Bible Commentaries
Luke 8

Verse 2

Mary Magdalene - Or Mary of Magdala, a town in Galilee: probably the person mentioned in the last chapter.

Verse 4

And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:

Matthew 13:1; Mark 4:1.

Verse 15

But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Who — keep it - Not like the highway side: And bring forth fruit - Not like the thorny ground: With perseverance - Not like the stony.

Verse 16

No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.

No man having lighted a candle — As if ho had said, And let your good fruit appear openly. Matthew 5:15; Mark 4:21; Luke 11:33.

Verse 17

For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.

For nothing is hid — Strive not to conceal it at all; for you can conceal nothing long. Matthew 10:26; Mark 4:22; Luke 12:2.

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 even that which he seemeth to have.

The word commonly translated seemeth, wherever it occurs, does not weaken, but greatly strengthens the sense. Matthew 13:12; Mark 4:25; Luke 19:26.

Verse 19

Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press.

Matthew 12:46; Mark 3:31.

Verse 22

Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.

Matthew 8:23; Mark 4:35.

Verse 26

And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.

Matthew 8:28; Mark 5:1.

Verse 29

(For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)

For many times it had caught him — Therefore our compassionate Lord made the more haste to cast him out.

Verse 31

And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.

The abyss — That is, the bottomless pit.

Verse 32

And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.

To enter into the swine — Not that they were any easier in the swine than out of them. Had it been so, they would not so soon have dislodged themselves, by destroying the herd.

Verse 37

Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.

Matthew 9:1; Mark 5:18.

Verse 40

And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.

Mark 5:21.

Verse 52

And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.

She is not dead but sleepeth — Her soul is not separated finally from the body; and this short separation is rather to be called sleep than death.