The Gospel According to Luke

Chapter 8

Women minister to Christ from their substance, 1-3. Christ, after he had preached from place to place, attended by his apostles, propounds the parable of the sower, 4-15, and of the candle, 16-18; declares who are his mother and brothers, 19-21; rebukes the winds, 22-25; casts the legion of demons out of the man into the herd of swine, 26-36; is rejected by the Gadarenes, 37-42; heals the woman of her bloody issue, 43-48; and raises from death Jairus's daughter, 49-56.

1 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, 2 Along with some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary called Magdalene (out of whom went seven demons), 3 Joanna (the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward), Susanna, and many others who ministered to him from their possessions.

4 And when many people were collected and had come to him out of every city, he spoke by a parable: 5 "A sower went out to sow his seed, and as he sowed, some fell by the wayside, and it was trodden down and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell upon a rock, and as soon as it had sprung up, it withered because it lacked moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. 8 And others fell on good ground, sprang up, and bore fruit one hundred-fold." And when he had said these things, he cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

9 And his disciples asked him, saying, "What does this parable mean?" 10 And he said, "To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to others in parables so that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'

11 "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the wayside are those who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy. But these have no root, who for a while believe and in time of temptation fall away. 14 And that which fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go forth and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life and bring no fruit to perfection. 15 But those on the good ground are those, who, in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it and bring forth fruit with patience.

16 "No man, when he has lit a candle, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a candlestick so that those who enter in may see the light. 17 For nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest, neither anything hid that shall not be known and come abroad. 18 Take heed therefore how you hear. For whoever has, to him shall be given, and whoever does not have, from him shall be taken even that which he seems to have."

19 Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but could not come near to him because of the crowd. 20 And it was told to him by some, who said, "Your mother and your brothers stand outside desiring to see you." 21 And he answered and said to them, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God, and do it."

22 Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, "Let us go over to the other side of the lake." And they launched forth. 23 But as they sailed, he fell asleep. And there came down a storm of wind on the lake, and they were filled with water and were in jeopardy. 24 And they came to him and awoke him, saying, "Master, master, we perish." Then he arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. Then they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 And he said to them, "Where is your faith?" And they, being afraid, wondered, saying to one another, "What manner of man is this? For he commands even the winds and water, and they obey him."

26 And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. 27 And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man who had demons for a long time and wore no clothes, neither stayed in any house, but in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with you, Jesus, Son of God most high? I implore you to not torment me." 29 (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For often it had caught him, and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters, and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.) 30 And Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered into him. 31 And they implored him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.

32 Now there was a herd of many swine feeding on the mountain. And they implored him that he would allow them to enter into them. And he allowed them. 33 Then the demons went out of the man and entered into the swine. And the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake and were choked.

34 When those who fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then they went out to see what was done, and came to Jesus and found the man out of whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 36 Those who saw it also told them by what means he who was possessed by the demons was healed. 37 Then the whole multitude of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes implored him to depart from them, for they were taken with great fear. And he went into the boat and returned. 38 Now the man out of whom the demons had departed implored him that he might be with him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 "Return to your own house and show what great things God has done to you." And he went away and published throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done to him.

40 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had returned, the people gladly received him, for they were all waiting for him. 41 And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. He fell down at the feet of Jesus and implored him that he would come into his house. 42 For he had only one daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay dying. But as he was going, the people thronged him.

43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, who had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed by any, 44 Came behind him and touched the border of his garment, and immediately her issue of blood stanched. 45 And Jesus said, "Who touched me?" When all denied, Peter, and those who were with him, said, "Master, the multitude throngs you and presses you, and you say, 'Who touched me?'" 46 And Jesus said, "Somebody has touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out of me." 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared to him before all the people for what cause she had touched him and how she was healed immediately. 48 And he said to her, "Daughter, be of good comfort. Your faith has made you whole. Go in peace."

49 While he was yet speaking, there comes someone from the house of the ruler of the synagogue, saying to him, "Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Master." 50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, "Do not fear. Only believe, and she shall be healed." 51 And when he came into the house, he allowed no man to go in, except Peter, James, John, and the father and the mother of the girl. 52 And all wept and bewailed her, but he said, "Do not weep. She is not dead, but sleeps." 53 And they derided him, knowing that she was dead. 54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand and called, saying, "Girl, arise." 55 And her spirit came back and she arose immediately. Then he commanded them to give her food. 56 And her parents were astonished, but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.

Commentary

Matthew Henry Commentary - Luke, Chapter 8[➚]

Notes

[v.4-10] - Gospel Link: Matthew 13:1-15; Mark 4:1-12.

[v.10] - Quoting Isaiah 6:9. See also, Jeremiah 5:21; Ezekiel 12:2. Reference, Deuteronomy 29:29.

[v.11-15] - Gospel Link: Matthew 13:18-23; Mark 4:13-20.

[v.16a] - See the comment for Matthew 5:16.

[v.16b] - Gospel Link: Matthew 5:15; Mark 4:21; Luke 11:33.

[v.17] - Gospel Link: Matthew 10:26; Mark 4:22.

[v.18] - Gospel Link: Mark 4:24-25.

[v.19-21] - Gospel Link: Matthew 12:46-50; Mark 3:31-35.

[v.22-25] - Gospel Link: Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41.

[v.26-39] - Gospel Link: Matthew 8:28-34; Luke 5:1-20.

[v.40-48] - Gospel Link: Matthew 9:18-22; Mark 5:22-34.

[v.49-56] - Gospel Link: Matthew 9:23-26; Mark 5:35-43.

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