Luke

8:1-18

The mission of the Messiah, 1:5-9:50

5. The dawning of the kingdom in the words of Messiah, 8:1-56

i] Sowing the seed

In this passage, Luke reminds us that although the kingdom of God breaks into our world through the preaching of the gospel, that preaching does not automatically guarantee membership. In fact, membership of the kingdom of God depends on a right-hearing of the word of God, a holding fast to that word and persevering in it. So, in v1-3 Luke records the preaching mission of Jesus and his disciples. Then, as those who respond to his preaching gather together, he relates the parable of the sower, or better, the parable of the four soils, v4-8. Then follows an explanation as to why Jesus preaches in parables, v9-10, an explanation of the parable itself, v11-15, and a warning to "take heed how you hear" - Be good soil, v16-18.

Chapters 8 and 9 are often viewed as the conclusion of Jesus' Galilean mission (4:14-9:50) during which he travels around the countryside. Jesus is certainly on the move, but Luke is really not into recording the life of Jesus the tourist. Luke's focus is theological, not geographical. In the six episodes which make up The dawning of the kingdom in the words of Messiah, 8:1-56, Luke's focus is on the meaning of the kingdom message. As Ellis puts it, "the new creation, like the old, comes into being by a word. Jesus speaks to the wind, the demons, the dead - and they obey!" This powerful word carries with it the promise that "the kingdom will deliver men from death and evil and even restore to nature its intended order." Yet, to access the promised blessings of the kingdom it is necessary to hear in faith, for only by this means can a person enter the kingdom. For most, the response is fear and amazement leading to unbelief, but some discover that "faith is the response through which the benefits of the kingdom are given."

"At this point Luke briefly summarized Jesus' ministry of proclaiming the good news of God's kingdom and ministry of healing", Stein, v1-3. The apostles are mentioned along with a special mention for three of Jesus' female disciples.

kai egeneto en tw/ kaqexhV "after this" - and it happened in the subsequent time / afterwards.

autoV "Jesus" - he. Emphatic position.

diwdeuen (diodeuw) imperf. "traveled" - was passing through. This durative imperfect functions as the main verb of a single sentence consisting of v1-3.

kata + acc. "from [one town and village to another]" - from [town and village]. This preposition here takes a distributive sense, cf. BAGD 406; "from village to village"; "city by city, village by village", Rieu.

khrusswn (khrussw) pres. part. "proclaiming" - preaching. As with the participle "proclaiming", this participle is modal expressing the manner in which the action of the main verb "was passing through" is accomplished. As is often the case the verb euaggelizomai is translated as "to preach good news". The verb simply means "to communicate an important message" which of course in the case of the gospel is only "good news" to those who accept it.

thn basileian tou qeou "the kingdom of God" - The gospel message concerns the kingdom of God, primarily that it is "at hand", about to be realized/inaugurated. The "at hand" virtually means "upon you", ie. the moment is now for the establishment of God's promised eternal reign.

gunaikeV (gunh aikoV) "[some] women" - Luke makes a point of recording Jesus' ministry to women, a ministry which was radically different to that of the male orientated rabbis of the time.

h\san teqerapeumenai (qerapeuw) perf. pas. part. "[who] had been cured [of]" - [who] had been healed [from]. A periphrastic pluperfect construction, possibly emphasizing durative aspect, they were healed/released and remained healthy; "had been cured of evil spirits and illnesses", Barclay.

hJ kaloumenh (kalew) pres. pas. part. "called [Magdalene]" - the one being called. The participle is adjectival, attributive, limiting "Mary", "who was called Magdalene" = "Mary from/of Magdala". The "of Magdala" serves to identify her, given that there are a number of Marys referred to in the gospels. She is given a prominent position in the gospel tradition and according to John, was the first person to meet with Jesus after his resurrection.

daimonia eJpta "seven demons" - The "seven" indicates "the severity of the possession", Fitzmyer.

Iwanna "Joanna" - Clearly as a manager in the household of Herod Antipas she is a person of means and so is able to financially support Jesus' missionary team.

Sousanna "Susanna" - The only reference of her in the NT, but obviously known to Luke.

twn uJparcontwn (uJparcw) pres. part. "[out of their own] means" - [from] the things being possessed [to them]. The dative autaiV "to them" responds to the verbal sense of the participle "having at ones disposal to give to them". The participle itself functions as a substantive. "Who used their private means to provide for the needs of Jesus and his comrades", Barclay.

Luke has told us that Jesus is preaching and proclaiming the important news of [the coming of] the kingdom of God. As a crowd gathers, he communicates a "parable" to them, ie. Luke relates this parable as an example of Jesus' preaching to those who have responded to the gospel. We can usually classify parables into two groups: i] teaching parables - illustrations with a clearly stated application, and ii] kingdom parables - a gospel presentation in riddle form. Kingdom parables are usually introduced with the formula: "the kingdom of God/heaven may be compared to the situation where ...." Kingdom parables may be complex in the telling, but usually make a single point focused on the gospel, ie. they are not allegories. Of Jesus' parables, a small group function allegorically where each element of the story corresponds to another element in the interpretation / application of the story. The sower is one such parable. So, how do we classify the parable of the sower? It has all the hallmarks of a kingdom parable, a gospel riddle, but without the introductory formula, cf. v4, 8. Yet, when it comes to Jesus' explanation of the parable, he treats it as if a teaching parable, an illustration instructive of truth (Note that unlike Mark, Luke does not state that the explanation of the parable is done in secret. Luke implies that the crowd is still present). Of course, the intended truth of the parable is matter of debate: i] "that the preaching of the word of God will, with patience, produce a harvest of hearers", Evans, "an extravagant fruitfulness", Nolland, so also Jeremias (a triumphant eschatological harvest), Fitzmyer, Bovon; ii] "the parable is concerned with the way in which men hear the Word of God", Marshall, and "the variety of responses" to it, Bock, with a focus on "the quality of one's hearing", Green, so also Stein, Johnson; iii] given the space allocated to the first three soils, the parable concerns rejection and judgment of unbelief within the frame of remnant theology, cf. Ellis. Matthew and Mark move in a similar direction to Luke, although for them the word of God is more particularly the kingdom parables themselves such that the parable of the sower explains the function of kingdom parables, Mk.4:13. So, the parable of the sower / seeds / soils is primarily a teaching parable, an illustration rather than a riddle. It primarily brings the gospel to bear on the hearer, asking the question "in which soil do you find imaged your own engagement with the renewal set off by Jesus' proclamation of the kingdom of God?", Nolland. Yet, for Luke it also functions to instruct those who are responding, and have responded to the gospel, of the need for the right-hearing of the Word of God. "Take care how you hear", hold tightly to the Word and persevere in it, ie. hear in faith. "Hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance", v15. Be good soil.

suniontoV (suneimu) gen. pres. part. "while [a large crowd] was gathering" - gathering together, coming together. A genitive absolute participle forming a temporal clause, as NIV. "One day, when a large crowd was gathering", Rieu.

twn .... epiporeuomenwn (epiporeuomai) gen. pres. part. "[and people] were coming" - going to, making a way to, journeying to. The participle is again a genitive absolute conjoined to the opening phrase by kai "and". As such the participial phrase, "the ones going to him from every town", is epexegetic, ie. it explains why this crowd had gathered. The gathering is the consequence of Jesus mission recorded in v1. Jesus has preached the gospel, town after town, and now those who have responded have come out to a central place (unidentified) for further instruction.

kata + acc. "from town after town" - according to [town]. The preposition here is distributive, as in v1; "from every town", Rieu, or "town after town", Moffatt, as NIV.

dia + gen. "[he told them] this [parable]" - [he spoke] through / by means of [a parable]. Luke changes Mark's "he was teaching them many things with/in parables" to indicate that only one parable is in mind, namely the sower. The sower may be a representative example, "he spoke such a parable as this to them", Fitzmyer, or the particular parable for this particular occasion. "Luke concentrated his readers' attention on this particular parable and the need to pay attention to how they heard Jesus' teachings", Stein. "he addressed them in a parable", Moffatt.

oJ speirwn (speirw) pres. part. "a farmer [went out]" - the one sowing. The participle functions as a substantive. Jesus is not suggesting that he is the one sowing - the Word is sown by whoever, even by God.

tou speirai (speirw) gen. aor. inf. "to sow" - The genitive articular infinitive forms a purpose clause, "in order to sow."

en tw/ speirein (speirw) dat. pres. inf. "as he was scattering [the seed]" - This preposition with the dative articular infinitive forms a temporal clause, as NIV; "Now while he was engaged in the task of sowing", Cassirer.

o} men "some [fell along the path]" - The usual men ....... de construction for comparative clauses is reflected in a series of contrasting clauses introduced by o} men "some" ...., v5, kai e{teron "some [fell on rock]", v6, ..... kai e{teron "other [seed fell among thorns]", v7, ..... kai e{teron "still other [seed fell on good soil]", v8.

para + acc. "along [the path]" - beside [the way]. Obviously of seed sown on a pathway where it is trampled and exposed. The normal Palestinian practice was to clear a fallow block, sow the seed and then plow. The exposed seed falls in an unplowed area.

thn petran "rock" - Mark's "rocky places" implies shallow soil. Luke may be expressing the same idea. As he explains with dia, "because", the land is devoid of moisture.

sumfueisai (sumfuw) aor. pas. part. "which grew up" - having grown up with [the thorns chocked it]. The participle is adverbial, probably temporal; "as the thorn bushes grew up, they choked the sprouting seed."

thn ghn thn agaqhn "the good soil" - The articles are generic, cf. Canon of Apollonius, "fell on/into good soil." The good soil is the soil that receives the seed and in which it flourishes. So the point of the parable, "be good soil!"

fuen (fuw) aor. pas. part. "[it] came up" - growing up. Attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the main verb "it made / produced".

ekatontaplasiona adj. "a hundred times more than was sown" - an hundredfold. the adjective functions as a noun. Note Luke's thirty, sixty, hundred. The hundredfold is not so substantial to demand an eschatological interpretation, but does indicate the fertility of the ground. Luke may have dropped the thirty / sixty for the sake of brevity, but the fertility of the good ground is central to the point he is making in this passage.

oJ ecwn (ecw) pres. part. "he who has [ears]" - the one having. The participle functions as a substantive.

akouein (akouw) pres. inf. "to hear" - The infinitive is adverbial, expressing purpose, "in order to hear."

akouetw (akouw) pres. imp. "let him hear" - hear. This command emphasizes the need to take careful note of the teaching encapsulated in the parable and to respond accordingly. "Are you listening to this? Really listening?", Peterson.

The sense of the disciples' question in Mark is unclear. In Matthew they ask Jesus why he speaks in parables, but here in Luke the disciples ask what the parable of the sower means. In v10 Jesus explains why he speaks in parables before explaining the meaning of the sower / seeds / soils.

ei[h (eimi) "[what this parable] meant" - [what this parable] was. The meaning of the parable is surely the intention of the question.

Luke is faithful to the gospel tradition in recording "why" Jesus speaks in parables, although he virtually turns it into a parenthetical comment, an observation about Jesus' preaching method in general, rather than a specific comment about the parable of the sower. Luke has the disciples ask "what", not "why", he makes no mention of Jesus moving off to speak to the disciples privately, as noted in Mark, he drastically edits Jesus' reasoning down to one sentence and he downplays the issue of the secretive nature of kingdom mysteries (singular in Mark = gospel, Jesus??). For Luke, the parable of the sower is primarily a teaching parable and not a kingdom parable; it does not encapsulate the hidden mystery of the coming kingdom. The evidence is that Jesus did initially preach the gospel openly, but as rejection set in his preaching became more parabolic. A people who fail to rightly hear a clear word from God will inevitably be given an unclear word, a riddle, a sign of judgment on a people who ignore divine revelation. Yet Luke emphasizes the fact that the seeker, confronted by the riddle, can still come to Jesus and be "given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God" - God still reveals his mysteries to those who respect him, Ps.25:14, Prov.3:32.

ta musthria (on) "the secrets [of the kingdom of God]" - the mysteries. A "mystery" is a truth hidden, but now revealed; "the hidden truths concerning the kingdom of God".

dedotai (didwmi) perf. pas. "has been given" - had been granted. "You ... have received the privilege of knowing ...", Barclay.

uJmin "to you" - Dative of direct object. Is that "to you disciples" or the wider "to you who have responded to the gospel and come to hear me today"? In Mark's account it would be the first option, but Luke may well be opting for the wider audience. Note Luke's generalized toiV ... loipoiV "to others / the ones remaining", as compared with Mark's "to those who are outside". So, Luke's perspective is that the truth of the riddle (the kingdom of God is at hand) is not hidden from those who seek to solve it, although it does require right hearing, a holding fast to / faith in the kingdom message. "To/for the others / the rest" God's revelation remains a riddle and thus their life is devoid of eternal hope.

de "but" - but, and. Here adversative.

toiV loipoiV dat. adj. "to others" - to/for the others, rest, the ones remaining. Adjective as a substantive.

en parabolaiV "I speak in parables" - in/with/by parables. This construction here possibly takes on adjectival force; "like a riddle", cf. Jeremias. The ellipsis here is handled in numerous ways, usually reflecting whether the following hina clause is taken either as expressing purpose or result. Given the statement that "knowledge (dedontai perf. pas.) has been given (theological passive??) to you", it is possible that "parables have been given to others." Yet, the point does seem obvious enough; those who don't seek answers to riddles are just left with riddles. "The mysteries of the kingdom of God have been revealed to seekers, but the rest are left with riddles."

iJna + subj. "though [ ..... may not understand]" - This construction usually forms a purpose clause, but sometimes a consecutive clause expressing result. Commentators are divided: eg. a final clause = Fitzmyer, Bock, Evans; consecutive clause = Danker, Stein, Moule (cf. Matt.13:13, oJti, "because"); even simply serving to introduce a quote "so that the Scripture is fulfilled which says that .....", Marshall, Nolland. We should have no fear of the divine will in such a matter, nor should we fear demeaning the divine will by arguing for result. Either way, the clause, alluding to Isaiah 6:9-10, refers to the reality of the last days when many will be left with riddles instead of truth. "That the scriptures might be fulfilled of this generation in that they think they see, but don't see the truth; in that they think they hear, but don't understand the truth."

In explaining the parable Jesus simply makes the point that the truth of the Word of God only flourishes with right-hearing, a hearing that holds fast and perseveres, v15, a hearing of faith. v11-15.

de "-" - but, and. Probably just transitional here, introducing a new paragraph.

estin .. outh hJ parabolh "this is the meaning of the parable" - this is the parable. "Meaning", NIV, paraphrases the verb to-be, with auJth taking a predicative position, "the parable means this", Marshall.

eisin (eimi) pres. "are" - "Mean / signify / represent."

oiJ akousanteV (akouw) aor. part. "the ones who hear" - The participle functions as a substantive.

ei\ta "then" - then, next.

iJna mh + subj. "so that [they may] not [.... be saved]" - that not. Forming a purpose clause; "Satan takes the seed way in order that they may not believe and be saved." The clause, not found in Mark, may be Luke's reference to Isaiah 6:10. "For fear they might believe and find salvation", Fitzmyer.

pisteusanteV (pisteuw) aor. part. "believe" - having believed. Attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the main verb "they may be saved." The aorist is punctiliar here, whereas in v13 pisteuousin is a present durative. When it comes to the Word, some don't get past first base, others get into the Word a bit, but in the end it is only those who "hold fast" who "endure".

"are" - The verb to-be must be supplied; "now the ones upon the rock are/represent oi} those who, when ......"

o{tan + subj. "when [they hear]" - when [they hear with joy they receive the word]. Forming a temporal clause, as NIV.

kairon "[they believe] for awhile" - a time [believe]. As noted above "believe" takes a durative present.

peirasmou (oV) "[time] of testing" - testing, temptation. The genitive is adjectival, "a testing time"; "when they are involved in any situation which puts their faith to the test, they quit", Barclay.

peson (piptw) aor. part. "[the seed] that fell" - [the one] having fallen. The participle is adjectival; "that which fell among the thorns", AV.

eisin (eimi) pres. "stands for" - [these] are. Again "these represent."

oiJ akousanteV (akouw) aor. part. "those who hear" - the ones having heard. The participle functions as a substantive.

poreuomenoi (poreuomai) pres. part. "as they go" - going, journeying. The participle is adverbial, temporal, as NIV. "As they go about their lives", Peterson.

sumpnigontai (sumpnignw) pres. "they are choked" - "Like people who .... become completely taken over by problems, wanting to look good to others, driven to have more and more things, and the so-called good life", Junkins.

ou telesforousin (telesforew) pres. "they do not mature" - they are suffocated. Suffocated by "the charms of life", Johnson; "there is a start in faith but no perseverance", Stein.

en kardia/ kalh/ kai agaqh/ "with a noble and good heart" - in a noble/generous and good heart. These are both Hebrew and Greek qualities descriptive of a person with integrity and thus of a person who is responsive to the Word of God as good soil is responsive to seed. It is very unlikely that this integrity is ethical, even though in common use ethical goodness is in mind. This is surely the integrity of self-awareness, an openness which honestly faces the full weight of the Word of God. The responsiveness of such integrity entails "hearing / listening / paying attention" to the Word, "holding closely / retaining / protecting" the Word, and "persevering / bearing up under pressure" in the Word, thus producing fruit. In simple terms, hearing with faith.

akousanteV (akouw) aor. part. "hear [the word]" - having heard. Attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the verb "retain".

en uJpomonh/ (h) "by persevering" - in persistence. Expressing "clinging to God's hope in the midst of religious pressure and worldly distraction", Bock. "They yield a crop through their persistence", Fitzmyer.

Luke, as with Mark, now adds three independent conjoined sayings to the parable of the sower and its explanation which serve to reinforce the point being made by the parable. Luke uses the sayings elsewhere, 11:33, 12:2, and 19:26, which sayings seem to share their source with Matthew. The first saying, in the form of a proverb, "a piece of general wisdom", Evans, is exegeted by the second, both making the point that all will be manifested - the truth will out. This is obviously so of God's revealed truth, his Word. The third saying summarizes and applies the whole teaching unit: take heed how you hear, or in the terms of the parable of the sower be good soil. "Hearing aright will lead to receiving more from God, but failure to hear will mean losing what one already has", Bock - an abundant harvest, or nothing.

aJyaV (aJptw) aor. part. "lights [a lamp]" - having touched = lit. The participle is adverbial, temporal, "no one, after lighting a lamp, covers it."

alla "instead" - but. Adversative.

iJna + subj. "so that [.... can see the light]" - that [.... may see the light]. As already noted, this construction usually forms a purpose clause, "in order that", but result, "with the result that" or hypothetical result "so that", as NIV, is just as likely. The saying is often interpreted as if an exhortation to evangelistic enterprise - the disciple, having been enlightened, is bound to shine: i] ethically ii] evangelistically, cf. Stein, Nolland ("those who make the right response to the word of God ..... shine as revealing lights as they live out the content of the word they have heard"). Such an interpretation seems unlikely.

oiJ eisporeuomenoi (eisporeuomai) pres. part. "those who come in" - the ones entering. The participle functions as a substantive.

gar "for" - Here explanatory, ie. this verse is a commentary on v16. The saying is simply reinforcing the point that truth will out and this is certainly so when it comes to divine revelation. Our responsibility, when it comes to the Word of God, is to hear it right, cf. v18.

ou mh gnwsqh/ (ginwskw) aor. pas. subj. "will not be known" - by no means be made known. As with elqh/ "may come [to light]", a subjunctive of emphatic negation. "There is ..... nothing kept secret which will not become known and be brought to light", Cassirer.

oun "therefore" - Drawing a logical conclusion.

blepete .. pwV akouete "consider carefully how you listen" - see how you hear. "How you hear" is certainly more understandable than Mark's "what you hear". Here then, in a nutshell, is the teaching of v1-18, "hear aright" = "be good soil." "Be careful in what frame of mind you listen [to God's word]", Rieu.

gar "-" - for. Expressing cause/reason. "For to the man who already has, more will be given", Barclay.

o}V an + subj. "whoever" - whosoever. Forming an indefinite relative clause.

ech/ (ecw) pres. subj. "has" - has [it will be given to him]. This saying precisely exegetes the parable. The good soil produces the bountiful harvest; the bad soils produce nothing, even the sown seed is lost. A hearing of God's Word with faith produces an eternal harvest, a superficial hearing without faith loses life itself. "Anyone who strives to rest on Jesus' words, even though troubled by questions and doubts, will begin to experience the life-changing realities of a relationship with God, while the person who, really isn't bothered by it all, will lose even what he thinks he has."

Luke Introduction

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