30 —And Jesus asked him, What is thy name?—We do not know why Jesus asked his name; it may have been asked to bring the man himself to a consciousness of his state; the an¬swer of the demon was “ Legion”; for many demons were entered into him. “ Legion” means many; it was a military term used by the Romans; a full Roman legion had 6,000 men. This may not have been a full legion, for Mark 5 and Mark 13 notes that the number of hogs was “ about two thousand.” The demon answered rather than the man; it is best to consider the general meaning of “ legion” to mean “ many.” Some think that there was one chief demon which was superior and a number of inferior ones under him. This shows the over¬whelming power over the entire nature of the man. Luke 8:31 —And they entreated him—The demons earnestly besought him; they feared the power of Jesus; they recognized him as being the Son of God, and hence they knew that he was opposed to them. Their entreaty was that “ he would not command them to depart into the abyss.” There is no evidence that the demons meant by “ the abyss” the deep sea or “ abyss” of the Sea of Galilee; they meant the place or prison of evil spirits. The same Greek word occurs in Romans 10:7, and in Revelation 20:3. They did not wish to be sent into the abyss of torment or special punishment. They were willing to go any place to get out of the fearful presence of the Son of God. Luke 8:32-33—Now there was there a herd of many swine—The de-mons made the further request that they be permitted to enter the swine; Jesus granted their request. The herd of about two thousand were “ feeding on the mountain.” Jesus did not forbid or restrain them from going into the swine; the Greek word for “ suffered’ or “ gave leave” means primarily “ to turn over,” hence to suffer, allow, or permit. We do not know why Jesus did not restrain the demons from entering the swine, which led to the drowning of the herd. When granted the permission, the “ demons came out from the man, and en¬tered into the swine.” When they entered the swine, they caused the herd to rush “ down the steep into the lake,” and they were “ drowned.” They were feeding on the mountainside and rushed down into the sea and were strangled which resulted in their death. This miracle and that of the withered fig tree which Jesus cursed (Luke 11:12-14 Luke 11:20) are the only ones which resulted in any destruction of property. Luke 8:34-35—And when they that fed them—The feeders of the swine were astonished and frightened; nothing had occurred in all of their experience like this; the frenzied destruction of the whole herd in the sea was enough to frighten those who kept them; so they fled and reported in the city what had taken place. Their report reached far into the country and all who heard it were astonished. They came out to verify the report, and when they did so they “ found the man, from whom the demons were gone out” acting in a normal way. He was no longer a demoniac. Matthew records (Matthew 8:34) that “ all the city came out to meet Jesus” ; they were anxious to see one who had such authority. The man who had been afflicted was “ sitting, clothed and in his right mind, at the feet of Jesus.” He was clothed like others; his mind was sound and sane; he was sitting at the feet of Jesus and learning of the great Teacher. Luke 8:36-37 —And they that saw it told them—Those who had been eyewitnesses, and others who may have gathered through cu-riosity, reported how the man who had been afflicted with the demons was “ made whole.” The keepers of the swine who had fled and told the owners may have returned with others and related what had taken place. “ And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes round about asked him to depart from them.” The effect of this miracle brought together a great multitude of people from the surrounding country. When they saw and heard what was done they made a unanimous request or entreaty that Jesus “ depart from them.” They were afraid of him; they were not only filled with a superstitious awe at such exhibition of power, but with fear that similar results might attend other miracles. Other owners of swine may have thought their traffic in danger. (Acts 19:24-31.) It may be that the loss of the swine concerned the people more than did the curing of this unfortunate man. Luke 8:38-39 —But the man from whom the demons were gone— There is a wide contrast between the request of the people of the community and that of the man who had been made whole. This man “ prayed him that he might be with him.” Jesus was entering the boat (Mark 5:18) when this man came to him and asked to accompany him. There may have been several reasons for the man making this request; he had a warm desire of gratitude and love for what Jesus had done for him; the mean and selfish request and treatment of the Gerasenes strengthened his feelings for Jesus. It may be that this man feared a repossession by the demons after Jesus departed. (Matthew 12:43-45.) The demons prayed, and their prayers were granted to their own discomforture (verses 10, 12); the Gerasenes prayed, and their prayer also was granted by Jesus leaving them to their own destruction; the man made whole prayed and his petition is not granted for it was not best and he had a work to do. Return to thy house,—Jesus instructed the man to return to his house and declare all that “ God hath done for thee.” The man returned and published “ throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done for him.” This man had a great message to tell and he could tell it with power. The young ruler was required to sell his possessions and follow Jesus (Matthew 19:21); this young man did not obey. The leper was charged to say nothing to any man, but to go show himself to the priest (Mark 1:44); but he went out and published abroad what was done for him. The disciple was not allowed to go home and bury his father. (Matthew 8:21.) But this man was sent home to his friends to publish abroad what had been done for him. The whole country had stoutly urged Jesus to leave their country so that he could not spread the news of his kingdom there; but the healed man was sent to the same people to tell the story of his miraculous cure. He obeyed; he published in the whole city how great things Jesus had done for him. Mark 5:20 says that he spread the news in Decapolis, the region of the ten cities. JAIRUS’ RAISED; THE WOMAN WITH AN ISSUE OF BLOODLuk_8:40-56 Luke 8:40 —And as Jesus returned,—Parallel accounts of this miracle are recorded in Matthew 9:18-26 and Mark 5:21-34. Mark gives the fullest account; Luke comes next in detail. According to Matthew, this miracle was performed immediately after Jesus’ discourse on fasting at Matthew’ s feast. For some reason un-known to us Mark and Luke deferred giving an account till after the healing of the demoniac. There is a wide contrast between the multitude that “ welcomed him” and the one that he had just left who had earnestly besought him to leave their country; one multitude almost drives him away, but the other was waiting to welcome him ; driven from Decapolis, he is wel¬comed in Capernaum. Luke 8:41 —And behold, there came a man named Jairus,—Mark says that he was “ one of the rulers” (Mark 5:22); the synagogue was under the direction of an officer who sometimes exercised judicial power. According to Matthew (Matthew 9:10 Matthew 9:14 Matthew 9:18) Jesus seems to have been in the house of Matthew. It is not cer¬tain, however, as to the exact house. The ruler of the synagogue was sometimes an elder; it was his duty to convene the assembly, preserve order, invite readers and speakers. (Acts 13:15.) Jairus was probably a Jew, as his name seems to be the same as the Hebrew name “ Jair” (Numbers 32:41), meaning “ whom Jehovah enlightens.” He came to Jesus and prostrated himself at his feet in a very reverent and earnest manner. He entreated him to come into his house. Luke 8:42 —for he had an only daughter,—Luke gives the reason that Jairus besought Jesus to come to his house. He had an only daughter and she lay dying. She was “ about twelve years of age.” Mark says (Mark 5:23) that she was “ at the point of death.” However, Matthew records (Matthew 9:18) that she was “ even now dead.” Jairus on reaching Jesus may have first given vent to his fears by the strong statement that she “ is even now dead,” or rather has just now died, and then have explained himself by saying that she was at the point of death. His strong faith is shown by his leaving his dying daughter to seek the aid of Jesus, and by his earnest entreaty for him to come at once. It is to be noted that he made this request for his “ daughter”; in the East daughters were and still are regarded as of small im-portance in the family; but the birth of a son is cause for great congratulation. This incident shows how Jewish life differed from ordinary Eastern ideas in esteem for girls in the family. Luke brings out the touching fact that this was an “ only daughter.” So he mentions an “ only son” of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:12), and the “ only child,” the lunatic boy (Luke 9:38). Luke 8:43-44 —And a woman having an issue of blood—As Jesus had responded to the entreaties of Jairus, he started to his house, but as he crowded through the multitude, a woman having a chronic disease which, according to the law, rendered her unclean (Leviticus 12:5 Leviticus 15:25), came near enough to touch the border of his garment. Her hopeless case and the incurableness of her disease are shown in the fact that she had been afflicted for twelve years, that she had spent “ all her living upon physicians,” and they had failed to cure her. As a physician, Luke strongly puts her case as incurable. The woman had heard of Jesus and had faith in his power to heal her; she approached him in the crowd from behind. Perhaps she felt her unworthiness and was timid. Some think that “ the border of his garment” was that which the law required to be worn. (Numbers 15:38-40.) It may have been a fringe or tassel which was worn at each of the four corners of the outer garment. Luke 8:45 —And Jesus said, Who is it that touched me?—The question implies neither ignorance nor deceit in Jesus; he asked it in order to call forth the confession of the woman for her own good and the good of others. Jesus asked questions of the two on their way to Emmaus. (Luke 24:17-19.) These ques¬tions were asked, not for his own information, but to draw out a statement of their views. All near Jesus denied touching him, and “ Peter said, and they that were with him, Master, the multitudes press thee and crush thee.” There was no unconscious healing virtue in Jesus; he was conscious of all things about him. When healing went forth from him he willed it to go. When all the disciples denied any knowledge of a special touch, Peter in his naturally impulsive way, speaking for the others, reminded Jesus of the crowd that were pressing and crushing upon him. The question to Peter seemed unreasonable since there was such a multitude press¬ing upon him from every side. Luke alone mentions the name of Peter in this connection. . Luke 8:46 —But Jesus said, Some one did touch me;—Jesus knew that someone had touched him; he even knew who had touched him; nothing was hidden from him. He gave as his reason that he perceived “ that power had gone forth from me.” Jesus felt the senation of power already gone; he was conscious of the afflicted woman and her touch; he knew her faith. Her cure was the result of an answer of her touch of faith, which reached beyond the fringe of his garment to his divine nature. Luke 8:47 —And when the woman saw that she was not hid,—Mark 5:32 says that “ he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.” This shows that Jesus knew, and now by his look he brings out her confession. The woman came “ trembling, and falling down before him,” and declared in the presence of all the people that she had touched Jesus and that “ she was healed immediately.” In humility and reverence she came to him and prostrated herself before him, giving herself up to his power and mercy. The woman publicly acknowledged what she had done, why she did it, and the blessings that she received. Luke 8:48 —And he said unto her,—After the woman had made her confession public, Jesus now spoke words of comfort to her. He said: “ Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole.” It was not the touch of Jesus that healed her, neither was it the touch of the woman that brought the cure; her faith was the ground of her blessing. Having made this open confession Jesus bids her depart with his blessings completely healed. Jesus spoke tenderly to her. He said: “ Go in peace.” Matthew records him as saying “ be of good cheer.” (Matthew 9:22.) “ Go in peace” was a usual form of parting salutation, especially to inferiors; it expressed the friendship and good wishes. (Exodus 4:18; 1 Samuel 1:17; Luke 7:50; James 2:16.) Luke 8:49 —While he yet spake,—Jesus had started to the house of Jairus, but was delayed by the curing of the woman with the issue of blood. This took some time; we know not how much. A messenger arrived from “ the ruler of the synagogue’ s house,” which said: “ Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Teacher.” It appears that Jairus had come with the knowledge and consent of his family; they seem to have known why he had gone to Jesus. Since the child died Jairus received word from his house that he need not trouble Jesus as his daughter was dead. Luke 8:50 —But Jesus hearing it,—While the messenger brought the word to Jairus, and reported it to him, yet Jesus heard that the daughter was dead. He then said to Jairus: “ Fear not: only believe, and she shall be made whole.” While Jesus was talking with the woman this messenger came to Jairus, and Jesus, in deep sympathy for him, as he was for the afflicted woman, gave him assurance that his daughter should be made whole. This must have astonished those who thought that he might cure her, but could not raise her from the dead. Luke 8:51 —And when he came to the house,—Jesus proceeded on his way to the house, 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.” Peter, James, and John are now privileged to go with him and Jairus into the house, and into the apartment where the body of the daughter was lying. (Mark 5:37 Mark 5:40.) The multitude and other disciples remained on the outside; possibly some, after learning that the daughter was dead, had not followed him to the house. Luke 8:52 —And all were weeping,—All were expressing loud lamentations. According to Matthew, Jesus saw in the house “ the flute-players, and the crowd making a tumult.” (Matthew 9:23.) They were making doleful music according to their custom of mourning for the dead. When Jesus saw this he said: “ Weep not; for she is not dead, but sleepeth.” Jesus said that they should not regard her as dead, but as though she was sleeping. Matthew records them as laughing him to scorn. Jesus used a similar expression when he said “ Lazarus sleepeth,” which he explained to mean death. (John 11:11 John 11:14.) Jesus allowed the parents and others to regard the damsel as really dead and raised to life again. Luke 8:53-54 —And they laughed him to scorn,—The company of mourners was certain that the child was dead. The people did not understand the language nor the power of Jesus, hence they “ laughed him to scorn.” They thought that he ought to know that she was dead. They reasoned that he claimed to be a prophet, the Messiah, the Son of God, yet he did not know the difference between one who was asleep and one who was dead. They thought that he either knew the difference or did not know the difference; if he knew the difference, he was falsifying when he said that she was asleep. In either case he was not what he claimed to be. But he, taking her by the hand,—Some authorities say that he put all out of the house, but this clause is omitted in the best translations. Jesus took the maiden by the hand and then said: “ Maiden, arise.” Mark gives the exact Aramaic words which Jesus used: “ Talitha cumi.” (Mark 5:41.) Luke 8:55-56 —And her spirit returned,—At the command of Jesus her life came back to her at once; this was the actual return of her spirit. She had been really dead, but now has full life and in normal condition. Jesus commanded that they give her something to eat. This would be proof positive that she was healed as well as restored to life. If one is able to eat, one is in normal condition. It is probable that she had not eaten for some time as she had been sick. Her parents “ were amazed,” but Jesus charged them that they should “ tell no man what had been done.” The parents did not obey Jesus, for Matthew tells us (Matthew 9:26) that “ the fame hereof went forth into all that land.” Verse 1 In this chapter, there is a unique glance at Jesus’ ministry, disclosing certain women as financial backers of his ministry (Luke 8:1-3), followed by events common to the other of the holy Gospels: the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-15), lessons from the lamp (Luke 8:16-18), spiritual kinship more important than fleshly kinship (Luke 8:19-21), stilling the tempest (Luke 8:22-25), the Gerasene demoniacs (Luke 8:26-39), the raising of Jairus’ daughter and the included wonder of healing the woman with an issue of blood (Luke 8:40-56). CERTAIN WOMEN WHO HELPED JESUSAnd it came to pass soon afterwards, that he went about through the cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good tidings of the kingdom of God, and with him the twelve, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary that was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, who ministered unto them of their substance.(Luke 8:1-3) Only Luke gives this glimpse of the part women played in supporting the ministry of Jesus. This must not be thought of as a small group. There were “many others” besides the three mentioned. These faithful women, from their own resources, ministered unto Christ and the Twelve. Mary Magdalene … This means that Mary came from the town of Magdala, thought to be the same place as Magadan on the west side of the sea of Galilee, today called El-Mejael and consisting of some twenty residences, and pointed out as the traditional home of Mary Magdalene. It is built on the water’s edge at the southeast extremity of the sea of Galilee.[1]“There is not the least bit of evidence, either here or elsewhere in the New Testament, that Mary Magdalene was an immoral woman."[2] The sevenfold demon possession and the serious physical or mental condition that accompanied such a condition do not suggest immorality; nor can the fact of her being included in this remarkable group of women who were permitted to accompany the Lord and the Twelve be reconciled with the allegation that this woman had been a prostitute. As Adam Clarke said: There is a marvelous propensity in some commentators to make some of the women in scripture appear as women of fame. The opinion that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute is a vile slander.[3]There are seven Marys mentioned in the New Testament,[4] but this was one of the most signally honored. She was the first person to whom Jesus appeared after the resurrection and was entrusted with the announcement that Christ would ascend into heaven. Joanna … and Susanna … Nothing is known of these ladies, except what is said here. Joanna, whose husband was Herod’s steward, may have been wealthy; and it must be assumed that Chuza himself was friendly to Jesus, perhaps a disciple, indicating that the court of Herod Antipas contained followers of the Lord Jesus. Preaching and bringing the good tidings … It is not enough merely to preach the kingdom of God; it must also be “brought” in the lives of its adherents. The glory of Jesus was double in that his marvelous words were always illustrated and made actual by his holy life. [1] F. N. Peloubet, A Dictionary of the Bible (Philadelphia: The John C. Winston Company, 1925), p. 379. [2] Charles L. Childers, Beacon Bible Commentary (Kansas City, Missouri: Beacon Hill Press, 1964), 489, [3] Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Whole Bible (New York: Carlton and Porter, 1829), Vol. V, p. 417. [4] William P. Barker, Everyone in the Bible (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1966), p. 229.

Verse 4 And when a great multitude came together and they of every city resorted unto him, he spake by a parable: 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. And other fell on the rock; and as soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And other fell amidst the thorns; and the thorns grew with it, and choked it. And other fell into the good ground, and grew, and brought forth fruit a hundred fold. As he said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.THE PARABLE OF THE SOWERThis parable was commented on rather fully in my Commentary on Matthew, Matthew 1:1-23, and in my Commentary on Mark, Mark 4:1-20. This is, in fact, The Master Parable, being given and explained by Jesus as a pattern of all the parables, so that men may “know all the parables” (Mark 4:13). It has the distinction of being recorded in the first three Gospels. It is perfectly safe to reject the opinions of scholars who object to finding more than “one point” in a parable. Jesus found and expounded a dozen points in this one! It is not clear just who started the intellectual fad that would deny any more than one point to the parable; but the knee-jerk acceptance of it by so many has elements of humor in it. For example, Hobbs prefaced his interpretation of this parable with the statement that “a parable usually illustrates one truth”;[5] and then presented at least half-dozen “truths” founded on the parable! Evidently, he could not decide which was the one truth. The scholarly prejudice against interpreting the parables allegorically, as Jesus did, and as he plainly indicated his followers should do, is so ingrained that some of them have even denied the allegorical interpretation of this parable by Jesus, making it the “mistake” of the early church, retrospectively interpolated into the Gospels by all three synoptics; and, of course, an error in all three!

A plague upon all such unbelievers! It is a source of the greatest encouragement that C. E. B. Cranfield, one of the greatest of the modern scholars, categorically refuted the denials which would make the allegorization of the parables the work of the early church, saying, “Jesus certainly allegorized this one."[6]The metaphor of this parable is that of a farmer sowing grain in the old-fashioned manner, striding through the plowed field, scattering the seeds by handfuls taken from a bag carried over his shoulder, and spreading them in an arc before him as he walked. The hard beaten path along or through the field, as well as the thorns were common features of such a field.

Such a scene as this has been witnessed by millions in all ages; but only Jesus our Lord ever viewed it in the cosmic dimensions set forth here. His explanation is as follows: [5] Herschel H. Hobbs, An Exposition of the Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1966), p. 137. [6] C. E. B. Cranfield, The Gospel according to Saint Mark (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1966), p. 158.

Verse 9 And his disciples asked him what this parable might be. 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. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. And those by the way side are they that have heard; then cometh the devil and taketh the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved. 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. And that which fell among the thorns, these are they that have heard and as they go on their way they are choked by cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

And that in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold fast, and bring forth fruit with patience.It will be noted that Luke’s account, though not as full as the others, is nevertheless effective. Here the same multiple analogies noted in Matthew and Mark are drawn by the Saviour. In fact, Luke more fully identified the thorns in their threefold character of riches, cares, and pleasures. To understand the parable in its fullest implications, it is necessary to read and study all three accounts. Critical scholarship has more trouble with Jesus’ words giving his reason for speaking in parables, “that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand,” than with anything else in this passage. Some are simply incredulous that Jesus would have used a device specifically to blind and harden some of his hearers; but such was undoubtedly the case. The explanation is in Matthew, where that sacred author quoted at length from Isaiah 6:9-10, thus explaining the use of parables as God’s means of bringing about the hardening of Israel, the parables, of course, not being the cause of the hardening, but the occasion of it. The real reason of the blindness and unbelief of Israel lay in the fact that they had “closed their eyes” to the truth. Summers missed the point altogether when he accused Matthew of elaborating on “the idea to the extent of quoting Isaiah,"[7] that quotation deriving not from Matthew’s “elaboration” but from Jesus’ announcement of it in connection with his explaining why he taught in parables. Of course, erroneous Markan theory blinds some scholars on this, Matthew’s account being original, older, and fuller than the others in this section.

Furthermore, what is said of the parables here is true of the whole Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was so designed that stubborn, willful, and self-deluded, hardened hearers of it will actually be destroyed by the holy Gospel itself. Paul said: We are indeed the incense offered by Christ to God, both for those who are on the way to salvation, and for those who are on the way to perdition: to the latter it is a deadly fume that kills, to the former a vital fragrance that brings to life (2 Corinthians 2:16, New English Bible). There can be no wonder then that Jesus cried with a loud voice and said: “Take heed how ye hear!” The dual quality of the parables: (1) enlightening them of right spirit, and (2) blinding and hardening the ones who were evil, must therefore be understood as pertaining to the entire Gospel itself. The same sunshine melts butter and hardens putty; and the same glorious Gospel saves some and destroys others; but the difference lies, not in the Gospel, but is found inherently within men themselves. It is what a man IS that determines, more than anything else, what he gets out of the Gospel. For a list of analogies, and line-by-line comment, see the parallel accounts in my Commentary on Matthew and my Commentary on Mark. ENDNOTE: [7] Ray Summers, Commentary on Luke (Waco, Texas: Word Books, Publisher, 1974), p. 93.

Verse 16 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.LESSONS FROM THE LAMPBy this Jesus indicated his true purpose of enlightening all men by the parables he was bringing. The blinding and hardening were not something Jesus desired, but a necessary result, a side-effect, of the truth’s impact upon wicked hearts, As Summers said, “Jesus’ main purpose in using parables … was to make his teaching easier to grasp."[8] Thus, this verse has an application to Jesus himself; but there is also an application to Jesus’ disciples. A true follower of the Lord, upon lighting a lamp, that is, by becoming religiously and spiritually enlightened through obedience to the Gospel, should not hide it under a bed, symbolizing either laziness or licentiousness; nor under a vessel, symbolizing the cares and preoccupations of life; nor under a bushel (Matthew 5:15), symbolizing business, industry and commerce; but he should display his light upon the “stand.” The Scriptures do not leave us in the dark as to what this stand is. It is a local congregation of the Lord’s church (Revelation 1:20). ENDNOTE: [8] Ibid., p. 92.

Verse 17 For nothing is hid, that shall not be made manifest; nor anything secret, that shall not be known and come to light.This too has a dual application: (1) to the fact that Jesus’ purpose was to reveal the whole Gospel to men, not to conceal it, and also (2) to the hidden secrets of every life. These shall be made known in judgment; but more immediately, the choices men make with reference to believing and obeying are likewise great revealers of the secret hearts of men.

Verse 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.The person who has the honest and good heart and responds by faithfully hearing and obeying the saving words of Christ shall be given the riches of the kingdom, even unto eternal life; but the person who has an evil heart, even though like the Pharisees glorying in the law of God, shall have what they think they have (the word of God) taken away from them.

Verse 19 And there came to him his mother and brethren, and they could not come at him for the crowd. And it was told him, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee. But he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these that hear the word of God, and do it.HIS MOTHER AND HIS There is no need to suppose that this visit to Jesus by his mother and brethren was due to any sinister purpose on their part. It is true that, at first, Jesus’ brothers did not fully believe in Christ (John 7:3); but, as Summers noted. “There is nothing else in the Gospels to indicate her (Mary’s) opposition to what he was doing."[9] Nor is there anything to the contrary here. As Hobbs put it, “In all likelihood they merely came to see Jesus and for no other reason."[10]The great lesson uttered by Jesus on this occasion was to the effect that spiritual kinship with the Lord through hearing and obeying him is far more desirable than any fleshly relationship. [9] Ibid., p. 95. [10] Herschel H. Hobbs, op. cit., p. 140.

Verse 22 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. 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. And they came to him and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. 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?

THE TEMPESTThe purpose of the Gospel authors in relating this wonder is apparent from the manner in which they closed the narrative (see also Matthew 8:27; Mark 4:41). It was their purpose to demonstrate the ground upon which the holy apostles hailed Jesus as a supernatural person. The parallel accounts add significant information to what is written here. Matthew placed some of the words attributed to Jesus BEFORE he rebuked the winds and waves, indicating that a great deal more might have been said by both Christ and the apostles, in addition to the few key words given here. Mark indicated clearly that there were a number of other boats which attempted the late crossing to the east shore, thus providing additional witnesses to this wonder, and also stressing the fact that the Lord here saved not only the apostles but a great many other people as well. This miracle proved the authority of Jesus over the forces of nature; and, for Christians who believe that Jesus of Nazareth was (is) the incarnation of Almighty God himself, the attempts to rationalize it are far more unbelievable than the wonder itself. Rebuked the wind … This action on Jesus’ part showed that in at least some natural disorders Satan must be recognized as able to work in such things. As Geldenhuys said: He actually rebuked the powers of Satan which at that moment were active in the elements. The earth “and the fullness thereof” belong to the Lord, and he guides the courses of wind and weather. But nevertheless, God sometimes permits the evil one to exercise power over the forces of nature within certain limits.[11]Trench and many others have pointed out the same thing. See parallel passages in Mark and Matthew with their comments in this series of commentaries. Where is thy faith …? Of course, a composite of the three Gospel accounts shows the following words were spoken by Jesus: “Why are you afraid; O men of little faith” (Matthew 8:26). “Why are you afraid; have you no faith?” (Mark 4:40). “Where is your faith?” (Luke 8:25). All of the clucking over which Gospel author correctly quoted what Jesus said is laughable. Of course, he said all of these things, a total of some twenty-one words; and even these must be viewed as a most abbreviated report of all that occurred and all that was said during the savage onset of the storm that threatened the lives of the sacred group. Master, master, we perish … Exactly the same is true here. Each of the Gospels gives a different word in reporting the address to Jesus by the apostles. Matthew, Mark and Luke have “Lord,” “Teacher” and “Master,” respectively; but what is so strange about twelve terribly frightened men in the emergency of a violent storm using different words of address in their spontaneous and disorganized cries for help? And what is so strange that some would have remembered and reported one term, and another a different term? There is plenty of evidence that the apostles freely used all three of these terms of address to Jesus. It is only an ignorant, captious question which suggests that one, and only one, of these words, was addressed to Jesus on such an occasion as this. But why did Jesus rebuke the apostles for lack of faith? In their fear of death they failed to demonstrate confidence that Christ was fully able to take care of them. It was impossible for that ship with the Redeemer of the world on board to founder, no matter what happened; and the Lord’s followers today need to take account of a similar truth. It is equally impossible for the church of Christ, the body of which he himself is the Head and Preserver, ever to be destroyed, notwithstanding all the forces of hell that continually assail it.[12]Let the holy church make sure that Christ the true Head is aboard; and if so, no matter what storms may rage against it the institution and all on board are assured of safety. Before leaving the account of this miracle, it should again be observed that a composite of all that is written in the New Testament is the only source of fully understanding what happened. Jesus himself thus used the sacred Scriptures; for it will be remembered that during his temptation in the wilderness, Satan quoted certain Scriptures; but Jesus said, “Again it is written” (Matthew 4:1-4). This set the pattern for all who would truly interpret the Holy Scriptures. Unlearned preachers were once criticized for their reliance upon isolated texts; but Satan has achieved a breakthrough by his instigating exactly the same method among the disbelieving scholars of certain intellectual communities who have been duped into using a “proof Gospel” (Mark); and their conclusions based upon such a monstrous error are just as unscientific and unreliable as the postulations of some unlettered frontier preacher with his proof text. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). [11] Norval Geldenhuys, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1951), p. 252. [12] Ibid.

Verse 26 And they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is over against Galilee.THE It is merely a pseudocon that Luke has “Gerasenes,” whereas Matthew has “Gadarenes.” One author referred to the whole district, of which the city of Gadar was dominant; and the other referred to Gerasa, the more particular location.

Verse 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 tombs.Reference is made to the parallel accounts of this wonder in both Matthew and Mark and to the comments concerning it in my Commentary on Matthew and my Commentary on Mark. Luke added the detail of the man’s wearing no clothes. In this series, several dissertations on demon possession have already been written, supporting the conclusion that: (1) demon possession was certainly a fact in those times; (2) it could be a fact today; (3) if it is not a fact today, it is due to the success of Jesus in destroying the works of Satan; and (4) there are too many unknowns regarding human behavior today to allow any dogmatic conclusion to the effect that such a phenomenon has perished from the earth. Again from Geldenhuys: With the incarnation of the Word, the Son of God, the forces of the devil also, in order to oppose him as Man and in his work of redemption, endeavored to incarnate themselves in human beings. The Evil One, as it were, wanted to become a man. It is for this reason that demon-possession was such a characteristic phenomenon of the time when Jesus was upon the earth.[13]That such was indeed Satan’s purpose would appear as a natural deduction from Satan’s behavior as revealed in the Old Testament. When Aaron cast his rod upon the ground and it became a serpent, Satan’s representatives at once imitated and reproduced, apparently, the same miracle, with this difference, that Aaron’s rod-serpent swallowed all of theirs! (Exodus 7:12). There were actually two of these demoniacs, as related in Matthew; but as Boles expressed it, “He who tells of the two includes the one, and he who tells of the one does not deny the two."[14][13] Ibid., p. 256. [14] H. Lee Boles, Commentary on Luke (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Company, 1940), p. 175.

Verse 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.It is rather fruitless to seek learned reasons why this demon-possessed man behaved as he did, especially from commentators who insist today there are no authentic cases of such a thing! Whatever happened here was real; and the three historical records of it contained in the holy Gospels are unimpeachable. There are glimpses of things in these records which are beyond the perimeter of human knowledge, such as, for example, the salutation of Jesus as “Son of God Most High.” This is similar to the designation of God which was uttered by Gabriel in the annunciation, leading to the deduction that “most High” is one of the titles God frequently used in the unseen world. There is also a bit of evidence to the effect that the whole demoniac world lies in a state of dreadful fear and apprehension of their ultimate fate which demons freely acknowledge will be executed upon them by the Lord Jesus Christ. How strange it is that men seem to have no fear at all of the judgment so dreaded by demons.

Men do not believe in the impending punishment of evil; but demons KNOW about it. There are lessons in this event which, if heeded, can benefit all mankind.

Verse 29 For he was commanding the unclean spirit to come out of 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 demons into the deserts.The demon … It is not clear why the possessing demons were referred to in the plural (Luke 8:27), but in the singular afterward, unless, as revealed a little later, there was a principal demon, the spokesman for all, and in some sense their leader. This phenomenon of one demon controlling others also surfaces in the case of the demon returning to the house from which he had been exorcised and “taking with himself seven other spirits” (Matthew 12:43-45). Breaking the bands asunder … indicates the unnatural strength of the demon-possessed. Bonds and chains which restrained a normal man were ineffective.

Verse 30 And Jesus asked him, What is thy name? And he said, Legion; for many demons were entered into him.What is thy name …? Jesus had already commanded the demon to come out (Luke 8:29); and the command was not repeated. Therefore we must disagree with Barclay that Jesus failed, at first, to cast him out.[15] The request of the demons that they should be permitted to enter the swine shows that they recognized the absolute necessity of doing what Jesus commanded. The question regarding the name of the possessed was not asked by Jesus “in order to procure power over the demon,” but for the purpose of helping the afflicted to affirm and maintain his personal identity. Legion … simply has the meaning of “many,” a Roman legion of those times ranging in numbers from 4,000 to 6,000. Jesus did not, therefore, get the names of all those thousands of demons in order to be able to cast them out. As a matter of fact, Jesus did not ask the demons their name at all, but the name of the man; and the usurping demons responded, not by giving their several thousand names, but by the boastful claim that they were “many”! Therefore, how absurd is such a comment as the following: Jesus seems to have shared the belief of the time that to defeat a demon it was essential to know his name. The “name” of a person possessed a mysterious power in itself so that to get hold of it was half the battle![16]The critical schools have certainly overreached themselves by such “explanations.” Is one to suppose that the demons cooperated with Christ by willingly supplying their names? [15] William Barclay, The Gospel of Mark (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1956), p. 118. [16] E. J. Tinsley, The Gospel according to Luke (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1969), p. 92.

Verse 31 And they entreated him that he would not command them to depart into the abyss.As Ash observed: The demons recognized that when Jesus commanded they must obey, and that the abyss was the fate for which they were destined (cf. Revelation 9:1-11; Revelation 11:7; Revelation 17:8; and Revelation 20:1-3). The ABYSS symbolized the chaos in opposition to which the world was fashioned (Genesis 1:2).[17]ENDNOTE: [17] Anthony Lee Ash, The Gospel according to Luke (Austin, Texas: Sweet Publishing Company, 1972), p. 145.

Verse 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 them. And he gave them leave.The servile condition of the demoniac world was never more apparent than in this plea that the Son of God should permit them to enter a herd of hogs. Not even THAT could they do without the Lord’s permission. Contrary to all that might have been anticipated, Jesus readily permitted it, demonstrating that even a demon’s petition God will grant, subject only to the limitation that the thing requested is in harmony with the divine will. Just why it was the divine will that a herd of swine should perish is discussed under the next verse.

Verse 33 And the demons came out from the man, and entered the herd of swine: and the herd rushed down the steep into the lake, and were drowned.The ethical question raised by the Lord’s permitting the destruction of this property is raised by some who wish to cast a reflection upon our Lord, but there is really no honest objection that may be raised. It is not necessary to suppose that the swine were illegally held, Jews not being permitted to own them; and, besides, this was Gentile territory; nor to suppose that Jesus could not have healed the man without permitting the exorcised demons to enter the herd. Of course, he could have cast them into the abyss, as their pleas admitted. Therefore it must be concluded that it was Jesus’ will that the swine should have been destroyed through the instrumentality of the demons. Why? By permitting those malignant demons to have their will regarding the swine, Jesus demonstrated, once and for all, what is the true purpose of Satan and all his agents.

God permitted the glimpse of this same destructive purpose of the evil one in what the devil was permitted to do to Job (Job 1:12-22). The calamities that befell that patriarch are justified upon the premise that God was showing to all men the malignant purpose of Satan and the true faith of Job. The same is true here, with the significant difference that swine were destroyed instead of human children, as was the case with Job. How reprehensible it is therefore for men to quibble about this, even charging the Lord with a capital offense for destroying property,[18] while blindly refusing to see that Christ has here given men a glimpse of their true enemy, Satan. Once Satan enters a man, or any society, the decline is swift, certain, and fatal. Of overwhelming significance is the fact that it was not Christ, but the demons, who destroyed the property, just as they were destroying the life of the unfortunate man from whom they were exorcised by Jesus’ all-powerful word. As for the sophisticated arrogance that would blame God for what God permits, such is both sinful and illogical. It is incredible that a scholar like Summers would deny this, saying: What right did Jesus have to destroy the property of others? … the simple expedient of holding that Jesus did not destroy them; the demons did … is inadequate … an unsatisfactory way of dealing with the type of detailed action involved in this event.[19]Of course, such an objection to obvious truth is inadequate and unsatisfactory. The acceptance of such a monstrous proposition would require men to blame God for all the natural disasters of history, such things as earthquakes, floods, droughts, hurricanes, and pestilences. The Black Death wiped out “the moity of mankind”[20] during the fourteenth century. God permitted it; is he therefore to be blamed? Furthermore, it is perfectly clear from Jesus’ rebuke of the winds and waves (Luke 8:24) that satanic instigation of at least some of the natural disorders which plague humanity is an unqualified fact. Therefore, the blaming of Jesus for what these malignant demons did is to establish a pattern of thought which would blame Almighty God for every disastrous thing in his whole universe that God does not prevent.

Such a view is absolutely untenable. Those who would impose blame upon the holy Christ must do so upon other grounds than any which appear to exist here. [18] Will and Ariel Durant, The Age of Voltaire (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1965), p. 120. [19] Ray Summers, op. cit., p. 100. [20] Edward Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Philadelphia: Henry T. Coates and Company, 1788), Vol. 3pp. 641-644.

Verse 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.Naturally, the destruction of such a considerable herd of swine would have been a prime topic of conversation; and thus the demons inadvertently advertised as extensively as possible the power and authority of Jesus. It is also understandable that people who were not inclined to seek spiritual truth would have reacted with hostility and rejection; nor may such a reaction be justified. There was the conspicuous healing of the depraved human scourge who had immobilized the entire district; and people of right mind and attitudes should have taken this into account.

Verse 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 had gone out, sitting, clothed and in his right mind, at the feet of Jesus: and they were afraid.In the presence of one who could so heal such a victim of Satan, the people should have been able to overcome their displeasure at the property loss; but, alas, they were not able. They were afraid … As Ash noted, “All four miracle stories in this chapter of Luke note the idea of `fear’."[21] The sacred author was repeatedly demonstrating the grounds upon which those who really knew Jesus recognized him as being superlatively above common mortality. ENDNOTE: [21] Anthony Lee Ash, op. cit., p. 150.

Verse 36 And they that saw it told them how he that was possessed with demons was made whole.The eyewitnesses of the wonder described all that had taken place to the assembled villagers who had gathered to view the spectacle afforded by the erstwhile madman sitting clothed and in his right mind at the feet of Jesus, with strong emphasis, it seems, on the death of those swine. Oh yes, the herd of hogs; how easily are men diverted from that which is most important to that which is secondary!

Verse 37 And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them; for they were holden with a great fear: and he entered into a boat, and returned.What an incredible thing it is that those people would not have seized upon the opportunity to have brought their sick and afflicted to the Master. Such blindness and short-sightedness are amazing. The rash request that Jesus should depart, our Lord honored at once; and there is no record that he ever returned. However, as the next verses indicate, he did not leave himself without witness.

Verse 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, 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.The Lord granted the request of the demons, but did not grant this man’s prayer. This was due to the fact of our Lord’s making him a witness of the truth in a district that might otherwise have been without a witness. Jesus’ command that the man should publish abroad the fact of his healing, whereas upon other occasions Jesus forbade such publication, was due to the different circumstances. There was nothing in this wonder that could be perverted to political purposes; and the publication of this miracle was focused upon the works of Jesus, rather than bearing upon his identity. Nevertheless, there was a most vivid glimpse of the Lord’s deity: “Declare how great things God hath done for thee.” “How great things Jesus hath done for him.” This witness of Christ’s power spread throughout the whole region; and later, Jesus healed a deaf-mute in one of the cities where this man had proclaimed Jesus (Mark 7:32). See my Commentary on Mark for discussion of that miracle. ONE MIRACLE IN ANOTHERAll the synoptics record the raising of the daughter of Jairus, along with the parenthetical wonder of his healing the woman with the issue of blood; and their agreement is not any evidence that all of these sacred records were derived from some single prior source, but proves that this is the way it all actually happened.

Verse 40 And as Jesus returned, the multitude welcomed him; for they were all waiting for him. 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; for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as he went the multitudes thronged him.The miracle of raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead has been commented upon in detail in both my Commentary on Matthew and my Commentary on Mark in this series of commentaries; and reference is made to them for many comments that will not be repeated here. The scene of this wonder was Capernaum, or very near it; and Jairus was one of the respected managers of the synagogue which had been given to the Jews by the centurion (Luke 7:5). His prostrating himself before Jesus was atypical of his class and probably earned him the sharp disapproval of his peers; but such was the agony of his heart that he braved all the consequences of seeking Jesus upon her behalf who was dying. Nothing is to be made of the fact that one Gospel reported her already dead at the time Jairus came to Jesus, and another that she was dying. The fact that death had indeed occurred must be allowed in view of Jairus’ peers having already proceeded with the funeral when Jarius returned with the Master. There was therefore some time-lapse between Jairus’ setting out to bring Jesus to his house and the actual arrival of the Lord. The daughter was dying when he left and dead at the moment of his request of Jesus. The multitude welcomed him … contrasts sharply with the multitude beyond Galilee who had just thrust him, as it were, out of their borders. The wonder recorded here could have taken place there, except for the unreceptiveness of the people. Multitudes thronged him … This shows the pressure of the multitudes upon Christ, making it impossible for him to move freely and causing a delay as he moved toward the home of Jairus. In such a throng, it was possible for the woman to touch Jesus inconspicuously.

Verse 43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, who had spent her living upon physicians, and could not be healed of any, came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately the issue of her blood stanched.This does not mean that any magical properties attached to Jesus’ clothes, nor that it was possible for the woman to have been healed without the Lord’s conscious willing of it. And could not be healed of any … Luke was careful here to defend, quite unconsciously, the reputation of the class of physicians to which he himself belonged. He avoided, but did not contradict, what Mark said of the outlandish remedies the poor sufferer had to endure at the hands of doctors. Luke seems to be saying, “She had an incurable malady!” Immediately the issue … was stanched … The cure of the woman was instantaneous and complete. Luke here used a word, “stanched,” more in keeping with a doctor’s vocabulary. As MacKnight said: It was necessary that the ministry of the Son of God should be rendered illustrious by all kinds of miracles, and that the whole people of the country where he lived, should have both the highest idea, and the firmest persuasion of his power.[22]In keeping with such designs, Jesus willed, not only that the woman should be healed, but that also the full knowledge of it should be granted to the multitude. With infinite tenderness, however, Jesus spared the unfortunate sufferer the necessity of confessing her pitiful illness while it still continued, but reserved her confession until she could make it with the joy and vibrancy of health restored. ENDNOTE: [22] James MacKnight, A Harmony of the Gospels (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1950), Vol. I, p. 499.

Verse 45 And Jesus said, Who is it that toucheth me? And when all denied, Peter said, and they that were with him, Master, the multitude press thee and crush thee. But Jesus said, Some one did touch me; for I perceived that power had gone forth from me.Who touched me …? Here, to be sure, are the grounds of cavil. Did not Christ know all things? Why the perplexity here? Of course, there was no perplexity. Mark said, “He looked round to see her that had done this thing” (Mark 5:32); and it is certain that Jesus knew, not merely that some woman had touched him, but which woman had done so, as well. As Trench observed: Elisha said, “Whence cometh thou, Gehazi?” (2 Kings 5:25); and God said, “Adam, where art thou?” (Genesis 3:9); and to Cain, “Where is Abel thy brother?” (Genesis 4:9); and, in every case there is a moral purpose in the question.[23]So, there was a moral purpose of the question here. Jesus would not permit this woman of such commendable faith to receive in secrecy, and by stealth, in a sense, the blessing which he willed that she should receive. Moreover, following her confession, he would extend the blessing to include salvation itself. Also, there would be the tangential benefit of giving the wonder the kind of publicity and publication which so great a cure deserved. ENDNOTE: [23] Richard Trench, Notes on the Miracles of Our Lord (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1953), p. 208.

Verse 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. And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.Her fears might have resulted from the fact that, by such a touch, she had brought ceremonial uncleanness to Jesus, with some consequence of rebuke; but she was reassured in the most emphatic manner. Made thee whole … may also be rendered “saved” (English Revised Version (1885), margin), indicating that forgiveness of sins was also extended by the Lord to this woman who had such faith.

Verse 49 While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the teacher.Thus it is clear that Jairus’ daughter had not been dead when Jairus left the house; otherwise, this message would not have been sent. Moreover, the contempt of Jairus’ peers is evident in the blunt statement of his daughter’s death and the equally blunt command to leave Jesus out of his plans. They said, in effect: “Look, the child is dead, Jesus can do nothing in this situation.” How wrong they were! Jesus at once moved to confirm Jairus in a faith that must have wavered in the presence of so colossal a challenge.

Verse 50 But Jesus hearing it, answered him, Fear not: only believe, and she shall be made whole.Only believe … has no bearing whatever upon the great heresy of salvation by “faith only,” referring, in this context, to the only option left to Jairus. He could either believe in Jesus and trust his power to raise the dead, or go about the sad business of burying his only child. How dark was the alternative of turning away from Jesus. This man Jairus was a ruler of the synagogue, an office corresponding to “president”; and it may be assumed that wealth and social position were his. Life had dealt him flowers and sunshine until that sad day. His precious daughter, at the dawn of womanhood, lay a corpse; and what should have been the morning of life for the house of Jairus had suddenly become its night. He found the grace to believe in Jesus. Nothing is more disgusting in the contemplation of such an event as Luke recorded here than the fanciful rationalizings of scholars professing to believe it, but actually denying it as anything remarkable. Thus, Barclay wrote: They were sure that she was dead, but Jesus said that she was asleep. It is perfectly possible that Jesus meant this quite literally. It may well be that here we have a real miracle of diagnosis; and that Jesus saw that the girl was in a deep trance, and that she was just on the point of being buried alive.[24]This, of course, is the same crass literalizing of Jesus’ words indulged by his enemies who said, “Will he kill himself, that he saith, Wither I go, ye cannot come?” (John 8:22). The factual history of this instance of Jesus’ raising the dead is attested by three Gospels, nor was it ever denied as a fact until long generations after the event. For a discussion of death as “sleep,” see my Commentary on Matthew, Matthew 9:24; and for comment on the reasons why Jesus made a statement which he doubtless knew would afford the Pharisees a ground of denying his miracle, see my Commentary on Mark, Mark 5:39. It should be remembered, in this connection, that Jesus customarily spoke of death as a “sleep” (John 11:11), especially when he was about to raise the dead.

Furthermore, the performance of so great a miracle under conditions where it could not be denied, was the trigger that set in motion his crucifixion. Here, Jesus was not ready for the crucifixion, which in its own time would take place, when his “hour” had come. That hour not having come at this time, Jesus freely provided his enemies with grounds of denying that any miracle had taken place, as in the next verses. ENDNOTE: [24] William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1953), p. 111.

Verse 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. And all were weeping and bewailing her: and he said, Weep not; for she is not dead, but sleepeth.Not dead, but sleepeth … Thus Jesus provided his enemies with a crutch to sustain their wicked unbelief; and which, if he had not granted it, would probably have resulted in their killing him then and there. It is also evident that the crutch was such that only a hopeless moral cripple could have found it helpful. The true fact of the maiden’s actual death was so undeniable that only a mind maddened by the most antagonistic and frenzied unbelief could have accepted Jesus’ words in a purely literal sense. When scholars follow the lead of those Pharisees in so understanding Jesus’ words here, one beholds the real fundamentalism, such men becoming the true fundamentalists, a status most of them would vehemently deny.

Verse 53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.Death is not such an uncommon phenomenon that one must suppose these people to have been ignorant of it; and there is no support of denying the fact here stated, except the improvisations of infidelity.

Verse 54 But he, taking her by the hand, called saying, Maiden, arise. And her spirit returned, and she rose up immediately: and he commanded that something be given to her to eat. And her parents were amazed: but he charged them to tell no man what had been done.Maiden, arise … Mark here recorded the Aramaic words, the exact syllables our Lord used, “Talitha cumi.” Tell no man … This fits perfectly the purpose which lay behind Jesus’ words that the maiden was not dead but asleep. The Pharisees were not to be pressed too hard at this time. Later on, when Jesus raised Lazarus who had been in his grave four days, they responded by setting about to kill both Jesus and Lazarus; nor can there by any doubt that they would have done so in this situation, except for Jesus’ words that she was “asleep,” and the caution here enjoined upon the child’s parents to the effect that they should not tell the wonder. The strongest presumptive proof of this miracle lies in the identity of the child raised. Jairus was the president of a distinguished synagogue; and the record of this resurrection was promulgated in all three synoptic Gospels within the lifetime of thousands of the citizens of Capernaum where the wonder occurred. Why was it never denied? The answer must lie in the fact that it was impossible to deny it. Satan, however, would exercise his option of denying it long after the event, when evil men would still need some crutch for unbelief. God indeed visited human beings in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Questions by E.M. Zerr For Luke 81. Where did Jesus preach the glad tidings? 2. State the subject of these good tidings. 3. Who were with him? 4. What women were with him? 5. Tell what they had done for him previously. 6. Who gathered unto him? 7. By what method did he teach them? 8. What was the first subject? 9. Which seed was trodden down? 10. Why did some plants wither away? 11. What choked part of it? 12. Where did some other seed fall? 13. State the result. 14. What should be done with ears? 15. What inquiry did the disciples make? 16. Why were parables spoken to the multitude? 17. What was wrong with their seeing and hearing? 18. Tell who were allowed to know the mysteries. 19. To do this what explanation must Jesus make? 20. What is the seed? 21. Who takes the seed from the heart? 22. State his motive. 23. How do they on the rock receive the word? 24. In what time do they fall away? 25. What constitutes thorns ? 26. Tell what they do to the word. 27. What is the good ground? 28. It does what with the word besides hear it? 29. How is a candle properly displayed ? 30. What other light should be so treated ? 31. How are secrets going to be dealt with ? 32. In what should we take heed? 33. To whom will more be given? 34. What will be taken from the other? 35. Who sought the presence of Jesus? 36. State his reply to his informers. 37. To what place did Jesus and disciples sail ? 38. What came up on the way? 39. Tell what Jesus was doing. 40. How did they approach him? 41. What miracle did he perform? 42. With what question did he rebuke them ? 43. State the conversation they had. 44. At what country did they land? 45. What character met Jesus here? 46. Describe the habits of this place. 47. What posture of body did he present now? 48. State his recognition of Jesus. 49. And his request. 50. What command had prompted this request? 51. State the name the devil replied to Jesus. 52. And then what request? 53. Was it granted? 54. What happened with the swine ? 55. How did this affect the swineherds? 56. When the crowds came out what did they find 57. This produced what effect on them? 58. What information was then given to them? 59. State what was then requested of Jesus. 60. What did he do? 61. State request of the recovered man. 62. Instead, what was he told to do ? 63. Tell what he did. 64. What greeting did this prepare for Jesus? 65. State the position of Jairus. 66. What did he request of Jesus? 67. Why did he request this? 68. On the way who sought to touch Jesus ? 69. What had been her experience? 70. State her success in this instance. 71. By what question did Jesus test her confidence? 72. Who were confused by the question? 73. What had Jesus perceived? 74. Describe the woman’ s conduct at this. 75. What consolation did Jesus give her? 76. Who now joined the procession? 77. State their message. 78. Did this change the plans of Jesus? 79. Who were permitted to witness his work? 80. State his remark about the maid. 81. Why did they laugh at him? 82. When Jesus spake, what came to the maid? 83. What command did he speak to the family? 84. State the charge he gave them.

Luke 8:1

1 Shewing the glad tidings all comes from the Greek word EUACCE-LIZO which occurs many times in the New Testament, and the universal meaning is to tell any good news. The connection has to be noticed to learn what particular good news is meant in any given case, and in the present one it is the news that the kingdom of God is at hand. The twelve means the apostles (Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 3:14-19).

Luke 8:2

2 The closing sentence of the preceding verse is continued in this to include certain women, etc. One of them was Mary Magdalene who had been possessed of seven devils until Jesus relieved her of them. She was present at the cross when Jesus was crucified (Matthew 27:56).

Luke 8:3

3 The women had been favored by Jesus miraculously, and they showed their appreciation by ministering to him of their substance, which means necessities of life.

Luke 8:4

4 These parables were spoken to the people, not his disciples. The reason for teaching them in this manner is explained at Matthew 13:11.

Luke 8:5-15

5 This is the beginning of the parables, and the full explanation is given in Matthew 13 which will not be repeated in detail here. However, a few of the items of this passage will be noticed. Thorns means a bramble, and is the same plant of which the soldiers made a crown and placed upon the head of Jesus in mockery (Matthew 27:29). Devil is from which is applied to Satan as the chief of demons. Good ground is defined as an honest heart that causes good fruit to be produced.

Luke 8:16

6 The teaching of this verse is that a man should not hinder the influence of righteous deeds by some unwise action otherwise. (See Romans 14:16.)

Luke 8:17

7 As a candle is not supposed to be covered, so the good things learned from Jesus should be permitted to go out for the benefit of others.

Luke 8:18

8 That which he seemeth to have. (See Matthew 13:12; Matthew 25:29.)

Luke 8:19

9 The press means the crowd that pressed about the door.

Luke 8:20

0 The brethren means the same as the word ordinarily denotes. Had Luke meant his spiritual brethren (as the Romanists teach), there would have been no reason for mentioning his mother, for that is a fleshly relationship.

Luke 8:21

1 See the comments at Matthew 12:47-48.

Luke 8:22

2 This lake means the Sea of Galilee which Jesus wished to cross, where he was going to do more teaching and perform his great deeds.

Luke 8:23

3 Filled with water is explained by the closing words, were in jeopardy. We know that if the boat had been literally filled they would have perished then, but instead of that they were in danger of perishing.

Luke 8:24

4. We perish means the same as the preceding verse about being in great danger. Rebuked the wind indicates control over inanimate objects by miraculous power.

Luke 8:25

5 They had heard him command intelligent creatures such as the demons, but were astonished to see him control things that have no consciousness.

Luke 8:26

6 Gadarenes (also called Gergesenes) was situated near the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, and that is where Jesus went ashore.

Luke 8:27

7 These tombs were cavities in the rocks, such as were sometimes used as burial places. This man was possessed with devils, which made him abnormally strong. h.

Luke 8:28

8 The devils knew Christ because they were fallen angels and had seen him before they were cast out of heaven. (See 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6.) Torment me not. The devils knew that if they had to leave this world they would have to go back to the place of torment into which they were cast when they first sinned.

Luke 8:29

9 The man was under the control of the devils. (See the note at Matthew 8:28.) It explains the condition of being possessed with the devil.

Luke 8:30

0 Legion means an indefinite but great number of beings. But one of the devils was spokesman for the others Is why the pronoun is in singular number sometimes.

Luke 8:31

1 Deep is from ABUSSOS which is defined by Thayer as follows: “Bottomless, unbounded; the pit; the abyss.” He also explains it to mean, “The immeasurable depth; a very deep gulf or chasm in the lowest of the earth; the common receptacle of the dead, Romans 10:7, and especially as the abode of demons, Luke 8:31; Revelation 9:1; Revelation 11:7; Revelation 17:8; Revelation 20:1; Revelation 20:3.”

Luke 8:32

2 The devils did not know the swine would perish, so they requested to be let go into them rather than go back to this deep where they had been tormented.

Luke 8:33

3 The possession of devils made the swine mad and induced them to destroy themselves by drowning, thus forcing the spirits out of the world.

Luke 8:34-37

7 It will be well to read the comments on Matthew 8:28-34.

Luke 8:38-39

9 Gratitude prompted the man to wish for the privilege of accompanying Jesus, but the Lord preferred to make a messenger of him among the people of his own house. He did so and even extended his report throughout the whole city.

Luke 8:40

0 After the miracle of casting out these devils, Jesus entered the boat again and recrossed the sea, when he found people waiting for him with joy.

Luke 8:41-56

6 For detailed comments on this paragraph see the ones on Matthew 9:18-26. For the reader’s convenience, I shall make some remarks on various specific items in the present paragraph. A ruler was one presiding over a synagogue. The woman had a chronic hemorrhage of twelve years’ standing. She was cured immediately which was always the case with miraculous healing. Not dead but sleepeth is explained in the passage cited above at Matthew 9:24.