81 And it came to pass afterwards that he went through [the country] city by city, and village by village, preaching and announcing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God; and the twelve [were] with him, 2 and certain women who had been healed of wicked spirits and infirmities, Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 and Joanna, wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, who ministered to him of their substance.
4 And a great crowd coming together, and those who were coming to him out of each city, he spoke by parable: 5 The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the way, and it was trodden under foot, and the birds of the heaven devoured it up; 6 and other fell upon the rock, and having sprung up, it was dried up because it had not moisture; 7 and other fell in the midst of the thorns, and the thorns having sprung up with [it] choked it; 8 and other fell into the good ground, and having sprung up bore fruit a hundredfold. As he said these things he cried, He that has ears to hear, let him hear. 9 And his disciples asked him [saying], What may this parable be? 10 And he said, To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest in parables, in order that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. 11 But the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 But those by the wayside are those who hear; then comes the devil and takes away the word from their heart that they may not believe and be saved. 13 But those upon the rock, those who when they hear receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a time, and in time of trial fall away. 14 But that that fell where the thorns were, these are they who having heard go away and are choked under cares and riches and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 15 But that in the good ground, these are they who in an honest and good heart, having heard the word keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
16 And no one having lighted a lamp covers it with a vessel or puts it under a couch, but sets it on a lamp-stand, that they who enter in may see the light. 17 For there is nothing hid which shall not become manifest, nor secret which shall not be known and come to light. 18 Take heed therefore how ye hear; for whosoever has, to him shall be given, and whosoever has not, even what he seems to have shall be taken from him.
19 And his mother and his brethren came to him, and could not get to him because of the crowd.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Luke 8:1-19
Commentary on Luke 8:1-3
(Read Luke 8:1-3)
We are here told what Christ made the constant business of his life, it was teaching the gospel. Tidings of the kingdom of God are glad tidings, and what Christ came to bring. Certain women attended upon him who ministered to him of their substance. It showed the mean condition to which the Saviour humbled himself, that he needed their kindness, and his great humility, that he accepted it. Though rich, yet for our sakes he became poor.
Commentary on Luke 8:4-21
(Read Luke 8:4-21)
There are many very needful and excellent rules and cautions for hearing the word, in the parable of the sower, and the application of it. Happy are we, and for ever indebted to free grace, if the same thing that is a parable to others, with which they are only amused, is a plain truth to us, by which we are taught and governed. We ought to take heed of the things that will hinder our profiting by the word we hear; to take heed lest we hear carelessly and slightly, lest we entertain prejudices against the word we hear; and to take heed to our spirits after we have heard the word, lest we lose what we have gained. The gifts we have, will be continued to us or not, as we use them for the glory of God, and the good of our brethren. Nor is it enough not to hold the truth in unrighteousness; we should desire to hold forth the word of life, and to shine, giving light to all around. Great encouragement is given to those who prove themselves faithful hearers of the word, by being doers of the work. Christ owns them as his relations.