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Jesus Tells The Parable of the Sower and Rejects his Family

Jesus Quiets a Storm, Invades Satan’s Domain and Sends Demons into Pigs

As this lesson begins, Jesus and his 12 apostles travel around the Jewish villages NW of the Sea of Galilee. Luke introduces Mary Magdalene: a woman from whom Jesus cast out seven demons (8:2). There are many legends about Mary Magdalene. She has been called a former prostitute and the sinful woman forgiven by Jesus at the Pharisee’s banquet (Luke 7); a recent ABC pseudo-news special even claims she was the secret wife of Jesus. None of these stories have any scriptural basis. But we do know she is from the village of Magdala—and hence may have been a childhood acquaintance of Jesus and/or Peter and John—but most important: she became a faithful follower.

Mary and several other women are very active in Jesus’ ministry and provide financial support (8:3) . . . probably necessary because Jesus seems to have a large entourage—the 1^st century version of a Billy Graham crusade. It would be difficult for so many people to travel the countryside living off charity. These women include "Joanna the wife of . . . the manager of Herod's household" (8:3)—which shows the depth and breadth of Jesus’ appeal; he has some very well-placed followers!

During this preaching-and-healing tour, Jesus tells the Parable of the Sower—one of his most important parables (and the only one he explains). Jesus has told parables before; but now he begins to use parables to make most of his teaching points.

What are parables and why does Jesus use them this way? Commentaries give various definitions, mostly focusing on two things:

1. Parables are a teaching technique, whereby Jesus expresses complex religious topics by analogy with simple, everyday things understood by common people. The Jews knew this technique because the oral law developed by making analogy between something for which God had proclaimed a rule in the bible and something for which there was no biblical rule.
2. Jesus’ parables contain hidden meanings, which only believers understand. That’s why Jesus concludes the Parable of the Sower by saying: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear (8:8)."

The other question is: "Why does Jesus use parables?" Jesus quotes Isaiah 6 as he answers this question: "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to (believers), but to others I speak in parables, so that, ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand’" (8:10). This is a difficult concept: there is an "elect" (cf Matt 24, Mark 13) who will understand, but others will not.

Why is it necessary to be so obtuse? Why not just spell things out and let everyone accept it or reject it? We can speculate on theological reasons . . . but there are also practical reasons. Pharisees still shadow Jesus, intent on tricking him into saying something they can use against him. The less the Pharisees understand of Jesus’ message . . . the less they can disrupt his preaching to those who want to hear. And with Jesus’ increasing popularity, it becomes more and more important that his claims to be the Messiah are made obliquely, because the Romans view such claims as sedition, and will want to arrest Jesus if he makes a such claim directly. Recall from last week: when Jesus sent word to John the Baptist in prison confirming he is the Messiah, he used scripture that John would understand precisely . . . but John’s guards would not understand if they overheard it.

With regard to Jesus’ Parable of the Sower . . . the web site shows a farmer using the 1^st century technique of broadcasting seed across a field. In order to make sure the seed goes to all the places where it will grow, the farmer broadcasts it to places where it won’t grow . . . like along the footpath, where it is trampled or eaten by birds . . . on rocky places, where there isn’t enough soil for the plants to take root . . . and in areas filled with weeds, which choke out the young plants. Nevertheless, seed which falls on good soil multiplies itself many times over . . . making the effort worthwhile.

This parable not only contains meanings hidden from non-believers . . . Jesus’ disciples don’t understand it either, and they ask him to explain it (8:9). The genius of this parable becomes clear from Jesus’ explanation; it’s a complete picture of what happens when the gospel of Jesus is preached. "The seed is the word of God" (8:11), and when people hear Jesus preach the word of God, they respond in one of four ways.

1. The first way is outright rejection of the gospel. This happens with Jesus’ Pharisees-inquisitors—and others who don’t want to hear the gospel . . . or just don’t care. Jesus says such people are under the power of Satan.
2. The second response is to receive the gospel with great joy . . . but with only a superficial commitment. These people lack perseverance following Jesus; they succumb to peer pressure . . . or find they sinning is too much fun to stop. They turn away when things get tough.
3. The third response is a sincere commitment to believe the gospel and follow Jesus . . . but by people who don’t take the time to study the bible and understand what Jesus is all about. Such people are easily distracted by other concerns; "they do not mature" in the faith (8:14). These are the "baby Christians" discussed in Hebrews 5:12-6:2, whose spiritual growth stops at the "Plan of Salvation." There are lots of people like this in our churches: "often in error but never in doubt," or parroting Christian tradition without really understanding Jesus.
4. The fourth way is to hear the gospel, believe it, learn it, and practice it . . . then produce fruit which spreads the gospel further. These people are mature Christians . . . lights to the world with an aura of goodness which makes others immediately recognize them as Christian . . . without having to be told.

And the gospel itself is like a light, which reveals objects hidden by darkness. Furthermore, as we study the gospel—as the light is shown more and more—additional things are revealed to the discerning. But for those who don’t study the gospel—who refuse to use the light or use it sparingly—little or nothing is revealed . . . and some of what was revealed will be forgotten.

The next scene is a very strange encounter with Jesus’ mother and brothers: they ask to see Jesus, but he refuses (8:19-21). This seems inexplicable, unless we read the parallel story in Mark (cf Mk 3:20-21,31-34). What is happening is that Jesus’ family decide he is crazy, based on 2^nd hand reports they hear about him. Why? Recall from lesson 4 how rudely Jesus was treated when he returned to Nazareth . . . the people wanted to run him out of town and throw him over a cliff! And realize 1^st century Jews have a fortress mentality, believing their traditions reflect the only correct way to worship God. (There are Christian churches like that!) Imagine the reports of Jesus’ ministry coming back to his family in Nazareth, filtered through the Pharisees of the synagogue and probably as badly distorted as Al Jazeera reports from Iraq . . . or worse! And the Pharisees know the threat Jesus poses to their intellectual control of Judaism . . . imagine the pressure the family must be under to reign Jesus in! Mary knows Jesus is the Messiah, but Joseph is probably dead—or else he would be involved—and Jesus’ brothers have shown signs of jealousy (Jn 7:3-6). Might the brothers have succumbed to this pressure and forced Mary to go along . . . to find Jesus and bring him home? But Jesus cannot allow an argument with his family to happen in front of his followers.

The story nevertheless ends well. His mother Mary is at the foot of the cross—either as a mother or as a follower or both. And after Jesus’ resurrection, his brother James becomes a believer and leader of the Christians of Jerusalem.

Jesus’ parting comment is nevertheless accurate: "My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and put it into practice" (8:21); Jesus discusses this further in Luke 12.

Sometime after this episode, Jesus makes a seemingly innocent suggestion to his disciples, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake" (8:22). Seems simple enough . . . just a few miles away. But "the other side of the lake" is Gentile territory; devout Jews consider it filled with evil and rarely go there . . . never "just for fun." It’s surprising none of the disciples object to the trip . . . they all just "got into a boat and set out" (8:22).

Consider this story in the context that Jesus’ ministry is really a battle between good and evil. So far Jesus has moved among the Jews, who already worship the one true God . . . but now it seems Jesus is going to the Gentiles: idol worshipers under the control of Satan. Satan must do whatever it takes to stop this invasion of his domain!

As Jesus’ boat sails across the Sea of Galilee, suddenly "a squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped" (8:23). This is a common phenomenon on the Sea because of the surrounding terrain, but this storm must be worse than most, because the disciples—including professional fishermen—are afraid of drowning (8:24). They waken Jesus—who has fallen asleep—and "he . . . rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm" (8:24). Jesus seems annoyed by being awakened for this reason: he asks the disciples, "Where is your faith?" (8:25).

Why does Jesus’ focus on faith? Because that’s the issue in a battle with Satan! The disciples miss the point . . . and "in fear and amazement" they marvel at Jesus’ power: "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him" (8:25)! Why do they find this demonstration of Jesus’ God-like power so much more awesome than the other God-like powers they have seen? Perhaps like the miracle of the fish (5:6): the fishermen recognize just how unlikely it was for Jesus to instantly calm the sea!

What greets them when they reach the other side of the lake? A naked man who lives in tombs . . . possessed by many demons so violent they even break chains used to restrain him (8:27,29). It’s hard to think of anything that would represent more evil to a Jew. Satan is pulling out all the stops to prevent this invasion! Luke records that Jesus steps onto the shore, but nothing is said about the disciples; they may just cower in the boat.

Jesus directly confronts the evil. The demons recognize "Jesus, Son of the Most High God" (8:28), and they beg Jesus "not to order them to go into the Abyss (cf Rev 9), but . . . to let them go into" a nearby herd of pigs (8:31-32). "When the demons . . . went into the pigs, the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned" (8:33).

This brief encounter has several consequences. First, the man is completely cured: he puts on clothes and sits at Jesus' feet, "in his right mind" (8:35). Second, the pig herders and other witnesses run away "afraid" (8:35) at seeing such a demonstration of God-like power. Third, the townspeople, upon hearing the eyewitness reports, "asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear" (8:37).

Fear seems a strange reaction. But let’s put ourselves in their position. These Gentiles are probably as uncomfortable with Jews as Jews are with them. They see this Jewish guy get out of a boat, instantly cure a demon-possessed man who the entire village had been unable to restrain, and then cause the drowning of a large herd of pigs—an animal the Jews considered so "unclean" it sparked a Jewish uprising against the Greeks 200 years earlier. What would you think? I’d probably be "overcome with fear" too (8:38) . . . wondering: "What’s he gonna do next?!" But note the exciting conclusion to this story:

This is Jesus’ first missionary to the Gentiles . . . not a Jew, but a Gentile. Matthew and Mark report his work quickly bears fruit (cf Matt 15, Mark)! Nevertheless, Jesus "got into the boat and left" (8:37). We don’t know if the disciples ever get out of the boat!

Jesus’ crowd of followers stayed in "safe" Jewish areas while Jesus invaded Satan’s domain, but they welcome Jesus when he returns to Capernaum (8:40), and they precipitate a dramatic multiple healing. The ruler of the synagogue, Jairus, comes to Jesus and pleads for healing of his dying daughter. Jairus is probably a layman who oversees administrative matters for the synagogue, and by coming to Jesus he risks persecution by the Pharisees and loss of his position. Yet Jairus he throws all caution to the wind and comes to the only one who can help him.

But while Jesus is on the way to help Jairus, someone else throws all caution to the wind and comes to the only one who can heal her. This is a woman "who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, and had spent all she had on doctors, but no one could heal her. She came up behind (Jesus) and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped" (8:43-44)!

Think of Jesus as a paramedic team responding to a 911 emergency: sirens screaming and lights flashing as he hurries to save Jairus’ daughter. Time is of the essence. But Jesus mysteriously stops, turns off the lights and sirens, and says: "Who touched me?" (8:45). Peter states the obvious: Jesus is in the middle of a large crowd and people are pressing in from all sides . . . but Jesus insists: "Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me" (8:45-46). Imagine how the woman feels. Imagine how Jairus feels . . . afraid his daughter will die as Jesus stops to ask this silly question. But Jesus’ healing is not anonymous; he felt healing power go out!

"Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at (Jesus’) feet . . . (and) told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed" (8:47). Jesus has done this to make a teaching point: he’s not a traveling magic show; Jesus heals to prove he is the Messiah, with the power of God. So Jesus says: "Your faith has healed you. Go in peace" (8:48).

But talk about a teaching point . . . who else has shown great faith in this story? Jairus! Not faith as great as the centurion from last week (7:2-10), but enough faith to take a great risk to come to Jesus for healing! Yet Jairus’ worst fears are realized: as Jesus talks with the woman, Jairus learns his daughter has died.

But Jesus is not deterred. He seamlessly moves from one teaching lesson on faith to another: "Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed" (8:49-50). The people laugh (8:53) . . . but when Jesus arrives at her home, he raises her from the dead (8:54-55). Jesus orders the "astonished" parents to tell no one of this (8:56) . . . but even if they comply, I have a feeling too many people already know to keep this story quiet.

Which leaves us with a really big lesson in faith. First, that healing comes through faith . . . and second that if we have faith, anything is possible!

Next week will also be jam-packed. First Jesus sends out his 12 apostles on a trial missionary journey . . . sort of an exam to see if they have really learned from following Jesus, and will be able to handle his ministry without him. Then Jesus performs a miracle to feed 5000 men (and uncounted women and children) with only 5 loaves of pita bread and two fish. Next Jesus questions his apostles to see if they really realize he is the Messiah . . . and 8 days later is transfigured—probably high on Mt. Hermon—and he once again receives God’s confirmation before witnesses that he is the Messiah. Before and after his Transfiguration, Jesus predicts his betrayal and crucifixion—after which his clueless apostles argue which of them is the greatest. It should be interesting!