Luke 8:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.

NIV: The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.

NASB: And the seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked by worries, riches, and pleasures of this life, and they bring no fruit to maturity.

CSB: As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who, when they have heard, go on their way and are choked with worries, riches, and pleasures of life, and produce no mature fruit.

NLT: The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity.

KJV: And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

NKJV: Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.

Jesus is currently explaining the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4–8). This lesson reveals that the spiritual fruit we produce is directly related to how well we listen to God's Word. Those who have already hardened their hearts because of Satan's influence do not let God's Word affect them at all (Luke 8:5, 12). Those with a shallow faith quickly shrink away from even the slightest challenge (Luke 8:6, 13). Now, Jesus talks about people who have the capacity to meditate on God's Word but are distracted by both the hardships and the luxuries of life (Luke 8:7).

Dr. Joel Green notes that those concerned with the "cares and riches and pleasures of life" are seeking security in the world, without accepting God's offer of provision or considering the needs of others. Dr. Darrell Bock points out that the distractions represent "excessive concern about one's welfare, possessions, and comfort." Both hardships and pleasures can keep us from fully devoting our lives to Jesus. The Gospels give examples of people who wanted to follow Jesus but were sidetracked by worries (Matthew 8:18–22) and riches (Matthew 19:16–22). Those stories end with ambiguity as to the person's final decision, but there is hope. Initially, Jesus' brothers not only refused to listen to His message, but also tried to force Him to stop teaching (Mark 3:20–21). At least two of them, James and Jude, later became leaders in the church.

As with the seeds that fell on the rock (Luke 8:13), this verse does not attempt to categorically describe how to confirm someone's salvation. Are the people represented by these seeds in this soil saved? Perhaps, but maybe not. The point is that they did not "[hear] the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience" (Luke 8:15).

Luke 8:4–15 introduces the different ways in which people respond to the gospel. The sower—Jesus—spreads the "seed" of the gospel, and people accept or reject the message in varying degrees. Following are real-life examples of faith, particularly in conjunction with examples of miraculous salvation from the evils of the world. The parable of the sower is also found in Matthew 13:1–23 and Mark 4:1–20.

Luke 8 includes portions of three sections of Jesus' Galilean Ministry. The women who support Jesus' ministry bridge the faithful outcasts of chapter 7 to the sower who spreads the news of God's kingdom (Luke 8:1–3). Luke 8:4–18 includes the parables of the sower and the lamp under the jar. These illustrate the importance of hearing Jesus' message with a mind to believe and obey. Luke 8:19–56 presents different faith reactions when Jesus' life, power, and authority elicit questions about His identity.

This passage continues Luke's pattern in the account of Jesus' Galilean ministry: alternating calls to discipleship with stories that describe the discipleship He expects. In Luke 6:17, Jesus transitioned from calling and training the Twelve to a more general call; in Luke 7, Jesus interacted specifically with those with less privilege in society. Chapter 8 reveals how people react when Jesus reveals who He is, mostly through miracles. In Luke 9:18–50, Jesus returns to intense discipleship of the Twelve to give them courage and faith, preparing them for the journey to Jerusalem and what they will witness there.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.