21 But he said to them in answer, My mother and my brothers are those who have knowledge of the word of God and do it.
But be doers of the word, and not only hearers of it, blinding yourselves with false ideas.
If these things are clear to you, happy are you if you do them.
My loved one, do not be copying what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God: he who does evil has not seen God.
And he gives us all our requests, because we keep his laws and do the things which are pleasing in his eyes. And this is his law, that we have faith in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love for one another, even as he said to us.
For he who makes holy and those who are made holy are all of one family; and for this reason it is no shame for him to give them the name of brothers, Saying, I will give the knowledge of your name to my brothers, I will make a song of praise to you before the church. And again he says, I will put my faith in him. And again, See, I am here, and the children which God has given to me.
And will be a Father to you; and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord, the Ruler of all.
Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will go into the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the pleasure of my Father in heaven. A great number will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, were we not prophets in your name, and did we not by your name send out evil spirits, and by your name do works of power? And then will I say to them, I never had knowledge of you: go from me, you workers of evil. Everyone, then, to whom my words come and who does them, will be like a wise man who made his house on a rock; And the rain came down and there was a rush of waters and the winds were driving against that house, but it was not moved; because it was based on the rock. And everyone to whom my words come and who does them not, will be like a foolish man who made his house on sand;
You are my friends, if you do what I give you orders to do. No longer do I give you the name of servants; because a servant is without knowledge of what his master is doing: I give you the name of friends, because I have given you knowledge of all the things which my Father has said to me.
And it came about that when he said these things, a certain woman among the people said in a loud voice, Happy is the body which gave you birth, and the breasts from which you took milk. But he said, More happy are they who give hearing to the word of God and keep it.
And those in the good earth are those who, having given ear to the word, keep it with a good and true heart, and in quiet strength give fruit.
Then will he make answer to them, saying, Truly I say to you, Because you did it not to the least of these, you did it not to me.
And the King will make answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, Because you did it to the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Luke 8
Commentary on Luke 8 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 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).