Luke 8:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it.

NIV: Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants.

NASB: Other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out.

CSB: Other seed fell among thorns; the thorns grew up with it and choked it.

NLT: Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants.

KJV: And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.

NKJV: And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.

Jesus' third example of soil (Luke 8:4–6) is filled with thorns. The thorny weeds choke the crops by stealing away water and nutrients.

It's interesting to remember the origin of thorns in the creation story. Thorns and weeds were punishment against Adam because he disobeyed God (Genesis 3:17–19). They are a constant reminder of sin: specifically, the sin of looking to something other than God for life. Jesus' interpretation matches this. He compares the thorns to the "cares and riches and pleasures of life" (Luke 8:14) that distract us from God's true Word. In response, what little growth occurs is useless.

In the next chapter, Luke will give examples of the concerns potential Jesus-followers faced before committing to Him. People faced unstable living conditions, family obligations, and even sentimentality (Luke 9:57–62). Jesus tells His followers they would face much more (John 15:18–19; 16:33; Luke 9:23–27). Paul listed his own experiences: "Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure" (2 Corinthians 11:24–27).

Scripture doesn't invalidate our sufferings. Nor does it ignore the things that bring us joy. It does put such things in perspective. Nothing should keep us from following Jesus.

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.