The Word – Powerful, Effective, Active
Hearing & Doing God’s Word
8:1-3 – Transition -- with Women
Jesus is continuing traveling around, with him are his Apostles that he specifically has called, and some women, whom Luke names (Mary Magdelene; Joanna; Susanna), and who had been “released” from evil spirits and infirmities, and others. Luke continues to show the importance of women in his writing. This will continue at the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, and in Acts. Mary Magdelene & Joanna are at the tomb of the resurrection. These women and others are providing (deaconizing, serving) for Jesus and the Apostles. The proper use of wealth and resources is a theme in Luke, and these women are using their resources wisely in providing for Jesus and his Apostles as they bring God’s word. This transition tells us that Jesus is bringing word about God’s KINGDOM. Here the Greek has the sense that Jesus is heralding, declaring God’s dominion as he goes from town to town (Tiede, p. 164). This is over against the heralds who enter towns bringing news about Caesar’s kingdom. Luke sets up God’s kingdom against the Kingdoms of this world!!
8:4-15 – Parable of the Seed & Soil
Jesus then teaches in front of a great crowd about the Kingdom of God, and what it is like bringing this news to the hearers. First of all the seed is scattered wide, not sowed with any intentionality at all. The sower doesn’t seem to care that some seed is falling on a path, and in other areas where the possibilities are not too good for growth. Only a small percentage of the seed really produces growth, but the growth of that small amount far outweighs the seeds that were lost. In explaining the parable to his “disciples” Luke softens much of the parable and the explanation from Mark’s version. Usually we think of Luke expanding the stories from Mark, since Luke’s gospel is much longer, but here and in several other parables Luke actually shortens up the story from Mark (in fact Mark’s story is the longest in the synoptics), using less words focusing more upon the point Luke is making in the parable of hearing God’s Word about the Kingdom. To this point in the story do we have examples of each of these types of hearing? Who are the rocks? Who are the thorns? Who is the path? So far in our story the women seem to be where good soil can be found!!
Luke brings in the devil as one who snatches the seed from us (Judas Iscariot as an example), times of testing come and if our roots are shallow the seed dies in us (Peter-Rock as example when he denied Jesus, note what Peter does to combat this temptation), other times the cares of the world, riches, pleasures get in the way of our continuing in God’s word (numerous examples of this through Luke/Acts) . Each of these things are dangers in our lives, however, if we carry on with “patient endurance,” holding God’s word in our hearts the harvest will be amazing!
The hundred-fold yield may take us back to Gen 26:12, where Isaac reaped one-hundred fold, and this is seen as God’s blessing. It is clear that the harvest in this instance is blessed by God. The good soil then is a heart that has been prepared to receive God’s blessings. So far in Luke that kind of heart is one that is humble before Jesus, that recognizes our need for God, how great our sinful state is, how much Jesus “releases” us from this state, and responds with joyful LOVE at God’s releasing us. The one’s who hear and listen and understand God’s word produce amazing fruit, and endure through much in life trusting in that word from God. Jesus explains the parable to the disciples, and says they have been given this gift to understand (or at least be able to be taught). The others do not understand. There are many so far who do not understand, and there are some who do, and still others (disciples) who need an explanation to understand. List out the people in each of these categories. What do you notice?
8:16-18 – Lamp is to Light as….
Luke here now uses a parable as a commentary on the previous parable. This story sets up a nice parallel between 8:4 & 8:16. We have been told from 1:78-79 that it is God’s purpose to bring “light” to those who sit in darkness. This light is the Word of God, and these verses make this connection. How has Jesus done this so far?
There is a responsibility that comes with hearing this word that Jesus and the Apostles are bringing. The responsibility is to have it shine in our lives. How do we listen? How are Luke’s readers listening? Do we pay attention to how we are listening? Does it go in one ear and out the other? Do our lives change, or do we remain the same as we always have been? Jesus’ preaching and teaching is lighting a lamp in our souls. This lamp is to be shone forth, or do we continually extinguish it?? In our Baptismal service we give out a candle and say, “Let you light so shine before others that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in Heaven.” Then at the end of the Baptism I have the family blow out the candle as a safety precaution, but do we blow out the light Jesus lights in us on Sunday??
God’s word is a light that is reaching into the souls of all who hear, and revealing all in this light of Jesus Christ. This light not only reveals all but heals all through the power of God at work in Jesus, which we will shortly see just how powerful God is through Jesus. Finally, Jesus wants us to realize that those who listen as “good soil” will not only produce a wonderful harvest, but will be given more (seed?) responsibility in order that the harvest grow abundantly.
8:19-21 – Family??
Ultimately Jesus is connected to people not through lineage, but by response to the Word of God in our lives. Jesus connects us to God as family as we hear (listen) with hearts that are open to the change the Word of God can effect in us.
The Doing of God’s Word is Powerful – Jesus shows us how powerful!!
8:22-25 – More Powerful than Nature
This story is an inversion of the story in Jonah 1! Luke treats this story as an exorcism. The disciples call Jesus Master, not Lord, thus exposing their lack of faith. This story connects Jesus’ power to the power of Moses’ during the Exodus as Moses parted the waters to led the Israelites pass through. This same power is at work in Jesus, and ultimately Jesus is showing this power to say that those who are “good soil” have this same power at work in them!!! The closing of this story has the disciples asking, “who is this?” This question has been the theme of this section from chapter 5 (5:21 scribe; 7:20 John; 7:49 those at table; 8:25 disciples; 9:9 Herod) and will culminate in chapter 9 with Herod’s question. With this questioning the disciples are showing their not yet in the group that fully comprehends who Jesus is!
8:26- 39 – More Powerful than Demons!
This man is homeless (like Jesus), and doesn’t have any extra clothes. This story assumes an understanding of Jewish piety. Pigs were unclean, tombs were unclean, demons roamed in the desolate places, the wilderness. After crossing the lake Jesus is met by this man possessed, and the demon knows who Jesus is, knows Jesus power over him, and basically grovels before Jesus, even as Jesus is commanding the demon to come out. Knowing the names of demons give one control over the demon, and the demon cannot resist when Jesus asks straight out, though a commentator noted that the name given may be a form of trick, because there were many demons not just one, but it doesn’t matter, Jesus still obviously has control over them. The name Legion is given. This is also the name of a Roman company of soldiers. A Roman Legion was 5-6,000 men. Is this another attempt to show the power of God’s kingdom over Caesar?? Is Jesus more powerful than a Roman Legion??
The demon’s beg Jesus not to be sent to the abyss, which is the place where evil spirits are imprisoned. Jesus allows the demons to do what they suggest, entering the swine, but then the swine do something unusual by running into the lake drowning themselves.
The pigs running into the water may be an indication of the burden the man had been carrying with those demons. If pigs run and kill themselves with these demons, this man was carrying a heavy burden!! Evil always wants to do what it wants, and when it gets its way it is usually self-destructive. The man who was possessed is now sane, clothed and sitting at the feet of Jesus, taking his place among those who humble themselves before Jesus, and ultimately serve him.
When the people came out and saw what had happened they were filled with fear, and this fear caused “all the people” to tell Jesus to leave them. The man who was healed wants to go with Jesus, but Jesus doesn’t allow this and instead leaves the man to be a witness, and to continue to tell people the story of God’s power at work in healing him.
This story shows God’s power over the evil spirits that ail us. Today the sicknesses that we may associate with evil spirits are depression and other “mental” illnesses for which we do not have a rational explanation for, but still are very real in people’s lives. This story lends a word of hope that God’s power is greater than any of these problems in our lives, and our calling is then to proclaim “how much God has done for us.” In order for us to do this proclaiming we need to recognize how much God has delivered us!! The struggle is at those times when it doesn’t appear as if God is delivering us from these ailments!!
8:40-56 – More Powerful than Sickness and even Death!
Jesus returns and the crowds welcome him in, waiting for him. A leader in the synagogue approaches, in humility (the key to understanding who Jesus is, and the power that is possible from Him!) begs Jesus to come heal his “only” daughter. This links with Jesus’ earlier raising from the dead the “only” son of a mother. However, at this point in the story the girl is still alive, but dying.
As Jesus moves towards this dying girl (which might be considered an emergency) the crowds are pressing him, probably wanting him to do the things he has been doing for them. An unclean woman approaches. This would have been against all regulations. Unclean people are to keep away from others, and they are to shout out UNCLEAN, UNCLEAN so others would not go near them. This woman is obviously keeping her problem a secret, and she moves into the crowd because she knows Jesus has the power to heal her. She has been suffering for a long time, doctors are baffled, she is at the end of her rope, and so she reaches out for the end of Jesus garments (fringe). This faith in Jesus’ power is shown by her risking everything to reach Jesus, and she doesn’t even need to speak to Him, just touching his cloak.
This woman is an interruption to our story ( a story within a story ) and it places our original story in great suspense. Jesus is rushing to the bedside of a little girl, who is the little girl of the LEADER of the synagogue (an important Jewish leader, who also appears to be very faithful, aka his humility before Jesus). What is going to happen to the little girl, is Jesus going to be too late now that he had to stop and talk to this “intruder” woman??
In the previous story we have Jesus coming into contact with the UNCLEAN, and not bothered by it at all. In this story he does the same. The woman with the hemorrhage is unclean. A dead girl is unclean, but Jesus can transcend this, and makes clean rather than becoming infected himself.
When we bring Jesus with us we can reach out to others in ways that otherwise we wouldn’t be able to. This can give us a sense of confidence, not in ourselves, but in God’s presence with us. When we are doing something uncomfortable it is good to call upon the Lord to help us reach out!! Jesus doesn’t have the hangups we do. Jesus can and will reach out through us!!
As Jesus stops and asks to see the person who touched him, Peter seems to think his question is rather silly (though Luke softens this from Mark). Peter might be thinking, “Look around, who isn’t touching you???” However, this touch is a special touch. It is the touch of someone in need. It is the touch of someone suffering. It is the touch of someone who is humble. It is the touch of someone with faith. And that faith caused the Power of God to flow out of Jesus. This is an amazing point. Jesus didn’t cause the power to flow, it was the faith, the reaching out to Jesus, the touch of the humble that caused Gods power to flow freely.
As Jesus is talking with this woman we hear that his delay has some terrible consequences. Jesus didn’t make it in time; the girl has died. Jesus, however, will turn this into an opportunity to show what kind of power he really has. You think curing this woman was something, or the demoniac, or the storm?? You are going to see real power here (again). ONLY BELIEVE!!
Jesus goes to the girl, chastises the crowd for weeping over this dead little girl (who really is dead, even though Jesus says she isn’t). This raises some questions about death for us. Does Jesus see death differently than we do?? Does Jesus see death as a “sleeping” until we are raised again, as in this case?? Is it not the thing to be feared as we do?? Does Jesus recognize death as a temporary condition, whereas we see it as very permanent?? This may very well prove to be a wonderful viewpoint of what will happen in our resurrection. We die, and then we hear Jesus’ voice, “I say to you rise!!
The story makes sure to tell us that this little girl really is dead, and that Jesus really does bring the power of God to this place, and returns her spirit to her. The fact that Jesus has them bring her something to eat underscores that she has been raised to life, and is not just a spirit/ghost. Jesus does this same thing after His resurrection to show that he isn’t just an apparition (irish-banshee), but really alive, flesh and blood (though the resurrection body is still different than ours, but also the same).
Hearing & Doing God’s Word
8:1-3 – Transition -- with Women
Jesus is continuing traveling around, with him are his Apostles that he specifically has called, and some women, whom Luke names (Mary Magdelene; Joanna; Susanna), and who had been “released” from evil spirits and infirmities, and others. Luke continues to show the importance of women in his writing. This will continue at the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, and in Acts. Mary Magdelene & Joanna are at the tomb of the resurrection. These women and others are providing (deaconizing, serving) for Jesus and the Apostles. The proper use of wealth and resources is a theme in Luke, and these women are using their resources wisely in providing for Jesus and his Apostles as they bring God’s word. This transition tells us that Jesus is bringing word about God’s KINGDOM. Here the Greek has the sense that Jesus is heralding, declaring God’s dominion as he goes from town to town (Tiede, p. 164). This is over against the heralds who enter towns bringing news about Caesar’s kingdom. Luke sets up God’s kingdom against the Kingdoms of this world!!
8:4-15 – Parable of the Seed & Soil
Jesus then teaches in front of a great crowd about the Kingdom of God, and what it is like bringing this news to the hearers. First of all the seed is scattered wide, not sowed with any intentionality at all. The sower doesn’t seem to care that some seed is falling on a path, and in other areas where the possibilities are not too good for growth. Only a small percentage of the seed really produces growth, but the growth of that small amount far outweighs the seeds that were lost. In explaining the parable to his “disciples” Luke softens much of the parable and the explanation from Mark’s version. Usually we think of Luke expanding the stories from Mark, since Luke’s gospel is much longer, but here and in several other parables Luke actually shortens up the story from Mark (in fact Mark’s story is the longest in the synoptics), using less words focusing more upon the point Luke is making in the parable of hearing God’s Word about the Kingdom. To this point in the story do we have examples of each of these types of hearing? Who are the rocks? Who are the thorns? Who is the path? So far in our story the women seem to be where good soil can be found!!
Luke brings in the devil as one who snatches the seed from us (Judas Iscariot as an example), times of testing come and if our roots are shallow the seed dies in us (Peter-Rock as example when he denied Jesus, note what Peter does to combat this temptation), other times the cares of the world, riches, pleasures get in the way of our continuing in God’s word (numerous examples of this through Luke/Acts) . Each of these things are dangers in our lives, however, if we carry on with “patient endurance,” holding God’s word in our hearts the harvest will be amazing!
The hundred-fold yield may take us back to Gen 26:12, where Isaac reaped one-hundred fold, and this is seen as God’s blessing. It is clear that the harvest in this instance is blessed by God. The good soil then is a heart that has been prepared to receive God’s blessings. So far in Luke that kind of heart is one that is humble before Jesus, that recognizes our need for God, how great our sinful state is, how much Jesus “releases” us from this state, and responds with joyful LOVE at God’s releasing us. The one’s who hear and listen and understand God’s word produce amazing fruit, and endure through much in life trusting in that word from God. Jesus explains the parable to the disciples, and says they have been given this gift to understand (or at least be able to be taught). The others do not understand. There are many so far who do not understand, and there are some who do, and still others (disciples) who need an explanation to understand. List out the people in each of these categories. What do you notice?
8:16-18 – Lamp is to Light as….
Luke here now uses a parable as a commentary on the previous parable. This story sets up a nice parallel between 8:4 & 8:16. We have been told from 1:78-79 that it is God’s purpose to bring “light” to those who sit in darkness. This light is the Word of God, and these verses make this connection. How has Jesus done this so far?
There is a responsibility that comes with hearing this word that Jesus and the Apostles are bringing. The responsibility is to have it shine in our lives. How do we listen? How are Luke’s readers listening? Do we pay attention to how we are listening? Does it go in one ear and out the other? Do our lives change, or do we remain the same as we always have been? Jesus’ preaching and teaching is lighting a lamp in our souls. This lamp is to be shone forth, or do we continually extinguish it?? In our Baptismal service we give out a candle and say, “Let you light so shine before others that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in Heaven.” Then at the end of the Baptism I have the family blow out the candle as a safety precaution, but do we blow out the light Jesus lights in us on Sunday??
God’s word is a light that is reaching into the souls of all who hear, and revealing all in this light of Jesus Christ. This light not only reveals all but heals all through the power of God at work in Jesus, which we will shortly see just how powerful God is through Jesus. Finally, Jesus wants us to realize that those who listen as “good soil” will not only produce a wonderful harvest, but will be given more (seed?) responsibility in order that the harvest grow abundantly.
8:19-21 – Family??
Ultimately Jesus is connected to people not through lineage, but by response to the Word of God in our lives. Jesus connects us to God as family as we hear (listen) with hearts that are open to the change the Word of God can effect in us.
The Doing of God’s Word is Powerful – Jesus shows us how powerful!!
8:22-25 – More Powerful than Nature
This story is an inversion of the story in Jonah 1! Luke treats this story as an exorcism. The disciples call Jesus Master, not Lord, thus exposing their lack of faith. This story connects Jesus’ power to the power of Moses’ during the Exodus as Moses parted the waters to led the Israelites pass through. This same power is at work in Jesus, and ultimately Jesus is showing this power to say that those who are “good soil” have this same power at work in them!!! The closing of this story has the disciples asking, “who is this?” This question has been the theme of this section from chapter 5 (5:21 scribe; 7:20 John; 7:49 those at table; 8:25 disciples; 9:9 Herod) and will culminate in chapter 9 with Herod’s question. With this questioning the disciples are showing their not yet in the group that fully comprehends who Jesus is!
8:26- 39 – More Powerful than Demons!
This man is homeless (like Jesus), and doesn’t have any extra clothes. This story assumes an understanding of Jewish piety. Pigs were unclean, tombs were unclean, demons roamed in the desolate places, the wilderness. After crossing the lake Jesus is met by this man possessed, and the demon knows who Jesus is, knows Jesus power over him, and basically grovels before Jesus, even as Jesus is commanding the demon to come out. Knowing the names of demons give one control over the demon, and the demon cannot resist when Jesus asks straight out, though a commentator noted that the name given may be a form of trick, because there were many demons not just one, but it doesn’t matter, Jesus still obviously has control over them. The name Legion is given. This is also the name of a Roman company of soldiers. A Roman Legion was 5-6,000 men. Is this another attempt to show the power of God’s kingdom over Caesar?? Is Jesus more powerful than a Roman Legion??
The demon’s beg Jesus not to be sent to the abyss, which is the place where evil spirits are imprisoned. Jesus allows the demons to do what they suggest, entering the swine, but then the swine do something unusual by running into the lake drowning themselves.
The pigs running into the water may be an indication of the burden the man had been carrying with those demons. If pigs run and kill themselves with these demons, this man was carrying a heavy burden!! Evil always wants to do what it wants, and when it gets its way it is usually self-destructive. The man who was possessed is now sane, clothed and sitting at the feet of Jesus, taking his place among those who humble themselves before Jesus, and ultimately serve him.
When the people came out and saw what had happened they were filled with fear, and this fear caused “all the people” to tell Jesus to leave them. The man who was healed wants to go with Jesus, but Jesus doesn’t allow this and instead leaves the man to be a witness, and to continue to tell people the story of God’s power at work in healing him.
This story shows God’s power over the evil spirits that ail us. Today the sicknesses that we may associate with evil spirits are depression and other “mental” illnesses for which we do not have a rational explanation for, but still are very real in people’s lives. This story lends a word of hope that God’s power is greater than any of these problems in our lives, and our calling is then to proclaim “how much God has done for us.” In order for us to do this proclaiming we need to recognize how much God has delivered us!! The struggle is at those times when it doesn’t appear as if God is delivering us from these ailments!!
8:40-56 – More Powerful than Sickness and even Death!
Jesus returns and the crowds welcome him in, waiting for him. A leader in the synagogue approaches, in humility (the key to understanding who Jesus is, and the power that is possible from Him!) begs Jesus to come heal his “only” daughter. This links with Jesus’ earlier raising from the dead the “only” son of a mother. However, at this point in the story the girl is still alive, but dying.
As Jesus moves towards this dying girl (which might be considered an emergency) the crowds are pressing him, probably wanting him to do the things he has been doing for them. An unclean woman approaches. This would have been against all regulations. Unclean people are to keep away from others, and they are to shout out UNCLEAN, UNCLEAN so others would not go near them. This woman is obviously keeping her problem a secret, and she moves into the crowd because she knows Jesus has the power to heal her. She has been suffering for a long time, doctors are baffled, she is at the end of her rope, and so she reaches out for the end of Jesus garments (fringe). This faith in Jesus’ power is shown by her risking everything to reach Jesus, and she doesn’t even need to speak to Him, just touching his cloak.
This woman is an interruption to our story ( a story within a story ) and it places our original story in great suspense. Jesus is rushing to the bedside of a little girl, who is the little girl of the LEADER of the synagogue (an important Jewish leader, who also appears to be very faithful, aka his humility before Jesus). What is going to happen to the little girl, is Jesus going to be too late now that he had to stop and talk to this “intruder” woman??
In the previous story we have Jesus coming into contact with the UNCLEAN, and not bothered by it at all. In this story he does the same. The woman with the hemorrhage is unclean. A dead girl is unclean, but Jesus can transcend this, and makes clean rather than becoming infected himself.
When we bring Jesus with us we can reach out to others in ways that otherwise we wouldn’t be able to. This can give us a sense of confidence, not in ourselves, but in God’s presence with us. When we are doing something uncomfortable it is good to call upon the Lord to help us reach out!! Jesus doesn’t have the hangups we do. Jesus can and will reach out through us!!
As Jesus stops and asks to see the person who touched him, Peter seems to think his question is rather silly (though Luke softens this from Mark). Peter might be thinking, “Look around, who isn’t touching you???” However, this touch is a special touch. It is the touch of someone in need. It is the touch of someone suffering. It is the touch of someone who is humble. It is the touch of someone with faith. And that faith caused the Power of God to flow out of Jesus. This is an amazing point. Jesus didn’t cause the power to flow, it was the faith, the reaching out to Jesus, the touch of the humble that caused Gods power to flow freely.
As Jesus is talking with this woman we hear that his delay has some terrible consequences. Jesus didn’t make it in time; the girl has died. Jesus, however, will turn this into an opportunity to show what kind of power he really has. You think curing this woman was something, or the demoniac, or the storm?? You are going to see real power here (again). ONLY BELIEVE!!
Jesus goes to the girl, chastises the crowd for weeping over this dead little girl (who really is dead, even though Jesus says she isn’t). This raises some questions about death for us. Does Jesus see death differently than we do?? Does Jesus see death as a “sleeping” until we are raised again, as in this case?? Is it not the thing to be feared as we do?? Does Jesus recognize death as a temporary condition, whereas we see it as very permanent?? This may very well prove to be a wonderful viewpoint of what will happen in our resurrection. We die, and then we hear Jesus’ voice, “I say to you rise!!
The story makes sure to tell us that this little girl really is dead, and that Jesus really does bring the power of God to this place, and returns her spirit to her. The fact that Jesus has them bring her something to eat underscores that she has been raised to life, and is not just a spirit/ghost. Jesus does this same thing after His resurrection to show that he isn’t just an apparition (irish-banshee), but really alive, flesh and blood (though the resurrection body is still different than ours, but also the same).
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