Lukas 8:9-15

8:9 Then ¹  his disciples asked him what this parable meant. ²  8:10 He ³  said, “You have been given ⁴  the opportunity to know ⁵  the secrets ⁶  of the kingdom of God, ⁷  but for others they are in parables, so that although they see they may not see, and although they hear they may not understand. ⁸ 

8:11 “Now the parable means ⁹  this: The seed is the word of God. 8:12 Those along the path are the ones who have heard; then the devil ¹⁰  comes and takes away the word ¹¹  from their hearts, so that they may not believe ¹²  and be saved. 8:13 Those ¹³  on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, ¹⁴  but ¹⁵  in a time of testing ¹⁶  fall away. ¹⁷  8:14 As for the seed that ¹⁸  fell among thorns, these are the ones who hear, but ¹⁹  as they go on their way they are choked ²⁰  by the worries and riches and pleasures of life, ²¹  and their fruit does not mature. ²²  8:15 But as for the seed that landed on good soil, these are the ones who, after hearing ²³  the word, cling to it ²⁴  with an honest and good ²⁵  heart, and bear fruit with steadfast endurance. ²⁶ 

[8:9]  ¹ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[8:9]  ² tn Grk “what this parable might be” (an optative after a secondary tense, in keeping with good Koine style).

[8:10]  ³ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[8:10]  ⁴ tn This is an example of a so-called “divine passive,” with God understood to be the source of the revelation (see ExSyn 437-38).

[8:10]  ⁵ tn Grk “it has been given to you to know.” The dative pronoun occurs first, in emphatic position in the Greek text, although this position is awkward in contemporary English.

[8:10]  ⁶ tn Grk “the mysteries.”

[8:10]  sn The key term secrets (μυστήριον, musthrion) can mean either (1) a new revelation or (2) a revealing interpretation of existing revelation as in Dan 2:17-23, 27-30. Jesus seems to be explaining how current events develop old promises, since the NT consistently links the events of Jesus’ ministry and message with old promises (Rom 1:1-4; Heb 1:1-2). The traditional translation of this word, “mystery,” is misleading to the modern English reader because this English word suggests a secret which people have tried to uncover but which they have failed to understand (L&N 28.77).

[8:10]  ⁷ sn The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus. It is a realm in which Jesus rules and to which those who trust him belong. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21.

[8:10]  ⁸ sn A quotation from Isa 6:9. Thus parables both conceal or reveal depending on whether one is open to hearing what they teach.

[8:11]  ⁹ tn Grk “is,” but in this context it is clearly giving an explanation of the parable.

[8:12]  ¹⁰ sn Interestingly, the synoptic parallels each use a different word for the devil here: Matt 13:19 has “the evil one,” while Mark 4:15 has “Satan.” This illustrates the fluidity of the gospel tradition in often using synonyms at the same point of the parallel tradition.

[8:12]  ¹¹ sn The word of Jesus has the potential to save if it germinates in a person’s heart, something the devil is very much against.

[8:12]  ¹² tn The participle πιστεύσαντες (pisteusante") has been translated as a finite verb here. It may be regarded as an adverbial participle of attendant circumstance. From a logical standpoint the negative must govern both the participle and the finite verb.

[8:13]  ¹³ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[8:13]  ¹⁴ sn This time of temporary faith represented by the description believe for a while is presented rather tragically in the passage. The seed does not get a chance to do all it can.

[8:13]  ¹⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[8:13]  ¹⁶ tn Traditionally, “temptation.” Such a translation puts the emphasis on temptation to sin rather than testing of faith, which is what the context seems to indicate.

[8:13]  ¹⁷ sn Fall away. On the idea of falling away and the warnings against it, see 2 Tim 3:1; Heb 3:12; Jer 3:14; Dan 9:9.

[8:14]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “What”; the referent (the seed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:14]  ¹⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[8:14]  ²⁰ sn That is, their concern for spiritual things is crowded out by material things.

[8:14]  ²¹ sn On warnings about the dangers of excessive material attachments, described here as the worries and riches and pleasures of life, see Luke 12:12-21; 16:19-31.

[8:14]  ²² tn The verb τελεσφορέω (telesforew) means “to produce mature or ripe fruit” (L&N 23.203). Once again the seed does not reach its goal.

[8:15]  ²³ tn The aorist participle ἀκούσαντες (akousante") has been taken temporally, reflecting action antecedent (prior to) that of the main verb.

[8:15]  ²⁴ sn There is a tenacity that is a part of spiritual fruitfulness.

[8:15]  ²⁵ sn In an ancient context, the qualifier good described the ethical person who possessed integrity. Here it is integrity concerning God’s revelation through Jesus.

[8:15]  ²⁶ sn Given the pressures noted in the previous soils, bearing fruit takes time (steadfast endurance), just as it does for the farmer. See Jas 1:2-4.