Luke 8:1-18

Chapter 8.

Jesus Proclaims the Parables of the Kingly Rule of God (8:1-18).

Having commenced this part section with the new Law of the Kingly Rule of God (Luke 6:20), and having in various ways revealed the advance of that Kingly Rule over Gentiles (Luke 7:1), over death (Luke 7:11), over disease and evil spirits (Luke 7:18), as an advance on the work of John the Baptiser (Luke 7:24), and over the outcasts of Israel (Luke 7:36), Luke closes this it with the proclamation of the advance of the Kingly Rule of God through the word, in parables.

This passage may be analysed as follows:

a He went about through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good tidings of the Kingly Rule of God, and with him the twelve, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna the wife of Chuzas Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, who ministered to them of their substance. (Luke 8:2).

b And when a great crowd came together, and those of every city resorted to him, he spoke by a parable: ‘The sower went forth to sow his seed, and as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and it was trodden under foot, and the birds of the heaven devoured it. And other fell on the rock, and as soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And other fell amidst the thorns, and the thorns grew with it, and choked it. And other fell into the good ground, and grew, and brought forth fruit a hundredfold. As He said these things, He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” And His disciples asked Him what this parable might be (Luke 8:8).

c And He said, To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingly Rule of God, but to the rest in parables, that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand (Luke 8:10).

d Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God (Luke 8:11).

e And those by the way side are those who have heard. Then comes the Devil, and takes away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved (Luke 8:12).

f And those on the rock are they who, when they have heard, receive the word with joy, and these have no root, who for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away (Luke 8:13).

e And that which fell among the thorns, these are they who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection (Luke 8:14).

d And that in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bring forth fruit with patience (Luke 8:15).

c And no man, when he has lighted a lamp, covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a bed, but he puts it on a stand, that those who enter in may see the light, for nothing is hid, that shall not be made manifest, nor anything secret, that shall not be known and come to light (Luke 8:16).

b Take heed therefore how you hear, for whoever has, to him shall be given, and whoever has not, from him shall be taken away even that which he thinks that he has (Luke 8:18).

a And there came to him his mother and brethren, and they could not come at him for the crowd. And it was told him, “Your mother and your brethren are standing outside, desiring to see you, but he answered and said to them, “My mother and my brethren are these who hear the word of God, and do it” (Luke 8:19)

In ‘a' the proclamation is made of the Kingly Rule of God and with him are the twelve and certain women who are within that Kingly Rule, and in the parallel His brothers and mother are not with Him and are not within that Kingly Rule. In ‘b' the sower sows the seed and the one who has ears to hear must hear, and in the parallel they are to take heed how they hear lest they lose what they have. In ‘c' the disciples are given the secrets of the Kingly Rule of God, and in the parallel what is hidden is to be made manifest. In ‘d' the seed sown is the word and in the parallel the word produces fruit. In ‘e' the Devil takes away the word from men's hearts and in the parallel the word is choked in their hearts. Central in ‘e' is the word that flourishes but then withers because it has no root. The main part of the parable is stressing not the final harvest but the dangers of not receiving the word correctly.

It should be noted that Luke 8:19 are incorporated by Luke in the chiasmus in order to balance it, and in order to draw out its connection with the parable of the sower. His family were perfect examples of hardened ground, in contrast with those in Luke 8:1. But it will also be used to open to following chiasmus because of its contrast with the glory of the Messiah yet to be revealed. While this double use is unusual, there are similar examples of overlapping chiasmi elsewhere in the Scriptures.