1 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,
2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.
4 And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:
5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?
10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
13 They 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 that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
16 No 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.
17 For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.
18 Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.
19 Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press.
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, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.
22 Now 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 fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.
24 And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then 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, Where is your faith? And they being 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 And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.
27 And when he went forth to land, there 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, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.
29 (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For 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: because many devils were entered into him.
31 And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.
32 And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.
33 Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.
34 When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, 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 found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
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 besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.
38 Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying,
39 Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And 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, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.
41 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that he would come into his house:
42 For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him.
43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,
44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and 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?
46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.
47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling 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, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.
49 While 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.
50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.
51 And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.
52 And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.
53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.
55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.
56 And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.
Chapter 8 of the Book of Luke in the King James Version (KJV) of the Holy Bible is a rich and dense chapter that covers several significant events in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. These events include the parable of the sower, the parable of the lamp, the calming of the storm, the casting out of a legion of demons, the healing of a woman with a blood issue, and the raising of a young girl from the dead. Each of these events is laden with deep spiritual and theological implications and messages, which we will explore in this essay.
The chapter begins with Jesus teaching a multitude of people by the sea, using a parable. The parable of the sower is a profound teaching about the different responses people have to the word of God. The seed, which represents the word of God, falls on four types of ground - the wayside, rocky ground, thorny ground, and good ground. Each type of ground represents a different kind of hearer of the word. The wayside hearers are those who hear the word but do not understand or believe it. The rocky ground hearers are those who initially receive the word with joy but fall away when trials come. The thorny ground hearers are those who are choked by the cares, riches, and pleasures of life and do not bear mature fruit. The good ground hearers are those who hear the word, keep it, and bear fruit with patience. This parable is a stark reminder that the word of God does not automatically bear fruit in every heart. It depends on the condition of the heart of the hearer.
Following the parable of the sower, Jesus tells another parable - the parable of the lamp. This parable emphasizes the importance of not just hearing the word of God but also doing it. Jesus says that no one lights a lamp and hides it under a basket, but puts it on a stand so that those who enter may see the light. He then says that whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken away. This parable teaches us that the word of God is meant to be acted upon and shared with others, not kept to ourselves. It also teaches us that the more we use what we have been given, the more we will receive.
The next event in this chapter is the calming of the storm. Jesus and His disciples set out to cross the lake, and while they are on the water, a fierce storm arises. The disciples, frightened, wake up Jesus, who is sleeping in the boat. Jesus rebukes the wind and the raging waves, and they cease, and there is calm. This miracle demonstrates Jesus' authority over nature and His power to bring peace amid chaos and fear. It also highlights the disciples' lack of faith and their failure to understand who Jesus really is.
Upon reaching the other side of the lake, Jesus encounters a man possessed by a legion of demons. The demons beg Jesus not to torment them, and He allows them to enter a herd of pigs, which then rush down a steep bank into the lake and drown. The man, now freed from the demons, wants to follow Jesus, but Jesus tells him to return home and declare what God has done for him. This event showcases Jesus' authority over the spiritual realm and His power to liberate people from demonic oppression. It also reveals Jesus' mission to bring salvation not just to the Jews, but also to the Gentiles.
As Jesus returns to the other side of the lake, a woman who has been suffering from a blood issue for twelve years touches the hem of His garment, believing that she will be healed. Jesus, feeling power go out from Him, turns around and asks who touched Him. The woman, trembling, comes forward and admits what she has done. Jesus tells her that her faith has made her well. This miracle underscores the power of faith and the healing virtue of Jesus. It also highlights the personal and compassionate nature of Jesus, who is willing to stop and acknowledge an individual's faith amid a pressing crowd.
The chapter ends with another remarkable miracle - the raising of a young girl from the dead. The girl's father, Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, comes to Jesus pleading for Him to come and heal his daughter. But while Jesus is on His way, He is informed that the girl has died. Jesus, undeterred, tells Jairus to have faith and goes to his house. He takes the girl by the hand and commands her to arise, and she comes back to life. This miracle demonstrates Jesus' authority over death and His power to bring life where there is none. It also emphasizes the importance of faith in the face of impossible circumstances.
In conclusion, Chapter 8 of the Book of Luke is a treasure trove of teachings and miracles that provide a deep insight into Jesus' ministry and His nature. The parables emphasize the importance of the condition of our hearts in receiving the word of God and the necessity of acting upon and sharing the word. The miracles demonstrate Jesus' authority over nature, the spiritual realm, and death, and His power to heal, liberate, and bring life. They also highlight the key role that faith plays in our interaction with Jesus. This chapter, therefore, serves as a profound reminder of who Jesus is, what He came to do, and how we should respond to Him.
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