Year 2, Week 32, Day 3 Bible Reading Observations

Year 2, Week 32, Day 3

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Luke 8.

Today’s reading, like yesterday’s reading from Matthew 13, records Jesus’ parable of the soils. However, Luke 8 does not add the additional parables contained in Matthew 13. Instead of an extended focus on additional parables, Luke 8 records further insights from Jesus’ ministry, including the number of women who were devoted to Jesus: “Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means” (Luke 8:1-3). The parable of the soils is surrounded by various exhortations as well as responses to Jesus’ proclamation of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading is how the parable of the soils, coupled with Jesus' interactions, stress the important of hearing and receiving the Jesus’ message: “As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience” (Luke 8:15). As Jesus is proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, Luke’s placement of the parable of the soils within the context of the miracles that Jesus performs, as well as His teaching, helps illustrate the importance of how faith receives and reflects Jesus’ words. 

Immediately after Jesus explains the parable of the soils, particularly as to how the fourth soil is like a good heart that believes the word and bears fruit from that word, Jesus added: “No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light” (Luke 8:16-17). While Jesus is addressing a slightly new subject, He has not completely moved on from the importance of believing what He is proclaiming: “Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away” (Luke 8:18). Jesus introduces being a light for all to see, but the responsibility of being a light, that is displaying a life that is congruent with His message of the Kingdom of God, is simply an outgrowth of believing the word and bearing fruit out of believing that word. As Jesus was ready to move on to the next subject, the announcement came that His family was outside trying to see Him: "Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you” (Luke 8:19-20). Jesus uses this information to stay on the topic of believing His message and bearing fruit because of believing His message: “But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it” (Luke 8:21). Jesus was not attempting to be rude to His family, but He was illustrating that being properly related to Him entails believing what He taught and living accordingly.

Even in the four episodes that complete Luke 8, each account explicitly orients around believing Jesus. As the boat that Jesus and His disciples took to travel to their next ministry location was being tossed about by a raging storm, Jesus calmed the storm, “He said to them, “Where is your faith?” (Luke 8:25a). It was an important “teachable moment” for His disciples as they learned something of the power and authority inherent in Jesus’ words: “And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?” (Luke 8:25b). The importance of believing Jesus’ words would be seen through how they grasp the might of His words. The power and authority of Jesus’ words is also seen in His ability to cast out demons, which invoked in those who witnessed it, a whole other response of awe: “And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear” (Luke 8:36-37). The man formerly demon possessed went about putting his light on a stand for all to see: “The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him” (Luke 8:38-39). This man believed and bore fruit. Not only did the formerly demon possessed man not hide his faith in Jesus, neither did the woman suffering from the discharge of blood: “She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?”…And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace” (Luke 8:44-48). The woman’s faith, that is reception of Jesus’ message, is highlighted. This is also the case with the fourth miracle—the family of a girl who died: “But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well” (Luke 8:50). While it was a big claim, Jesus responded to the news of her death with words that were to be believed: “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping” (Luke 8:52b). Jesus, by the power and authority of His word, raised her from death: “But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” And her spirit returned, and she got up at once” (Luke 8:54-55a).

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe