Luke 8
Today we have more stories also found in Mark.
Last time we read about the Demonic man, I promised a bit more information.
Mark places this in a region known as the Decapolis. This was a Roman region of 10 cities - hence the name. As I have mentioned before, this was considered a Gentile region. As the invading oppressors, the Romans were not popular. Pigs have always been considered unclean by the Jews. Here we have Jesus driving out demons from a man into a herd of swine. The Jews were still looking for a messiah to drive out the Romans from Israel. They would have seen this story as a metaphor for Jesus driving out the Romans. Unfortunately they did not understand Jesus mission - it was not physical, but spiritual, and it wasn't the Romans that needed driving out of people's hearts.
Do you have anything that needs driving out of your heart, to make room for God's love? If so, ask Jesus to assist.
Luke 8
This version of the story of the demonic man and the swine makes it more explicit that Jesus was welcomed the second time he went into that region, due to the testimony of the ex-demonic man. In Mark, it was there, but in different positions in the narrative, while Luke places them next to each other.
We have here the parable of the lamp, which is not explained. Then we get verse 18: "Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him."
This I admit I find somewhat disturbing, for it seems unfair; why should those who lack, lack even more? But *what is it* that they lack? Given that the verse starts with "take heed how you hear" I am thinking that "it" is faith. That makes more sense, given the context.
@daveburb #LentenBibleReadingChallenge #Luke #Bible #Christian
DaveB
Kerr Avonsen (she/her)