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(Parallels: Mat_13:1-23; Mat_12:46-50; Mar_3:31 to Mar_4:23.—Luk_8:4-15, Gospel for Sexagesima Sunday)
Luk_8:4. Much people.—Here, too, the Evangelists are not at variance, but complement one another. According to Luke the cities of all Galilee furnished their contingent to swell the company of hearers of the Lord—“ex quavis urbe erat cohors aliqua,” (Bengel.) According to Matthew and Mark this concourse is so great that the Saviour has to ascend a ship on the shore in order there to be heard better. Of the different parables which, according to Mark and Luke, were delivered at the same time on this occasion, Luke communicates only the first, together with its interpretation.
Luk_8:5. By the wayside.—“Eo, ubi ager et via inter se attingunt.” Here the first portion of the seed is threatened by a double danger—the feet of travellers and the birds of heaven. Notice how much the vividness of the parable is heightened by this last feature.
Luk_8:6. Upon the rock.—To be understood of a rocky soil covered with a thin layer of earth, so that the seed is repelled as soon as it attempts to shoot out roots. It grows comparatively high ( ἐîáíÝôåéëå , Matthew and Mark), but can only unfold itself above and not below.
Luk_8:7. Among the thorns.—Not an overgrown thistle-field, but a place in the arable ground where formerly thorns have grown up, which now come (from the roots) into development together with the seed, and finally entirely suffocate this, since they grow much more quickly, and first repressing the slow growing of the seed, soon make it entirely impossible.
Luk_8:8. On the good ground.—Which, through the care of the husbandman in preparation, has become good. Luke only mentions summarily the hundredfold increase, while Matthew and Mark speak of the thirty and sixtyfold.
When He had said these things.—Just so Matthew and Mark. According to the latter an ἀêïýåôå had also preceded. This whole parable is intended to constitute not only one out of many, but as the first in a closely connected series to form as it were His inaugural discourse as a teacher of parables. Comp. Mar_4:13.
Luk_8:9. Asked Him.—Here also the brief report of Luke must be filled up from the more detailed one of Matthew and Mark. It then appears that they asked not only for the interpretation of this parable, but in general concerning the cause why He speaks to the people in parables. The answer which Luke gives, Luk_8:10, is the answer to the question, which he himself does not state.
Luk_8:10. Unto you it is given.—According to all three Evangelists the kingdom of God is agreeably to this word of the Saviour: 1. A ìõóôÞñéïí , which, however, 2. His disciples know, but, 3. only after it is given to them through the preparing grace of God, äÝäïôáé ãíῶíáé . The true reconciliation between the Supernaturalism and Rationalism of the more ancient and the more modern form will have to proceed from this, that justice is done at once to each of these three thoughts.
But to the others only in parables.—We are not to supply: With the rest speak I in parables, but: to the rest it is given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God only when they are laid open to them in parabolic form.
That seeing they might not see.—Comp. Isa_6:9-10, where, however, we are never to lose from view, that: “The effect of hardening through prophecy is an eliciting, and so revealing, of the hardening which already exists and which through their fault reveals itself in reference to the word.” Stier. Comp. Lange on Mat_11:12.
Luk_8:11. The seed.—In the explanation it is, according to Luke, the Seed, according to Mark, the Sower, that stands in the foreground.
Luk_8:12. They that hear.—That is, who merely hear, without the word of preaching being mixed with faith. It is to be noticed that the Saviour only ascribes the miscarriage of the first, and not of the second and third portion of the seed to direct diabolical influence. The evil one is as quickly at hand ( åὐèÝùò , åῖ ̓ ôá ) as the birds by the just-sown seed.
The distinction between the second and third kind appears especially to lie in this, that those sown upon the rock are the superficially touched, who are soon offended by persecution; those sown among the thorns, the half-hearted, who are soon seduced by temptation. “Hic ordo” says Calvin very correctly of the former, “a superiore differt, quia temporalis fides, quasi seminis conceptio, fructum aliquem promittit, sed non ita bene et penitus subacta sunt corda, ut ad continuum alimentum eorum mollities sufficiat, Et sane, ut œstu solis probatur terrœ sterilitas, ita persecutio et crux eorum vanitatem detegit, qui leviter tincti, nescio quo desiderio, non probe serio pietatis affectu imbuti sunt. Sciendum est, non vere esse incorruptibili semine regenitos, quod nunquam marcescit, quemadmodum Petrus docet.”
Luk_8:14. Cares and riches and pleasures.—Here, as in Mar_4:19, a threefold cause for the miscarriage of the third class, earthly care, possession, and enjoyment. Luke very beautifully describes these hearers as going away among the one and the other ( ðïñåõüìåíïé ), after they had listened for a while. “A picturesque addition” (De Wette).
And are choked.—See Meyer ad loc.
Luk_8:15. In an honest and good heart.—Not in an absolutely ethical sense (Meyer), for purity of heart cannot precede faith, but must follow it. Yet honest and good to receive seed and to bear fruit. An intimation of the right disposition for hearing, which itself in turn is a fruit of the gratia prœveniens. Comp. Act_10:35.
Luk_8:16. But no man.—The same saying appears again, Luk_11:33. Nothing stands in the way of our supposing that the Saviour repeated words of this kind on fitting occasions. In Mark also, Luk_8:21-22, it appears immediately after the parable of the Sower, and the connection of thought is not very difficult to give. The Saviour does not mean to say that as He had sufficiently illustrated to them the preceding parable, so they also should now on their part spread this abroad among others (Meyer, De Wette), but He utters it to be applied to what He had said in relation to the different reception of the word of God among men: namely, that the fruit of preaching would one day be known, and that it is therefore of the greatest importance actually to keep the word in a good and pure heart in order that in time to come it may become evident that it has brought forth fruit an hundredfold.
Luk_8:18. Take heed therefore.—In Luke the ðῶò , in Matthew the ôß , is brought more into prominence, while that which in Mat_13:12, appears in another connection, Luke here very fittingly adjoins. By this connection the significance of the—in all appearance—proverbial way of speaking is in a peculiar manner more precisely defined.—For whosoever hath, namely, of fruits of the word which he obtained by the fact that he heard in the right way. The productiveness is conditioned by the receptivity. Whoever first bears in himself a germ of the higher life, such a one will in the use of the prepated means continually receive more of spiritual blessing. Whoever neglects that which is deposited by God within him loses what he never rightly possessed. Ὅ äïêåῖ ἔ÷åéí ἀñèÞóåôáé , an exact interpretamentum of the original form in Mark, ὃ ἔ÷åé . The so-called possession had been the fruit of a mere imagination.
Luk_8:19. Then came to Him.—Originally this occurrence belongs before the parable (see above), but apparently Luke communicates it here because it might serve very well to commend the right hearing, inasmuch as it indicates the high rank which the doers of the word (Jam_1:25), according to the Saviour’s judgment, enjoy.
And could not come at Him.—We gain a clear conception of the fact only by comparing Mar_3:21-30. The simplest understanding of Mar_3:20-21, is however apparently this, that no one else than the relatives of the Lord on this occasion had been afraid that He was beside Himself; in respect to His brothers, who, according to Joh_7:6, even later did not yet believe on Him, we can at least not call this inconceivable. Intentional malice existed here as little as Act_26:24. If we remark, however, that mother and brothers wait very quietly until He has finished speaking, and that the latter publicly requested Him to come unto them, we can just as well conceive that they lay hold of the calumny set afoot by the Pharisees: ὅôé Âååëæåâïὺë ἔ÷åé , as a means of withdrawing Jesus, out of well-meaning yet misguided affection, from this stormy sea. In no case does the account say that Mary uttered or believed these words of blasphemy. She stands here more in the midst than at the head of His relatives, and not possibly could she name the holy thing that was born of her, lunatic. Yet of one error she makes herself, together with her family, guilty. She wishes to withdraw the Saviour (perhaps out of provident care that He might take food, Mar_3:20), from the work which He regards as His food. This Jesus refuses with holy sternness, yet at the same time with tender forbearance. Of the self-denial which He demands in respect to earthly kindred, Mat_10:37, He Himself gives a brilliant example. What is said of Levi, Deu_33:9, is true now in a higher measure of Him.
Luk_8:20. And it was told Him.—Perhaps by one who would have been glad to see the immediately preceding discourse of rebuke, Mar_3:23 seq., continue no longer, and therefore with some eagerness makes use of this welcome interruption in order to direct the Saviour’s attention to something else.
Thy mother and thy brethren.—The difficult question, whom we have actually to understand by the ἀäåëöïῖò of the Lord, has been even to the latest times answered in different ways. The view of those who here understand natural brothers of the Lord, children of Joseph and Mary, born after Jesus, has, according to the opinion we have hitherto held, at least the fewest difficulties. This view is powerfully vindicated by Dr. A. H. Blom, in his Disput. Theol. Inaug. de Christi ἀäåëöïῖò êáὶ ἀäåëöáῖò , L. B. 1839. On the other side the later scruples of Lange and others, who here understand cousins of the Lord, may not be condemned. The question appears yet to demand a continued investigation in order finally to come to full decision. Comp. meanwhile the valuable essay of Wieseler, Stud, und Krit. 1842, 1., but particularly also the appendix to the 9th prælection on the Life of Jesus, by C. J. Riggenbach, Basel, 1858, where the grounds for and against each principal view have been very judiciously set forth. S. 286–304.
Luk_8:21. And He answered.—Comp. Lange on Mat_12:50. According to the picturesque trait in Mark, Luk_8:34, He in saying this looks with a benevolent glance over those immediately surrounding Him. With full consciousness He sacrifices, if it must be so, earthly relationships to higher ones. Thus does He assure His disciples of the higher rank which they enjoy in His eyes, while they are forgotten by the world. His mother and brothers, on the other hand, when they have come near enough, hear the only condition upon which He in truth can call them His own: namely, if they honor the will of the Father, who has assigned Him another circle than their limited dwelling. Doubtless at this word a voice in Mary’s heart testified that she belonged in a yet higher sense than êáôὰ óὰñêá to the kindred of Christ. From the fact that the Saviour speaks alone of mother, brother, and sister, but not of His father, as indeed the latter nowhere appears in the history of His public life, it may with great probability be concluded that Joseph was now already dead. [The fact that Joseph nowhere appears in the course of our Lord’s ministry, renders it sufficiently probable that he was dead. But the fact that our Lord, among the possible relations which human beings can sustain to Him, does not include that of Father, may well be explained from His unwillingness to attribute to any human being that relation which God alone sustained to Him.—C. C. S.] His disciples He calls brethren, comp. Heb_2:11; but from this it by no means follows that His disciples themselves had the right to give to Him in too familiar a manner the name Brother.
2. By a parable we understand an invented narrative taken from nature or daily life, wherein weighty duties, truth, or promises, are set forth in a pictorial manner. While the philosophical myth must bring an abstract idea within the sphere of our conception; under the garb of the parable, on the other hand, a present or impending fact is placed before the eyes. While the simile gives only a simple agreement between two different things, it lacks the dramatic development and the striking issue which we meet with in a completed parable. Even from the fable is it distinguished, inasmuch as it moves within the bounds of possibility, and not only, like the fable, presents moral teaching, but also religious truth. The chief thought around which all the parables of the Saviour more or less directly revolve is the hidden character of the kingdom of God. It has therefore been attempted in many ways to arrange the different parables of our Lord into a complete whole, in which the doctrine of the kingdom of Heaven in all its parts is contained (Neander, Lisco, Lange, Schweitzer, &c). Nothing is easier than to derive a Theology, Anthropology, Soteriology, and Eschatology of Jesus from His parables, in which, however, it must be borne in mind that not every delicate feature of the representation can be used as a stone for a dogmatic edifice, but that only the tertium, comparationis, the leading idea, is to be made prominent according to the particular design.
3. The purpose of the parable is twofold, comp Mat_13:13, and Lange ad loc. Justly, therefore, has Lord Bacon already said: “Parabola est usus ambigui, facit enim ad involucrum, facit etiam ad illustrationem, in hoc docendi, in illo occultandi artificium quœri videtur.” Comp. Joh_9:39. However, we must not overlook the fact that the veiling of the truth in parables was only relative and temporary. They were not like the bushel under which the light was hid, but more like the veil of mist which indeed obscures the brilliancy of the sun, yet also more often allows it to stream through. The explanation which the Saviour gives of some parables in particular He would undoubtedly have given of all, had He been inquired of with the desire of salvation.
4. In respect to the parables also the Gospel of Luke shows an indisputable wealth. It is true we miss here individual parables which are found in Matthew 13, Mark 4, and elsewhere, but on the other hand several of the most exquisite parables have been preserved to us by Luke alone. Without speaking now of many gnome-like sayings which he communicates as parables, e.g. Luk_14:7, let us consider particularly the rich treasure of parables which he has preserved in the narrative of the Saviour’s last journey to Jerusalem, Luk_9:51 seq To these belong: 1. The Good Samaritan, Luk_10:30-37; Luke 2. The Importunate Friend, Luk_11:5-8; Luke 3. The Rich Fool, Luk_12:16-21; Luke 4. The Unfruitful Fig-tree, Luk_13:6-9; Luke 5. The Great Supper, Luk_14:6-24; Luke 6. The Tower and The War, Luk_14:28-32; Luke 7. The Lost Sheep, Coin, and The Prodigal Son, Luke 15. (of which, however, the first two appear with another design in Mat_18:12-13); 8. The Unjust Steward, Luk_16:1-9; Luke 9. Lazarus and Dives, Luk_16:19-31; Luke 10. The Servant Ploughing, Luk_17:7-10; Luke 11. The Unjust Judge and the Widow, Luk_18:1-8; Luke 12. The Pharisee and the Publican, Luk_18:9-14; Luke 13. The Parable of the Pounds (to be distinguished from that of the Talents, Mat_25:14-30), Luk_19:12-27. Even when Luke narrates parables given in the other Evangelists, he is not wanting in new peculiar features of them. Comp. for instance Luk_12:35-48, with Mat_24:42-51. Especially does he communicate the parables which are in agreement with the broad Pauline position of his Gospel, while we scarcely fear a contradiction when we maintain that it is among the parables preserved by him that the most exquisite in detail appear. Who would give up the dogs in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man? Who the trait of the haughty Pharisee standing by himself, óôáèåὶò ðñὸò ἑáõôüí , or of the eldest of the two sons who does not come out of the house, but directly from the field where he has served his father by his labor? How much would the parable of the Good Samaritan have lost in beauty if over against this friend of man, not a priest and Levite, but a simple citizen of Jerusalem, had been placed! Even if some of the parables in Luke contain particular cruces interpretum, yet the labor of investigation is richly compensated, as in reference also to all the parables related by him, the fine expression is applicable: “The miracles of Jesus are manifestly great individual parables of His general activity,—parables in act. His parables, on the other hand, unfold themselves as miracles of His word. The miracle is a fact which comes from the word and is converted into the word. The parable is a word which comes out of a fact and stamps itself in the fact. The common birthplace of these ideal twin forms is therefore the world-creating and world-transfiguring Word.” Lange.
5. Although in judging of the prophetic character of the parable, men have not always been temperate enough, and have certainly gone too far in finding in many the indication of individual periods in the development of Christianity beyond the general intimation of earlier or later times, it is nevertheless entirely beyond doubt that precisely like many prophecies, so do also many parables realize themselves continuously in ever-augmenting measure in the history of the kingdom of God [or, as Bacon says: “have a springing and germinant fulfilment in every age.”—C. C. S.]. This is true of the very first parable, the Sower. Considered in the most general way, it contains truth in reference to God’s word in the world as to when, how, and where, it has been sown at all times. But very especially is it applicable to the activity of the Great Sower in the kingdom of God, Christ; and certainly it is of moment how He here Himself communicates in parabolic form the result of His experience up to that time among His mainly unbelieving contemporaries. But continually does the fulfilment of the parabolic sketch repeat itself in the preaching of the gospel by apostles, martyrs, reformers, nay, and that of the most obscure country pastor. And so long as the world remains the world it will not cease to be true that a good part, nay the greatest part, of the seed is continually lost through the fault of men.
6. That the Saviour, not in the parable, but in the explanation of the parable to His disciples, speaks so unequivocally of the Evil One, is a convincing proof that the New Testament Satanology is to be regarded as something entirely different from a pædagogic accommodation to a superstitious popular fancy.
7. The cause why the seed with some bears no fruit and with some bears fruit more richly than with others, is not to be found in the fact that the heart of the one is by nature so much better than that of the other. Whoever would bring up Luk_8:15 as a proof against the doctrine of general depravity would do well first to read over once more Mar_7:21-23. The êáëὸí êáὶ ἀãáèüí is in the spirit of the Saviour’s teaching the fruit of the gratia prœveniens, from which the man has not withdrawn himself since God Himself has wrought in him the will, Php_2:13. It belongs to the work of the modern believing Dogmatics to develop the doctrine of prevenient grace in its deep religious and Christian ground more than has hitherto been done.
8. It is to be understood that among those of whom the Lord says that they fall away in time of temptation, there are no genuine believers. He Himself has declared that they believe ðñὸò êáéñüí , and the distinction between fides temporalis and salvifica, even on the ground of this expression, has a deep significance. Everywhere where the seed is lost there is lacking that ὑðïìïíῄ to which Luk_8:15 makes so emphatic allusion. Much may go on in a heart without its becoming in truth a partaker of the new life. Every conversion which has effect only in the sphere of the intellect, the feeling, the imagination, or the course of action itself, without having penetrated into the innermost sanctuary of the will, may be a blossom that endures long, but yet finally falls off without bearing fruit.
9. By the different measure of fruitfulness in good are indicated the different degrees of faith, love, sanctification, hope, &c., which have been attained in consequence of hearing. Therefore also the different measures of talents, gifts, and capacity to carry on the sowing for the kingdom of God through the ages (Lange). The cause of the great distinction is as little to be sought exclusively on the side of man as on the side of God. Here also both factors work together, and it must be well considered on the one hand that not every place of the field is ploughed and harrowed equally long; on the other hand, that not every spiritual gift bestowed is used with equal care. Here also the rule holds good that grace works ever mystically, yet never magically, and again: “Whoever will keep firm hold of the Lord’s gifts must use them in diligent labor for increase; for that are they in their nature given; keeping and gaining increase therewith are one. Works are faith’s nourishment, the diligence of faithful use is the oil for the burning lamp; to do nothing in the might of grace and to reap no fruit from its sowing is enough to bring with it the judgment which takes again what one appeared to have, and thought he had, but which was already no longer a true having.” Stier.
10. What the Saviour here says very definitely of the fruit of the word may be also asserted in a wider sense of all mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. Publicity before the judgment and in God’s hour is here emphatically the watchword.
11. What Paul declares of himself, 2Co_5:16, is to be seen in a yet higher sense in the Son of Man. The saying respecting His mother and His brothers is essentially only the repetition of the same principle which the boy of twelve years, Luk_2:49, had already uttered as His own. That Mary, even after the instruction received, Joh_2:4, could yet again have a thought of interfering to some extent actively in the plan of His labors is a new proof how far the Mary of the Gospels is still below the Immaculate Concepta of Rome. If Mary became great in the kingdom of God, this is not because she was after the flesh the mother of the Lord, but because she on her part fulfilled the will of His Father. [On the other hand, doubtless, for the mother of the Lord not to have been a believer would have been something too monstrous for Divine grace and providence to have for a moment permitted.—C. C. S.] Here also, as ever, the natural relation of the Saviour, compared with the spiritual, recedes far into the background.
Starke:—Cramer:—Many hearers, few devout ones.—Nova Bibl. Tub.:—Formerly the people hasted from the cities to Christ, now, when one has not so far to go, they hasten from Him.—Christian teachers in their many unfruitful labors must possess their souls in patience and not hastily give up all for lost, Isa_49:4.—If grace does not moisten our heart and make it full of sap, the seed of the Divine word therein must dry up, for our heart is a rock.—Majus:—Take good note of the hindrances to thy conversion, and remove what stands in the way.—Auris condita est ad audiendum quœ conditor loquitur, Gordius Martyr.—Quesnel:—The understanding of the Holy Scripture and its mysteries is not given to all; one must humbly seek it from the fountain of wisdom.—Satan also knows that God’s word is the blessed means of conversion and salvation.—Canstein:—God gives no one the light of His knowledge for his own use merely, but also for the common benefit, 1Co_12:1.—Often for the punishment of unbelief even in this life all is taken away and the light turned into darkness, Mat_25:28.—Quesnel:—Whoever fervently loves Christ cannot long do without Him.—The Virgin Mary has no better right to Christ than other people, Luk_11:27-28.—A Christian in what concerns the service of God must forget even his parents, Mat_19:29.—Believers are spiritually related to Christ, and as dear to Him as children never are to their parents, Heb_2:11; Isa_49:15.
Luther (XII. 23, 24):—“This is it that has the most fearful sound, that such pious hearts as have a good root, are full of holy intention, of fixed purpose and fervent effort, yea to whom not even perseverance itself is lacking, have nevertheless been robbed of fruit. These are therefore those who will serve two Lords, please both God and the world together, and who do many and great things for God’s sake, and even that becomes a snare to them, because they take pleasure in that they become aware that they are filled with gifts and make profit. Such also are those who serve God most devoutly, but they do it for the sake of enjoyment and honor, or at least for the sake of religious benefit, either in this life or that to come.”
Heubner:—Similarity of the preaching of the Divine word and of sowing.—Two main classes of human character: 1. Evil: a. hardened, b. frivolous, c. impure, earthly minded (all human characters may be thrown into these classes, as indeed Kant has done it according to this very parable, Religion Innerhalb, &c., § 22. pp. 21, 22); 2. Hearts full of longing after salvation, &c.—The main part in preaching belongs to the hearer.—The preaching of the gospel never wholly fruitless; a ground of comfort, especially for young ministers.—Ahlfeld:—The husbandry of our Lord Jesus Christ: 1. The husbandman; 2. the field.—Stier:—1. The word of God is a seed; 2. even this seed’s thriving depends on the field; 3. what now is the good ground or heart for God’s word?—From whence comes such good ground?—G. Schweder:—The hearts of believers also are like to the various ground.—Baumeister:—The seeming Christian and the true Christian.—There are, namely: 1. Christians with a merely outward religion; 2. Christians with a shallow religion; 3. Christians with a half religion; 4. Christians with a true religion.—Thym:—Whose fault is it if few hearers of the word are saved? 1. Is it God’s who causes the word to be proclaimed?—2. Is it the fault of the word which is proclaimed to men?—3. Or is it that of the man to whom the word is proclaimed?—Burk:—The might of the word of God: 1. Through how manifold hindrances it breaks away; 2. what a rich and mighty fruit it brings forth.—Ritter:—As the man so his religion.—Florey:—What is required if God’s word is to bring forth fruit in us?—Rautenberg:—The complaint that God’s word brings forth so little fruit: 1. What ground for it; 2. what comfort against it; 3. what duty concerning it we have.—Harless:—The word of the kingdom an open secret.
Footnotes:
Luk_8:9.—Rec.: ëÝãïíôåò . At least doubtful. [Om., Cod. Sin.]