Chapter 8

Lk. 8:1–3. And he went about through cities and villages, proclaiming and announcing the good news of the kingdom of God; the twelve were with him, along with 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 steward, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their own means. Having come down from heaven, that he might become for us in all things a pattern and example, he teaches us not to be slothful in teaching, but to go about every place and preach. For whatever he did, he did for our admonition. He went therefore throughout every city and village; and he took the twelve disciples with him, not as teaching or preaching, but as being discipled and taught by him, both from what he did and from what he said. And the Lord preached not the good things of the earth, but the kingdom of heaven. For whom did it befit to preach the things above, save him who came from above? Wherefore none of the prophets preached the kingdom of heaven; for what they had not seen, how could they preach? For this cause the Forerunner also said, He that is of the earth speaks of the earth; but he that comes from above bears witness of what he has seen. And women also followed him, that we might learn that not even the female sex is hindered by its weakness from following Christ. And observe how, being even rich, they nevertheless despised all things, and chose the poverty that is for Christ and with Christ. For that they were rich, hear: that they ministered to the Lord of their substance, and not of strange goods and unjust gains, as many do. And as for “out of whom seven devils had gone,” some understand the “seven” as “many,” for in Scripture “seven” is taken for “many.” But perhaps one might say that, just as there are seven spirits of virtue, so on the contrary there are seven spirits of wickedness. As there is a spirit of the fear of God, there is on the contrary a spirit of fearlessness toward God; as there is a spirit of understanding, there is conversely a spirit of senselessness, and so on. If, then, these seven spirits of wickedness be not cast out of the soul, one cannot follow Christ. For it is needful first to cast out Satan, and so to settle Christ within.

Lk. 8:4–8. As a great crowd was gathering and people were coming to him from town after town, he spoke in a parable: A sower went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the sky ate it up. Some fell on rock, and as it sprang up it withered for lack of moisture. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew and produced a hundredfold. As he said this, he called out: Let anyone with ears to hear listen. And his disciples asked him what this parable meant.

Lk. 8:9–10. he said: To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. What David said of old in the person of Christ, this now came to pass. For, he says, I will open my mouth in parables. The Lord therefore speaks in parables for many reasons: both that he might make the hearers more attentive and rouse their mind to inquiry into the things said—for we men are wont to busy ourselves about things spoken obscurely, and to despise things spoken plainly—and that the unworthy might not hear the things spoken in a mystery. And for many other reasons he speaks in parables. A sower, then, went out—that is, the Son of God went out from the bosom of the Father, and from his hiddenness, and became manifest. And who went out? The one who is ever sowing. For the Son of God ceases not ever to sow in our souls. For not only when he teaches, but also through this creation, and through the things that daily befall us, he sows in our souls the good seeds. And he went out not to destroy the husbandmen, or to burn up the land, but to sow; for often the husbandman goes out also for other things, not only to sow. And he went out to sow his own seed; for the word of his teaching was his own, and not another’s. For the prophets, whatever they said, said not their own things, but the Spirit’s; wherefore they said, Thus says the Lord. But Christ had his own seed; wherefore, when he taught, he said not, Thus says the Lord, but, I say to you. And as he sowed—that is, as he taught—some fell by the way side. He said not that the sower cast it, but that it fell; for the sower sows and teaches, but the word falls upon the hearers. And these are found to be either a way side, or a rock, or thorns, or good ground. And when the disciples asked the parable, the Lord says, To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God—that is, to you who seek to learn. For everyone that asks receives; but to the rest, who are not worthy of the mysteries, they are spoken obscurely, and they seem indeed to see, yet see not, and hear indeed, yet understand not—and this for their own benefit. For lest they be the more condemned, as having despised the mysteries after coming to know them; for he who knows and then despises is worthy of heavier judgment.

Lk. 8:11–15. Now this is the parable: the seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, lest they believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; but these have no root: they believe for a time, and in a time of testing fall away. What fell among thorns are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by cares and wealth and pleasures of life, and they bring no fruit to maturity. But what fell on the good soil are those who, hearing the word with a noble and good heart, hold it fast and bear fruit with endurance. There are three ranks here of those not saved. For those by the way side are they who did not receive the word at all. For as the way, being trodden down and packed hard, receives not the seed, being hard, so also the hard-hearted receive not the word at all, even though they hear, not giving heed. And those by the rock are they who received it, but then through human weakness were softened in temptations. And the third are they who heard, but are choked by the cares of life. There are, then, three portions of those who perish, and one of those who are saved; thus few are they that are saved, but more they that perish. And observe, concerning those that are choked, how he said not that they are choked by riches, but by the cares of riches. For it is not riches that harm, but the cares of them; since many have been profited by riches, having cast them into the bellies of the poor. And mark me the exactness of the Evangelist, how he said, concerning those who are saved, that, having heard the word, they keep it. This he said because of those by the way side; for these keep it not, but the devil takes away the word from them. And the words, they bring forth fruit, he said because of those that are choked and bring nothing to perfection. For those bring forth no fruit—those, I mean, who bring nothing to perfection. And the words, with patience, he said because of those on the rock, who receive the word indeed, but, not enduring the assault of temptation, are shown to be reprobate. Do you see how he said, of those who are saved, they keep it, and they bring forth fruit, and with patience, and through these three distinguished them from those who keep it not—who are those by the way side; from those who endure not the assault of temptation—who are those among the thorns; and from those who endure not the assault of temptation—who are those on the rock.

Lk. 8:16–18. No man, when he has lighted a candle, covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a bed; but sets 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 you hear: for whoever has, to him shall be given; and whoever has not, from him shall be taken even that which he seems to have. Here is the beginning of another teaching. For directing these words to the disciples, he speaks them, leading them on to exactness of life and training them to be earnest, as those who are to be looked upon by all. For he who teaches and preaches is looked upon by all, is scrutinized by all, whether he is good or the contrary, and none of his doings is hid. You therefore, O disciples, if you have attentiveness and earnestness, more grace shall be given you from God. But whoever has not earnestness and attentiveness, even the gift which he seems to have from God, through his negligence he quenches and destroys.

Lk. 8:19–21. 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, “Your mother and your brethren stand without, desiring to see you.” And he answered and said to them, “My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.” From this it is shown that Christ was not with his kinsmen according to the flesh; for leaving these, he gives himself to spiritual teaching, while they come to him. Thus, then, ought everyone also who is entrusted with the ministry of God to count nothing more honorable than this, but to thrust aside even parents, if they are about to hinder us uselessly and in vain from the work of God—even as the Lord also does now. For since certain told him concerning his kinsmen, he does not shut up brotherhood within a few, nor count the children of Joseph alone worthy to have as brethren, but, since he came to save the whole world, and to make all men brethren, he says, My mother and my brethren are they which hear the word of God. Then, since bare hearing saves no one, but rather condemns, he says, and do it. For together with hearing one must also do. And by the word of God he means his own teaching; for whatever he said was his Father’s. For he was not opposed to God, that what he said should not be of God. And some understand this passage thus: that while Christ was teaching and was well-esteemed for his teaching, certain, envying and as it were sneering at him, said, Behold, your mother and your brethren stand without, desiring to see you. For since his mother seemed to be lowly, and his brethren obscure, as sons of a carpenter, for this reason, disparaging him as base-born, they put forward to him his mother and his brethren. But he, knowing their thought, said, that, The lowliness of kindred harms me nothing; rather, even if one be lowly, yet if he hears the word of God, I make him my kinsman.

Lk. 8:22–25. One day he got into a boat with his disciples and said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” So they set out. As they were sailing, he fell asleep, and a violent windstorm came down on the lake; the boat was filling, and they were in danger. They came to him and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing.” Then he rose and rebuked the wind and the surge of the water, and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid and marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?” Exercising his disciples and testing their faith, whether they are unshaken in temptations, the Lord sleeps by dispensation; but their weakness is reproved. For they show forth not perfect faith, but faith mingled with unbelief. For they believe indeed that he is able to save; but, as being of little faith, they say, Save us, we perish. For if they had perfect faith, they would have been fully assured that it was impossible for them to perish, while he was with them who is mighty in all things. And he arose and rebuked the wind. For he suffered them to be troubled, that his power might become the more manifest. For we men are wont to remember the one who saves us the more, when he delivers us from great dangers. For this cause, not at the beginning, but at the height of the danger, he rose up and saved them. And observe also in the anagogical sense, that this is a type of what afterward befell the disciples. For the lake is Judaea, upon which there came down a great storm of the madness against Christ, with which the Jews raged when they crucified the Lord. And the disciples too were troubled; for all forsook him and fled. But the Lord rose up from sleep—that is, he rose again—and again the disciples were in calm. For appearing to them, he said, Peace be to you. And these things in the anagogical sense. And the words, What manner of man is this? they speak not as being perplexed, but as marveling; as if they were to say, Who is this—meaning, how great and how mighty and of what sort, and in how great authority and power he does these things?

Lk. 8:26–33. 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 you, Jesus, you Son of God most high? I beseech you, torment me not.” For he 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 your 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. Behold the demon divided between two passions of wickedness—boldness and fear. For to say, What have I to do with you, is of a bold and shameless slave; but, I beseech you, is of one that fears. And he dwelt in the tombs, wishing to instill into men an evil opinion, that the souls of the dead become demons. And the demons beg not to go into the deep, but to be permitted yet to abide upon the earth. And the Lord permits them to be on the earth, that, wrestling with men, they may make them more approved. For if there were no adversaries, there would be no contests; and if there were no contests, there would be no crowns. And learn also in a more anagogical sense, that whoever has demons within himself—that is, demonic deeds—wears no garment, that is, has not the robe from baptism, and abides not in a house, that is, in the Church. For he is not worthy to enter into the Church, but dwells in the tombs—that is, in the receptacles of dead works, such as brothels and custom-houses; for these are memorials of wickedness.

Lk. 8:34–39. When those who were tending them saw what had happened, they fled and reported it in the city and in the countryside. Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone out sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. Those who had seen it also told them how the demoniac had been saved. Then the whole multitude from the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. Now the man from whom the demons had gone out kept begging that he might be with him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your house, and recount what great things God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. The flight of those that fed the swine became an occasion of salvation to the Gadarenes, but they understood it not. For whereas they ought to have marveled at the power of the Savior and believed in him, they rather besought Jesus—for “they asked” is here equivalent to “they besought”—to depart from them; for they feared lest they should suffer some other harm, even as they had lost the swine. But that man who was healed shows the proof of his cure to be beyond contradiction. For so was he made whole in mind, that he recognized Jesus and counted him worthy to be with him. For, as it seems, he feared lest, being removed far from Jesus, he should again be easily assailed by the demons. But the Lord, showing him that even if he be not with Jesus, he is able, sheltered by his grace, to be above demonic assault, says, Return to your own house, and tell how great things God has done to you. He said not, How great things I have done to you—giving us a pattern of humility, and that we may refer all our achievements to God. But the man was so thankful, that he tells how great things Jesus had done to him. For the Lord commanded him to tell how great things God had done to him, but he tells how great things Jesus had done to him. We too, then, ought, when we do anyone a good thing, not to wish it proclaimed; but he who has received the good thing, even though we wish it not, ought to proclaim it.

Lk. 8:40–48. When Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. And behold, a man named Jairus came; he was a ruler of the synagogue, and falling at Jesus’ feet he begged him to come into his house, because he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying. As he went, the crowds pressed around him. And a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had spent her whole livelihood on physicians, yet could not be healed by anyone, came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her flow of blood stopped. Jesus returned from the country of the Gadarenes; and the multitudes were waiting for him, both for his teaching and for his wonders. There came, then, a certain ruler of the synagogue, no mean or rejected man, but of the first. And the Evangelist adds also his name, that the wonder might be the better known, as being true. And this man falls before Jesus, necessity pressing him. And yet he ought, even without necessity compelling, to have fallen down and recognized him to be God; yet affliction also sometimes forces men to the choice of the better. Wherefore David also said that he would hold with bit and bridle the jaws of those who draw not near to you. And in passing, a woman approaches, bringing very great faith. For coming, she touched the border of his garment, believing altogether that, if only she touched, she should be made whole. And immediately her issue of blood stanched. For as if one should bring an eye to a shining light, or a dry twig to fire, they immediately work, so she, bringing faith to him who is able to heal, at once obtained the cure. For she reckoned nothing—neither the long duration of the disease, nor the failure of the physicians, nor anything else; but only believed, and was saved. And, as it seems, she first touched Jesus in mind, then also in body. And Jesus said, Who touched me? And when all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitudes throng you and press you, and do you say, Who touched me? Jesus said, Somebody has touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. And when the woman saw that she was not hid, trembling she came, and falling down before him, she declared to him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. And he said to her, Be of good comfort, daughter, your faith has made you whole; go in peace. The Lord, wishing both to display the woman’s faith to all, that they might become imitators of her, and to give Jairus good hopes concerning his daughter, makes manifest what had been done secretly, and seeks who it was that touched him. But Peter, as one bold, blaming him because of the question, says, So great multitudes throng you, and do you say, Who touched me? But he understood not what the Lord was asking. For Jesus inquired, Who touched me with faith, and not simply so. For as one has ears to hear, and another has ears yet hears not, so one touches with faith, and another draws near indeed, but his heart is far off. The Lord therefore asks, although he knew the woman, but, as I said, that he might both display her faith and make the ruler of the synagogue of good hope; he asks, and brings the woman into open view. For I perceived, he says, that virtue is gone out of me—fittingly. For the prophets had not powers going out from themselves; for they wrought wonders by the grace of God. But Jesus, being a fountain of every good and of all power, has also powers going out from himself. And the Lord heals the woman in a twofold manner: first, healing her disease; then also calming the trembling of her soul, by saying, Be of good comfort, daughter.

Lk. 8:49–56. While he was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter has died; do not trouble the Teacher any longer.” But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be saved.” And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him except Peter and James and John, and the girl’s father and mother. And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep; she has not died, but is sleeping.” And they laughed at him, knowing that she had died. But after putting them all outside, he took her by the hand and called, saying, “Child, arise.” And her spirit returned, and she rose up at once; and he ordered that something be given her to eat. And her parents were astonished, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened. When Jesus heard that one said to the ruler of the synagogue, Trouble not the Master—that is, Put him not to labor, move him not—he did not wait for the ruler of the synagogue to say anything to him, but, anticipating him, lest the ruler should say, I have no more need of you, the evil is already done, behold she is dead whom we hoped would be healed—that he might say no such thing (for he was unbelieving and a Jew)—Christ, forestalling him, says, Fear not; believe only. Look, he says, to the woman with the issue of blood; imitating her you shall not fail. And he suffers only Peter, John, and James to enter in, as preferred among the disciples, and as able to keep silent about the wonder. For he wished not that it should be revealed before the time to the many, because of the envy, perhaps, of the Jews; concealing the greater part of his works, that they might not, inflamed with envy, be liable to judgment. As therefore we too ought to do, when anyone envies us, we ought not to lay bare our achievements to him, lest, smiting him, we make him envy the more, and cast him into sin; but as much as possible to be zealous that they escape his notice. And when the Lord said that she is not dead but sleeps, calling death sleep—because he was about to raise the dead girl as out of sleep—they that heard laughed him to scorn, that the wonder might be the more a wonder. For lest they should be able to say afterward that she had not died but was sleeping, for this reason he ordered it by dispensation that he should first be laughed to scorn, in saying that she is not dead but sleeps, that the mouths of those wishing to slander might be stopped. For she was so truly dead, that they even laughed him to scorn when he said she was not dead. And he put them all out, perhaps both teaching us to be without love of glory, and to do nothing for display; and perhaps also teaching that, when one is about to work a wonder, he ought not to be in the midst of many, but alone and undistracted. He restored, then, the spirit of the maiden; for he brought in no other soul, but that very one which had flown away from the body, this he made to return to it. And he commanded that meat should be given her, for the fuller assurance and confirmation that she had truly risen. And it is possible to understand these things thus also: every soul is one with an issue of blood, gushing and welling forth the bloody and murderous sin. For every sin is a murderer and slayer of the soul. This soul, then, having touched the garments of Jesus—that is, his incarnation—and having believed that the Son of God was made flesh, is sanctified. And though one be a ruler of the synagogue—that is, a mind ruling over many gains gathered from covetousness—and his daughter be sick, the understanding, I mean, let him only call upon Jesus and believe, and she shall be saved.