Luke 8:1-15

8:2 | Luke does not tell us how Jesus healed Mary Magdalene but focuses instead on Mary’s service after she met Jesus. Out of gratitude, she financially supported Jesus and His followers. Her life exemplifies both Christ’s redemptive work in humanity and the best of humanity’s response.

8:3 | Jesus had apparently touched and healed all three women named here. They also all possessed wealth and followed Jesus as He preached and taught, making sure His material needs were met out of their own private funds. Ministry still depends on the generosity of God’s people.

8:4-8 | In Jesus’ day, plowing techniques varied but planting techniques did not; farmers would scatter seeds indiscriminately over the entire field. While a hundredfold harvest may seem unimaginable to some, it would not be impossible.

8:9 | That the disciples came back to Jesus to inquire about the meaning of the parable shows they were taking the gospel of the kingdom seriously. Many people who heard Jesus, even those who listened to Him gladly, did not give much thought to the meaning of His teaching and made even less effort to live by it.

8:10 | The same parable that revealed some portion of God’s truth to eager disciples would obscure that truth from those who chose their own way. Quoting Isaiah 6:9-10, Jesus implied that those who rejected this truth would remain in exile.