The Gospel According to Saint Luke
Luke 8
Chapter VIII · Vol. IV, pp. 166–170
1 Women minister unto Christ of their substance. 4 Christ, after he had preached from place to place, attended with his apostles, propoundeth the parable of the sower. 16 Light is given to be improved and communicated: 21 he declareth who are his mother and brethren: 22 rebuketh the winds: 26 casteth the legion of devils out of the man into the herd of swine: 37 is rejected of the Gadarenes: 43 healeth the woman of her bloody issue; 49 and raiseth to life Jairus' daughter.
1 AND it came to pass afterward, athat he went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the btwelve were with him,
a Mat.4.17,23. ch.4.14,15,43,44;6.17. Mar.1.14,15. Ac.10.38. Is.63.1;61.1-3;48.17.
b ch.6.14-16. Mat.10.2-4. Mar.3.16-19. Ac.1.13.
2 And certain women,1 which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene,2 out of whom went seven devils,
1 Mat.27.55,56. Jn.19.25. ver.30. Mar.16.9. Perhaps the sister of Lazarus, ch.10.39. Jn.xi.xii.
2 See note * below.
* She was so called from Magdala, her native city. The strange notion that this woman had been a prostitute is totally without scriptural foundation. Her possession by seven demons is, no doubt, evidence of her great sinfulness, but by no means evidence of any particular sin. To charge her with a crime neither named nor insinuated, is uncharitable.—C.
3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza, cHerod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministeredd unto him of their substance.
c ch.3.19,20;9.7-9. Mar.6.14-28. Mat.14.1-12. ch.13.31,32;23.7-12.
4 Ande when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:
5 Ag sower3 went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell hby the way-side; and it was itrodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.4
g Mat.13.3-8,18-23,37. Mar.1.14,15;4.3. He.2.3.
3 See note on Mat.13.3.—C.
h ver.12. Ja.1.23,24.
i Ps.119.118. Mat.5.13.
4 This parable is given much more fully in Mat. xiii. and Mar. iv.—P.
6 And some fell upon ja rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
7 And some fell among kthorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
A.M. cir. 4035. A.D. cir. 31.
k Je.4.3. ch.21.34. 1 Ti.6.9,10. ver.14.
8 And other fell on lgood ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundred-fold. And when he had said these things, he ncried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
9 And his disciples asked him, saying, oWhat might this parable be?
o Mat.7.7. Mar.4.10,34. Mat.13.36. Pr.3.5,6. Ho.6.3.
10 And he said, pUnto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that qseeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
12 Those by the way-side are tthey that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word uout of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
t Ja.1.22-24. 2 Co.4.3,4;2.11. 1 Pe.5.8.
13 Theyv on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
14 And xthat which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go 5forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no yfruit to perfection.
x ver.7; ch.18.24;21.34;16.13. Mat.6.24. 1 Ti.6.9,10,17. 2 Ti.4.10. 1 Jn.2.15-17. Je.4.3.
5 Go forth. Rather, 'having gone forth,' in their progress through life, are choked with the cares of poverty, the temptations of riches, and the enervating pursuit of amusements and pleasures.—C.
y Jn.15.6.
15 Butz that on the good ground are they, which, ain an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with bpatience.6Cited in WLC 160
z Ep.2.19,20. Ro.7.4. Ga.5.21-24. 2 Pe.1.5-10. Ps.1.3;92.14. Jn.15.4. Col.1.6. Mat.24.13.
a Je.32.39.
6 With patience in watching, in waiting, in working, and in suffering.—C.
16 Noc man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.
c Mat.5.15. Mar.4.21-23. ch.11.33, with Mat.5.15,16. Phi.2.15,16.
17 Ford nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid that shall not be known and come abroad.
18 Takee heed therefore how ye 7hear: gfor whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.8Cited in WLC 160
e ch.9.44. Ja.1.21-25. Is.42.23. Je.9.12.
7 Let us take heed of those things that will hinder our profiting by the word we hear; let us take heed lest we hear carelessly; let us take heed lest we hear with prejudice, and without self-application; let us take heed to our spirits after we have heard the word, lest we lose what we have gained. It appears from the incident which follows, that Christ prefers those who are faithful hearers of his word, and doers of his work, to his nearest relations. Christ would rather be busy at his work than conversing with his friends (Henry).—I.
g Mat.13.12;25.29. ch.19.26. Mar.4.25;10.42. Jn.15.2. 1 Co.10.12;14.37,38. Re.22.11.
8 Or, thinketh that he hath.
20 And it was told him by certain, which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.
21 And he answered and said unto them, iMy mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.
i ch.11.27,28. Mat.7.21;12.49,50. Ga.5.6;6.15. Col.3.11. Ps.xv.;24.3-6. Jn.13.17;14.15;15.14. Ro.2.13. Ja.1.22. 1 Pe.1.15,16. 2 Pe.1.4-10. 2 Co.5.14-17.
22 Nowj it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.
23 But as they sailed, he kfell asleep: and lthere came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled9 with water, and were in jeopardy.
k Ps.44.22,23;10.1. Is.45.15. Jn.11.14,15.
A.M. cir. 4035. A.D. cir. 31.
l Mat.8.24;14.24. Mar.4.37. Ps.cxxiv. Is.54.11.
9 They were filled. A classical, as well as a popular, mode of saying, the ship was filled. When minutely examined, it is simply an ellipsis, or abbreviated expression, put for 'they were filled, as to the ship.'—C.
24 And they came to him, and nawoke him, saying, oMaster, Master, we perish! pThen he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.
25 And he said unto them, qWhere is your faith? And they, rbeing afraid, wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.
26 Ands they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes,1 which is over against Galilee.
1 See note on Mat.8.28.—C.
27 And when he went forth to land, tthere met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.
28 When he saw Jesus, uhe cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, vWhat have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, xtorment me not.
29 (Fory he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. zFor oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)
30 And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion:2 because many devils were entered into him.
2 i.e. six or seven thousand.
31 Anda they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.3
a ver.30. Mar.5.10. Re.20.3. Phi.2.9-11. Ps.72.9. Job 1.11;2.5. ver.28,32. 1 Ki.22.22.
3 The water cannot be meant; for so soon as they had opportunity the demons drove the swine into the lake. It appears from Re.20.3 to be that 'bottomless pit' prepared for the devil and his angels,—at which infidels and some professed Christians scoff—but at the idea of which evil spirits tremble.—C.
32 And there was there ban herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them: cand he suffered them.
33 Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and dthe herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.
34 When they that fed them saw what was done, they efled, and went and told it in the city and in the country.
35 Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and gfound the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and hin his right mind:4 and they were afraid.
g 1 Jn.3.8. Ro.16.20. Is.49.24-26. Ps.72.2,12-14.
h Ps.51.10.
4 Madness often consists in one erroneous idea or train of ideas. Sometimes, however, but seldom, the whole mind is astray. Now that such aberrations, whether partial or universal, may arise from various bodily affections is certain. An injury on the head, vitiated digestion or secretion, narcotics, and various stimulant drugs, fever, &c., may all produce mental derangement. But surely this variety of causes, all concurring in producing the same effect, instead of leading to the conclusion that this and the similar cases recorded in the New Testament, were not demoniacal possessions, but mere bodily diseases, should conduct to the very opposite—to wit, the possibility of some other cause inscrutable to the eye of man—nay the certainty of another cause, when discovered and declared upon the authority of Christ. Indeed, to deny the possibility of demoniacal possession is as unphilosophical as it is unscriptural. The power of an embodied spirit to infuse bad principles into others, and drive a man, a church, a kingdom, out of their 'right mind,' is daily witnessed. Who, then, can philosophically deny to the disembodied that power which an embodied spirit is certainly known to possess?—C.
36 They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed.
37 Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about ibesought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.
i Mar.5.17. Mat.8.34. 1 Ki.17.18. ch.5.8. Ge.25.34. Ac.16.39. Job 21.14,15. 1 Co.2.14. De.5.25, with ver.28. Mar.1.24. ch.4.34.
38 Now the man out of whom the devils were departed jbesought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying,
A.M. cir. 4035. A.D. cir. 31.
j Mar.5.18. ch.8.39. De.10.20,21. Ps.116.12,16;103.1-6.
39 Returnk to thine own house, and show how great things God hath done unto thee. lAnd he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.
40 And it came to pass, that, nwhen Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.5
n Mat.9.1. Mar.5.21;1.45. ch.5.1,17;6.17.
5 What a blessed ground of hope after disappointment! Jesus is no sooner rejected in one country than he is joyfully received in another! What a rebuke to those who argue, Why send the gospel to Jews and heathens abroad till you have converted all nominal Christians at home? Jesus did not abide and argue with the Gadarenes. He departed when they rejected him; and was joyfully received on the other side of the lake.—C. — Leaving the country of the Gadarenes, which lay along the south-eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus returned in a boat across the lake to Capernaum. See Mat.9.1 and Mar.5.21. The people had doubtless seen the boat approach.—P.
41 And,o behold, there came a man named Jairus,6 and he was a pruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and qbesought him that he would come into his house:
42 For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she rlay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him.
43 Ands a woman7 having an issue of blood twelve years, which had tspent all her living upon uphysicians, vneither could be healed of any,
s Mar.5.25-34. Mat.9.20-22. Le.15.25. Jn.5.5.
7 See note on Mar.5.29.—C.
t 2 Ch.16.12. Is.55.2.
u Job 13.4.
44 Camex behind him, and ytouched the border of his garment: zand immediately her issue of blood stanched.
45 And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
47 Andb when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came ctrembling, and dfalling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.
48 And he said unto her, eDaughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole: go in peace.
49 Whileg he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.
g Mat.9.23-26. Mar.5.35-43. ver.41,42.
50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, hFear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.
51 And when he came into the house, ihe suffered no man to go in, jsave Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.
i Is.42.2. 1 Ki.17.19-23. 2 Ki.4.33-35.
j Mar.3.16,17;9.2;14.33. ch.6.14;9.28.
52 Andk all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; lshe is not dead, but sleepeth.
k Ge.23.2. 1 Sa.25.1. 2 Ch.35.25. Je.9.17. Ac.9.39.
56 And rher parents were astonished; but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.
r See Mar.5.42,43. ch.7.16;5.14. Mat.8.4;9.30.
Notes
Reflections.—O the infinite but voluntary debasement of our Redeemer, that he must live on the liberality of others, even of those who had lately been infamous sinners! But cheerfully they who get good by the gospel will contribute to maintain the preacher. And they who have been healed by Jesus' grace will eagerly follow him in the way. But Satan and our inward corruptions most awfully hinder the efficacy of the gospel on most of the hearers of it. Those who accept Christ are renewed, according to the will of God, and rendered fruitful in holiness. Let us then take heed how we hear, and whether we seek to have the principles of true grace implanted in our soul. And let us improve the light and grace that we have for our own and others' advantage. If we cordially embrace the gospel, we are Christ's disciples, and neither raging winds nor devouring devils shall be able to deprive us of his love and care. If storms try our faith, his presence will secure our safety. Let us therefore in dangers ever flee to, trust in, and adore our ever-merciful, ever-mindful God and Saviour. If Satan should exert all his power and malice to render us miserable, Jesus can rescue us and restrain him at pleasure. Alas, that ever love to this world, or slavish fear, should make his presence disagreeable! Happy are they who, sensible of sin, weakness, and danger, eagerly press towards and cleave to him, notwithstanding every discouragement. In what God-like manner he triumphed over diseases, devils, and death; and yet, with the greatest self-denial, laboured to conceal his miraculous works!—And still abundant is his grace, that never casts out any. With the greatest compassion he spies our griefs and shame, and with delight raises up the trembling, and comforts the poor in spirit. In all cases let me not fear, but only believe and obey, however contrary his declarations or commands may seem to my carnal heart.