Ministering Women and Perplexing Soil

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting February 11 to study Luke 8:1-18, or as far as we get into it.  This is both familiar and troubling as a passage.  As usual, we will not be skipping anything including women in ministry with this one.  Jesus says some perplexing things about His ministry and how he does it and we're going to enjoy all of it.

Read through the passage several times, jotting down notes and questions.  What jumps out at you about the women, the parable of soils, the disciples questioning, and Jesus' explanation, both of this parable and why He uses parables in the first place?

After working through the passage on your own, then go back through with any commentary or study Bible notes you have available.  This should answer some questions, bring out new thoughts, and create new questions for you. Be sure to write those down and bring them all Thursday.  After you have your set of notes, go back through with the questions below:

• There's really no parallel for Luke's mention of the women ministering to Jesus.  I'm sure you found some interesting suggestions in commentaries, most of which had to do with how Luke seems to be interested in the rights of women and the poor.  But these women aren't poor, and they don't seem oppressed.  What do you think is Luke's point here, aside from his support for women and the poor?
• One of these women is "well-connected", but another the audience would simply know by name (Susanna - no explanation needed).  The common denominators among them all (named or not) is that they had been healed from something, and their ability to support Jesus and His disciples from their own resources.  What do you think those "common denominators" tell you about their character?
• The Parable of the Sower (or soils) (Matt. 13:1-9, Mar. 4:1-9, and Luk. 8:4-8) seems to be the "example" parable with which we're to understand the others.  It's really one of the few major parables that Jesus explains to His disciples.  Why do you think that this parable is the one the Gospel writers chose to explain instead of so many other options?  Why do you think John leaves it out completely?
• The first "soil" is the "path".  On this soil, Luke adds to the description of the others that the seed was "trampled".  He also adds the birds "of the air".  The word for "air" is also "heaven".  Why do you think this may have added some meaning for his audience?
• The second soil is "rocky".  In each instance, it's the shallowness of the soil.  Jesus explains this later, but notice that in Matthew and Mark the sun scorches it, but in Luke it lacks moisture.  Why do you think the difference might be meaningful for Luke, or is it?
• In the third soil, thorns, the wording is almost exact between all three writers.  Considering the other "deviations", why do you think this one needed no further "explanation" in Luke's presentation?
• The final soil is "good", and produces 100 times in Luke, but the other two offer 30 and 60 times as well (but in reverse order between Matthew and Mark).  Why do you think Luke left out the other two options?  Considering the explanation Jesus gives later, why not offer the other two production levels to Luke's audience?
• All three accounts include "The one having ears to listen, hear!"  What do you think this means?  Why do you think Jesus would challenge the crowds with it? And what do you think the crowds thought of it?
• All three accounts refer to Isaiah 6:9, but Matthew and Mark go on to include verse 10.  Read verses 1-8 of Isaiah 6 to get a sense of the setting of this passage.  What do you think Jesus means as He refers to this passage in Isaiah to explain why He speaks in parables?
• Another place we see minor differences in the accounts is in the explanation of the elements of the parable.  In all three, the "birds" are Satan who comes and snatches away the word sown.  But in none of them does Jesus say who the "sower" is, only in Mark are we told explicitly that the seed is the word of God.  So who do you think the sower is?
• In the rocky soil, the "hearers" receive with joy, but have no "root" and "stand apart" whenever trials come.  Considering the cost of discipleship for first-century believers, how likely do you think this possible "soil" was within the church?
• What sorts of "temptations" or "tests" do you face that push you to "put-up-or-shut-up" about your faith?
• The "thorns" choke the new growth. This is described as the cares, deceitfulness of riches, and desire for the stuff of "life".  The work for "life" is different than we normally find throughout the Christian Scriptures.  Look it up here.  This is the type of living where we get biology from, and refers to a strictly physical sort of life.  How do you see this sort of focus distracting you in your daily living?
• In the good soil, Luke describes the receptive heart with these two words, but both mean "good".  Normally translated as "honest", and the other "good" they are actually synonyms.  Look at the definition and uses listed under each.  What do you see as an essential difference in meaning, if any?
• Luke again makes little of how many times the crop reproduces, but he does emphasize perseverance.  That would mean, like the rocky soil, it had to endure "tests" or "temptations" but persevered.  What makes the difference in the ability to persevere?  How can you develop "root"?
• Next, the parable of the lamp on a stand.  This is located in Matthew as part of the Sermon on the Mount, but Luke and Mark put it here.  How does this parable help you understand the previous parable of the soils?

That should take us well through our allotted time.  Who knows, we may not even finish.  But think through the questions in terms of what "Awakens" you.  Be Honest about what you see about yourself in these parables.  What Action are you being led to take in response.