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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 8:17 mean?

Explanation

The verse Luke 8:17 deals with the concept of truth and its revelation.

On a literal level, it suggests that secrets or hidden things will eventually be unveiled.

This can be understood to mean that deeds done in secret, whether good or bad, will be brought into the light of day and made known to others.

The deeper meaning pertains to a moral or spiritual dimension.

In a spiritual context, it implies that truth is an inexorable force and that nothing can remain concealed forever.

It may also suggest the idea of divine justice, where everything is seen and nothing can remain hidden from God.

The inevitable disclosure of secrets is not only a warning against deceit but also a promise that truth and justice will prevail.

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Historical Context

Luke 8:17 is part of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament, which is believed to have been written around 80-110 AD.

Luke, a companion of the Apostle Paul, was thought to address a largely Gentile Christian audience.

At the time, early Christians were establishing their identity and beliefs in a diverse cultural environment.

This Scripture is situated within a section where Jesus is speaking in parables, specifically after the Parable of the Sower.

Parables were a common teaching method used by Jesus to convey spiritual truths in a form that would make his audience think and reflect.

At that time, Jesus' teachings often contained veiled meanings, meant to be understood by those open to his message.

The verse reflects an eschatological expectation that the kingdom of God will reveal all truths.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse resonates across different Christian perspectives.

In Catholicism, it underscores the need for confession and the belief that sins will be disclosed if not repented.

In Protestantism, particularly within Calvinist tradition, it echoes the sovereignty of God and the idea that all is foreseen and predestined by divine wisdom.

For Evangelical Christians, it is a call to live transparently, without hidden sins or agendas, knowing that God sees all.

Eschatologically, many Christians see this as also alluding to the Last Judgment, where all deeds, hidden or not, will be revealed and judged by God.

Practical Applications

In practical terms, Luke 8:17 encourages individuals to live with integrity and honesty, knowing that their actions and intentions, whether visible or not, will eventually be disclosed.

It serves as a deterrent against deceitfulness and encourages transparency in relationships and dealings.

In everyday life, this could manifest as a call to confess and make amends for wrongs, to live authentically, and to practice forthrightness in personal and professional contexts.

The verse can also comfort those who have been wronged, providing hope that truth will come to light and justice will ultimately be served.

Cross-References

Here are related verses that resonate with Luke 8:17:

Mark 4:22: "For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad."
Ecclesiastes 12:14: "For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."
Matthew 10:26: "Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known."

Language Study

The key Greek words in Luke 8:17 are:

"κρυπτόν" (krypton): meaning hidden or concealed.

This word gives us the modern 'cryptic', implying something that requires a key to unlock or understand.

"φανερός" (phaneros): meaning manifest, apparent, or revealed.

This underlines the sense that hidden things will become clear and obvious.

"γνωστόν" (gnōston): meaning known or understood, it relates to the concept of knowledge and comprehension.

The verse emphasizes contrast between what is hidden (κρυπτόν) and what will become manifest (φανερός).

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In many ancient cultures and religions, the idea of secrets being revealed is common, often linked with divine judgment or an afterlife where secrets are laid bare.

In ancient Egyptian beliefs, for example, the weighing of the heart ceremony in the afterlife involved revealing one's deeds.

Similarly, many mystery religions of the Greco-Roman world had initiation rites that involved revealing secret knowledge.

In the context of Judaism, the idea of God as an omnipresent being with full knowledge of all things is also present.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, the concept of revelation could metaphorically relate to the process of discovery and truth-seeking inherent in the scientific method.

While science does not deal with moral truths, the principle that hidden things (i.e., not yet understood phenomena) can be revealed through research, experimentation, and observation resonates with the verse's suggestion that secrets will come to light.

Additionally, the Psychological concept of the unconscious could be loosely tied to the notion of hidden things within the human psyche becoming manifest through behavior or therapy.

Commentaries

Commentaries on Luke 8:17 span a wide range of interpretations.

Matthew Henry's Commentary emphasizes the responsibility of those entrusted with the knowledge of the Gospel to spread it widely.

The Pulpit Commentary notes that Jesus' use of this proverbial language here was a reminder to his disciples that their privileged understanding of his parables was to be shared with the world.

Other scholars have interpreted the verse as a reassurance that Jesus' own teachings, which at the time were only understood by a few, would be made clear to all in due course.

Contemporary biblical scholars often discuss this verse in terms of its ethical implications for followers of Christ, emphasizing the importance of transparency and the eventual triumph of truth.

Luke 8

Luke 8

What does Luke 8:17 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 8:17 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?