Preaching and showing the glad tidings

Luke begins this section with the news that the Lord was travelling extensively, ‘preaching and shewing the glad tidings’, v. 1. But what about the response to His words? The three paragraphs of today’s reading each give teaching from Him about those who ‘hear’ His words.

The first paragraph contains the well-known Parable of the Sower, vv. 4-15, and from it we learn about reception of the Lord and His word. He gives four different types of people who ‘hear’ the word. Three are shown in: those who do not even give it attention (‘by the way side’, vv. 5, 12), those who show only a superficial and short-lived interest (‘on the rock’, vv. 6, 13), and those whose interest lasts only until the things of this life come in and take away their interest (‘among thorns’ vv. 7, 14). None of these is a true believer. But there are those who truly receive the word, believe it, and give evidence of it in the ‘fruit’ which they produce (on the ‘good ground’, vv. 8, 15). The lesson is clear: each one should make sure that he or she has truly received the word.

In the second paragraph, vv. 16-18, we see responsibility to the Lord and His word. He says, ‘Take heed therefore how ye hear’, v. 18. A professed believer is responsible for what he does with the word he has heard. A person who lights a lamp will put it where its light can be seen. Likewise, a true believer will make the word known. One’s true state cannot remain hidden forever: if a person is truly saved, this will be plainly seen.

In the third paragraph, vv. 19-21, we are taught about relationship to the Lord and His word. He is not disowning His own mother and brothers who have come to see Him, but He is showing that there is a deeper relationship with Him. It belongs to those who ‘hear the word of God, and do it’, v. 21.

That brings us back to the beginning of this passage, where we see those who went with the Lord when He was preaching: ‘the Twelve’, v. 1, and ‘certain women’, vv. 2, 3. Perhaps the former answer to ‘my brethren’, and the latter, to ‘my mother’, v. 21. At any rate, they were producing ‘fruit’, v. 15, and shedding ‘light’, v. 16. Their faithful service was evidence that they had heard and truly received His word.