Luke Chapter 8
The video's about "The Chosen" are again vindicated here. It specifically says that Mary Magdalene traveled with Jesus and the twelve, and three other women are mentioned also. That series was right when it showed Mary traveling with them! I had never seen that before. I think that runs me completely out of criticisms of that show. There is speculation in it, but so far there is nothing that contradicts the Bible. 2020 - Luke says they were all traveling around through the cities and towns of the area. So perhaps Matthew picked out the scene with Jesus preaching from the boat as kind of idyllic, and representative of the whole sequence, even though these parables may have been told in many places over many days. That would explain how the parable of the sower was explained to the apostles at one place and the parable of the weeds at what seems to be another place entirely.
2025 - 3 and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means. [Luk 8:3 ESV], This is interesting in that it implies these women had money, or money from their husbands, and they were using it to "provide" for Jesus and the 12. And this was ok. Men of God can be supported by the women around them. That is an ok thing, and exception, in the case of those who carry the gospel.
The parable of the sower. A little different here. More explanation about the seed that falls on the path. But the principal is most certainly the same. Jesus explains why he speaks in parables - same explanation as in Matthew, but a little abbreviated. Then he explains the parable of the sower, in the same way he did in Matthew.
(These notes are the first I made about the sower. This parable has always troubled me:
Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.”
Luke 8:18 NKJV
This is in Matthew and Luke both. I don't understand it.
- Dake's had something to say on these verses. He says this is about continuing to work without distraction in your sanctification. Least I think that's what he's talking about. He says that the more you focus on the things of God, the more God will reveal to you about the things of God. This is consistent with many verses in Proverbs. The verse also says that if you get complacent and or lazy or decide that you'll be OK as you are without further work, that what you have learned to that point, what progress towards sanctification you've made, will be undone and taken from you. This is pretty much the same as we might say about physical exercise. The more you lift, the stronger you get. Then if you lay off for a while, get lazy, get interested in something unrelated, your muscles will deteriorate.
I can see how some might use this same analysis and say the verse is about salvation, and not sanctification. They might say that works - study, devotion, and so on - are required to maintain and advance your salvation. Have to remember that in both cases this verse comes right after the parable of the sower. Is that parable about salvation or sanctification? It seems to be about salvation, where only those who receive the word with a noble and good heart (NKJV, Luke) keep the word to the bearing of fruit. The unsaved bear no fruit, all their works are corrupt. Only the saved can bear fruit.
(2022 - Technically, the statement above isn't really true. God can use anyone to deliver a message that blesses those God intends to bless. Perhaps Balaam is the best example. The point then, is that the fruit produced by the unsaved is not credited to their account. This is what is really being said Not that God cannot use the unsaved to accomplish any purpose - even a truly good purpose - but that such people are not "enriched" by what they do if unsaved. Just like in Ezekiel. If you're lost, none of your good deeds are counted to your favor. But if you change, and are saved, then those old good deeds are retroactively counted toward your favor. And the converse is also true.)
In both versions of the parable, the seed that falls by the way is said not to be saving. They don't understand the word, and the devil is therefore able to snatch it away. The last three groups all sprout. Among rocks and briars they sprout and the seed never accomplishes the end to which it was sown. Only the last group was able to reproduce. But all sprout. Does this mean that some, when confronted with confession of faith and persecution vs silence and status quo, choose not to speak up, though they are saved? They are like Peter when he denied three times, but unlike Peter they never produce?
And the rocky seed...Those who are saved, but don't make God's work priority and instead get caught up in jobs and riches and fleshly cares. Are they saved, but of little use to God? The last group reproduces, certainly the preferred result of the sowing.
This seems to hold up. No reason to think all four groups are either saved or unsaved. If only the last three are saved then each of them is saved - each sprouts - with the potential to bear fruit, and this only the saved can do. But for those who get scared off by hardship or who devote their attention to this world and not so much the next, never reach that potential, and as time passes while they amble along, what they could have accomplished lessens. The crown they might have gotten shrinks. But to the one who starts strong and continues, more potential for fruit is added. Not all the apostles yielded the fruit that Peter did. Not all apostles did what Paul was able to do. Judas was never really saved.)
2021 - Here is something I had not noticed before in Luke's account:
12 The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. [Luk 8:12 ESV]
Look at that last phrase. So they won't believe AND be saved. This settles the argument then about whether or not these are saved and then grow complacent, as some in Corinth did. This parable is about salvation. That last phrase is aorist tense, and the explanation says that the time of this action is not really fixed at all. So "may not be saved" means they weren't saved before, aren't saved when they hear this word, and won't be saved in future. The devil snatches the word from their hearts. He is active and often successful in populating hell. Most importantly though, after these many confusing years, there is only one way to read this parable. The first three groups are lost forever, the fourth is saved. The saved bear fruit. In this context then, the verse about those who have little losing even what they have fits perfectly with the parable of the sower. They heard the word, they maybe even sprouted towards salvation and toward bearing fruit. But when they did not continue to salvation, even the thrill of sprouting in the word is taken away. Perhaps they even forget entirely the recognition of where they once were, of how close they once were to salvation, and so never try to go back and complete that journey. This is what it is about. This is very sad. This now puts me in step with the MSB notes on these passages. Perhaps I didn't want this to be the right translation because of it's terrible implications.
2022 - This verse:
15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience. [Luk 8:15 ESV]. Hold it fast. This seems to say...no...like it or not, this says that those who go through the motions, those who do not hang on all the way through, were not saved at all. I think there is a fine line here between those few people we all know who were saved young and followed and grew in the Spirit their whole live and those in Corinthians who fell for the false teaching, who came into the church with exhilaration and then participated in pagan orgies because they were "immune" to them. I believe that some who did this were saved, and were poorly taught...and that the test is whether they ever repented of that and followed the true teaching of God. In their day, there was no NT, there was OT, and there was Paul. To them, not as much was given, and their standard was perhaps a bit different. But look at us today. We have OT, NT, Nave's Topical, all kinds of study bibles, on line data bases, YouTube gives us access to countless preachers of the word. With all this available, will God cut us any slack for softening, modifying, even ignoring the clear teaching of scripture? It is available to us ALL, and we can even study the Greek words from numerous sources to determine what is really meant. Some things God has made absolutely clear to us, things that fly in the face of our enlightened and brilliant culture. If we ignore God's clear word, and instead do otherwise, aren't more accountable? To us more was given. Our standard is higher.
You know, there were people in Corinth and people in Ephesus - people INSIDE the church - teaching absolute heresy. Yet how rarely does Paul urge those churches to kick those people out - and he NEVER urges those who disagree with the heresy to change churches - but to teach, to instruct, to disagree, to debate, to STAND UP AND BE COUNTED as one who wants to get it right - to "hold it fast in an honest and good heart". "It" is the word, the truth, the seed that God sows.
Can I make a FB post of this? Surely I can...but it will be pretty long.
Luke also talks about those who already have being given more, but he precedes that statement by saying no one puts a lamp under a jar. Once we know, we are to use the light to see, to live, to work. This light should guide all that goes on with us, AND it says that light we have should also be light for others. And it says there will ultimately be no secrets. So be careful - or take care - how you hear. MSB says this means we won't have a chance later to embrace the truth. It matters now, and there are no second chances. 2020-Could also be about hearing, and rejecting, and so bringing greater judgement on yourself than you'd otherwise have had. Some keep going to church even when they know something is wrong. They hear, time and again, and reject, time and again. Jesus could be warning them about that also. 2021-see the 2021 paragraph above.
Luke tells us about Jesus' family coming to see him, and Jesus response when told. BUT, Luke does not mention, as Mark does, that they had come to take him home and nurse him back into his right mind. They were actually there to stop him, and those around him were there to hear his words. For that reason, those close by were more representative of family than his earthly family was at this time.
2021 - Mary is here with the family. Luke makes it clear that she was with them. Matthew makes it clear they were there to collect him because they believed he'd lost his mind. Mary believed that. Wonder if the Catholics ever talk much about this?
2022 - 21 But he answered them, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it." [Luk 8:21 ESV]. Does it not stand to reason that we should treat our brothers and sisters - who hear the word and do it - differently than we treat all others? There are people in the church who do not do the word. Wouldn't I behave differently toward them than toward those who obey ALL the commands? And...who am I to decide which ones ought to be emphasized...
vs 22 starts with "one day..." Seems that there is no effort here to say this is in chronological order. Jesus calms the storm, after the disciples wake him up. Even after he does this, they are asking each other who He can be? How could they not know?
Jesus heals the Gadarene with many demons. This is a more detailed version than given previously. The events don't really start with the demon saying "What have you to do with me". Luke says Jesus had already told the demons to leave and they don't want to go - fear of the abyss maybe - and so they argue. Why must they go? What difference will it make? The demons call themselves Legion. Jesus converses with the demons. They know who he is, and they don't try to defy him. But they do ask for mercy. Even the demons ask Jesus for mercy. They want to go into the pigs rather than to the abyss. But then the pigs go and drown themselves. We aren't told what fate this brings for the demons. The local people come out to see what's going on after this, and they see this wild man who could break chains sitting at Jesus feet, clothed, and in his right mind. But they are all afraid, and ask Jesus to leave. Perhaps seeing they don't see, and hearing they don't want to hear? They were likely Gentiles, and perhaps it was not their time yet.
Jairus, the ruler of the Synagogue, begs Jesus to come to his house and heal his daughter. Jesus goes with him, but on the way the woman with the bloody issue is healed. Mark and Luke call the man Jairus, Matthew just calls him a ruler. This verse:
46 But Jesus said, "Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me." [Luk 8:46 ESV]
Almost as if Jesus healed people even without meaning to do so. Was that His doing, or the faith of the one who secretly touched him? I wouldn't be surprised if Jesus was looking right at the woman when he asked the question. Jesus tells her it was her faith that made her well.
He continues to the home of Jairus, and though his daughter has already died, Jesus raises her from the dead. It says "her spirit returned". Like Paul says happened to him maybe. He was in the third heaven, perhaps she was also. Jesus tells those who saw this happen to keep it quiet. Lest he be swamped by the crowds I imagine, or lest people go dig up their dead relatives and bring them to Jesus.