A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Luke · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
1. ANd it came to paſs afterward, that he went throughout every city and village preaching, and ſhewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him. 2. And certain women which had been healed of evil ſpirits, and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went ſeven devils, 3. And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herods ſteward, and Suſanna, and many others, which miniſtred unto him of their ſubſtance.
1, 2, 3. In the thankful ſenſe of their deliverance attended him, and contributed to his m…intenance.
Note, Chriſt that was Lord of all, and gave other… Life and Salvation, diſdained not to live on others gifts, and contribution.
4. And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he ſpake by a parable: 5. A ſower went out to ſow his ſeed: and as he ſowed, ſome fell by the ways ſide, and i… was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. 6. And ſome fell upon a rock, & aſſoon as it was ſprung up, it withered away, becauſe it lacked moiſture. 7. And ſome fell among thorns, and the thorns ſprang up with it, and choked it. 8. And other fell on good ground, and ſprung up, and bare frui… an hundred-fold. And when he had ſaid theſe things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
4, 5, 6, 7, 8. See the expoſition, on Matth. 19.
Note▪ It is the difference of the receivers, and reception, which is the notable cauſe of different ſucc…ſſes of the ſame word; yet ſuppoſing Gods election.
9. And his diſciples asked him, ſaying, What might this parable be? 10. And he ſaid, Unto you it is given to know the myſteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that ſeeing they might not ſee, and hearing they might not underſtand.
9, 10. Note, The reception of one truth prepareth for more, and the rejection of Gods calls prepareth men to be forſaken.
11. Now the parable is this: The ſeed is the word of God. 12. Thoſe by the wayſide, are they that hear: then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, leſt they ſhould believe and be ſaved. 13. They on the rock are they, which when they hear receive the word with joy; and theſe have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. 14. And that which fell among thorns, are they, which when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares, and riches, and pleaſures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
11, 12, 13, 14. Note, Hopeful and fair beginnings in very many fall ſhort of Salvation.
15. But that on the good ground ar… they, which in an honeſt and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
15. Who receive the Goſpel ſo, as to renew them, their hearts before prepared being by it ſanctified, and perſevere to maturity.
16. No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a veſſel, or putteth it under a bed: but ſetteth it on a candleſtick, that they which enter in may ſee the light.
16. Light is not to be hid, nor God's Gifts and Man's Knowledge; being given not only for themſelves, but for the good of all about them.
Note 1. Wo then to unjuſt ſilencers of God's faithful Miniſters! And 2. To idle, treacherous, unfaithful Paſtors.
Note; Theſe paſſages are otherwiſe connected in Matthew.
17. For nothing is ſecret, that ſhall not be made manifeſt: neither any thing hid, that ſhall not be known; and come abroad.
17. Note; Oh then how vain is the hiding endeavour of the Hypocrite! And how little ſhould we truſt to lies, or to the ſecreſie of our ſins!
Note; The connection of theſe ſentences is not too much to be minded.
18. Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whoſoever hath, to him ſhall be given; and whoſoever hath not, from him ſhall be taken even that which he ſeemeth to have.
18. The thankful receiving of what is given you, and the well uſing of what you have, is the way to have more given you: But the rejection or abuſe of it, forſeiteth what you have.
Note; When Luke collecteth ſeveral paſſages, ſpoken on ſeveral occaſions, like Solomon's Proverbs, to feign an Analyſis, and thence put the ſenſe on them, is to make the ſenſe, and not to expound it.
19. Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the preſs. 20. And it was told him by certain, which ſaid, Thy mother and thy brethren ſtand without deſiring to ſee thee. 21. And he anſwered and ſaid unto them, My mother and my brethren are theſe which hear the word of God and do it.
19, 20, 21. N. He knew that their acquaintance with his Parents, Kindred, and Education, was the hinderance of their Faith; and therefore he lets them know that he had a higher Original and Kindred, and valued ſpiritual before carnal Relations.
22. Now it came to paſs on a certain day, that he went into a ſhip with his diſciples: and he ſaid unto them, Let us go over unto the other ſide of the lake: and they lanched forth. 23. But as they ſailed, he fell aſleep: and there came down a ſtorm of wind on the lake, and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. 24. And they came to him, and awoke him, ſaying, Maſter, maſter, we periſh. Then he roſe, and rebuked the wind, and the raging of the water: and they ceaſed, and there was a calm.
22, 23, 24. Note, 6. And cannot he with a word rebuke all popular and tyrannical rage againſt his Church?
25. And he ſaid unto them, Where is your faith? and they being afraid, wondred, ſaying one to another? What manner of man is this? for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.
25. Note; And ſhall not we obey him?
26. And they arrived at the countrey of the Gadarens, which is over againſt Galilee. 27. And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city, a certain man which had devils long time, and ware no cloths, neither abode in any houſe, but in the tombs. 28. When he ſaw Jeſus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice ſaid, What have I to do with thee, Jeſus, thou Son of God moſt high? I beſeech thee torment me not. 29. (For he had commanded the unclean ſpirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains, and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderneſs.) 30. And Jeſus asked him, ſaying, What is thy name? And he ſaid, Legion; becauſe many Devils were entred into him. 31. And they beſought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.
26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31. See on Matth. 8. & Mark 5.8, 9. The bottomleſs Pit. N. The Devils are not yet confined to Hell, nor in their utmoſt miſery.
32. And there was there a herd of many ſwine feeding on the mountain: and they beſought him that he would ſuffer them to enter into them: and he ſuffered them. 33. Then went the Devils out of the man, and entred into the ſwine: and the herd ran violently down a ſteep place into the lake, and were choked. 34. When they that fed them ſaw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country. 35. Then they went out to ſee what was done, and came to Jeſus, and found the man out of whom the devils were departed, ſitting at the ſeet of Jeſus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. 36. They alſo which ſaw it, told them by what means he, that was poſſeſſed of the devils, was healed.
32, 33, 34, 35, 36. Note 1. One man is of more worth than multitudes of Swine (though ſwiniſh ſinners vilifie themſelves.) 2. What would not Devils do againſt us, if God ſhould permit them?
37. Then the whole multitude of the countrey of the Gadarens round about, beſought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ſhip, and returned back again. 38. Now the man, out of whom the devils were departed, beſought him that he might be with him: but Jeſus ſent him away, ſaying, 39. Return to thine own houſe, and ſhew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way and publiſhed throughout the whole city, how great things Jeſus had done unto him.
37, 38, 39. Note; All mens ſervice of God is not in one way; ſome may do moſt good at home, and in a private ſtate of life, and ſome more publickly.
40. And it came to paſs, that when Jeſus was returned, the people gladly received him; for they were all waiting for him. 41. And behold, there came a man, named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the ſynagogue, and he fell down at Jeſus feet, and beſought him that he would come into his houſe: 42. For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and ſhe lay a dying. (But as he went, the people thronged him.)
40, 41, 42. Bodily Gifts are gladly received, and earneſtly ſought.
43. And a woman having an iſſue of blood twelve years, which had ſpent all her living upon Phyſicians, neither could be healed of any, 44. Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her iſſue of blood ſtanched. 45. And Jeſus ſaid, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter, and they that were with him, ſaid, Maſter, the multitude throng thee, and preſs thee, and ſayeſt thou, Who touched me? 46. And Jeſus ſaid, Some body hath touched me: for I perceive that vertue is gone out of me.
43, 44, 45, 46. Note; Peter carpt at Chriſt's words, becauſe he knew not the reaſon of them
47. And when the woman ſaw that ſhe was not hid, ſhe came trembling, and falling down before him, ſhe declared unto him, before all the people, for what cauſe ſhe had touched him, and how ſhe was healed immediately.
47. She was afraid leſt he would be angry with her for ſtealing a Cure without his conſent.
48. And he ſaid unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort, thy faith hath made thee whole, go in peace.
48. Note; Faith healeth not efficiently, but as the neceſſary moral qualification of the receiver of a free gift.
49. While he yet ſpake, there cometh one, from the ruler of the Synagogues houſe, ſaying to him, Thy daughter is dead, trouble not the Maſter. 50. But when Jeſus heard it, he anſwered him, ſaying, Fear not, believe only, and ſhe ſhall be made whole. 51. And when he came into the houſe, he ſuffered no man to go in, ſave Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the Maiden. 52. And all wept, and bewailed her: but he ſaid, Weep not; ſhe is not dead, but ſleepeth.
49, 50, 51, 52. Permitting it to come to extremity magnified the Miracle.
53. And they laughed him to ſcorn, knowing that ſhe was dead.
53. She was dead by the ceſſa…ion of natural life and motion, and not dead, by a remote departure of the Soul; it being o…tained to reſtore the ſuſpended life: And ſo both Chriſt and they ſaid true.
54. And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, ſaying, Maid, ariſe. 55. And her ſpirit came again, and ſhe aroſe ſtraitway: and he commanded to give her ſome meat. 56. And her Parents were aſtoniſhed: but he charged them that they ſhould tell no man what was done.
54, 55, 56. See on Mark 5.