Luke 8:40
And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
Jesus had crossed the Sea of Galilee to Gentile territory (Gadara/Gerasa) where He delivered the demoniac called Legion. The Gerasenes, disturbed by the loss of their swine herd and frightened by Jesus' supernatural power, requested His departure. Upon returning to Capernaum's region, Jesus found a dramatically different reception. The Jewish crowds in Galilee had witnessed His teaching authority, healing miracles, and exorcisms, creating intense popular interest.
This welcome, however, remained ambivalent. While multitudes sought Jesus for miracles and teaching, most failed to recognize Him as Messiah requiring repentance and faith. The same crowds who enthusiastically received Him in Luke 8:40 would later turn hostile, with religious leaders ultimately demanding His crucifixion. This pattern illustrates the danger of superficial religious enthusiasm disconnected from genuine conversion.
The waiting crowd included Jairus, a synagogue ruler whose desperation would drive him to publicly plead for Jesus' help—an act requiring profound humility given his religious status and Jesus' controversial reputation among Jewish leadership.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the contrast between Gentile rejection and Jewish reception of Jesus illustrate different responses to divine truth?
- What dangers exist in enthusiastic religious crowds that 'gladly receive' Jesus for benefits rather than bowing to His lordship?
- How can we examine whether our faith moves beyond superficial enthusiasm to genuine trust in Christ's authority over every area of life?
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Analysis & Commentary
And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him. Luke's transitional phrase marks Jesus' return from Gentile territory (the Gerasenes, v. 26-39) to Jewish Galilee. The Greek verb apodechomai (ἀποδέχομαι, "gladly received") indicates enthusiastic welcome, warm acceptance, and eager anticipation. The imperfect tense ēsan prosdokōntes (ἦσαν προσδοκῶντες, "were waiting") conveys continuous expectation—the crowd had been persistently looking for Jesus' return.
This reception contrasts sharply with the Gerasenes who begged Jesus to depart after He cast Legion into swine (v. 37). Jewish Galilee welcomed Him; pagan Gentiles rejected Him. Yet this enthusiastic crowd's reception was mixed—many sought healing, miracles, and teaching, but few understood Jesus' true mission. Their gladness was genuine but often superficial, focused on temporal benefits rather than spiritual salvation.
The phrase "they were all waiting" emphasizes universal anticipation. Jesus had become the focal point of regional attention. This sets the stage for two intertwined miracles—Jairus' dying daughter and the hemorrhaging woman—both demonstrating faith that moves beyond crowd enthusiasm to desperate, personal trust in Christ's power over disease and death.