October 14, 2017

Insights on Today's Reading**

Matthew 13 - This is one of the great "parable" chapters of the Bible.  A "parable" has often been defined as "an earthly story with a heavenly meaning."  Jesus used parables a lot in His teaching highlighting the effect a practical story using everyday items and/or experiences can help illustrate a divine truth or how a way of life can affect yourself and others.  It is important not to "over study" a parable to make every last detail mean something.  Usually there was one main point of a parable that Jesus wanted to emphasize.

Luke 8 - At the beginning of this chapter please note the women who also followed the Lord.  They were helpers but they also used their financial resources to aid Jesus in His work.  The parable of the sower and the seed is given and Luke makes clear in verse 11 that the "seed" was the word of God.  It teaches that as the Word is spread throughout the world not all of it brings fruit.  This is why it is so important in ministry that God "prepare the soil of a person's heart" to be receptive to the Word that is given.  This chapter also gives some of the greatest miracles Jesus performed such as the healing of the woman with internal bleeding, verses 43-48, and the raising of Jairus' daughter from the dead, verse 54,55.

**  SPECIAL NOTICE!!  As I've been writing commentaries for each chapter I have found this chronological order offered to you has been quite accurate.  BUT, I just noticed that yesterday you were asked to read Luke 11 and today Luke 8.  That's strange, especially since Luke is the one Gospel writer who said in chapter 1 that he was writing "an orderly account."  That means he meant to write in the order that the events occurred.  How can the events of chapter 11 come before chapter 8?  I looked online at the original and have noted the discrepancy online in two different sources!  So, my suggestion is that you continue reading but I'm going to put the same commentary for chapter 11, that you read yesterday, when you're supposed to be reading it, which should be on October 25th.  I'm sorry for the "goof" but I trust you'll find that the emphasis at the beginning of chapter 11 will show that it is a chapter well worth reading twice!!