8:1 {Soon afterwards} (en tōi kathexēs). In 7:11 we have en
tōi hexēs. This word means one after the other, successively,
but that gives no definite data as to the time, only that this
incident in 8:1-3 follows that in 7:36-50. Both in Luke
alone.
8:2 {Which had been healed} (hai ēsan tetherapeumenai).
Periphrastic past perfect passive, suggesting that the healing
had taken place some time before this tour. These women all had
personal grounds of gratitude to Jesus.
8:3 {Joanna} (Iōana). Her husband Chuzā, steward
(epitropou) of Herod, is held by some to be the nobleman
(basilikos) of Joh 4:46-53 who believed and all his house. At
any rate Christ had a follower from the household of Herod
Antipas who had such curiosity to see and hear him. One may
recall also Manaen (Ac 13:1), Herod's foster brother. Joanna is
mentioned again with Mary Magdalene in Lu 24:10.
8:4 {By a parable} (dia parabolēs). Mr 4:2 says "in parables"
as does Mt 13:3. This is the beginning of the first great group
of parables as given in Mr 4:1-34 and Mt 13:1-53. There are
ten of these parables in Mark and Matthew and only two in Lu
8:4-18 (The Sower and the Lamp, 8:16) though Luke also has the
expression "in parables" (8:10). See Mt 13 and Mr 4 for
discussion of the word parable and the details of the Parable of
the Sower. Luke does not locate the place, but he mentions the
great crowds on hand, while both Mark and Matthew name the
seaside as the place where Jesus was at the start of the series
of parables.
8:5 {His seed} (ton sporon autou). Peculiar to Luke.
8:6 {Upon the rock} (epi tēn petran). Mr 4:5 "the rocky
ground" (epi to petrōdes), Mt 13:5 "the rocky places.
8:7 {Amidst the thorns} (en mesōi tōn akanthōn). Mr 4:7 has eis (among) and Mt 13:7 has epi "upon."
8:8 {A hundredfold} (hekatonplasiona). Luke omits the thirty
and sixty of Mr 4:8; Mt 13:8.
8:9 {Asked} (epērōtōn). Imperfect of eperōtaō (epi and erōtaō) where Mr 4:10 has ērōtōn (uncompounded imperfect),
both the tense and the use of epi indicate eager and repeated
questions on the part of the disciples, perhaps dimly perceiving
a possible reflection on their own growth.
8:10 {The mysteries} (ta mustēria). See for this word on ¯Mt
13:11; Mr 4:11. Part of the mystery here explained is how so
many people who have the opportunity to enter the kingdom fail to
do so because of manifest unfitness.
8:11 {Is this} (estin de hautē). Means this. Jesus now proceeds
to interpret his own parable.
8:12 {Those by the wayside} (hoi para tēn hodon). As in Mr
4:15; Mt 13:19 so here the people who hear the word = the seed
are discussed by metonymy.
8:13 {Which for a while believe} (hoi pros kairon pisteuousin).
Ostensibly they are sincere and have made a real start in the
life of faith.
8:14 {They are choked} (sunpnigontai). Present passive
indicative of this powerfully vivid compound verb sunpnigō used
in Mr 4:19; Mt 13:22, only there these worldly weeds choke the
word while here the victims themselves are choked. Both are true.
Diphtheria will choke and strangle the victim. Who has not seen
the promise of fair flower and fruit choked into yellow withered
stalk without fruit "as they go on their way" (poreuomenoi).
{Bring no fruit to perfection} (ou telesphorousin). Compound
verb common in the late writers (telos, phoreō). To bring to
completion. Used of fruits, animals, pregnant women. Only here in
the N.T.
8:15 {In an honest and good heart} (en kardiāi kalēi kai
agathēi). Peculiar to Luke. In verse 8 the land (gēn) is
called agathēn (really good, generous) and in verse 15 we
have en tēi kalēi gēi ({in the beautiful or noble land}). So
Luke uses both adjectives of the heart. The Greeks used kalos k'
agathos of the high-minded gentleman. It is probable that Luke
knew this idiom. It occurs here alone in the N.T. It is not easy
to translate. We have such phrases as "good and true," "sound and
good," "right and good," no one of which quite suits the Greek.
Certainly Luke adds new moral qualities not in the Hellenic
phrase. The English word "honest" here is like the Latin
"honestus" (fair, noble). The words are to be connected with
"hold fast" (katechousin), "hold it down" so that the devil
does not snatch it away, having depth of soil so that it does not
shrivel up under the sun, and is not choked by weeds and thorns.
It bears fruit (karpophorousin, an old expressive verb, karpos and phoreō). That is the proof of spiritual life.
8:16 {When he hath lighted a lamp} (luchnon hapsas). It is a
portable lamp (luchnon) that one lights (hapsas aorist active
participle of haptō, to kindle, fasten to, light).
8:17 {That shall not be known} (ho ou mē gnōsthēi). Peculiar to
Luke. First aorist passive subjunctive of ginōskō with the
strong double negative ou mē. See on ¯Mr 4:22 for discussion
of krupton and apokruphon.
8:18 {How ye hear} (pōs akouete). The manner of hearing. Mr
4:24 has "what ye hear" (ti akouete), the matter that is
heard. Both are supremely important. Some things should not be
heard at all. Some that are heard should be forgotten. Others
should be treasured and practised.
8:19 {His mother and brethren} (hē mētēr kai hoi adelphoi
autou). Mr 3:31-35; Mt 12:46-50 place the visit of the mother
and brothers of Jesus before the parable of the sower. Usually
Luke follows Mark's order, but he does not do so here. At first
the brothers of Jesus (younger sons of Joseph and Mary, I take
the words to mean, there being sisters also) were not unfriendly
to the work of Jesus as seen in Joh 2:12 when they with the
mother of Jesus are with him and the small group (half dozen)
disciples in Capernaum after the wedding in Cana. But as Jesus
went on with his work and was rejected at Nazareth (Lu
4:16-31), there developed an evident disbelief in his claims on
the part of the brothers who ridiculed him six months before the
end (Joh 7:5). At this stage they have apparently come with
Mary to take Jesus home out of the excitement of the crowds,
perhaps thinking that he is beside himself (Mr 3:21). They
hardly believed the charge of the rabbis that Jesus was in league
with Beelzebub. Certainly the mother of Jesus could give no
credence to that slander. But she herself was deeply concerned
and wanted to help him if possible. See discussion of the problem
in my little book "The Mother of Jesus" and also on ¯Mr 3:31 and
¯Mt 12:46.
8:20 {Was told} (apēggelē). Second aorist passive indicative of apaggellō, to bring word or tidings. Common verb. See on ¯Mr
3:32 and ¯Mt 12:47 for details.
8:21 {These which hear the word of God and do it} (hoi ton logon
tou theou akouontes kai poiountes). The absence of the article
with "mother" and "brothers" probably means, as Plummer argues,
"Mother to me and brothers to me are those who &c." No one is a
child of God because of human parentage (Joh 1:13). "Family
ties are at best temporal; spiritual ties are eternal" (Plummer)
. Note the use of "hear and do" together here as in Mt 7:24; Lu
6:47 at the close of the Sermon on the Mount. The parable of the
sower is almost like a footnote to that sermon. Later Jesus will
make "doing" a test of friendship for him (Joh 15:14).
8:22 {And they launched forth} (kai anēchthēsan). First aorist
passive indicative of anagō, an old verb, to lead up, to put
out to sea (looked at as going up from the land). This nautical
sense of the verb occurs only in Luke in the N.T. and especially
in the Acts (Ac 13:13; 16:11; 18:21; 20:3,13; 21:I,2;
27:2,4,12,21; 28:10f.).
8:23 {He fell asleep} (aphupnōsen). First aorist (ingressive)
active indicative of aphupnoō, to put to sleep, to fall off to
sleep, a late verb for which the older Greek used kathupnoō.
Originally aphupnoō meant to waken from sleep, then to fall off
to sleep (possibly a medical use). This is the only passage which
speaks of the sleep of Jesus. Here only in the N.T.
8:24 {Master, Master} (Epistata, epistata). See on ¯Lu 5:5 for
discussion. Mr 4:38 has {Teacher} (Didaskale), Mt 8:25 has
{Lord} (Kurie). The repetition here shows the uneasiness of the
disciples.
8:26 {They arrived} (katepleusan). First aorist active
indicative of katapleō, common verb, but here only in the N.T.
Literally, {they sailed down} from the sea to the land, the
opposite of {launched forth} (anēchthēsan) of verse 22. So we
today use like nautical terms, to bear up, to bear down.
8:27 {And for a long time} (kai chronōi hikanōi). The use of
the associative instrumental case in expressions of time is a
very old Greek idiom that still appears in the papyri (Robertson,
"Grammar", p. 527).
8:28 {Fell down} (prosepesen). Second aorist active of prospiptō, to fall forward, towards, prostrate before one as
here. Common verb. Mr 5:6 has prosekunēsen (worshipped).
8:29 {For he commanded} (parēggellen gar). Imperfect active,
correct text, for he was commanding.
8:30 {Legion} (Legiōn). See on ¯Mr 5:9.
8:31 {Into the abyss} (eis tēn abusson). Rare old word common
in LXX from a privative and bath–s (deep). So bottomless
place (supply chōra). The deep sea in Ge 1:2; 7:11. The
common receptacle of the dead in Ro 10:7 and especially the
abode of demons as here and Re 9:1-11; 11:7; 17:8; 20:1,3.
8:32 {A herd of many swine} (agelē choirōn hikanōn). Word
{herd} (agelē) old as Homer, but in N.T. only here and
parallels (Mr 5:11; Mt 8:30). Luke shows his fondness for
adjective hikanos here again (see verse 27) where Mark has megalē and Matthew pollōn.
8:33 {Rushed down the steep} (hōrmēsen kata tou krēmnou).
Ablative with kata as in Mr 5:13; Mt 8:32 and the same vivid
verb in each account, to hurl impetuously, to rush.
8:34 {Saw what had come to pass} (idontes to gegonos). This
item only in Luke. Note the neat Greek idiom to gegonos,
articular second perfect active participle of ginomai. Repeated
in verse 35 and in Mr 5:14. Note numerous participles here in
verse 35 as in Mr 5:15.
8:36 {He that was possessed with devils (demons)} (only two words
in Greek, ho daimonistheis, the demonized).
8:37 {Were holden with great fear} (phobōi megalōi
suneichonto). Imperfect passive of sunechō with the
instrumental case of phobos. See a similar use of this vigorous
verb in Lu 12:50 of Jesus and in Php 1:23 of Paul.
8:38 {From whom the devils (demons) were gone out} (aph' hou
exelēluthei ta daimonia). Past perfect active of exerchomai,
state of completion in the past.
8:39 {Throughout the whole city} (kath' holēn tēn polin). Mr
5:20 has it "in Decapolis." He had a great story to tell and he
told it with power. The rescue missions in our cities can match
this incident with cases of great sinners who have made witnesses
for Christ.
8:40 {Welcomed} (apedexato). Peculiar to Luke. To receive with
pleasure, from apodechomai, a common verb.
8:41 {Was} (hupērchen). Imperfect of huparchō in sense of ēn as in modern Greek. Common in Luke, and Acts, but not in
other Gospels.
8:42 {An only daughter} (thugatēr monogenēs). The same
adjective used of the widow's son (7:12) and the epileptic boy
(9:38) and of Jesus (Joh 1:18; 3:16).
8:43 {Had spent all her living upon physicians} (eis iatrous
prosanalōsasa holon ton bion). First aorist active participle of
an old verb prosanaliskō, only here in the N.T. But Westcott
and Hort reject this clause because it is not in B D Syriac
Sinaitic. Whether genuine or not, the other clause in Mr 5:26
certainly is not in Luke: "had suffered many things of many
physicians." Probably both are not genuine in Luke who takes care
of the physicians by the simple statement that it was a chronic
case: {could not be healed of any} (ouk ischusen ap' oudenos
therapeuthēnai). He omitted also what Mark has: "and was nothing
bettered but rather grew worse."
8:44 {The border of his garment} (tou kraspedou tou himatiou).
Probably the tassel of the overgarment. Of the four corners two
were in front and two behind. See on ¯Mt 9:20.
8:45 {Press thee and crush thee} (sunechousin se kai
apothlibousin). Hold thee together, hold thee in (sunechō, see
verse 37).
8:46 {For I perceived that power had gone forth from me} (egō
gar egnōn dunamin exelēluthuian ap' emou). Egnōn is second
aorist active indicative of ginōskō, knowledge by personal
experience as here. It is followed by the second perfect active
participle exelēluthuian in indirect discourse (Robertson,
"Grammar", pp. 1040-42). Jesus felt the sensation of power
already gone. Who does not know what this sense of "goneness" or
exhaustion of nervous energy means?
8:47 {Trembling} (tremousa). Vivid touch of the feeling of this
sensitive woman who now had to tell everybody of her cure, "in
the presence of all the people" (enōpion pantos tou laou). She
faced the widest publicity for her secret cure.
8:49 {From the ruler of the synagogue's house} (para tou
archisunagōgou). The word "house" is not in the Greek here as in
Mr 5:35 where apo is used rather than para, as here. But
the ruler himself had come to Jesus (Lu 8:41) and this is the
real idea. Trouble not (mēketi skulle). See on ¯Lu 7:6 for
this verb and also Mr 5:35; Mt 9:36.
8:50 {And she shall be made whole} (kai sōthēsetai). This
promise in addition to the words in Mr 5:36. See there for
discussion of details.
8:53 {Knowing that she was dead} (eidotes hoti apethanen). That
she died (apethanen), second aorist active indicative of apothnēskō.
8:54 {Called} (ephōnēsen). Certainly not to wake up the dead,
but to make it plain to all that she rose in response to his
elevated tone of voice. Some think that the remark of Jesus in
verse 52 (Mr 5:39; Mt 9:24) proves that she was not really
dead, but only in a trance. It matters little. The touch of
Christ's hand and the power of his voice restored her to life.
{Maiden} (hē pais) rather than Mark's (Mr 5:41) to korasion
(vernacular "Koinē").
8:55 {Her spirit returned} (epestrepsen to pneuma autēs). The
life came back to her at once.
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