Luke 8:1 . Îá½Ïá½¸Ï Î´Î¹ÏÎ´ÎµÏ Îµ καÏá½° ÏÏλιν καὶ κÏμην , The Lord Himself was passing throughout every city and village [lit. city by city and village by village]) How great was the loving condescension of the Son of God! [There is no need that we should be anxious to form a calculation of the number of His journeyings. The several evangelists record them on different occasions: in fact, all the daily life of Jesus was spent in conferring benefits on all by word and deed. Harm. , p. 315.]
Luke 8:2 . ΤεθεÏαÏÎµÏ Î¼Îναι , healed ) By this the power of Jesus was being shown, as well as the pious affection of the women, in that they were following Him. [Though these women were not present at the voyage to Gadara, which is to be presently mentioned by Luke, although it in reality occurred previously, nor, as it appears, at the journey which the Lord took “in secret” ( Joh 7:10 ) to the feast of tabernacles, and which is narrated by John alone; yet, from this point of time, which was (distant) by the interval of a year from the Passion, they endeavoured in every way to show their adherence to the Lord Jesus, and to minister to Him: for it was during this very attendance on Him that they accompanied Him to Jerusalem; which is the reason why Luke, ch. Luke 23:49 ; Luke 23:55 , thinks it unnecessary to repeat their names, as he refers to this very passage, ch. Luke 8:2 . Harm. , p. 315, 316.] This retinue of women were, from the utmost wretchedness [viz. their possession by evil spirits ], admitted to the utmost felicity [viz. their hourly communion with Jesus], just as happened in the case of David’s veteran band. It was a matter of custom among the Jews (as Simonius remarks), that women, especially widows, should relieve doctors and Rabbis out of their private resources, and should, for that purpose, accompany them on their journeys. [ ÎαÏία , Mary ) Somewhat fastidious men, even then, may have been inclined to turn away from her with disgust, on account of her former wretchedness: but she was held in high account with Jesus. V. g.]
Luke 8:3 . ἸÏάννα , Joanna ) the wife of a husband of high standing in the world. [Her public attendance on the Saviour does not seem to have been without effect, in bringing it about that Herod came to know something concerning Jesus, ch. Luke 9:7 . V. g.]: yet in the household of Jesus Mary Magdalene takes precedency of her. á¼ÏιÏÏÏÏÎ¿Ï , steward ). διηκÏÎ½Î¿Ï Î½ , ministered ) The record of their ministry to the Lord is an ample reward of their liberality. But at that time, no doubt, many supposed them to be silly women.
Luke 8:4 . Τῶν καÏá½° ÏÏλιν ) out of every city there was some body of men. á¼ÏιÏοÏÎµÏ Î¿Î¼ÎνÏν ) á¼Ïὶ is to be referred to the multitude of the people.
Luke 8:8 . á¼ÎºÎ±ÏονÏαÏλαÏίονα , a hundredfold ) Matthew and Mark add sixty and thirty . Luke, wishing to give but one genus, expresses, as is customary, the highest; in which the others are included.
Luke 8:12 . á¼Ïὸ Ïá¿Ï καÏÎ´Î¯Î±Ï , out of their heart ) Implying the great power of the Devil; [who, however, has less power on the second and third classes mentioned in this place than on the first. V. g.] ÏιÏÏεÏÏανÏÎµÏ , having believed ) We are saved by the word through faith : Luke 8:13 . Faith is the appropriate fruit of the word.
Luke 8:14 . Îαὶ ÏλοÏÏÎ¿Ï ) Repeat á½Ïὸ ; comparing Mark 4:19 , [where the cares of this world are made distinct from the deceitfulness of riches : showing that ÏλοÏÏÎ¿Ï here is governed, not by μεÏιμνῶν , but by á½ÏÏ .] Construe the words with ÏÏ Î¼ÏνίγονÏαι , they are choked . ÏοÏÎµÏ Ïμενοι , setting out, going their way ) without any rapid and manifest apostasy (falling away), nay, even with some degree of progress. For this is the force of the verb ××× ÏοÏεÏομαι . The increments in good and evil go on simultaneously, not only in the case of men collectively, Matthew 13:30 , but also in the case of individuals. οὠÏελεÏÏοÏοῦÏι ) they do not hear the fruit perfected and ripened, viz. faith itself, in such a way as that they should attain the ÏÎÎ»Î¿Ï , or “end of faith, the salvation of their souls:” Luke 8:12 : comp. 1 Peter 1:9 . Plutarch, ÏελεÏÏÏÏα δÎνδÏα .
Luke 8:15 . [ á¼Î½ Ïῠκαλῠγῠ, on the good ground ) Lest such a soil should not be sown upon, it is better that some seed should be thrown away on the wayside, etc. V. g.] καλῠκαὶ á¼Î³Î±Î¸á¿ ) See Matthew 7:17 . A frequent compound is καλοκá¼Î³Î±Î¸ÏÏ . ÎÎ±Î»á½¸Ï has somewhat of a relative meaning, á¼Î³Î±Î¸ÏÏ is absolute. καÏÎÏÎ¿Ï Ïι , retain, keep it fast ) not as on the wayside. καÏÏοÏοÏοῦÏι , bear fruit ) not as among the thorns. á¼Î½ á½Ïομονῠ, with patience ) not as on the rocky ground. á½Ïομονή answers to the one Hebrew word תק×× , waiting, hope. It is strength of mind, sustained by good hope. It precedes the act of bearing fruit in such a way as even to accompany it: on this account it is here put at the end. This constitutes the sum of Christianity.
Luke 8:16 . Τὸ Ïá¿¶Ï ) the light , not the candlestick [or lamp which holds the light, λÏÏνον ]. Man’s nature no more has light of itself [derived from itself], than the material of the candlestick has it. For this light is added from without, that is, by Divine agency, through the word. Therefore the candlestick does not seek to be beheld, as far as itself is concerned, but serves that the light may be beheld: and the good hearer, like the candlestick, always hears in such a way as that he may be of use to as many as possible by his shining: and he himself, in turn, day by day increases in the brightness of his shining.
Luke 8:18 . [ Î á¿¶Ï , how ) With what result and fruit. V. g. á¼ÎºÎ¿ÏεÏε , ye hear ) Ye especially who are appointed to instruct others. V. g á½ Ï Î³á½°Ï á¼Î½ á¼Ïá¿ , for whosoever hath ) and has accordingly done his best, by word and deed, to effect that the word or light should strike the eyes of others. V. g.] δοκεῠ, seems ) He only seems to have who does not use. Accordingly, if that too[the semblance of having] be taken away, what, I would ask, will remain left to the wretched being?
Luke 8:21 . [ ÎήÏÎ·Ï Î¼Î¿Ï , my mother ) See Luke 8:2 . V. g. á¼Î´ÎµÎ»Ïοί Î¼Î¿Ï , my brethren ) Luke 8:1 , at the end. V. g.] οá½Ïοι , these ) Used demonstratively.
Luke 8:22 . Îαὶ á¼Î³ÎνεÏο , and it came to pass ) The author, in the Harm. Ev., § 49, shows that a transposition has place here in Luke, and also in Mark; and in the same work, p. 264, he considers as most corresponding to the truth such a series of events, as that there should follow after one another in succession: 1) The evening , on which Christ bade them get ready for the voyage (sailing) across (Mark 4:35 ; Luk 8:22 ); 2) The morning , in which, having been sought out by the multitude, He declared that He must preach to others also (Mark 1:35-36 ; Luk 4:42-43 ); 3) The voyage , and the preaching throughout the whole of Galilee, partly before, partly after the voyage (Matthew 8:23 ; Mark 4:36-37 ; Mark 1:39 ; Luke 8:22-23 ; Luk 4:44 ).
Luke 8:24 . á¼ÏιÏÏάÏα , á¼ÏιÏÏάÏα , Master, Master ) An Epizeuxis [a repetition of the same word in the same sentence to give force. Append.] answering to the feeling of the moment.
Luke 8:27 . [ á¼Î½Î®Ï ÏÎ¹Ï , a certain man ) A remarkable and extraordinary instance of demoniacal possession. V. g.] οá½Îº á¼Î½ÎµÎ´Î¹Î´ÏÏκεÏο , wore no clothes ) Satan, when he can, reduces man to such a state of misery as even to neglect natural decorum. God loves order, propriety, measure, etc.
Luke 8:29 . Îá½°Ï , for ) This assigns the cause of the expulsion, and of the greater suffering which was conjoined with it. ἠλαÏνεÏο , was driven ) with the utmost violence; comp. Luke 8:33 ; and without his being able to exercise Ins reason, Luke 8:35 .
Luke 8:31 . Îá¼°Ï Ïὴν á¼Î²Ï ÏÏον , into the deep ) ת×× , LXX. á¼Î²Ï ÏÏÎ¿Ï ; often; comp. Revelation 9:11 ; Revelation 20:3 . In the deep or abyss, 1) They are not worshipped by bad men; 2) They cannot injure men; 3) They feed (brood) upon their own wretchedness, and do not, however, as yet seem to be tortured in that place of confinement. The power of Jesus Christ extends over animals, demons, and the abyss: and the demons acknowledged the fact.
Luke 8:43 . ἸαÏÏοá¿Ï , physicians ) Luke, being a physician himself, writes candidly. ÏÏοÏαναλÏÏαÏα ) The ÏÏá½¸Ï implies, besides his affliction of body. οá½Îº á¼´ÏÏÏ Ïεν θεÏαÏÎµÏ Î¸á¿Î½Î±Î¹ ) was not able to be healed, i.e. the physicians were not able to heal her.
Luke 8:47 . Îá½Îº á¼Î»Î±Î¸Îµ , that she had not escaped notice [ was not hid ]) She had wished to escape Jesus’ notice. á¼Î½ÏÏιον , in the presence of ) Faith drives away all unseasonable modesty.
Luke 8:51 . ἸÏάννην καὶ ἸάκÏβον , John and James ) That John should be at times put first is the less wonderful, as even John alone is sometimes added to Peter: ch. Luke 22:8 .
Bibliographical Information Bengel, Johann Albrecht. "Commentary on Luke 8". Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament. https://studylight.org/commentaries/eng/jab/luke-8.html. 1897.
Verse 1
Luke 8:1 . Îá½Ïá½¸Ï Î´Î¹ÏÎ´ÎµÏ Îµ καÏá½° ÏÏλιν καὶ κÏμην , The Lord Himself was passing throughout every city and village [lit. city by city and village by village]) How great was the loving condescension of the Son of God! [There is no need that we should be anxious to form a calculation of the number of His journeyings. The several evangelists record them on different occasions: in fact, all the daily life of Jesus was spent in conferring benefits on all by word and deed. Harm. , p. 315.]
Verse 2
Luke 8:2 . ΤεθεÏαÏÎµÏ Î¼Îναι , healed ) By this the power of Jesus was being shown, as well as the pious affection of the women, in that they were following Him. [Though these women were not present at the voyage to Gadara, which is to be presently mentioned by Luke, although it in reality occurred previously, nor, as it appears, at the journey which the Lord took “in secret” ( Joh 7:10 ) to the feast of tabernacles, and which is narrated by John alone; yet, from this point of time, which was (distant) by the interval of a year from the Passion, they endeavoured in every way to show their adherence to the Lord Jesus, and to minister to Him: for it was during this very attendance on Him that they accompanied Him to Jerusalem; which is the reason why Luke, ch. Luke 23:49 ; Luke 23:55 , thinks it unnecessary to repeat their names, as he refers to this very passage, ch. Luke 8:2 . Harm. , p. 315, 316.] This retinue of women were, from the utmost wretchedness [viz. their possession by evil spirits ], admitted to the utmost felicity [viz. their hourly communion with Jesus], just as happened in the case of David’s veteran band. It was a matter of custom among the Jews (as Simonius remarks), that women, especially widows, should relieve doctors and Rabbis out of their private resources, and should, for that purpose, accompany them on their journeys. [ ÎαÏία , Mary ) Somewhat fastidious men, even then, may have been inclined to turn away from her with disgust, on account of her former wretchedness: but she was held in high account with Jesus. V. g.]
Verse 3
Luke 8:3 . ἸÏάννα , Joanna ) the wife of a husband of high standing in the world. [Her public attendance on the Saviour does not seem to have been without effect, in bringing it about that Herod came to know something concerning Jesus, ch. Luke 9:7 . V. g.]: yet in the household of Jesus Mary Magdalene takes precedency of her. á¼ÏιÏÏÏÏÎ¿Ï , steward ). διηκÏÎ½Î¿Ï Î½ , ministered ) The record of their ministry to the Lord is an ample reward of their liberality. But at that time, no doubt, many supposed them to be silly women.
Verse 4
Luke 8:4 . Τῶν καÏá½° ÏÏλιν ) out of every city there was some body of men. á¼ÏιÏοÏÎµÏ Î¿Î¼ÎνÏν ) á¼Ïὶ is to be referred to the multitude of the people.
Verse 5
Luke 8:5 . á½ ÏÏείÏÏν Ïοῦ ÏÏεá¿Ïαι Ïὸν ÏÏÏÏον , a sower to sow his seed ) Conjugate words excite attention.
Verse 8
Luke 8:8 . á¼ÎºÎ±ÏονÏαÏλαÏίονα , a hundredfold ) Matthew and Mark add sixty and thirty . Luke, wishing to give but one genus, expresses, as is customary, the highest; in which the others are included.
Verse 12
Luke 8:12 . á¼Ïὸ Ïá¿Ï καÏÎ´Î¯Î±Ï , out of their heart ) Implying the great power of the Devil; [who, however, has less power on the second and third classes mentioned in this place than on the first. V. g.] ÏιÏÏεÏÏανÏÎµÏ , having believed ) We are saved by the word through faith : Luke 8:13 . Faith is the appropriate fruit of the word.
Verse 13
Luke 8:13 . ÎÎÏονÏαι , receive ) This is the beginning of faith. ÏÏá½¸Ï ÎºÎ±Î¹Ïὸν ) So 1 Corinthians 7:5 .
Verse 14
Luke 8:14 . Îαὶ ÏλοÏÏÎ¿Ï ) Repeat á½Ïὸ ; comparing Mark 4:19 , [where the cares of this world are made distinct from the deceitfulness of riches : showing that ÏλοÏÏÎ¿Ï here is governed, not by μεÏιμνῶν , but by á½ÏÏ .] Construe the words with ÏÏ Î¼ÏνίγονÏαι , they are choked . ÏοÏÎµÏ Ïμενοι , setting out, going their way ) without any rapid and manifest apostasy (falling away), nay, even with some degree of progress. For this is the force of the verb ××× ÏοÏεÏομαι . The increments in good and evil go on simultaneously, not only in the case of men collectively, Matthew 13:30 , but also in the case of individuals. οὠÏελεÏÏοÏοῦÏι ) they do not hear the fruit perfected and ripened, viz. faith itself, in such a way as that they should attain the ÏÎÎ»Î¿Ï , or “end of faith, the salvation of their souls:” Luke 8:12 : comp. 1 Peter 1:9 . Plutarch, ÏελεÏÏÏÏα δÎνδÏα .
Verse 15
Luke 8:15 . [ á¼Î½ Ïῠκαλῠγῠ, on the good ground ) Lest such a soil should not be sown upon, it is better that some seed should be thrown away on the wayside, etc. V. g.] καλῠκαὶ á¼Î³Î±Î¸á¿ ) See Matthew 7:17 . A frequent compound is καλοκá¼Î³Î±Î¸ÏÏ . ÎÎ±Î»á½¸Ï has somewhat of a relative meaning, á¼Î³Î±Î¸ÏÏ is absolute. καÏÎÏÎ¿Ï Ïι , retain, keep it fast ) not as on the wayside. καÏÏοÏοÏοῦÏι , bear fruit ) not as among the thorns. á¼Î½ á½Ïομονῠ, with patience ) not as on the rocky ground. á½Ïομονή answers to the one Hebrew word תק×× , waiting, hope. It is strength of mind, sustained by good hope. It precedes the act of bearing fruit in such a way as even to accompany it: on this account it is here put at the end. This constitutes the sum of Christianity.
Verse 16
Luke 8:16 . Τὸ Ïá¿¶Ï ) the light , not the candlestick [or lamp which holds the light, λÏÏνον ]. Man’s nature no more has light of itself [derived from itself], than the material of the candlestick has it. For this light is added from without, that is, by Divine agency, through the word. Therefore the candlestick does not seek to be beheld, as far as itself is concerned, but serves that the light may be beheld: and the good hearer, like the candlestick, always hears in such a way as that he may be of use to as many as possible by his shining: and he himself, in turn, day by day increases in the brightness of his shining.
Verse 17
Luke 8:17 . Îá½°Ï , for ) The light even now already loves to be seen, because it is about to be wholly revealed.
Verse 18
Luke 8:18 . [ Î á¿¶Ï , how ) With what result and fruit. V. g. á¼ÎºÎ¿ÏεÏε , ye hear ) Ye especially who are appointed to instruct others. V. g á½ Ï Î³á½°Ï á¼Î½ á¼Ïá¿ , for whosoever hath ) and has accordingly done his best, by word and deed, to effect that the word or light should strike the eyes of others. V. g.] δοκεῠ, seems ) He only seems to have who does not use. Accordingly, if that too[the semblance of having] be taken away, what, I would ask, will remain left to the wretched being?
Verse 20
Luke 8:20 . ÎεγÏνÏÏν ) The genitive absolute, i.e. when they were saying , ×××ר . So the LXX. 1 Chronicles 17:24 , etc.
Verse 21
Luke 8:21 . [ ÎήÏÎ·Ï Î¼Î¿Ï , my mother ) See Luke 8:2 . V. g. á¼Î´ÎµÎ»Ïοί Î¼Î¿Ï , my brethren ) Luke 8:1 , at the end. V. g.] οá½Ïοι , these ) Used demonstratively.
Verse 22
Luke 8:22 . Îαὶ á¼Î³ÎνεÏο , and it came to pass ) The author, in the Harm. Ev., § 49, shows that a transposition has place here in Luke, and also in Mark; and in the same work, p. 264, he considers as most corresponding to the truth such a series of events, as that there should follow after one another in succession: 1) The evening , on which Christ bade them get ready for the voyage (sailing) across (Mark 4:35 ; Luk 8:22 ); 2) The morning , in which, having been sought out by the multitude, He declared that He must preach to others also (Mark 1:35-36 ; Luk 4:42-43 ); 3) The voyage , and the preaching throughout the whole of Galilee, partly before, partly after the voyage (Matthew 8:23 ; Mark 4:36-37 ; Mark 1:39 ; Luke 8:22-23 ; Luk 4:44 ).
Verse 23
Luke 8:23 . ÎαÏÎβη , came down ) viz. from the air.
Verse 24
Luke 8:24 . á¼ÏιÏÏάÏα , á¼ÏιÏÏάÏα , Master, Master ) An Epizeuxis [a repetition of the same word in the same sentence to give force. Append.] answering to the feeling of the moment.
Verse 25
Luke 8:25 . Ποῦ , where ) There was some faith on their part, but it was not ready at hand in the emergency.
Verse 27
Luke 8:27 . [ á¼Î½Î®Ï ÏÎ¹Ï , a certain man ) A remarkable and extraordinary instance of demoniacal possession. V. g.] οá½Îº á¼Î½ÎµÎ´Î¹Î´ÏÏκεÏο , wore no clothes ) Satan, when he can, reduces man to such a state of misery as even to neglect natural decorum. God loves order, propriety, measure, etc.
Verse 29
Luke 8:29 . Îá½°Ï , for ) This assigns the cause of the expulsion, and of the greater suffering which was conjoined with it. ἠλαÏνεÏο , was driven ) with the utmost violence; comp. Luke 8:33 ; and without his being able to exercise Ins reason, Luke 8:35 .
Verse 31
Luke 8:31 . Îá¼°Ï Ïὴν á¼Î²Ï ÏÏον , into the deep ) ת×× , LXX. á¼Î²Ï ÏÏÎ¿Ï ; often; comp. Revelation 9:11 ; Revelation 20:3 . In the deep or abyss, 1) They are not worshipped by bad men; 2) They cannot injure men; 3) They feed (brood) upon their own wretchedness, and do not, however, as yet seem to be tortured in that place of confinement. The power of Jesus Christ extends over animals, demons, and the abyss: and the demons acknowledged the fact.
Verse 39
[39. Σοὶ , unto thee ) Every one can be the weightiest witness of those things which have been vouchsafed to himself by the Divine favour. V. g.
Verse 42
Luke 8:42 . ÎÎ¿Î½Î¿Î³ÎµÎ½Î®Ï , one only-begotten ) Ch. Luke 7:12 . V. g.]
Verse 43
Luke 8:43 . ἸαÏÏοá¿Ï , physicians ) Luke, being a physician himself, writes candidly. ÏÏοÏαναλÏÏαÏα ) The ÏÏá½¸Ï implies, besides his affliction of body. οá½Îº á¼´ÏÏÏ Ïεν θεÏαÏÎµÏ Î¸á¿Î½Î±Î¹ ) was not able to be healed, i.e. the physicians were not able to heal her.
Verse 47
Luke 8:47 . Îá½Îº á¼Î»Î±Î¸Îµ , that she had not escaped notice [ was not hid ]) She had wished to escape Jesus’ notice. á¼Î½ÏÏιον , in the presence of ) Faith drives away all unseasonable modesty.
Verse 50
Luke 8:50 . Îαὶ ÏÏθήÏεÏαι , and she shall be saved [ made whole ]) from death. The word was one suited to give hope.
Verse 51
Luke 8:51 . ἸÏάννην καὶ ἸάκÏβον , John and James ) That John should be at times put first is the less wonderful, as even John alone is sometimes added to Peter: ch. Luke 22:8 .
Verse 53
Luke 8:53 . ÎἰδÏÏÎµÏ knowing ) Therefore all of these persons must have recognised the reality of the miracle.
Verse 54
Luke 8:54 . Ἡ Ïαá¿Ï , maid ) Luke has least of all employed Hebrew idioms.