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Luke 8

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,

And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,

And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.

And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:

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.

And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.

And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.

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.

And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.

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.

Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press.

And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.

And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.

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.

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.

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.

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.

And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.

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.

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.

(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.)

And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.

And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.

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.

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.

When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country.

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.

They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed.

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.

Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying,

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.

And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.

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:

For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him.

And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,

Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.

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?

And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.

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.

And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

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.

But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.

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.

And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.

And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.

And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.

And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.

And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.

What does Luke 8:10 mean?

Explanation

Luke 8:10 contains a statement made by Jesus to His disciples explaining why He uses parables in His teachings.

A parable is a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson.

The key point in this verse is the distinction Jesus makes between those who are "given" to know the mysteries of God's kingdom and those who are not.

Those to whom it is given, presumably His disciples and followers, will understand the deeper truths hidden within the parables.

In contrast, others will hear the stories but not comprehend their true meanings.

The use of "seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand" emphasizes the idea that there is both a physical and spiritual aspect to perception.

Even though they hear the words and see the actions, without spiritual insight, they will not grasp the full depth of the teachings.

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Historical Context

Luke 8:10 is part of the Gospel of Luke, written to present an orderly account of the life of Jesus and to explain His teachings to a broader, predominantly Gentile audience.

It is believed to have been written between AD 80 and 110.

During Jesus’ time, parables were a common teaching method in Jewish culture.

They were meant to provoke thought and reflection.

The historical context of this verse shows Jesus speaking to a group that included both His disciples and a larger crowd, conveying truths to those ready to hear them and concealing them from those who were not.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, the notion of "mysteries" refers to divine truths that are revealed by God rather than discovered through human reason. The statement that "unto you it is given to know the mysteries" implies God's sovereignty in bestowing understanding.

Some Calvinist perspectives might interpret this as an indication of divine election – that God chooses certain individuals to understand His will.

In contrast, Arminian theology might argue that this knowledge is available to all, but only those who choose to accept and follow Jesus will understand His teachings.

The verse suggests that the kingdom of God operates on a different plane than earthly kingdoms and that understanding it involves spiritual insight.

Practical Applications

Practically speaking, Luke 8:10 challenges believers to seek greater understanding and insight into spiritual matters.

It encourages deep engagement with Scripture and implies that superficial reading will not suffice to grasp the kingdom's mysteries.

It also serves as a reminder that spiritual truth may not be immediately evident to all and can instill patience with those who do not understand.

For teachers and preachers, it highlights the value of using stories and illustrations to convey complex spiritual truths in an accessible way.

Cross-References

Mark 4:11-12 - "And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:"
Matthew 13:11-13 - "He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given."
Isaiah 6:9 - "And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not."

Language Study

In the original Greek text of Luke 8:10, the word for "mysteries" is "μυστήρια" (mysteria), which denotes something that is hidden or secret, particularly the divine plan hidden from the uninitiated.

"Given" in Greek is "δεδόσται" (dedotai), indicating a gift or something that is granted. The usage of these words emphasizes the idea of divine revelation rather than human achievement in understanding God's kingdom.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The concept of divine mysteries revealed to a select few can be compared to various religious and philosophical traditions in which esoteric knowledge is imparted to initiates.

For example, in ancient Greek mystery religions, certain rites and teachings were only accessible to those who had been initiated.

Similarly, in Gnosticism, a belief system which emerged in the early Christian era, there is a strong emphasis on secret knowledge necessary for salvation.

Scientific Perspectives

While Luke 8:10 does not directly engage with scientific understandings, it touches on the psychology of perception and understanding.

From a scientific standpoint, interpreting sensory data (seeing and hearing) and integrating it into meaningful patterns is a complex neurological process. Spiritual or metaphysical understanding is outside the scope of empirical science, which tends to focus on measurable phenomena.

Commentaries

Commentaries on Luke 8:10 offer different perspectives based on theological orientation.

Many agree that the verse highlights the role of divine grace in spiritual understanding.

For instance, the Pulpit Commentary emphasizes the sovereignty of God in revealing truths to whomever He wills, while the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges suggests that Jesus used parables to reach listeners at various levels of readiness and openness.

Some modern commentaries also explore the pedagogical effectiveness of parables and how they facilitate multi-layered understanding and self-examination.

Luke 8

Luke 8

What does Luke 8:10 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 8:10 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?