Luke 8:15 - Printer Friendly

ESV: As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

NIV: But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

NASB: But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word with a good and virtuous heart, and hold it firmly, and produce fruit with perseverance.

CSB: But the seed in the good ground--these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, produce fruit.

NLT: And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.

KJV: But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

NKJV: But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.

Jesus finishes unpacking the meaning of the parable of the sower. A farmer spreads seed on his land; the seed is a metaphor for the Word of God. Some of it lands on the hard path where birds eat it: just as Satan's influence can keep hard hearts from accepting God's truth. Some of the seed lands on bedrock covered by a thin layer of soil and burns up in the hot sun: just as people with a shallow understanding of God's Word will not be able to withstand persecution. Some of the seed lands on soil that also has thorn bushes and the young plants are choked out: just as we are easily distracted by both the hardships and pleasures of life instead of meditating on God's Word (Luke 8:4–14).

The final soil is good, nutrient-rich dirt with plenty of access to water (Luke 8:8). Just as the farmer's seed grows easily, providing a bumper crop, God's Word penetrates honest hearts. Such people understand and follow Jesus' teaching, loving God and others and exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23).

Matthew 13:23 and Mark 4:20 repeat that the fruit produced is thirty to one hundred times more than what was sown. Their presentations of the parable of the sower emphasize that God's kingdom will grow despite whatever hardships His followers face. Luke's message is simpler. How we listen to God's Word will directly determine the fruit it bears in our lives and the impact we have for God's kingdom. Hard hearts, spiritual warfare, persecution, and earthly concerns will pull us away from deepening our faith, growing more sanctified, and showing the world the love of Christ.

But Jesus says, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." We get to choose how we hear God's Word. We can choose to harden our hearts, submit ourselves to Satan's lies, keep our faith shallow, and focus on the world more than God's will for us. Conversely, we can choose to be the good soil that patiently meditates on God's Word and allows the Holy Spirit to produce fruit through us.

Next, Jesus presents the parable of the lamp under a jar (Luke 8:16–18). He points out that He spreads God's Word because He wants people to hear it. In response, we need to listen carefully. If we do, we will continue to grow. If we don't, what little understanding we have will be taken away.

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.