Luk 8 | TNotes

Summary for Luke 8:2-3: 8:2-3 ^a along with some women: Rabbis of Jesus’ day did not have women disciples, so this was unusual. Some of these women, like Joanna, were from wealthy families and contributed financially to Jesus’ ministry. 8:2 ^b Magdalene means “from Magdala,” a village north of Tiberias on the western side of the Sea of Galilee. Mary figures prominently in the burial and resurrection accounts (24:10 ^c; Mark 15:40 ^d, 47 ^e; John 19:25 ^f; 20:1 ^g, 18 ^h). Some have said that Mary Magdalene was the woman of Luke 7:36-38 ⁱ, leading to the belief that she was a former prostitute. There is no basis for this speculation.
Summary for Luke 8:4-15: 8:4-15 ^j The parable of the farmer scattering seed depicts people’s varied responses to Jesus’ ministry of proclaiming God’s Kingdom.
8:5 ^k The custom in planting was first to scatter seed and then to plow it into the soil.

• The seed that fell on a footpath running through the fields would not be plowed in, so it was stepped on and eaten by birds.
8:6 ^l fell among rocks: Often there was a limestone layer nine to twelve inches under the soil, so that the rain was trapped and seed sprouted quickly in the moist soil. But when the rain stopped, the sun evaporated the trapped moisture and the plant died.
8:7 ^m fell among thorns: One type of weed looked very much like wheat as it grew, but it had larger roots and took away the moisture and nutrients that the wheat needed.
8:8 ⁿ Anyone with ears to hear meant everyone who was willing to listen.
8:10 ^o the secrets of the Kingdom of God: What was hidden in the past about God’s reign was now revealed through Jesus’ words and actions.

• When they look ... they won’t understand: This quote is from Isa 6:9 ^p (Greek version), a passage repeatedly used in the New Testament to explain Israel’s rejection of the gospel (see also Matt 13:14-15 ^q; Mark 4:12 ^r; John 12:40 ^s; Acts 28:26-27 ^t). In its original context, the passage refers to God’s certain judgment of Israel at the hands of the Assyrians. Israel’s sin and rebelliousness had taken them beyond the point of no return, so God blinded them in preparation for judgment. Those who rejected Jesus’ message were blind to the truth.
8:11 ^u The seed is God’s word: This refers to Jesus’ preaching of the Good News of the Kingdom.
8:12 ^v to have the devil come and take it away: Satan seeks to prevent unbelievers from seeing the truth.
8:13 ^w Deep roots indicate spiritual depth and maturity. The Greek word translated temptation can also mean “testing” or “trials.”
Summary for Luke 8:16-17: 8:16-17 ^x A small clay lamp was filled with olive oil and set in a wall alcove. Jesus’ message provides light for those who listen, and it reveals their heart attitudes.
8:18 ^y those who listen: Cp. Prov 9:9 ^z.
Summary for Luke 8:19-20: 8:19-20 ^aa Jesus had four brothers—James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon—and an unknown number of sisters (Matt 13:55 ^ab; Mark 6:3 ^ac). These children were probably born to Joseph and Mary after Jesus’ virginal conception and birth. (On the other hand, some believe that Mary remained a lifelong virgin and that Joseph was therefore a widower with children from a previous marriage when he married Mary.)
8:21 ^ad those who hear God’s word and obey it: Jesus was not rejecting his family but announcing that spiritual relationships—being part of God’s family—supersede family ties.
Summary for Luke 8:22-25: 8:22-25 ^ae Jesus’ calming of the storm demonstrated his authority over nature and strongly indicated his deity, since God is master of the seas (see Pss 65:7 ^af; 89:9 ^ag; 104:6-7 ^ah; 107:23-32 ^ai).
8:23 ^aj a fierce storm came down on the lake: Severe storms are common on the Sea of Galilee, which lies in a valley surrounded by high hills.
8:24 ^ak he rebuked the wind and the raging waves: As Jesus rebuked demons (4:41 ^al) and diseases (4:39 ^am), so now he revealed his authority by rebuking the sea (cp. 2 Sam 22:16 ^an; Pss 18:15 ^ao; 104:7 ^ap; 106:9 ^aq; Isa 50:2 ^ar; Nah 1:4 ^as).
Summary for Luke 8:26-39: 8:26-39 ^at This exorcism story demonstrated Jesus’ authority over spiritual forces. It also contrasted the faith and devotion of the freed man with the fear and rejection of the townspeople. 8:26 ^au the region of the Gerasenes: Gerasa was a city of the Decapolis, thirty miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus deliberately went to a predominantly Gentile region and ministered there.
8:27 ^av living in the tombs outside the town: Touching a tomb or a dead body rendered a Jew unclean, or ceremonially defiled. Jesus willingly entered this unclean place to rescue a person enslaved by Satan.
8:28 ^aw Jesus, Son of the Most High God: See study notes on 4:34, 41.
8:29 ^ax evil (literally unclean) spirit: Unclean things are unfit for God’s presence (see also study note on 4:33).
8:30 ^ay A Roman legion had about 6,000 soldiers, so this man had a great many demons.
8:31 ^az the bottomless pit: The Greek word abussos means “bottomless” and often refers to the underworld prison of evil spirits or fallen angels (Rev 9:1-2 ^ba, 11 ^bb; 11:7 ^bc; 17:8 ^bd; 20:1 ^be, 3 ^bf; cp. 2 Pet 2:4 ^bg). The metaphor is taken from the apparently bottomless depth of the ocean (the ancients had no means for sounding the ocean depths, so to them it was bottomless).
8:32 ^bh a large herd of pigs: Pigs were unclean animals for Jews, which shows that the people of this region were Gentiles. The unclean demons were fit only for pigs.
8:35 ^bi sitting at Jesus’ feet: The man sat in the position of a disciple, indicating his willingness to follow Jesus (see 8:37 ^bj).
8:37 ^bk begged Jesus to go away: Jesus’ power over spiritual forces frightened the townspeople, and their loss of property (the pigs) angered them. Their rejection contrasts with the faith of the healed man.
8:39 ^bl go back to your family: The role of disciples is to proclaim to the world what Jesus has done for them.
Summary for Luke 8:40-56: 8:40-56 ^bm These two accounts of healing demonstrate Jesus’ authority over disease and death, and illustrate the power of faith.
8:41 ^bn The leader of the local synagogue was the officer who maintained the local synagogue and organized services (see also 8:49 ^bo; 13:14 ^bp; Acts 13:15 ^bq; 18:8 ^br, 17 ^bs).
8:43 ^bt with constant bleeding: Perhaps it was a menstrual disorder. The tragedy was both physical and spiritual, for such bleeding rendered the woman ceremonially unclean and thereby precluded her participation in community worship (Lev 15:25-30 ^bu).
8:44 ^bv The fringe of his robe probably refers to the tassels that pious Jews wore on the edges of their robes (see Num 15:38-39 ^bw; Deut 22:12 ^bx).
8:45 ^by Who touched me? Jesus recognized the touch of faith by a needy person.
8:48 ^bz Your faith has made you well (literally your faith has saved you). Go in peace: Jesus said the same thing to the woman who had anointed his feet (7:50 ^ca). The Greek word for “save” can indicate either spiritual or physical healing. Peace (cp. Hebrew shalom) refers to wholeness, not just lack of conflict (see 1:79 ^cb; 2:14 ^cc, 29 ^cd; 7:50 ^ce; 19:38 ^cf, 42 ^cg; 24:36 ^ch).
8:51 ^ci Peter, John, and James became the inner circle of Jesus’ disciples (see 5:1-11 ^cj; 9:28 ^ck; Mark 14:32-33 ^cl).
8:52 ^cm The house was filled with people weeping and wailing: See study note on 7:12.

• she’s only asleep: Jesus emphasized the temporary nature of the girl’s state. For believers, death is only temporary “sleep” (cp. John 11:11 ^cn; the same term is translated as “dead/died” in Acts 7:60 ^co; 13:36 ^cp; 1 Cor 11:30 ^cq; 15:6 ^cr, 18 ^cs, 20 ^ct, 51 ^cu; 1 Thes 4:14-15 ^cv; 5:10 ^cw).
8:55 ^cx her life returned: Like the raising of the widow’s son (7:15 ^cy), the girl’s normal mortal life was restored. At the final resurrection, believers will receive immortal, glorified bodies (see study note on 24:39).
8:56 ^cz not tell anyone: See thematic note for The Secret of the Messiah at end of chapter.

Thematic note: The Secret of the Messiah
Throughout the Gospel of Mark, Jesus tells others—those he healed or raised from the dead, the disciples who recognized him as the Christ, and the demons who had a correct understanding of his true identity—not to reveal his identity (e.g., Mark 1:34 ^da, 44 ^db; 3:11-12 ^dc; 5:43 ^dd; 7:36 ^de; 8:29-30 ^df; 9:9 ^dg; this theme occurs far less frequently in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke—see Matt 8:4 ^dh; 16:20 ^di; Luke 9:21 ^dj). Why did Jesus command those he healed and those who knew his true identity to keep his healings and identity secret?
One possibility relates to how the Roman authorities would have responded to an extremely popular preacher who proclaimed the arrival of God’s Kingdom, performed marvelous healings, and openly allowed his followers to call him Israel’s long-awaited Messiah and King. Roman authorities would not tolerate it—they would immediately seek to suppress such a movement. In the Roman Empire, there was no room for another kingdom or for a messianic rescuer from Roman occupation. Thus, though Jesus acknowledged to his disciples that he was the Messiah (Mark 8:27-30 ^dk), he did not intend to overthrow Rome.
Another possible reason for this secrecy has to do with the prolific misunderstanding of Jesus’ identity that we see throughout the Gospel of Mark, even among his closest followers. Jesus makes clear that his identity as Messiah and Son of God is directly tied to his suffering and death, a reality which did not match up with Jewish expectations regarding the Messiah. Thus, immediately after Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus announces that he would suffer and die (Mark 8:27-31 ^dl), which generates a response from Peter that demonstrates his lack of understanding (8:32-33 ^dm). It was not his miracles or his profound teaching that served as the primary attribute of his messiahship, but rather his sacrificial death.
For these reasons, it was expedient for Jesus to teach about God’s Kingdom in parables (see Mark 4:1-34 ^dn, especially 4:10-12 ^do), to minimize the excitement created by his miracles (1:44 ^dp; 5:43 ^dq; 7:36 ^dr; 8:26 ^ds), to conceal his presence at times from the people (7:24 ^dt; 9:30-31 ^du), to conceal his teaching from outsiders (4:10-12 ^dv, 33-34 ^dw; 7:17 ^dx), and to command those who knew his true identity not to reveal it (1:23-26 ^dy, 34 ^dz; 3:11-12 ^ea; 8:29-30 ^eb; 9:9 ^ec). Jesus came “to give his life as a ransom for many” (10:45 ^ed), not to lead the nation of Israel in rebellion against Rome.
Nonetheless, Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Mark 1:1 ^ee), could not be hidden. The secret was not and cannot be kept (7:36 ^ef), for Jesus is too great. Those who experienced and witnessed his healing touch could not help but proclaim what he had done. Jesus’ identity broke through, and it became clear that he is indeed the Messiah, the Son of God, the Lord over nature, disease, and death. And for the readers of the Gospel of Mark, who are made aware of his identity in the very first verse, Jesus was demonstrated to be the Messiah precisely because of—not in spite of—his suffering, death, and resurrection.

Passages for Further Study
Matt 8:4 ^eg; 16:20 ^eh; Mark 1:34 ^ei, 44 ^ej; 3:11-12 ^ek; 5:43 ^el; 7:36 ^em; 8:29-30 ^en; 9:9 ^eo, 30-31 ^ep; Luke 9:21 ^eq