Luke chapter 8

Jesus Christ’s attitude toward women. The Parable of the Sower and the Lamp. The true family of Jesus. Jesus calms a storm. Jesus heals three more people.

 


 

CHRIST’S ATTITUDE TOWARD WOMEN

SUMMARY: Gender bias is hostile to Jesus Christ. When it comes to gender bias, we Christians have often been the most egregious offenders. It is time for us to change our behavior. Read more »

 

VERSE 1. Soon afterwards, he went about through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of God’s Kingdom. With him were the twelve,

he went about. During the days of his earthly ministry, Jesus was constantly traveling. He went from one town or village to another.

What did he do?

He preached. He proclaimed this Kingdom of God. He led people to a relationship with God that was fresh and life-changing. He did miracles and drove out demons.

With him were the twelve. Jesus didn’t do this alone. Others accompanied him. Who did he choose?

One group was the Twelve. They would preach in his name.

In his name, they would preach the Kingdom of God. In his name, they would lead people to faith in Christ and a relationship with God that was fresh and life-changing. And in his name, they would do miracles and drive out demons.

 

VERSE 2. and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out;

certain women. The Twelve weren’t the only ones who accompanied Christ in his ministry. There were women. Jesus chose to have women in his Inner Circle.

For those days, that was a radical thing. In their day, society was more segregated by gender than than ours appears to be.

Closeness to Jesus Christ is open to anybody. You don’t have to be a man. If you’re a woman, you’re not excluded from his Inner Circle. In Jesus Christ, there is no gender bias.

Without a doubt, we Christians have failed to live up to Christ’s standard in gender equality.

In our day, there are many Christian leaders, and even whole denominations, that keep women at a distance. And out of leadership roles.

Sadly, church leadership roles attract men with misogynistic behaviors. Those are contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Who were these women who traveled with Jesus? The text says Jesus had cured them of evil spirits and infirmities.

They had experienced a life-changing encounter through the ministry of Jesus Christ. Jesus did great things for them.

They must have recognized what great things Christ did for them. They saw his love for them. They wanted to live for him. They became part of his ministry team.

Mary who was called Magdalene. The first woman named in this passage is Mary. That name was very, very common in those days.

In one place, the Bible speaks of three different women with that name:

Mary, Mary and the other Mary

So which Mary was this one? She was Mary, called Magdalene.

In the Aramaic language, the word “Magdalene” means “magnificent.” Perhaps Jesus called her Mary Magnificent.

Or it might have meant that she was from the city of Magdala.

Through the centuries, many people have taught things about Mary Magdalene that were anti-biblical:

  • Many have wrongly taught that she was a sex worker who repented.
  • Others wrongly taught that she was the sinner who washed the feet of Jesus with her tears and dried them with her hair.
  • Still others wrongly taught that she was the woman caught in the very act of adultery, the one the religious leaders wanted to stone to death.
  • Others wrongly taught that she was the wife of Jesus. In fact, when Mary of Magdala met Jesus after he resurrected, he didn’t even let her touch him. If they were married, wouldn’t he have allowed an embrace?

The Bible does not say any of those things. Those are leaps of logic that leap right off the pages of the Bible.

But through the centuries, many artists and writers and preachers have fallen into those traps.

from whom seven demons had gone out. God greatly favored Mary of Magdala. She was delivered from seven demons. She was chosen to be part of the ministry team of the one Messiah.

At the cross, when the male disciples fled for their very lives, Mary of Magdala was there.

It was Mary of Magdala who discovered that Christ’s tomb was empty. And she was the very first person to meet Jesus after he rose from the grave.

 

VERSE 3. and Joanna, the wife of Chuzas, Herod’s steward; Susanna; and many others; who served them from their possessions.

The Lord Jesus Christ subsisted on donations. People supported him, financially. Chief among them is Joanna. Read more »

The Bible calls us to support the people who teach us in the faith. Read more »

 

THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER

 

VERSE 4. When a great multitude came together, and people from every city were coming to him, he spoke by a parable.

 

VERSE 5. “The farmer went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell along the road, and it was trampled under foot, and the birds of the sky devoured it.

sow his seed. The farmer sowed seed in a lot of places, with varying results:

  • On the road, the seed is trampled and devoured (verse 5).
  • On the rock, the seed withered away (verse 6).
  • In the thorns, the seeds was choked (verse 7).
  • On the good ground, the seed grows and produces fruit (verse 8).

 

VERSE 6. Other seed fell on the rock, and as soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture.

 

VERSE 7. Other fell amid the thorns, and the thorns grew with it, and choked it.

 

VERSE 8. Other fell into the good ground, and grew, and produced one hundred times as much fruit.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

 

WHY JESUS USED PARABLES

 

VERSE 9. Then his disciples asked him, “What does this parable mean?”

 

VERSE 10. He said, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of God’s Kingdom, but to the rest in parables; that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’

 

VERSE 11. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

the parable is this. Jesus is sharing with us the hidden meaning of the parable:

On the road, where the seed was trampled and devoured: this stands for the devil taking away the word of God (verse 12).

On the rock, where the seed withered away: this stands for people who fall away (verse 13).

In the thorns, where the seeds were choked: this stands for people overcome with cares and riches and pleasures (verse 14).

In the good ground, where the seed grew and produced fruit: this stands for people who hear the word of God and produce fruit (verse 15).

 

VERSE 12. Those along the road are those who hear, then the devil comes, and takes away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved.

believe and be saved. The message of Jesus Christ is not an ethical teaching. He is not showing us a more optimal way to live our lives. Rather, he is asking us to believe in him and be saved.

 

VERSE 13. Those on the rock are they who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; but these have no root, who believe for a while, then fall away in time of temptation.

 

VERSE 14. That which fell among the thorns, these are those who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.

 

VERSE 15. Those in the good ground, these are those who with an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it tightly, and produce fruit with perseverance.

good ground. Are you “good ground” for the message of Jesus Christ?

with perseverance. The good fruit does not simply appear.

Rather, we will bear good fruit through perseverance.

 

PARABLE OF THE LAMP

 

VERSE 16. “No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a container, or puts it under a bed; but puts it on a stand, that those who enter in may see the light.

In ancient days, a candle burned in the Tent of Meeting. But in our day, the light is to shine from within us. How can you let your light shine? Read more »

 

VERSE 17. For nothing is hidden that will not be revealed; nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light.

 

VERSE 18. Be careful therefore how you hear. For whoever has, to him will be given; and whoever doesn’t have, from him will be taken away even that which he thinks he has.”

This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to Luke and from the entire Bible.

 

THE TRUE FAMILY OF JESUS

 

VERSE 19. His mother and brothers came to him, and they could not come near him for the crowd.

they could not come near him. The crowd must have been huge!

 

VERSE 20. Some people told him, “Your mother and your brothers stand outside, desiring to see you.”

 

VERSE 21. But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are these who hear the word of God, and do it.”

This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to Luke and from the entire Bible.

My mother and my brothers. Who wouldn’t want to be considered a member of the family of Jesus Christ?

hear the word of God. Do you hear the word of God? Why not join us in our Bible Reading Project, or our Scripture Memory Project, or our Gospel Bytes Project.

and do it. It is not enough to “hear” the word of God. We must also act upon it.

 

JESUS CALMS A STORM

 

VERSE 22. Now on one of those days, he entered into a boat, himself and his disciples, and he said to them, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they launched out.

 

VERSE 23. But as they sailed, he fell asleep. A wind storm came down on the lake, and they were taking on dangerous amounts of water.

Psalm 44:23. Wake up! Why do you sleep, Lord? Arise! Don’t reject us forever.

 

VERSE 24. They came to him, and awoke him, saying, “Master, master, we are dying!” He awoke, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water, and they ceased, and it was calm.

we are dying. Many Christians psychologize this narrative. They say “We can be calm even if there is a storm.” That may be true. Nonetheless, it is dismissive and reductive. It neglects the factuality of this incident.

rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. Jesus spoke directly to the wind and the waves. He rebuked them to go away.

In our day, we believers have lost that directness. Instead of speaking directly to our problem, we complain to God about it. But Jesus shows us to speak directly to the problem.

 

VERSE 25. He said to them, “Where is your faith?” Being afraid they marveled, saying to one another, “Who is this then, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?”

Where is your faith? Jesus seems to be asking, “Why didn’t you do this miracle yourselves?”

In our day, should any Christian expect to be able to do miracles? Or is the doing of miracles limited to those with a special gift from the Holy Spirit for miracles?

 

JESUS HEALS A MAN WITH A DEMON

 

VERSE 26. They arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.

 

VERSE 27. When Jesus stepped ashore, a certain man out of the city who had demons for a long time met him. He wore no clothes, and didn’t live in a house, but in the tombs.

 

VERSE 28. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, “What do I have to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torment me!”

 

VERSE 29. For Jesus was commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For the unclean spirit had often seized the man. He was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters. Breaking the bonds apart, he was driven by the demon into the desert.

 

VERSE 30. Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered into him.

What is your name? Christians who are involved in deliverance ministry say it is important to ask a demon its name.

 

VERSE 31. They begged him that he would not command them to go into the abyss.

the abyss. The Abyss is a bottomless pit. It is the home of demons. Read more »

 

VERSE 32. Now there was there a herd of many pigs feeding on the mountain, and they begged him that he would allow them to enter into those. Then he allowed them.

 

VERSE 33. The demons came out of the man, and entered into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake, and were drowned.

 

VERSE 34. When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.

 

VERSE 35. People went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.

clothed and in his right mind. This is a great triumph. It clearly communicates to these people about the reality of Jesus Christ.

 

VERSE 36. Those who saw it told them how he who had been possessed by demons was healed.

 

VERSE 37. All the people of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them, for they were very much afraid. Then he entered into the boat and returned.

 

VERSE 38. But the man from whom the demons had gone out begged him that he might go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying,

 

VERSE 39. “Return to your house, and declare what great things God has done for you.” He went his way, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.

This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the Gospel of Luke and from the entire Bible.

declare what great things God has done. Jesus commands the man to tell his hometown what God has done for him.

what great things Jesus had done for him. The man told his hometown what Jesus did for him.

The man equates Jesus with God.

 

JESUS HEALS A WOMAN AND JAIRUS’ DAUGHTER

 

VERSE 40. When Jesus returned, the multitude welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him.

 

VERSE 41. Behold, a man named Jairus came. He was a ruler of the synagogue. He fell down at Jesus’ feet, and begged him to come into his house,

 

VERSE 42. for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as he went, the multitudes pressed against him.

 

VERSE 43. A woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her living on physicians and could not be healed by any

 

VERSE 44. came behind him, and touched the fringe of his cloak. Immediately the flow of her blood stopped.

the flow of her blood stopped. A miracle of healing has happened.

 

VERSE 45. Jesus said, “Who touched me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes press and jostle you, and you say, ‘Who touched me?’”

 

VERSE 46. But Jesus said, “Someone did touch me, for I perceived that power has gone out of me.”

power has gone out of me. The woman “coaxed” power to come out of the Lord Jesus and heal her.

What was this power? How can we “coax” it out of him to heal our infirmities?

 

VERSE 47. When the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared to him in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.

 

VERSE 48. He said to her, “Daughter, cheer up. Your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

Your faith has made you well. It was her own faith that made her whole.

 

VERSE 49. While he still spoke, one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house came, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Don’t trouble the Teacher.”

 

VERSE 50. But Jesus hearing it, answered him, “Don’t be afraid. Only believe, and she will be healed.”

 

VERSE 51. When he came to the house, he didn’t allow anyone to enter in, except Peter, John, James, the father of the child, and her mother.

 

VERSE 52. All were weeping and mourning her, but he said, “Don’t weep. She isn’t dead, but sleeping.”

 

VERSE 53. They were ridiculing him, knowing that she was dead.

 

VERSE 54. But he put them all outside, and taking her by the hand, he called, saying, “Child, arise!”

Child, arise! Jesus did not complain to God that the little girl was dead. Rather, he spoke directly to the problem. He commanded her to rise.

Jesus shows us that we should speak directly to the problem.

 

VERSE 55. Her spirit returned, and she rose up immediately. He commanded that something be given to her to eat.

something be given to her to eat. Jesus commanded them to give her something to eat.

When people are spiritually blessed in some great way, they are often hungry afterwards.

 

VERSE 56. Her parents were amazed, but he commanded them to tell no one what had been done.

 


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LUKE

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

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