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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 8:38 mean?

Explanation

Luke 8:38 recounts a specific moment following Jesus Christ's miraculous healing of a man possessed by demons.

In the larger context of the narrative, Jesus had cast demons out of this man, and the demons entered a herd of pigs that subsequently ran off a cliff and drowned.

Freed from the torment of possession, the man desired to become a disciple and accompany Jesus.

However, Jesus had another plan for him; instead of allowing the man to follow Him physically, Jesus instructed the man to return to his own house and share the great things God had done for him.

This reflects both the mercy and the mission-focused teachings of Jesus.

On a deeper level, one sees the emphasis on personal testimony and the value Jesus places on witnessing to one's own community.

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

This event occurs in the Gospel of Luke, which is one of the four New Testament Gospels.

Luke is believed to have been written around AD 60-80, and it provides a detailed account of Jesus' life, teachings, death, and resurrection.

Luke was a physician and a companion of the apostle Paul.

The historical context of this verse is the itinerant ministry of Jesus in the region around the Sea of Galilee.

During this time, Jesus was traveling, teaching, and performing miracles, and His fame was growing.

The regions were under Roman occupation and heavily influenced by Jewish customs and beliefs, which often included a belief in spirits and demons.

Theological Insights

From different theological perspectives, this verse illustrates the concept of divine commissioning.

Jesus directs the healed man to engage in personal evangelism within his own community.

This aligns with the missional aspect of Christianity, where believers are called to be witnesses to the gospel.

The verse also underscores that Jesus' healing is not merely physical or mental but is also a spiritual restoration that empowers individuals for service.

In Catholic theology, this might connect with the idea of vocation or personal calling.

In Protestant theology, particularly within Evangelicalism, it reflects the individual's responsibility to share one's faith.

Practical Applications

Practical applications from this verse relate to individual responsibility in the Christian faith.

It suggests that believers have a role to play in telling others about their experiences with God.

The healed man is not permitted to stay in physical proximity to Jesus but is sent back to his ordinary life to witness.

This has practical implications for Christians in their day-to-day lives to be witnesses in their own environments, whether home, work, or community, rather than being solely reliant on church activities or clergy for evangelism.

Cross-References

Mark 5:18-20: "And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.

Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee."

Matthew 28:19-20: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."
John 4:39: "And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did."

Language Study

In the original Greek, key words in this verse include:

"devils" (δαιμόνια; daimonia), typically translated as "demons," referring to evil spirits.
"departed" (ἐξελθόντα; exelthonta) suggesting having gone out or leaving, in this context, the demons leaving the man.
"besought" (παρεκάλει; parekalei), which means to beg or earnestly ask.
"might be with him" (εἴη μετ’ αὐτοῦ; eiē met’ autou), expressing the man's desire to remain in Jesus' presence.
"sent him away" (ἀπέλυσεν; apelysen), meaning Jesus dismissed or released him, implying a kind but firm directive.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In many ancient cultures and religions, there are stories of healers and holy figures casting out evil spirits.

In the ancient Near East, exorcisms were not uncommon, and various rituals and incantations were employed.

Jesus' method of exorcism, however, is distinct in its directness and authority.

In comparison to other religious interpretations, such as those found in pagan traditions, Jesus does not use elaborate rituals; his word alone is sufficient to cast out demons.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific viewpoint, modern interpretations of demon possession may align with various psychological or neurological disorders.

While the verse describes what was understood as demon possession in biblical times, contemporary science might seek to explain such phenomena through mental health issues like schizophrenia or epilepsy.

The man's subsequent healing would then be viewed through the lens of psychological or emotional recovery, though this interpretation would not consider the spiritual elements inherent to the text.

Commentaries

Various biblical commentators offer insight into this verse.

Matthew Henry emphasizes the transformative power of Jesus' mercy on the man and his resulting zeal to share his testimony.

The Pulpit Commentary notes the significance of Jesus tasking this man with a mission to his own people, demonstrating that each person has a unique role to play in the Kingdom of God.

Similarly, the Expositor's Bible Commentary highlights how Jesus does not allow the man to become an immediate follower but rather directs him to be an evangelist to his family and friends, illustrating the importance of personal witness.

Luke 8

Luke 8

What does Luke 8:38 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 8:38 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?