Bible Study Thread: Luke

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Todays Scripture ---is abuot Women --Money and Ministry

Luke 8:1-3 (GW)
Women Who Supported Jesus
8 After this, Jesus traveled from one city and village to another. He spread the Good News about God’s kingdom. The twelve apostles were with him. 2 Also, some women were with him. They had been cured from evil spirits and various illnesses. These women were Mary, also called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out; 3 Joanna, whose husband Chusa was Herod’s administrator; Susanna; and many other women. They provided financial support for Jesus and his disciples.

unsafe says ----So we see that Jesus is going about His business that He came to do which is spread the Good News about what was to come ----

As we see Luke tells us that the Disciples accompany Him and then Luke tells us that some women who Jesus Healed also were present -this is important information here because women were seen as inferior to men and Rabbis generally did not teach women in those days

These women funded Jesus Ministry with their substance -----so this says these women were wealthy ----- and they were Disciples of Jesus ---being a Disciple of Jesus had nothing to do with who they were or what they looked like -----God is not a respecter of persons -The People Jesus called obeyed His call ----They believe in who Jesus was and what His Ministry was about -----

If you notice only Women are mentioned as funding Jesus Ministries ----it was Women who were mentioned at the Tomb of Jesus not men ----

It is important to see that Jesus knew that He need others around Him to carry out His Mission ----both men and women were called and both answered the call ----

God sees women as mans equal and co-heirs in Christ ---being a Disciple of Christ has nothing to do with sex --social status or the color of one's skin -----Jesus by embracing women in His fold was showing that He Humbled Himself that He needed their kindness and in His humility He accepted it ------


These 3 women mentioned here received the benefits of believing in Jesus ----these women witnessed the death and resurrection of Jesus Mary Magdalene was commissioned by Jesus to go and tell the Disciples about His Resurrection ------God in His Sovereignty used women who were considered lower then men to show that women were not lower than men but were their equal as far as God was concerned ----

Today this division is still very much in place in many areas of Ministry and workplace environments --it shows how we humans have remained Spiritually Blind to the real message Jesus was making by having these women accepted into His Ministry Fold ----


06-women-in-the-ministry-of-jesus-6-638.jpg
 
Summary: Luke 8: 4 - 15

Jesus tells the parable of the sower: A sower went out to sow his seed. Some of it fell on the path and was trampled and eaten by the birds of the air. Some fell on rock and died for lack of moisture. Some seed fell among thorns and as it grew, was choked out by the thorns. Some fell on good soil and grew and produced a hundredfold.

Jesus is asked by his disciples what the parable meant. He explained that it had been given to them to know the secret of the kingdom of God. Others do not understand so he speaks in parables.

Jesus explains the parable of the sower. The seed is the word of God. The ones on the path are those who have heard the word but the devil comes and takes it away from their hearts. The ones on the rock receive the word of God with joy, but have no root and fall away during times of testing. The ones among the thorns are those who hear the word but are choked by the cares and pleasures of life.

The ones in the good soil are those who hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart and bear fruit with patient endurance.
 
Reflection: Luke 8: 4 - 15

A parable which appears with minor variations in all of the synoptic gospels.

There is a hymn, "Lord, let my heart be good soil . . . "

Let's have a look at how each gospel writer explains the good soil:

Luke 8:15 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
15 But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.

Matthew 13:23 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
23 But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Mark 4:20 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
20 And these are the ones sown on the good soil: they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”

The gospel writers are in agreement that we first need to hear the word of God & those with "good soil" will bear fruit.

Mark calls for acceptance of the word of God: Matthew calls for understanding it; Luke says we are to hold the word fast in an honest and good heart.
 
Thoughts on Luke 8:4-8...

People gathered from far and near to hear Jesus. They came out to him as he was on the Sea of Galilee's shore, and he used a boat as his pulpit, so that he might reach them all.

He spoke to the people of the mysteries of God's kingdom through parables, of which one is given by Dr. Luke.

A farmer cast forth the seed broadcast over the land, annually with hope, just as Jesus doesn't become weary in spite of lost work. His work's an example to the present day.

Some of the seed fell on the path which crossed the field. The travelers that used the path trod the seed to pieces, and the fowls came and ate it.

Other grains fell upon rocky soil, where the bedrock neared the surface. Here was lacking in moisture and soil. The stone below caught the sun, causing moisture in that spot to turn to vapor.

Other seeds fell amid thorns, where the soil's preparation hadn't grubbed out the weeds' roots. So when the seed had sprouted, the hardier thorns choked the tender plants.

Only the seed that fell upon the good soil fulfilled the farmer's hopes; it formed grain-filled heads which matured with returns, up to a 100fold.

After having told this parable, Jesus added a warning word that the people should hear in truth, with their spiritual ears, to get the lesson's full grasp.
 
Jae said:
People gathered from far and near to hear Jesus. They came out to him as he was on the Sea of Galilee's shore, and he used a boat as his pulpit, so that he might reach them all.
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No, there is no boat in Luke's version of the story. It is one of the details that differs among the synoptic gospels.
 
BetteTheRed said:
It's sort of curious to wonder why the author of Luke decided against the "boat pulpit" when it existed in Mark and obviously Matthew's author chose to include it.
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Dr. Luke decided not to mention it. That doesn't mean he was unaware of its existence.
 
Jae said:
We know from the other synoptic gospels that he got into a boat.
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This is known as 'conflation'. It is best avoided.

It's interesting to contemplate the words used-- hold fast (Luke); understand (Matthew) and accept (Mark). Is there some sort of latitude of just HOW the seed takes root and blossoms? Different ways of receiving that are valid?
 
Redbaron said:
This is known as 'conflation'. It is best avoided.

It's interesting to contemplate the words used-- hold fast (Luke); understand (Matthew) and accept (Mark). Is there some sort of latitude of just HOW the seed takes root and blossoms? Different ways of receiving that are valid?
Click to expand...

Call it "conflation" if you will. I see the entire Bible as being God's one grand narrative of redemption.
 
Yeah, well, too bad we're doing a bible study, a la Paradox, one gospel at a time. And there's been repeated requests to try to stick to the subject gospel. Your particular hermeneutic seems to make this difficult for you. Maybe you'd be better off playing elsewhere? (And if wasn't even on this site, that wouldn't bother me one tiny little bit...)
 
BetteTheRed said:
Yeah, well, too bad we're doing a bible study, a la Paradox, one gospel at a time. And there's been repeated requests to try to stick to the subject gospel. Your particular hermeneutic seems to make this difficult for you. Maybe you'd be better off playing elsewhere? (And if wasn't even on this site, that wouldn't bother me one tiny little bit...)
Click to expand...

Anyway, on with it...

Thoughts on Luke 8:9-15...

Jesus explains to the missionaries parable's meaning, since to them it was given to know the mysteries of God's kingdom. In case of the others, however, that didn't want to believe, the words' meaning was hidden from them.

What Isaiah had said with regard to Israel's hardening was being fulfilled. God's judgment upon a people had begun in Isaiah's days, and was completed in Jesus and the 12's days. It's a warning for all times.

Jesus' parable-explanation was brief. The seed's the Word. That'll be strewn, that'll be scattered broadcast repeatedly.

The hearers' 1st class are those by the wayside. There isn't even a chance for the Word to begin its influence in their case. The seed's lying on top of the hearts, and Satan takes it away, lest, believing, they should be saved.

The hearer's 2nd class are those that have a veneer. With them being religious' an incident, and they can change their profession. They aren't rooted in Scripture. In temptation, they're no longer among those present.

The 3rd class includes those who, being taken by riches and pleasures, suffocate, so far as their faith's concerned, and don't bring their fruit to maturity. Greed creeps in, until faith's spark's extinguished without their noticing it.

Only the hearer's 4th class' of value in God's kingdom. There self-interest's replaced by rebirth. The Word which they hear they keep; they hold to it, and are thus empowered to bring forth fruit pleasing to God, with persistence.
 
All these parables in Luke are making me think of my time with our youth troupe at church when they performed the musical Godspell. So that's fun - thanks!

paradox3 said:
Jesus tells the parable of the sower: A sower went out to sow his seed. Some of it fell on the path and was trampled and eaten by the birds of the air. Some fell on rock and died for lack of moisture. Some seed fell among thorns and as it grew, was choked out by the thorns. Some fell on good soil and grew and produced a hundredfold.
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I'm looking at this a bit from my perspective as a gardener & lover of nature. So the Spirit sews seeds everywhere, freely offered to all, not discriminating - some grow as people anticipated, other seeds feed other species (the birds - who might otherwise perish without food), otherseeds perish due to poor environment (lots of poor environment around these days - much of it of our own making), other seeds are trampled/crushed by the crowds on the path. Those in some company have their life spirit choked out or killed off by others, subsequently perishing. Some seed which is lucky enough (privileged?) lands in good soil and thrives - but does it reseed?

So it makes me think about all God's people in our society today -
  • who is trampled by the crowd?
  • where/what are the hostile environments that are crushing us and others?
  • who's dying for lack of moisture in our world?
  • who are the weeds choking out others in our society?
  • who are the entitled who are lucky enough to flourish & don't even see their entitlement?
  • how am I part of all this??
 
Carolla said:
Some seed which is lucky enough (privileged?) lands in good soil and thrives - but does it reseed?
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Thinking again of a gardener's perspective, this is true. Nasturtiums are a great example. Treat them well, and you get much nice foliage, not many flowers. Stick 'em in a dry dusty old corner, and you'll get tons of blooms.

Many herbs are the same way.
 
And when two plants are in competition for resources, which is 'weed'? The one YOU, the gardener, didn't intend? Or the one that THOU, God the Creator, decided should win?
 
BetteTheRed said:
And when two plants are in competition for resources, which is 'weed'? The one YOU, the gardener, didn't intend? Or the one that THOU, God the Creator, decided should win?
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Well, except in this parable God and the gardener are one and the same so the gardener's intent and God's are the same thing.
 
Mendalla said:
Well, except in this parable God and the gardener are one and the same so the gardener's intent and God's are the same thing.
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That is the common interpretation of the parable. But parables resist having only one interpretation (otherwise the verge on becoming an allegory). When I was young I found it really helpful that the Gospel writers (MAtthew does it as well) included a primer on what the seeds and the sower means. NOw I am less convinced of that.
 
Luke 9:4-15

unsafe says -----
Todays Scripture ----is all about Superficial and Genuine Believers ----This for me is such an important piece of Scripture as the Parable of the Sower tells us How the Kingdom of God Works and how you can tell a wishy washy believer from one who Truly believes and can manifest God's Promises in their Lives -----

The Bible is 66 Books of Incorruptible Seed ------God's is the author of the words that are in His Book -----all Scripture is God Breathed according to Scripture not ME

The Good soil-----is the Heart of the person who is willing and open to grasp --Believe and hold on to and are stable in the Word and has peace when the storms of life come because they keep all the weeds at bay which could chock the seed ---

The Bad Soil -----is the Heart of the person who ======can hear the word but Satan comes in and puts fear and doubt in their little belief and takes them away from the word so their little faith is destroyed in the word ----

The Bad Soil -----is the Heart of the person who-------can hear the Word and welcomes the Word with Joy but their Faith is not Grounded and Rooted in the Word so they have Faith for a while but when their Faith is Tested they cave in and quit -----

The Bad Soil -----is the Heart of the person who ---can hear the Word but they allow all life Problems ---Worries-- Cares ---Financial issues and the pleasures of life to dominate their world and The Word of God and their Faith is choked by all life's Problems

God kind of Faith (Bible Faith ) in the Word is the Root ----which when spoken goes out and spreads it's roots so that the roots are Grounded and Rooted in the Word Seed and pulls the unseen into this seen realm and you see the harvest that was planted


Important To Note Here People -----Intellectual Faith which all of us are Born With ---Will Not and Can Not Produce the unseen into this seen Realm -----Proper Faith which comes by hearing God's Word is the only Faith that will work in Producing what God says in His Word ------

unsafe says -----The Parable of the Sower is the most important Parable in the New Testament and Jesus confirms this in Scripture by saying

Mark 4:13 (AMP)
Explanation
13 Then He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How will you understand and grasp the meaning of all the parables?

unsafe says ------This is the Granddaddy Parable of all Parables ------


unsafe says ----- Believers are responsible to keep our Heart Soil in Good Condition -----To get Grounded and Rooted in Faith by hearing and constantly being in the Word which strengthens our Faith and brings in our harvest -----so what harvest we reap depends on how good we are at keeping the weeds at bay that can over take and choke the growth of our harvest ------

The Kingdom of God works solely on the Farming System -----and that is why this Parable is so important ------God's word is incorruptible seed -----it will always Produce a Great Harvest ---if Planted Rightly by the Right Farmer -----


Word%2BSymbols.jpg
 
Summary: Luke 8: 16 - 18

Jesus observes that no one hides a lamp after lighting it. It is put on a lamp-stand so that the light will be seen. There are no secrets that will not come to light. There is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed.

To those who have, more will be given. But to those who have little, even what they seem to have will be taken away.
 
Reflection: Luke 8: 16 - 18

Don't hide your light under a bushel, we often say. As a folk saying, I have always thought this means we are not to hide our skills or talents. Or our personalities, even. There is no bushel here in Luke but Mark mentions a bushel basket.

The parable about lighting the lamp comes immediately after the parable of the sower, which we talked about yesterday. This has me thinking the light must symbolize the word of God or perhaps the faith of those who have heard it.

Having heard God's word, don't hide it in a jar or put it under the bed. Let it shine from you. Show your faith and it will grow. Hiding it will only extinguish the flame.

In what other ways can we read today's text?

Here is the interpretation from The Message:

Luke 8:16-18 The Message (MSG)
Misers of What You Hear
16-18 “No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a washtub or shoves it under the bed. No, you set it up on a lamp stand so those who enter the room can see their way. We’re not keeping secrets; we’re telling them. We’re not hiding things; we’re bringing everything out into the open. So be careful that you don’t become misers of what you hear. Generosity begets generosity. Stinginess impoverishes.”
 
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