The Grace Commentary – Your free verse-by-verse Bible commentary Luke 8

Lukas 8:1

Soon afterwards, He began going around from one city and village to another, proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God. The twelve were with Him,

(sebuah) Proclaiming. Kata aslinya (kerusso) means to herald as a public crier. This word is sometimes translated as “preaching” (e.g., Luke 3:3, 4:44).

(b) Khotbah. Announcing the good news. The original word for preaching (euaggelizo) berkaitan erat dengan kata Injil (euaggelion). Ini adalah salah satu dari tiga kata yang umumnya diterjemahkan sebagai “berkhotbah” dalam Perjanjian Baru. Melihat masuk for Acts 5:42.

(d) The twelve were Jesus closest disciples. They were variously known as the twelve disciples and the twelve apostles (Matt. 10:1–2). Their names were Simon Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew the tax collector, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot (Matt. 10:2–4).

Luke 8:2

and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,

(sebuah) Some women. One of the revolutionary ways Jesus empowered women was by accepting them as his disciples. He welcomed them into his circle and trained them, something that would have been unthinkable to the rabbis and sages. In those days, women didn’t follow men who weren’t their husbands, but they followed Jesus.

(b) Mary was called Magdalene because she came from the town of Magdala on the southwest coast of the Sea of Galilee. After being delivered of demons, Mary became a follower or disciple of Jesus at a time when rabbis had no women disciples. She was present at all the major events surrounding Christ’s death. She was at the crucifixion (Mark 15:40, John 19:25), she saw the empty tomb (Mark 16:1, John 20:1), she was the first to see the Risen Lord (Mark 16:9), and she was among the first to preach the good news of the resurrection (Luke 24:10, John 20:18). Although she is not named in Acts, it seems likely she was in the Upper Room on the day of Pentecost.

Mary Magdalene is one of six women named Mary in the New Testament. The others are Mary the mother of Jesus (Luke 2:34), Mary of Bethany (see masuk for Luke 10:39), Mary the mother of James and Joseph who was probably also the wife of Clopas (see masuk for Matt. 27:56), Mary the mother of John Mark (Acts 12:12), and Mary of Rome (Rom. 16:6).

Luke 8:3

and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means.

(sebuah) Joanna was one of the woman healed or delivered of evil spirits by Jesus (see previous verse). She provided funds to support Jesus during his ministry, and she was one of the women who brought the report about the empty tomb (Luke 24:10).

(b) Chuza was an official in the government of Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee (Luke 3:1). He may have been the same official mentioned in John 4:46–53.

(c) Susanna. Along with Joanna and Mary Magdalene, Susanna is one of the few women disciples of Jesus who were named in the Bible.

(d) Many others. Jesus had a wide base of supporters and donors.

(e) Contributing to their support. The One who fed 5000 and who turned water into wine hardly needed financial support, yet Jesus received it to show us that “the laborer is worthy of his wages” (Luke 10:7). Or as Paul put it, “those who proclaim the gospel ought to get their living from the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:14).

Luke 8:4

When a large crowd was coming together, and those from the various cities were journeying to him, he spoke by way of a parable:

(sebuah) A large crowd. According to Matthew and Mark, Jesus told the parable of the sower to a large crowd while sitting in a boat (Matt. 13:2, Mark 4:1).

(b) Parables; Lihat masuk for Matt. 13:3.

Luke 8:5

“The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled under foot and the birds of the air ate it up.

(sebuah) The Sower in the parable represents Jesus. “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man (Matt. 13:37). Yet in a broader sense, the sower is anyone who shares the word of the kingdom. The apostles were sowers (1 Cor. 9:11), as was the person who told you the good news. Every believer can be a sower. We can sow the word of the kingdom a hundred different ways using whatever gifts God has given us. Sometimes it may seem as though our sowing is not bearing fruit. The parable of the Sower explains why this happens (some people aren’t yet ready receive the word) while encouraging us to persevere (keep sowing; a harvest will come).

When Jesus spoke to the crowds, he always included a parable or two (Matt. 13:34). He was far more likely to give the people a story than a sermon. On this occasion, Jesus is sitting beside the Sea of Galilee, teaching the crowds (Matt. 13:1). He has been traveling from town to town, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing the sick (Matt. 9:35). Yet not every town has received him (Matt. 11:21–23). He has faced opposition and has even been driven out of a synagogue (Luke 4:28–29). Like sowing seed, preaching the gospel can be a risky business.

To show how people respond differently to the good news, Jesus tells the Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13:18). Sometimes called the Parable of the Seed, the Soils, or the Four Soils, the story describes four responses to the gospel: complete indifference, brief enthusiasm, distracted attention, and whole-hearted faith. From this some conclude that most of humanity will not get saved. “Only one in four will make it.” But Jesus is describing responses, not people, and people can change their minds. You may be indifferent the first time you hear the good news, or you may hear a version that comes mixed with bad news. It may take a little while before you grasp the message, and this is why we need to hear it again and again.

This is one of the few parables Jesus explains line-by-line (Matt. 13:18–23). Because it’s about proclaiming dan hearing the word of the kingdom, it has two takeaways. Those who share the word are encouraged to keep sowing, regardless of setbacks, and those who hear the word are urged to receive it in their hearts so they may be saved might and bear much fruit.

(b) To sow is to proclaim the good news of the kingdom.

John the Baptist expected the Messiah would come with a winnowing fork to bring in the harvest (Matt. 3:12), but Jesus came to sow seed (Matt. 13:37). The harvest will come later at the end of the age (Matt. 13:39).

(c) Seed. The seed is the word of the kingdom (Matt. 13:19) or the word of God (Luke 8:11). Since Jesus is the Living Word, to sow the seed is to tell people the good news of Jesus Christ who came from heaven full of grace and truth. The good news is no mere message for it has the power to impart new life to those who receive it.

(d) He sowed. The sower scatters seed freely and indiscriminately, broadcasting it everywhere. In the same way, we proclaim the good news of the kingdom to all people. Because Jesus died for all, the good news is for all. We are to carry it to every nation, city, and tribe because all are invited to the kingdom.

(e) The road. Some of the scattered seed landed on the trodden-down path beside the field. The road represents the hard and unyielding heart of the unbeliever who refuses to receive the word of God (see Luke 8:12).

(f) Birds. The birds who snatch the seed represent the devil who snatches away the word before it can take root in the hard and unbelieving heart (see Luke 8:12).

Luke 8:6

“Other seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.

(sebuah) Rocky soil. Where rock lies hidden beneath a thin layer of soil, the seed cannot take root or draw up moisture. It springs up quickly but soon withers in the sun.

(b) Withered away. The withered sprouts symbolize the hearts of those who stumble and are offended by the message of the cross (Matt. 13:21).

(c) No moisture. In Matthew’s version, the seed that lands in the rocky ground withers for lack of soil (Matt. 13:5). No soil and no water belie the true problem which is that the seed has no root and cannot grow (see Luke 8:13).

Luke 8:7

“Other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out.

The thorns represent the worries and worldly concerns that crowd the heart and make the word unfruitful (Luke 8:14).

Luke 8:8

“Other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great.” As he said these things, he would call out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

(sebuah) The good soil represents the heart that hears and accepts the word of God (Matt. 13:23, Mark 4:20). It is those who believe the gospel, are saved, and bear fruit (Luke 8:12, 15).

(b) Hundred times. In Matthew and Mark’s accounts, Jesus says those who accept and understand the word produce up to a hundredfold harvest (Matt. 13:23, Mark 4:20). When the word of God takes root in an undivided heart it brings forth “much fruit” (John 15:5).

(d) Let him hear. “Don’t just hear my words; receive the Spirit of revelation.” Jesus gives a similar call to the churches of Revelation. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:7). The Holy Spirit always seek to reveal Jesus (John 15:26), so we can tell if we are hearing rightly when we grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ. If the message you are hearing directs to Jesus, you can be sure that you are hearing from the Spirit of Christ.

Luke 8:9

His disciples began questioning him as to what this parable meant.

(sebuah) His disciples. From Mark’s account we learn that this was a private conversation between Jesus and his disciples. The disciples did not question Jesus while he was in front of the crowds (Mark 4:10). They wanted to know why Jesus spoke in parables and what the other parables meant (Matt. 13:10, Mark 4:10). They were keen to learn, yet Jesus marveled that they needed help with such a simple parable (Mark 4:13).

(b) Questioning. The disciples regularly asked Jesus to explain his parables (Matt. 13:36, Mark 4:10).

(c) Parable. A parable is a comparison expressed in the form of a short story. The parables of Jesus have been called earthly stories with heavenly meanings. See masuk for Matt. 13:3.

Luke 8:10

And he said, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’

(sebuah) To you it has been granted. The disciples were given insights into the mysteries of the kingdom because they asked with faith. “By faith we understand” (Heb. 11:3). Their questions weren’t intended to trap Jesus; they genuinely wanted to know the meaning of the parable (Luke 8:9). So Jesus explained it to them. When we humbly bring our questions to the Lord, he gives us insight and understanding. He does this because he loves us and he wants us to grow in the knowledge of his grace.

(b) The mysteries of the kingdom are insights into God’s character and kingdom that are revealed to us by his Spirit. They are the answers to the deepest questions of life: What is God like? Does he care about us? What is his will? Each time Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like…,” he was unveiling these divine mysteries.

The greatest mystery of all is the “mystery of Christ,” which is God’s plan to unite us with himself through his Son (Eph. 3:4). The revelation of “Christ in us” is the crowning truth of the new covenant, humanity’s great hope, and God’s answer to every need (see masuk for Col. 1:27).

The mysteries of the kingdom are not secret teachings hidden in Scripture. They are kingdom realities that God wants to share with all of us. Mysteries that have been revealed are no longer mysteries; they are revelations.

Bacaan lebih lanjut: "Misteri Tuhan”

(d) To the rest. The crowds.

Jesus told the parable about the sower to the crowds, but only the disciples and a few other followers asked him to explain it. God gives wisdom to all who ask (Jas. 1:5), but those who remained outside never bothered to learn what the parable was about. Unlike the disciples, they didn’t ask.

Jesus was not trying to make it difficult for people to enter the kingdom, but people divide themselves by their response to truth. Some, like the disciples, hungered for his words of eternal life (John 6:68). Others, like the religious leaders, dismissed him as being in league with Beelzebul (Matt. 12:24). Jesus spoke to mixed audiences, and what each person heard reflected the state of their hearts. Those who desired understanding, got revelation. The rest heard stories about seeds, sons, and Samaritans.

(e) Parables; See masuk for Matt. 13:3.

(f) Seeing… hearing. Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah to show how those outside, and by extension the nation of Israel, were insensate when it came to the things of God (Is. 6:9–10). They saw without seeing and heard without hearing and remained in the dark. They did not understand the mysteries of the kingdom because they were hard hearted and slow to believe. John and Paul also quoted this prophecy (John 12:39–40, Acts 28:26–27).

(g) Not see… not understand. The unbelieving crowds were not ready to receive revelation.

Jesus did not make it hard for people to understand his stories; it was their own unbelief that blinded them, and then only sometimes. When he told parables aimed at the Pharisees, they sometimes realized that he was talking about them (e.g., Matt. 21:45) and sometimes they didn’t (e.g., John 10:6). Jesus hid the mysteries of the kingdom within simple, unforgettable stories. Those who wanted an explanation only had to ask, as the disciples did (Mark 4:10).

(h) Understand. To understand is to accept the word (Mark 4:20) and hold it fast (Luke 8:15). It’s receiving the implanted or sown word with humility, and being doers and not merely hearers of the word (Jas. 1:21, 23). It’s choosing to submit to the word of God. When the word is proclaimed, we bend our hearts and minds towards it. We reorient our thinking to align ourselves with what God has said. We let the word take root in our lives knowing that it will release the creative power of God and produce a bountiful harvest.

Luke 8:11

“Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God.

(sebuah) The parable is this. Although Jesus called it “the parable of the Sower” (Matt. 13:18), the sower is not explicitly mentioned in his interpretation (cf. Mark 4:14). (However, Jesus refers to himself as the Sower in the parable of the Wheat and the Weeds (Matt. 13:37).) Nor is there any mention of the activities associated with sowing seed (e.g., plowing, clearing). Jesus’ sole concern is with the seed and the soil that receives it.

(b) The word. The “weapons” of the kingdom of heaven are not swords or spears but the creative and life-giving word of God. His kingdom does not increase through political or military force. It advances as people receive Jesus, the word of life, in their hearts and bear his fruit.

(c) Firman Tuhan is Jesus. Technically, the word of God is the way by which God makes himself and his will known. But the primary way God reveals himself is through his Son. Jesus is the Word of God and the Word made flesh (John 1:1, 14, Rev. 19:13). He is the Word of life (1 John 1:1) that imparts life like a seed.

The word of God can be contrasted with the word of the world. The word of God declares that everything you need for life and godliness comes to us freely by grace and is received through faith in Christ. In contrast, the word of the world says you have to toil and strive for everything, including God’s favor. The word of God reveals his unconditional love and grace, while the word of the world speaks the language of the flesh. Every manmade religion preaches a worldly word: do good to get good, keep the rules or be cursed, make sacrifices to earn divine favor. The wisdom of the world is based on our natural senses and susceptible to demonic influence (Jas. 3:15). In contrast, the word or wisdom of God comes from above and is received in our spirits.

The word of God is synonymous with the word of Christ (Rom. 10:17), the word of the kingdom (Matt. 13:19), the word of truth (Col. 1:5), and the word of his grace (Acts 14:3, 20:32). These are all different labels for the life-giving gospel of Christ or the gospel of grace (see masuk for Acts 20:24).

Lihat masuk untuk Firman Tuhan.

Luke 8:12

“Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved.

(sebuah) The road. The compacted wayside represents the hard heart that refuses to believe in the goodness of God. The seed of the word does not penetrate. It is rejected and trampled underfoot.

(b) Those who have heard. Although the parable is about sowing the seed or proclaiming the word, the focus of Jesus’ explanation is on receiving the seed or hearing the word. Jesus describes four responses to the gospel: First, we may hear it and dismiss it. Second, we may receive it with joy but fail to let it to take root in our hearts. Third, we may receive it yet render it unfruitful by living in worry and fear. Fourth, we may receive it with faith, hold fast to it, and allow it to bear much fruit.

Some of the parables highlight what Jesus has done or will do for us, but the parable of the Sower is about how we respond to him. Everything in life—our success or failure, our salvation or condemnation—depends on how we receive the word of the kingdom.

(c) The devil, a.k.a. the evil one (Matt. 13:19) or Satan (Mark 4:15). The devil’s agenda is to keep you from coming to God. To this end he propagates three lies: you don’t need help, you can’t get help, and God won’t help. These lies fuel the perception that God is dead or distant; he’s angry and judgmental; he’s capricious and untrustworthy. When someone resists the gospel, perhaps because they have been raised with the devil’s lies, it is as if the devil himself has snatched the word away.

Bacaan lebih lanjut: "The 9 lies of religion”

(d) The word; lihat ayat sebelumnya.

(e) Heart. The heart is the inner self (Mark 7:21). Manmade religion is focused on externals—your behavior and appearance—but real transformation begins in the heart.

(f) Believe and be saved. The best response to the word of God is to believe in it. Those who harden their hearts to the gospel remain unsaved.

Luke 8:13

“Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away.

(sebuah) Rocky soil is not good for growing crops. The rocky places represents hearts that are trusting in the law written on tablets of stone. To rely on the law as a means of obtaining righteousness is to nullify the grace of God (Gal. 2:21).

Perhaps the number one reason why grace fails to take root or bear fruit is that people are trusting in the law instead of the Lord. They’re looking to the Ten Commandments as a guide for life when they could be leaning on the Holy Spirit. They hear, “Enthusiasm is not enough. It takes commitment and hard work to be a Christian.” So they try harder and trust less and the result is they wither.

(b) Receive. Under the old covenant you gave, but under the new covenant we receive. We receive the word (Mark 4:16), love (1 John 4:19), grace (Rom. 5:17), faith (2 Pet. 1:1), and salvation (Rom. 6:23). We receive Christ (Col. 2:6), the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), righteousness (Rom. 5:17), peace (John 14:27), and wisdom (Jas. 1:5). We receive the crown of life (Jas. 1:12), the reward of our inheritance (Col. 3:24), and the rest from our labors (Matt. 11:28–29).

(c) No firm root. The word “firm” is in italics to show it has been added by translators. The original text reads “they have no root,” which is what Jesus said in the parable. “They had no root, they withered away” (Matt. 13:6). To have no root is to have no connection with Jesus. He is the Righteous Root who sustains and nourishes us (Rom. 11:18). The righteous believer is like “a tree firmly planted by streams of water whose leaf does not wither” (Ps. 1:3). But the one who trusts in himself will wither and wilt for they have no root.

(d) Believe for a while. Jesus was followed by fickle crowds who would praise God one minute (e.g., Matt. 9:8) only to walk away from Jesus the next (e.g., John 6:66). One week they would be shouting “Hosanna” (Matt. 21:9). The next they’d be shouting “Crucify” (Matt. 27:22).

The wrong way to read this passage is to think you can lose your salvation or that you must have a faultless and unflagging faith to pass the salvation test. Jesus is not talking about the eternally secure children of God. He’s talking about people with no root. They trust in themselves rather than him.

(e) Temptation or testing. The original word (peirasmos) is related to a word that means to test (peirazo).

Respond joyfully to the message of grace and you will soon face opposition from those who are bound to the law. They will say, “Grace must be balanced” and “Too much grace is dangerous.” You will be pressured to conform and condemned if you refuse. If your faith is rooted in the unconditional love of God, you will not be shaken. But if it is rooted in anything else, such as the approval of others, you will stumble.

(f) Fall away. The original verb skandalizō means “to stumble.” It describes someone who is offended by the message of the cross. The religious Jews worshipped God, but they stumbled over God’s Son (1 Cor. 1:23). They preferred law to grace and pursued a righteousness based on their works rather than the righteousness that comes through faith in Christ (Rom. 9:31–33).

The righteous man is like “a tree firmly planted by streams of water whose leaf does not wither” (Ps. 1:3). But the one who trusts in himself will wither and wilt for they have no root.

Luke 8:14

“The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.

(sebuah) Seed. The seed is the word of God or the good news of Jesus; see masuk for Luke 8:11.

(b) The thorns symbolize the worries, anxieties, and fears of life that distract us from Jesus and keep us from being fruitful.

(c) Choked. The original verb sumpnigo means “to strangle, drown, or throttle.” Worry does not cause us to lose our salvation, but it does render the word of God unproductive in our lives.

(d) Worries. Any area of your heart that is troubled and anxious is operating in unbelief. It is as though part of you is saying, “God doesn’t care” or “I don’t believe God can handle this.” When we allow cares and anxieties to distract us from God’s promises, his word becomes unfruitful in our lives.

(e) Riches and pleasures. Wealth offers a false sense of security.

If we look to money to protect our families and ensure our futures, we are setting ourselves up for disappointment. The lure of wealth makes us barren, robs us of joy, and can even draw us away from the faith (1 Tim. 6:10). When we pursue money and success, we give up opportunities to experience the blessings of a life centered on the Lord.

(f) No fruit to maturity. Believers who are captive to fear never mature or become fruitful (Luke 8:14). Perversely, this leads some to say “You’ve got to produce fruit for the Lord.” The result is dead works and more thorns. Nothing we do can produce lasting fruit; it is the seed that produces fruit. Our part is to abide in the Vine and allow Christ to bear his fruit in our lives (John 15:4).

Luke 8:15

“But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.

(sebuah) Seed. The seed is the word of God or the good news of Jesus. It is the life-giving message that makes the barren fruitful. It is the happy announcement that God is good, he loves us unconditionally, and there is nothing we must do to earn his favor. See masuk for Luke 8:11.

(b) An honest and good heart is one that accepts and holds fast to God’s word.

(c) Hold it fast. To hold fast to the word is to believe it no matter what our natural senses may tell us. It’s choosing to walk by faith rather than sight and trusting that God will bring his good word to pass in our lives.

In Matthew’s account we are to “understand” the word and in Mark’s account we are to “accept” it (Matt. 13:23, Mark 4:20). James adds that we are to receive the implanted or sown word with humility, and be doers of the word and not merely hearers (Jas. 1:21, 23). When the word is proclaimed, we bend our hearts and minds towards it. We reorient our thinking to align ourselves with what God has said. We let the word take root in our lives knowing that it will release the power of God and produce a bountiful harvest.

(d) Bears fruit. The seed produces the fruit, not us. We are merely the soil in which the seed grows. As long as we keep the garden of our hearts free from rocks (law) and thorns (worries), the indwelling Spirit of Christ will bear his fruit in our lives. It may not happen immediately. But as long as rest in the Lord, the fruit will grow (John 15:4–5). “The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head.” (Mark 4:28).

(e) Perseverance. The original noun hypomonē can be translated as “patience.” Just as a farmer patiently waits for “the precious produce of the soil” (Jas. 5:7), we can be sure that God’s word will bear fruit in our lives.

Luke 8:18

“So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.”

Whoever has. See masuk for Matt. 13:12.

Luke 8:19

And His mother and brothers came to Him, and they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd.

(sebuah) His mother. All four Gospel writers refer to Mary as the mother of Jesus. See masuk for Matt. 1:18.

(b) His brothers or half-brothers were James, Joseph, Simon and Judas (Matt. 13:55). At first, these men did not believe that Jesus was the Son of God (Mark 3:21). But they and their mother Mary were among those praying in the Upper Room after the ascension of Jesus (Acts 1:14). James became the influential leader of the church in Jerusalem (Acts 15:13). It’s possible the other brothers became ministers of the gospel and apostles, but we have no direct evidence for this (1 Cor. 9:5).

Luke 8:20

And it was reported to Him, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wishing to see You.”

Outside. Jesus was often “inside” with the believers and true disciples (Mark 3:34–35, 4:10), while those outside were the sceptics and unbelievers (Mark 3:31–32, 4:11).

Luke 8:21

But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”

(sebuah) My mother. Mary was an extraordinary woman, highly favored by God, and rightly honoured by the Church. Yet nowhere in scripture does Jesus refer to her as mother. Instead, he calls her woman (John 2:4, 19:26). If you asked Jesus who his mother was, he would reply, “My mother and brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.” Jesus was not being disrespectful to Mary, but like Melchizedek, he was “without father and mother” in the usual sense (Heb. 7:3).

Lihat masuk for Virgin Birth.

(b) To hear the word of God and do it is to repent and believe the good news of Jesus. Jesus is the Living Word of God (John 1:1, 14, Rev. 19:13). He is the Word of life (1 John 1:1) who imparts life to those who trust him. The people of Nazareth are an example of those who heard the word of God but did not heed it (Luke 4:28).

Lihat masuk untuk Firman Tuhan.

Luke 8:23

But as they were sailing along He fell asleep; and a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake, and they began to be swamped and to be in danger.

A fierce gale. On the eastern shores of the Sea of Galilee are mountains that are up to 2000 feet high. The air on top of these mountains is often cool and dry, while the air on the lake shore is warm and moist. When the wind blows from the east, the collision of the different air masses can lead to violent storms such as the one experienced by the disciples.

Luke 8:24

They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm.

Rebuked. Jesus rebuked the wind and the word used (epitimao) is the same Greek word for when Jesus rebuked the devil (Matt. 17:18) and various demons (e.g., Mark 1:25). This has led some to conclude that the storm was demonic in nature. However, the Bible never says this and we risk glorifying the devil by attributing to him powers he may not have.

In the poetry of the prophets, it is the Lord who is ultimately credited with the wonders of nature (e.g., Jer. 10:13, 51:16). Just as it is wrong to blame the devil, it is equally misguided to think that all the storms that come our way were sent by God to test us. The story rather illustrates the power we have in Christ to still the storms of life.

Luke 8:25

And He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?”

Where is your faith? Faith is a positive response to God’s word. Jesus had said they were going to the other side (Luke 8:22), but the disciples did not believe him. They placed more confidence in their own assessment of the circumstances.

Luke 8:26

Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee.

The country of the Gerasenes. In his account of the crossing of the Sea of Galilee, Matthew said the trip ended in the region of Gadara (Matt. 8:28) while Mark and Luke said it finished in the region of Gerasa (Mark 5:1). This discrepancy is inconsequential. Gerasa and Gadara were different towns, but both were off the southeastern corner of the lake.

Luke 8:36

Those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well.

Made well can also be translated as made whole or delivered. The original word (sozo) is usually translated as save (e.g., Matt. 1:21), but it also implies deliverance and healing. When Jesus healed the sick, he sozo ed them; he healed them (Mark 5:23), delivered them (Luke 8:36) and made them whole (Matt. 9:21). See masuk for Salvation.

Luke 8:41

And there came a man named Jairus, and he was an official of the synagogue; and he fell at Jesus’ feet, and began to implore him to come to his house;

At his feet. This is one of at least five occasions where someone fell or knelt at Christ’s feet (Luke 7:38, 8:41, 17:15–16, John 11:32, Rev. 1:17).

Luke 8:48

And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

(sebuah) Your faith has made you well. It is the grace of God that brings healing, but since grace only comes by faith (Eph. 2:8), Jesus said what he said.

(b) Made you well can also be translated made you whole. The original word (sozo) is usually translated as save (e.g., Matt. 1:21), but it also implies healing. When Jesus healed the sick, he sozo ed them; he healed them (Mark 5:23), delivered them (Luke 8:36) and made them whole (Matt. 9:21). See masuk for Salvation.

Luke 8:50

But when Jesus heard this, He answered him, “Do not be afraid any longer; only believe, and she will be made well.”

(sebuah) Do not be afraid any longer. Fear and doubt are faith-killers. We feed our faith and starve our fears by reminding ourselves who God is. Jairus the synagogue official had seen Jesus heal the sick. The most recent healing had happened only moments earlier.

(b) Only believe. We can choose to fear or we can choose to believe and Jesus will always encourage us to do the latter.

Luke 8:51

When He came to the house, He did not allow anyone to enter with Him, except Peter and John and James, and the girl’s father and mother.

(sebuah) Peter. Simon Peter; see masuk for Luke 4:38.

(b) James; Lihat masuk for Luke 5:10.

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Luke 8