Luke 8

Lu 8:1-3.

A

GALILEAN

CIRCUIT, WITH THE

TWELVE AND

CERTAIN

MINISTERING

WOMEN.

(In Luke only).

1. went--travelled, made a progress.

throughout every city and village--through town and village.

preaching, &c.--the Prince of itinerant preachers scattering far and

wide the seed of the Kingdom.

2. certain women . . . healed, &c.--on whom He had the

double claim of having brought healing to their bodies and new life to

their souls. Drawn to Him by an attraction more than magnetic, they

accompany Him on this tour as His almoners--ministering unto Him

of their substance. Blessed Saviour! It melts us to see Thee living

upon the love of Thy ransomed people. That they bring Thee their poor

offerings we wonder not. Thou hast sown unto them spiritual things, and

they think it, as well they might, a small thing that Thou shouldst

reap their material things

(1Co 9:11).

But dost Thou take it at their hand, and subsist upon it? "Oh, the

depth of the riches"

(Ro 11:33)

--of this poverty of His!

Mary Magdalene--that is, probably, of Magdala (on which see

Mt 15:39;

see on

Mr 8:10).

went--rather, "had gone."

seven devils--

(Mr 16:9).

It is a great wrong to this honored woman to identify her with the once

profligate woman of

Lu 7:37,

and to call all such penitents Magdalenes. The mistake has

arisen from confounding unhappy demoniacal possession with the

conscious entertainment of diabolic impurity, or supposing the one to

have been afflicted as a punishment for the other--for which there is

not the least scriptural ground.

3. Joanna, wife of Chuza, Herod's steward--If the steward of

such a godless, cruel, and licentious wretch as Herod Antipas (see on

Mr 6:14,

&c.) differed greatly from himself, his post would be no easy or

enviable one. That he was a disciple of Christ is very improbable,

though he might be favorably disposed towards Him. But what we know

not of him, and may fear he lacked, we are sure his wife possessed.

Healed either of "evil spirits" or of some one of the "infirmities"

here referred to--the ordinary diseases of humanity--she joins in the

Saviour's train of grateful, clinging followers. Of "Susanna," next

mentioned, we know nothing but the name, and that here only. But her

services on this memorable occasion have immortalized her name.

"Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world,

this also that she hath done," in ministering to the Lord of her

substance on His Galilean tour, "shall be spoken of as a memorial of

her"

(Mr 14:9).

many others--that is, many other healed women. What a train! and

all ministering unto Him of their substance, and He allowing them to do

it and subsisting upon it! "He who was the support of the spiritual life

of His people disdained not to be supported by them in the body. He was

not ashamed to penetrate so far into the depths of poverty as to live

upon the alms of love. He only fed others miraculously; for Himself, He

lived upon the love of His people. He gave all things to men, His

brethren, and received all things from them, enjoying thereby the pure

blessing of love: which is then only perfect when it is at the same time

both giving and receiving. Who could invent such things as these?

It was necessary to live in this manner that it might be so recorded"

[OLSHAUSEN].

Lu 8:4-18.

PARABLE OF THE

SOWER.

(See on

Mr 4:3-9,

Mr 4:14-20.)

16. No man, &c.--(see on

Mt 5:15,

of which this is nearly a repetition).

17. For nothing, &c.--(See on

Lu 12:2).

18. how ye--in

Mr 4:24,

"what ye hear." The one implies the other. The precept is very

weighty.

seemeth to have--or, "thinketh that he hath" (Margin).

The "having" of

Mt 13:12

(on which see), and this "thinking he hath," are not different. Hanging

loosely on him, and not appropriated, it is and is not

his.

Lu 8:19-21.

HIS

MOTHER AND

BRETHREN

DESIRE TO

SPEAK WITH

HIM.

(See on

Mt 12:46-50).

Lu 8:22-25.

JESUS

CROSSING THE

LAKE,

STILLS THE

STORM.

(See on

Mt 8:23-27,

and

Mr 4:35-41).

23. filled--literally, "were getting filled," that is, those who

sailed; meaning that their ship was so.

Lu 8:26-39.

DEMONIAC OF

GADARA

HEALED.

(See on

Mt 8:28-34;

and

Mr 5:1-20).

Lu 8:40-56.

JAIRUS'

DAUGHTER

RAISED AND

ISSUE OF

BLOOD

HEALED.

(See on

Mt 9:18-26;

and

Mr 5:21-43).

40. gladly received him, for . . . all waiting for

him--The abundant teaching of that day (in

Mt 13:1-58;

and see

Mr 4:36),

had only whetted the people's appetite; and disappointed, as would

seem, that He had left them in the evening to cross the lake, they

remain hanging about the beach, having got a hint, probably through

some of His disciples, that He would be back the same evening. Perhaps

they witnessed at a distance the sudden calming of the tempest. Here at

least they are, watching for His return, and welcoming Him to the

shore. The tide of His popularity was now fast rising.

45. Who touched me?--"Askest Thou, Lord, who touched Thee? Rather

ask who touched Thee not in such a throng."

46. Somebody hath touched--yes, the multitude "thronged" and

pressed Him--"they jostled against Him," but all involuntarily;

they were merely carried along; but one, one only--"Somebody

TOUCHED"

HIM, with the conscious, voluntary, dependent touch of faith,

reaching forth its hands expressly to have contact with Him. This and

this only Jesus acknowledges and seeks out. Even so, as the Church

Father AUGUSTINE long ago said,

multitudes still come similarly close to Christ in the means of grace,

but all to no purpose, being only sucked into the crowd. The

voluntary, living contact of faith is that electric conductor which

alone draws virtue out of Him.

47. declared . . . before all--This, though a great trial to the

shrinking modesty of the believing woman, was just what Christ wanted in

dragging her forth, her public testimony to the facts of her case--both

her disease, with her abortive efforts at a cure, and the instantaneous

and perfect relief which her touch of the Great Healer had brought her.

55. give her meat--(See on

Mr 5:43).