Hitherto our Lord had made Capernaum His center; now He started on a circuit through the province of Galilee, going through its cities and villages in a systematic and leisurely manner. It must have been a great opportunity for the instruction of the Twelve in His doctrine and methods.
The parable of the sower was suggested by the scenery before the speaker. There is an advance in the stages of reception and growth, indicating the several phases of experience. The success or failure of gospel preaching is determined by the character of the soil. In every crowd there are the hardened, like the trodden path; the impulsive, like the thin layer of earth upon the rock; those with a heart divided by riches or cares, like the thorn encumbered soil; and those who receive with joy and bear fruit with patience. The Lord veiled His meaning in parables. Increased light would only add to the condemnation of disobedient hearers. [source]
Chapter Summary: Luke 8
1Women minister unto Jesus of their own means 4Jesus, after he had preached from place to place, 9explains the parable of the sower, 16and the candle; 19declares who are his mother, and brothers; 22rebukes the winds; 26casts the legion of demons out of the man into the herd of pigs; 37is rejected by the Gadarenes; 43heals the woman of her bleeding; 49and raises Jairus's daughter from death
Greek Commentary for Luke 8:9
Asked [επηρωτων] Imperfect of επερωταω eperōtaō (επι epi and ερωταω erōtaō) where Mark 4:10 has ηρωτων ērōtōn (uncompounded imperfect), both the tense and the use of επι epi indicate eager and repeated questions on the part of the disciples, perhaps dimly perceiving a possible reflection on their own growth. [source]
What this parable might be [τις αυτη ειη η παραβολη] A mistranslation, What this parable was (or meant). The optative ειη eiē is merely due to indirect discourse, changing the indicative εστιν estin (is) of the direct question to the optative ειη eiē of the indirect, a change entirely with the writer or speaker and without any change of meaning (Robertson, Grammar, pp. 1043f.). [source]
What do the individual words in Luke 8:9 mean?
Were askingthenHimthedisciplesof HimWhatthismeanstheparable
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἐπερωτάω
Sense: to accost one with an enquiry, put a question to, enquiry of, ask, interrogate.
Greek Commentary for Luke 8:9
Imperfect of επερωταω eperōtaō (επι epi and ερωταω erōtaō) where Mark 4:10 has ηρωτων ērōtōn (uncompounded imperfect), both the tense and the use of επι epi indicate eager and repeated questions on the part of the disciples, perhaps dimly perceiving a possible reflection on their own growth. [source]
A mistranslation, What this parable was (or meant). The optative ειη eiē is merely due to indirect discourse, changing the indicative εστιν estin (is) of the direct question to the optative ειη eiē of the indirect, a change entirely with the writer or speaker and without any change of meaning (Robertson, Grammar, pp. 1043f.). [source]