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And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Return to thine own house, and show 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.
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.
And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.

New Defender's Study Bible Notes

8:2 Magdalene. Mary Magdalene, the first person to see Jesus after His resurrection (John 20:1,16) was from a small town named Magdala. She, as well as some of the other women in the company, loved and followed Jesus because they had been delivered from demon possession as a result of His concern for them.


8:3 Chuza Herod’s steward. Possibly it was through Chuza, the husband of Joanna, that the disciples learned the circumstances around the execution of John the Baptist.


8:3 of their substance. These women followers, including Mary of Magdala, were apparently somewhat well-to-do, and thus were able and willing to share financially in the ministry of Christ and the twelve apostles.


8:10 to others in parables. Jesus spoke in parables, not to help unbelievers see the gospel more clearly, but rather to keep them from understanding, since they would not hear it “in an honest and good heart” (Luke 8:15).


8:11 The seed. This same parable is recorded more fully in Matthew 13:3-23, and Mark 4:3-20, but it is stated here most explicitly that the seed sown in the field of the world by Christ and His followers must be God’s Word if it is to bear fruit.


8:17 known. This is a sobering warning to those who feel they can sin or cheat with impunity because no one knows. Sooner or later, everyone will know. “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23).


8:21 My mother. This reaction of Jesus in no way indicated a lack of filial love or respect for His mother (note His care for her at the cross (John 19:26-27). It does indicate, however, that her place in the kingdom is no higher than any others “which hear the word of God, and do it.”


8:24 there was a calm. How could Jesus control the sea? “The sea is His, and He made it” (Psalm 95:5). That is how! And what about the stormy wind? He “bringeth the wind out of His treasuries” (Psalm 135:7). Then, “He maketh the storm a calm” (Psalm 107:29).


8:26 country of the Gaderenes. See first note on Matthew 8:28.


8:31 the deep. The “deep” (Greek abussos, ‘without bottom’) is the “bottomless pit” (Revelation 20:1,3) at the center of the earth, where many of “the angels that sinned” (II Peter 2:4) in the pre-Flood world had already been bound. Note also the parallel accounts in Matthew 8:28-34 and Mark 5:1-17.


8:35 his right mind. This description of the man, in contrast with his previous behavior (Luke 8:27,29), at least suggests that any person in his or her “right mind” will also be fully clothed and, as it were, sitting at the feet of Jesus. God has given us a “sound mind” (II Timothy 1:7) in Christ.


8:43 physicians. See comments on Mark 5:26.


8:54 Maid, arise. This is the second recorded instance of Jesus—who is Himself “the life” (John 14:6)—restoring life to one who had died. The first was the son of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:11-15), the second was the daughter of Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue (Luke 8:41-55), the third was Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha (John 11:1-44).


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