ST-Luke Ep 18- The Gospel of Luke – Chapter 8 Part 2 – Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Summary: Episode 18 – The Gospel of Luke – Chapter 8 Part 2<br> Luke 8:  “Daughters of Israel”<br> <br> This chapter begins with a list of women who accompanied Jesus and his apostles and provided for their needs:  Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna.   Mary Magdalene, who had 7 demons driven out of her, is often erroneously thought to be a prostitute.  The Church Fathers saw these demons as a metaphor for the 7 deadly sins.   Scripture never calls her by this title, but beginning with Pope Gregory the Great, some have assumed this was the case.  However, much like the Eastern Church, many of the great saints of the early church did not apply this label to her.  Mary was from Magdala, a thriving fishing village on the Sea of Galilee.  Mary has been called “the apostle to the Apostles” as Jesus entrusts her with the mission of bringing the good news of the resurrection to the disciples locked away in the upper room (John 20).<br> Luke 8 marks a transition from Jesus’ direct approach to teaching (as seen in Luke 6 with the Sermon on the Plain) to the use of parables.  These simple memorable stories are rich in spiritual meanings and are often directed to the common people, as opposed to the Jewish aristocracy who seem unable to comprehend their meaning.  While used extensively by Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels, parables can also be found in the Old Testament.  In 2 Samuel 11-12, we read of the story of King David and Bathsheba.  King David lusted after Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, a soldier in David’s army.  After Bathsheba became pregnant with David’s child, David attempted to cover his sin by encouraging Uriah to sleep with his wife.  When Uriah refused, David had him sent to the front lines to be killed, instructing Joab to draw back the other soldiers in the heat of battle, leaving Uriah exposed to the enemy.   Nathan the prophet then told David the parable of a poor man whose only lamb was taken by a wealthy neighbor who slaughters it to host a party for a guest.  When David heard the story, he declared that the wealthy man deserved to die.  When Nathan told David, “You are the man!” David repented of his sin, composing the Psalm 51 where he acknowledged his sin and begged the Lord’s forgiveness.<br> Much like Nathan, Jesus used parables to speak truth to those in power. Full understanding of these stories will come at Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit brought the gifts of wisdom and understanding.  Beginning with the parable of the sower, Jesus taught the crowds about the importance of one’s receptivity to the Word of God.  The seed is the Word of God, and the ones on the path are those who have hear the Word, yet the devil takes it away from their hearts.  The ones on rocky ground are those who hear the Word with joy but have no root and then fall away in a time of testing.  The ones among the thorns hear the Word, but they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.  Finally, the ones in good soil hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance. The mini-parable of the lampstand follows and is a warning to all that what is hidden will ultimately be revealed.  All secrets will eventually come to light.<br> When Jesus entered a boat, he was leaving the western Jewish side of the Sea of Galilee and was traveling to the eastern pagan side.  When a storm arose, the disciples panicked and begged for the Lord’s help.  After calming the storm, Jesus asked them a rhetorical question, “Where is your faith?”   This story recalls the story of Jonah, who was thrown overboard in a storm.  As Jonah spent 3 days in the belly of the fish, so too did Jesus spend 3 days in the tomb.  As Jonah was expelled by the fish onto the shore, so too did Jesus break forth from the tomb.<br> Upon arriving on the pagan side of the lake (to the region of the Decapolis), Jesus encountered the Gerasene demoniac,