John Gill

The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart.

“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart,.... This, because of its suitableness and agreement with what goes before, is placed by Luke here; though, according to Matthew, it was spoken at another time and place, unless it should be a repetition…”

But the one who hears My words and does not act on them is like a man who built his house on ground without a foundation.

“But he that heareth, and doth not,.... Hears Christ's sayings externally, but does not obey his commands: is like a man that without a foundation built upon the earth: that is, without digging for a foundation, built his house upon the surface of the earth…”

When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to ask Him to come and heal his servant.

“And when he heard of Jesus,.... That he was come, as the Ethiopic version adds, into the city of Capernaum; or of his miracles, which he had done there, and elsewhere: he sent unto him the elders of the Jews: in whom he had an…”

Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain. His disciples went with Him, accompanied by a large crowd.

“And it came to pass the day after,.... The Vulgate Latin reads "afterward", not expressing any day, as in Luk 8:1, but the Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic versions, read to the same sense as we, the day after, the next day, on the morrow…”

When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said, “Do not weep.”

“And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her,.... Knowing her case, that she was a widow, and had lost her only son: and said unto her, weep not; signifying, that he would help her, which he did without being asked to do…”

Then He went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. “Young man,” He said, “I tell you, get up!”

“And he came and touched the bier,.... Or "bed", as the Syriac version renders it; and such was מטה, "the bier", or bed, on which one of three years old, and upward, was carried as above mentioned: so that on which Herod was carried to…”

I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John, yet even the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

“For I say unto you----here is not a greater prophet,.... The word "prophet" is left out in the Arabic and Ethiopic versions, as in Mat 11:11. See Gill on Mat 11:11.”

They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and…

“They are like to children,.... The Pharisees and lawyers, who rejected the counsel of God, and the baptism of John, were like to "children"; not for innocence, simplicity, meekness, and humility; their characters were the reverse; but rather, for their ignorance, and want of understanding…”

For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’

“For John the Baptist,.... Who is designed by the children that mourned in the above simile, with whom his character and conduct agree; he preached very mournful doctrine, delivered it in a very solemn and awful manner, and lived a very austere life, and fasted…”

Then one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.

“And one of the Pharisees,.... Whose name was Simon, Luk 7:40 Desired that he would eat with him; take a meal with him, either a dinner or a supper: this he did under a disguise of respect, and show of affection to him; though very…”

When a sinful woman from that town learned that Jesus was dining there, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume.

“And behold, a woman in the city,.... Not Mary Magdalene, spoken of in Luk 8:2 under another character; and is a different person, who had not been taken notice of by the evangelist before; nor Mary the sister of Lazarus, who is said to anoint…”

You did not greet Me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing My feet since I arrived.

“Thou gavest me no kiss,.... A token of civility among friends, when they met together on any occasion.”

Joanna the wife of Herod’s household manager Chuza, Susanna, and many others. These women were ministering to them out of their own means.

“And Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward,.... Joanna, or Juchan, as the Syriac version calls her, was a name, among the Jews, for a woman, as Jochanan, or John, was for a man.”

“A farmer went out to sow his seed. And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, where it was trampled, and the birds of the air devoured…

“A sower went out to sow his seed,.... By whom Jesus Christ is chiefly designed; though it is true of every preacher of the Gospel: who goes forth, being sent by Christ, with the precious seed of the word: for the phrase, "his seed", which…”

Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the seedlings.

“And some fell among thorns,.... On ground which had within it the roots of thorns and briars; and design such hearers who have their hearts filled with worldly cares, and sensual lusts and pleasures: and the thorns sprang up with it; and grew faster than…”

Then His disciples asked Him what this parable meant.

“And his disciples asked him,.... That is, as Mark says, "when he was alone"; after the multitude were departed, and they were by themselves, it may be in some house with other disciples: saying, what might this parable be?”

He was told, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see You.”

“And it was told him by certain, which said,.... The phrase, "which said", is omitted in the Vulgate Latin version, and in Beza's most ancient copy.”

The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”

“And they came to him, and awoke him,.... That is, the disciples came from some part of the ship, to the hinder part of it, where Christ was asleep; and by their shrieks and cries, and repeated vociferations, awaked him out of sleep: saying, Master…”

Then they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee.

“And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes,.... In Mat 8:28 it is called the country of the Gergesenes; see Gill on Mat 8:28 as it is here, in the Arabic and Ethiopic versions; and "of the Gerasenes", in the Vulgate Latin; but the…”

“What is your name?” Jesus asked. “Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him.

“And Jesus asked him, saying, what is thy name?.... This question was put, not out of ignorance in Christ, but for the sake of those that were with him; and partly, that the miserable condition of this man might be the more known; and partly…”

There on the hillside a large herd of pigs was feeding. So the demons begged Jesus to let them enter the pigs, and He gave them permission.

“And there was there an herd of many swine,.... About two thousand, Mar 5:13, Feeding on the mountain; See Gill on Mar 5:11.”

Then the demons came out of the man and went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

“Then went the devils out of the man,.... Being obliged by the power of Christ, sore against their wills, having had possession of him a long time: and entered into the swine; possessed them: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the…”

“Return home and describe how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and proclaimed all over the town how much Jesus had done for him.

“Return to thine own house,.... Which very likely was in the city of Gadara, whither he went, and throughout the whole of which he published the account of the dispossession of the devils from him: Mark adds, "to thy friends"; relations, acquaintance, and countrymen: and…”

Just then a synagogue leader named Jairus came and fell at Jesus’ feet. He begged Him to come to his house,

“And behold, there came a man named Jairus,.... See Gill on Mar 5:22. and he was a ruler of the synagogue; at Capernaum; and it was the more remarkable, that such an one should come to Christ, and express any regard to his person, or…”

because his only daughter, who was about twelve, was dying. As Jesus went with him, the crowds pressed around Him,

“For he had one only daughter,.... And so exceedingly dear to him: about twelve years of age; See Gill on Mat 9:18.”