Luke 8v1 21 Bible study

www.biblestudiesonline.org.uk

The Gospel of Luke Chapter 8:1-21 Ministering Women 8:1 Some time afterward he went on through towns and villages, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him.

Jesus continued his itinerant ministry throughout Galilee and the surrounding area. Luke is describing Jesus in terms which reveal him as a driven man, with an imperative in his heart to reach all the people with the good news of the release he came to bring. We also notice the method which Jesus employed, of teaching ad preaching. We have already seen that he did this by expounding the Old Testament scripture, and in this chapter we shall encounter Jesus’ use of illustrative parables. It is of great significance that the twelve were with him, for here Jesus was training them on the job – the way Jesus approached his ministry was to be the way for them to follow. It is also the way we must follow, being compelled by the Holy Spirit to reach all the people; to be urgent and incessant in that outreach, and using the methods which Jesus used by teaching God’s Word and proclaiming the kingdom of God; that is, the saving Kingship (or Lordship) of Jesus.

8:2-3 And also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and disabilities: Mary (called Magdalene), from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna the wife of Cuza (Herod's household manager), Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their own resources.

Jesus could not have accomplished this ministry by himself. He was only able to go on his mission, with a team of twelve (who all needed food and lodging) because he was supported financially and practically by some well-to-do women. I say that because not many women in those days would have had what Luke specifically point out was their own income. These women accompanied Jesus and quite possibly took turns in the cooking and arranged lodgings. Only three are named here Mary Magdalene out of whom He had cast seven demons; Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's household manager and Susanna but there were many more. It is possible that the idea of supporting Christian ‘missionaries’ began with those who supported Jesus.

The Sower and the Seed 8:4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from one town after another, he spoke to them in a parable.

When a large crowd had gathered around Him Jesus began to teach them using a parable- an everyday story which carries within it some certain spiritual meaning or religious teaching. In verse 10 Jesus tells His disciples why it is that he teaches the people the truths about the kingdom of God in parables in fulfilment of the Scriptures (Isaiah 6:9 and Ezekiel 12:2). But to his disciples he makes known the mysteries of the kingdom of God plainly, by explaining to them the meaning of his parables.

8:5-15 A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled on, and the wild birds devoured it. Other seed fell on rock, and when it came up, it withered because it had no moisture. Other seed fell among the thorns, and they grew up with it and choked it. But other seed fell on good soil and grew, and it produced a hundred times as much grain." As he said this, he called out, "The one who has ears to hear had better listen!" Then his disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, "You have been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that although they see they may not see, and although they hear they may not understand. Now the parable means this: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in a time of testing fall away. As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. But as for the seed that landed on good soil, these are the ones who, after hearing the word, cling to it with an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with steadfast endurance.

In the parable, the sower is the Lord Jesus Christ and the seed is the Word of God. Following his resurrection he passed on the role of the sowing God’s word to his followers (Mark 16:15), enabling them to carry out their task by his Spirit (Acts 1:8). As his apostles went out to proclaim his word, they encountered some success, but also a great deal of hostility and persecution, for although the Word of God is pure (Psalm 12: 6) and sure (Luke 21:33), men and women respond to it in different ways. The reason for this is what Jesus goes on to explain.

The sower does not sow his seed sparingly from a packet but from a large basket and he scatters it over the ground; symbolising that the message of the gospel is intended for the whole world. As the sower does this, some seed falls on uncultivated ground (verse 5). To Jesus this represented those who reject God’s word, for their hearts are hardened towards God (verse 12). Thus, as soon as they hear the word, Satan is able to immediately ‘snatch it away’; or as another Scripture puts it, the devil has blinded their minds (2 Cor. 4:4).

Other seed fell on stony ground (verse 6), representing the group of people who are characterised by a shallow response to the gospel. These receive the word straight away with great joy and apparently flourish for a while (verse 13). But because they have not allowed the word of Christ to take control of the deep seated areas of their personality—in particular their wills—they are unable

to persevere in the face of trouble or persecution. Hence they fall away and walk no more with God’s people.

Other seed fell among thorns (verse 7), which for Jesus represents the group of people who, although they receive the word of God become embroiled in the affairs of the present world, never truly becoming separated from it as true believers ought to be (2 Cor. 6:17-18; John 15:19). They continue to walk in the ways of the world and so desire to fill themselves with it that God’s word is crowded out until there is no room for spiritual fruit to grow in them (1 John 2:15-16, Rom. 12:1-2).

The seed that fell on good ground (verse 8) stands for those people who have prepared and receptive hearts. Good ground is soil which has been broken up and prepared. Those who are broken through the Holy Spirit’s conviction and prepared through repentance and sorrow for sin are more likely to be receptive to the gospel message of forgiveness. Consequently, they receive the word into the very depths of their soul where it abides and matures (verse 15). They grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord and the fruits of righteousness abound in them through the inward working of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus demands that his hearers should listen carefully and consider the words they have heard; understanding and applying to their own hearts what he was saying (verse 8).

Light Reveals 8:16 No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand so that those who come in can see the light.

No one in his right mind would light a lamp and then cover it! You would not put a light under your bed, for then it would be of no use to you at all. Instead, you put your light in a prominent place (in those days an oil lamp would be placed on a lamp stand) so that it would provide sufficient light for all who enter the room.

8:17 For nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing concealed that will not be made known and brought to light.

In this context Jesus’ words explain that the truth which is hidden within his parables is meant to be disclosed; and just as he has revealed his teaching to the disciples, so they are to make it known to others, indeed to as many as they can reach (Matt. 10:27). Whatever we receive from Jesus’ teaching, we must pass on.

8:18 So listen carefully, for whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.

That is why Jesus tells his disciples to pay careful attention to what he teaches them; for those who do so gain a greater understanding of the spiritual things. On the other hand, those who refuse to pay careful heed to what Jesus says will eventually lose whatever spiritual understanding they supposed that they had. In other words, the opposite of continuing in Jesus teaching is backsliding.

The Family of God 8:19-20 Now Jesus' mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not get near him because of the crowd. So he was told, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you."

At this point His mother and brothers came but could not get near Him because of the crowds. So a message was passed to Him that they were waiting outside wishing to see Him. 8:21 But he replied to them, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it."

Turning to the multitude, Jesus told them that it whoever heard God's Word and obeyed it were counted by him as his mother and brothers—the true family of God. © Derek Williams & Mathew Bartlett 2014. Bible Studies Online UK www.biblestudiesonline.org.uk You may copy, print or distribute our studies freely in any form, just so long as you make no charges. Sign up today for our FREE monthly Bible study magazine “Living Word” Scriptures taken from the NET Bible www.bible.org