Bible Commentaries
Luke 8

Verses 1-3

Luk 8:1-3

Commentary On Luke 8:1-3

Galen Doughty

Luke 8:1-3 - Luke gives us more detail about how Jesus went about his early ministry in Galilee. He traveled from town to town preaching and healing, proclaiming the Kingdom of God. The twelve were with him along with some women who supported him out of their own means. Each of the women Jesus had healed in some way. Luke says Mary Magdalene had 7 demons in her that Jesus had cast out. The others who are named are Joanna, the wife of Cuza, Herod’s steward and Susanna. At least some of the women would have been wealthy because they supported Jesus and his disciples with their money, which meant food and shelter for at least 15-20 people. They probably also cooked their meals and did any cleaning or other chores for Jesus. Given Jesus’ character they were also probably often included into his teaching times with the twelve.

Luke’s description of Mary’s plight, Jesus had healed her of her demonic possession, explains much about her affection and loyalty to Jesus. She owed him her life and she was going to serve him as best she could. There was nothing romantic going on despite Dan Brown’s silly speculation in The Da Vinci Code or the legendary Gnostic gospels. Once again writers and scholars ignore what the Scriptures actually say in favor of wild speculation. They fail to look at the data of Scripture and come up with a reasonable explanation for things!

Jesus was proclaiming the good news. The word is karusso, to proclaim, preach or herald. Jesus was announcing the coming of the Kingdom of God and healing people to demonstrate its presence and power. Each of the women who followed him and provided for him could testify to the truth of his preaching.

Verses 4-18

Luk 8:4-18

Commentary On Luke 8:4-18

Galen Doughty

Luke 8:4-8 - A large crowd gathers and Jesus tells them a parable that relates to the Kingdom of God which he was proclaiming to them.

He uses the picture of the farmer, which many of them were, who goes out to sow his field in the terraced hillside farms of Galilee. This kind of farm would not be in the Valley of Jezreel but on the hills above the Sea of Galilee. The soil is most shallow nearest the hillside, where a path is made to get from one field to the next. The soil is deepest at the wall furthest from the hillside where the best soil has been built up. That is where the farmer can expect the best crop. He goes out to sow his seed and then plow it in, unlike our farming practice which is to plow first and then sow the seed. He sows his seed in hope that it will grow and so he sows it everywhere he can even over the shallow ground nearest the hillside. He scatters it by hand so some of the seed invariably falls on the rocky path along the edge of the field. Jesus’ listeners would know this instinctively because that is how they sowed their crops and how they farmed. That is the background to the parable. Also, the farmer knows his field. He knows where the best soil is but in order to gain the greatest crop he sows it all in the off chance that some will come up in the poorer soil. He sows because this is his family’s life. If the crops fail they don’t eat. So he sows out of necessity and out of hope.

The stakes are even higher in the Kingdom of God because Jesus is dealing with people’s eternity. So he sows in hope that even those who are resistive to the gospel will hear and repent and be saved. But he also sows in hope knowing that there are many who will hear, receive and bear fruit for the Kingdom. Jesus knows the fields are ripe for the harvest.

Luke 8:8 - Jesus is saying listen up! Those who are looking for the Kingdom will understand what I am saying. Those who resist God will not. If you want to follow me you will be sowing the seeds of the Kingdom. Know that some will reject it and some will hear it and fall away but many will receive the gospel and bear fruit. Don’t be discouraged, keep sowing in hope!

He is also saying your job as a disciple is to sow the gospel, preach it and model it. You are not responsible for the soil’s response to the seed. It is your responsibility to sow where the soil is good and ready but the growing of the seed you have no control over even in the good soil!

Luke 8:9-10 - The disciples come to him and ask him what the parable means. Jesus’ reply is unexpected, especially at the beginning. He tells them that the knowledge of the secrets of the Kingdom has been given to them but to everyone else he speaks in parables. If parables were stories to obscure the gospel this would mean Jesus was trying to deliberately hide the message of the gospel. But remember parables are stories told to push the listener to make a decision about Jesus and about the Kingdom of God. The disciples have already made their choice; they have chosen to leave everything and follow Jesus. The crowds have not made that choice as yet. That is why Jesus speaks to them in parables, to bring them to the point of decision.

Jesus then quotes from Isaiah 6:9 and Isaiah’s call from God. This again can sound as if Jesus were deliberately trying to confuse people so they wouldn’t repent. Instead he speaks to them in parables to show what is already in their hearts, to force them to declare for or against him and for or against the Kingdom of God. Those who are ready to repent will and those who refuse to repent and don’t see their need won’t. This is played out in his ongoing conflict with the Pharisees. Luke 15 is told to them to get them to see their sinfulness and their broken relationship with the Father but they refuse to repent and follow Jesus. That is why Jesus tells them the three great parables.

Luke 8:11-15 - Jesus goes on to explain the parable to them. The seed is God’s Word but the parable is really about which soil is able to grow the seed. The ones along the path hear the gospel but their hearts are hard and the devil immediately takes away the word they hear so they refuse to repent. Those on the rocky soil or shallow soil nearest the hillside hear the word but they do not follow Jesus. I think these are people who accept Jesus as their personal savior but never become his disciple. They never submit to him as Lord and so they fall away as soon as things get difficult or God asks them to change. Their faith is too shallow. Jesus is saying here they were never saved! Those who grow in the weedy soil are saved but they never bear fruit because the cares of the world, riches and the world’s pleasures choke out God’s work in their lives and they never bear fruit. They do not mature and remain baby Christians. Those on the good soil, and the farmer knows where the best soil is; they mature and bear fruit. They have a noble heart and they hear the word, retain it, persevere with it and bear a great crop, a hundred fold or more.

Jesus is saying the goal of the gospel is not just people who hear it and believe, but people who hear it, persevere with it and bear fruit! Mature disciples is the goal, not decisions that produce no fruit!

He is also telling those who follow him, don’t be discouraged. When you share the gospel people will respond in different ways but don’t worry some will bear much fruit. And don’t be discouraged if not everyone receives it. Keep sowing!

Luke 8:16-18 - This parable of the lamp on a stand is similar to Matthew’s in content but Jesus changes some details and comments and thereby completely changes the application. This is not an evangelistic witness parable like Matthew 5 but a consequences parable. When the Kingdom comes into a person’s life it exposes us, our sin and true heart before God and people. It also exposes the people around us. For the Pharisees Jesus was dangerous because he exposed their tenuous spiritual condition with God - their pride!

Jesus is also saying that when the Kingdom comes into a person’s life or they are exposed to its power, that which they try and hide will be revealed. God brings our sin to light and does not allow us to hide it. That is why Jesus says consider carefully how you listen because if you think you are right with God and are not, the gospel will expose it! That is what happened with the Pharisees and the religious leaders.

This parable and how Jesus uses it also illustrates how Jesus could use the same parable in different settings and change the meaning and focus. It doesn’t mean that Luke changed the setting from Matthew; it means that Jesus used the same saying in a different setting for his own purposes. Jesus is like all great teachers, when they have a great story or lesson; they use it in multiple settings in order to maximize its impact. When the gospels have Jesus saying essentially the same saying or parable in a different setting it is because he did that. It would be too simplistic to assume Jesus could only use one story in one setting and never repeat himself at all. What teacher or preacher do you know who doesn’t have some favorite illustrations and uses them to great effect in different settings? Jesus does the same and that accounts for many of the differences in settings for similar sayings.

Verses 19-21

Luk 8:19-21

Commentary On Luke 8:19-21

Galen Doughty

Luke 8:19-21 - Mary and Jesus’ brothers came to see him but could not because of the crowd. Someone said your mother and brothers are outside wanting to see you. Jesus replies that his mother and brothers, his true family are those who hear God’s Word and do it. He is saying his true family are his faithful disciples! Kingdom ties are stronger than family ties because Kingdom ties are eternal!

It is possible that at this time Mary has questions about what Jesus is doing and is not fully supportive. It also is possible that Jesus’ brothers are not yet believers and are trying to support their mother and figure a way to control Jesus and save face for the family.

Verses 22-25

Luk 8:22-25

Commentary On Luke 8:22-25

Galen Doughty

Luke 8:22-25 - Jesus encourages the disciples to go to the other side of the lake with him. They got into the boat; perhaps one of the boats Peter, James and John had used in their fishing business, and set sail. Jesus falls asleep in the boat and a squall came down on the lake. Luke is very precise in his language here because that is exactly what happens on Lake Galilee, the storms come down on the lake, accelerating down into the Rift Valley to the lake from the heights above. The storm is so severe the boat was being swamped and the disciples were in great danger. They wake him and exclaim, they are going to drown! At the Museum of the Boat you can see a typical fishing boat of the time and can see how a storm would threaten to sink them. The boat has a shallow draft and with at least 13 people in it would draw a lot of water putting the gunnels right up to the water line. Any waves would threaten to swamp them. This is probably the situation when the disciples awaken the sleeping Jesus.

Jesus gets up and rebukes the storm as if he had authority to do so and nature itself should obey his commands. The remarkable thing is, it did! The storm ceased and everything was calm. Jesus asks the disciples, where is your faith? What is he saying? You have me with you, everything is all right. This storm is nothing for me, don’t be afraid.

The disciples react by asking who is this that even nature obeys him? They knew on one level but were awed and shocked on another. Just like Mary and Joseph in the infancy narratives. God had told them who Jesus was but when it was confirmed it filled them with amazement. Perhaps that is how we all are and why when God answers our prayers in miraculous ways we are awestruck and say, I don’t believe it! God did that! We are not much different than the disciples.

Verses 26-39

Luk 8:26-39

Commentary On Luke 8:26-39

Galen Doughty

Luke 8:26-29 - Jesus and the disciples reach the eastern shore of the lake after the storm. They put in at Kursi, in the Gentile region of the Gerasenes. Some manuscripts have Gadarenes, which is what Matthew has. He also has two demon possessed men rather than the one. Mark has one like Luke. Here is one of those places where you see differences in the tradition with minor details of the story changed. The essential elements remain in each of the gospel accounts.

When Jesus comes ashore he is met by a demon possessed man, a Gentile, from the town of Gerasa. The man has been possessed for a long time and has been violent and raving for many years. He went about naked and lived in the tombs which were probably caves near the lake. At Kursi today there are many caves in the limestone above the lakeshore. The demon had given the man supernatural strength and he had broken his chains that the people had put around him to hold him. He had escaped but the people had driven him out of the town away from them. That is why he stayed among the tombs.

The demon begs Jesus not to torture him and he identifies Jesus as the Son of the Most High God. Luke says Jesus had commanded the demon to come out of him. But then Jesus and the demon carry on this conversation about going into the pigs in the next few verses. It is unclear as to the timing of this. Is Luke saying that Jesus commanded the demon to leave and then it refused and debated with Jesus? Or is he saying that the demon begged Jesus not to torture him and then came the conversation at the end of which the demon left? It makes the most sense to see it as the latter.

Luke 8:30-31 - This is the only time in the gospels where Jesus asks a demon its name. The apostles do not do that in Acts either. Apparently it was not necessary for a successful exorcism. The rest of the time Jesus simply commands the demon to leave and it does. Here they beg Jesus to not send them into the Abyss. The demon’s name is Legion because they were many. Perhaps Jesus knew this and asked the demons their name or names so that all of them would come out of the man. Jesus knew their character that they are lying and devious and wanted to make sure every evil spirit was removed from the man. His concern is not only to defeat the evil spirits but to free the man and save him.

The Abyss appears to be a prison of some sort for demonic creatures where they are held until the last judgment. It is also called the Pit. However, in Revelation 9 demonic locusts are freed from the Pit and come up to afflict the unbelieving world. Satan is also bound for 1000 years during the Millennium in the Abyss. Revelation 9 says Apollyon or Abaddon is the name of the demon who is the king of the Abyss. Its name means destruction. The Beast of Revelation 17 comes up out of the Abyss. It appears the Abyss is a prison for demonic creatures awaiting final judgment at the end of history. From time to time God allows some of those demons to emerge and wreak havoc upon the earth to judge sinful humanity and to carry out God’s purposes. That appears to be the case in Revelation especially. Here if the demons are sent to the Abyss it is a place they do not want to go and it is a place that puts them out of circulation and unable to oppress anyone else.

Luke 8:32-33 - The Legion beg Jesus to let them go into a herd of pigs nearby. He gives them permission but once the demons enter the pigs the animals panic, stampede down the hillside into the lake and are drowned, trapping the demons in the pigs. Why did Jesus allow this? My guess is the demons think they are pulling a fast one on Jesus and if they go into the pigs they can harass the people in the area and still carry out their mission. Jesus is not fooled and knows what the animals will do. Since he commanded them to go into the pigs and he has authority over them they are trapped there. When the animals drown the evil spirits are stuck in the dead pigs at the bottom of the lake until the end. Case closed. Demons lose, Jesus wins! And what’s more the man is free!

Luke 8:34-37 - The pig herders run into town to tell the people what had happened. A great crowd comes out and they find Jesus, his disciples and the man, fully clothed and in his right mind. It terrifies them and they ask Jesus to leave because they are overcome with fear. One can understand how. Here is someone who commanded the Legion of demons to leave the man whom the whole town could not control and now he was in his right mind. What kind of powerful magician or sorcerer was this? They are pagans, as is obvious from the pigs, and distrustful of Jesus and probably the man as well. Did they think Jesus has a more powerful demon or spirit in him? He did, but it was the Holy Spirit and no demon!

Luke 8:38-39 - The man wants to go with Jesus and follow him. Who can blame him? Jesus sends the man back home to testify about God’s goodness to him. He testifies about Jesus’ goodness, knowing he is God. He goes back to Gerasa and shares about Jesus with his Gentile family and friends. Jesus makes an evangelist out of him because he simply tells the story of what Jesus did for him and how he delivered him from the legion of demons. He was lost, but now he is found. He was dead but now he is alive again and Jesus did that for him!

Jesus sending the man back to the Decapolis region to share about what God did for him is a pre-figuring of the Gentile mission that is to come. If Jesus only came for the Jews then he would have never healed the man and sent him back to share. Jesus is the Jewish Messiah but he is also the Savior of the whole world, for the Jew and the Greek.

Verses 40-56

Luk 8:40-56

Commentary On Luke 8:40-56

Galen Doughty

Luke 8:40-42 - Jesus returned probably to Capernaum, which was his headquarters and home for his ministry. A large crowd was there and welcomed him. Jairus, a leader in the synagogue in Capernaum came and begged Jesus to heal his 12 year old daughter who was dying. Jesus agrees and begins to walk to Jairus’ house and the girl.

Luke 8:42-44 - The crowds press in upon Jesus, his disciples, Jairus and whoever else is in his party. A woman who had suffered from bleeding for 12 years came up to him in the crowd in order to touch him, believing that if she did she would be healed. Mark adds more details in his story about her faith, primitive and magical as it is. Luke the physician does not add Mark’s comment that the woman had spent all her money on doctors and had not gotten any better. That didn’t sit well with the Greek Medical Society! Hilarious!

The other thing to be aware of is the woman’s condition according to the holiness codes of the Law. Any woman in her menstrual period was unclean or a woman who had continuous bleeding. Anything she touched or anyone she touched was also made unclean for the rest of that day until sunset. This would separate her from her family, especially if they were strict Jews. She would be isolated from the synagogue and would not be able to worship because she would make everyone unclean. She could not go up to the temple in Jerusalem to worship or offer a sacrifice because of her condition. So not only did her bleeding cause her physical suffering it caused her emotional and spiritual pain as well. She was desperate to be healed and thought if she could touch Jesus his power would heal her. What did she have to lose?

Luke 8:45-48 - The woman touches Jesus in the midst of the crowd and is healed. Jesus perceives power has gone out from him, though Luke does not tell us how. He stops and says who touched me? Peter speaks for the disciples and states the obvious, how can Jesus ask who touched me because everyone was touching him. The crowd is pressing around him and it is impossible to single out anyone for touching him. Luke says they all denied it. Are they concerned that Jesus is somehow offended by the people pressing around him and touching him, bumping in to him? That makes some sense. Perhaps Peter is trying to mitigate the situation and find a way to save face for everyone, especially if he thinks Jesus is offended because people are touching him. It is an odd response to Jesus’ question.

Jesus’ answer is even odder. Power has gone out from me. What did Peter and the disciples think of that? What does it mean? Did Jesus heal the woman involuntarily? Did the woman’s faith cause Jesus’ power to heal her? Did the Holy Spirit in Jesus heal the woman without Jesus’ conscious knowledge? There are no easy answers to these questions and each answer brings a new set of problems. My best guess is the Holy Spirit was acting through Jesus knowing what was going on in the woman’s heart or Jesus knew the whole time and was playing dumb in order to bring the woman to him publicly. That is also a strong possibility. If he healed her without being conscious of the action then Jesus is like a corn dispenser for pigeons in an experiment. Press the button and you get some corn. Come in faith and you get some power to heal. I don’t think that is what is happening! Jesus heals as a conscious act not as an automatic response to our faith, even if it is great faith. It removes his sovereignty and freedom and makes him beholden to us. This is one of those places where Scripture needs to interpret Scripture.

However the power went out of Jesus the woman understands she can’t hide anymore and she comes and confesses before Jesus. She falls at his feet trembling, probably figuring that Jesus is going to be angry because she touched him and made him unclean for the rest of the day. How is he going to heal Jairus’ daughter now? He will make his whole household and his home unclean because of her! You can imagine the spiritual oppression she is under. She confesses the whole thing publicly at the feet of Jesus, preparing for the worst. She tells him how she had touched him and been instantly healed. How did she know her bleeding had stopped? Luke doesn’t tell us. Jesus’ response is probably not what she thought she would receive. Perhaps it was not what many in the crowd thought she should receive either. He addresses her as daughter, a title that suggests a child of Abraham. That title would restore her spiritual standing in Capernaum and her standing at the synagogue. How could Jairus, one of the synagogue rulers prevent her from worshipping on the Sabbath now? Jesus had just called her daughter, not woman but daughter. What’s more important is Jesus pronounces her healed. Her faith had healed her, go in peace. Her primitive, if I just touch his robe kind of faith had healed her. Shalom, peace, was now hers from God. Everything was restored. She had her life back; her family back, her worship back and her health back all because of Jesus!

Luke 8:49-50 - While Jesus is talking to the woman and restoring her, someone from Jairus’ house comes and tells him your daughter is dead, there is no more point to having Jesus come, it’s too late. Jesus hears what they are telling Jairus and tells him not to be afraid. He says, just believe and she will be healed. How do we take that statement? Is this a blanket formula for when anyone is sick, just believe and they will be healed? Or is this specific to this incident with Jairus’ daughter and is merely illustrative? I think it must be the latter. Other places in Scripture show that people got sick and even died and God did not always heal them. Yet, the principle of God responding to faith in healing is certainly present here. Faith is not always present when Jesus heals. Many times it is and many times Jesus commends people for their faith just like the woman with the bleeding. But it is not necessary for faith to be present in someone for Jesus to heal them. Think of the widow’s son in Nain! Jesus is trying to encourage Jairus and his family, along with his disciples. One cannot take Jesus’ statement here out of context as a blank formula like the Healing Rooms type churches do. It perverts Jesus’ statement. However, one also cannot take our paltry experience of miraculous healings and completely discount what Jesus is saying as if he no longer does these sort of things. Look at Elias Malki and his ministry! Obviously Jesus still heals today in response to faith. It is a balancing act and we need to keep both things in tension.

Luke 8:51-56 - Jesus arrives at Jairus’ home and everyone is mourning and wailing over the little girl. Jesus tells the disciples to wait outside and takes Peter, James and John and the girl’s parents with him to where the little girl lay inside the house. He then admonishes the friends and relatives and servants to stop wailing. The girl is not dead but sleeping.

They all laugh at Jesus, probably nervous laughter because they know the girl is dead! What were Jairus and his wife thinking at this point? They want to believe but are they wondering whether Jesus is in his right mind? He goes in to the room where the girl is lying and says to her my child get up. Luke says her spirit returned. The Greek word is her pneuma returned which can mean breath or spirit. The concepts were linked in Greek and in Hebrew thought just as God breathed into Adam and he became a living being. The little girl lives and stands up. Jesus says give her something to eat, probably to show she is in fact alive.

Her parents are astonished. Did they believe? I am not sure. There is no hint here from Luke that Jairus had the attitude of I knew it; I knew Jesus could heal her. It is more, I don’t believe it! How did you do that? Jesus curiously orders them not to tell anyone. How could that be possible? Anyone who was at the home that day would tell the story! It would be all over Capernaum by night fall! Perhaps Jesus doesn’t want the parents telling the story because people might misinterpret what happened, thinking the parents were embellishing it, that the girl wasn’t really dead. I don’t know. It is one of those places where Jesus invokes the concept of the Messianic secret, which only serves to spread the story more rapidly than otherwise would have happened. Perhaps that was his idea. I don’t know.

Questions by E.M. Zerr For Luke Chapter Eleven

1. 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 Chapter Eight

By Ralph L. Starling

After preaching in city after city, village after village,

Mary and Joanna helped Him until the crowd gathered.

He described with a parable, some practical lessons.

A sower who had fields of different conditions…

Each field was sown with seeds that were equal.

When harvested it was shamefully unequal.

The birds ate it from the wayside, thorns choked it.

The stoney ground could not produce any of it.

The disciples asked, “What might this parable be?”

He explained, “Some have eyes and will not see.

Others have ears and will not hear,

While others have eyes and ears and do not care.”

Later they sailed to the other side of the lake.

A storm was filling the ship while Jesus was asleep.

Frantically they woke Him, “Master we perish!”

He calmed the wind and waves saying, “Where is your faith?”

In the country of the Gadarenes a man with a devil

Wore no clothes, lived in tombs and was hardly civil.

He pleaded with Jesus not to bother him a all,

But Jesus cast out the devil into a herd of pigs.

Jarius’s daughter about age of 12, who was dying,

As Jesus accompanied him crowds were arriving.

He was being interrupted by another healing,

When it was reported the 12 yr. old was past feeling.

Upon arriving, many were sobbing and weeping.

He said, “Don’t weep, she’s not dead, just sleeping.”

They laughed in scorn when He said, “Maid arise.”

Her parents gave her meat, astonished she was alive.