Luke 8:1

Afterward. Second Galilean Tour, Luke 8:1-3 = Matt. 9:35. Major comment: Luke. See Middle Galilean Ministry; The Ministry of Our Lord. Gr. kathexes, “one after another,” or “consecutively” (see on eh. 1:3). Here Luke evidently refers, not to the narrative of ch. 7:36-50 as preceding what he is now about to relate, but to his account of the Galilean ministry beginning with ch. 4:14. ch. Verses 1-3 of 8 are probably descriptive of the entire Second Galilean Tour, one incident of which has already been related (ch. 7:11-17), and deal with it in a general way. For a summary of events connected with the Second Galilean Tour see on Matt. 5:1; Luke 7:11. The Second Galilean Tour occupied most if not all of the early autumn of A.D. 29.

Went throughout. Gr. diodeuo, “to travel through.”

Every city and village. The sense of the Greek here is that Jesus went through Galilee “from city to city and from village to village.” There is no word for “every” in the Greek. There were more than 200 cities, towns, and villages in Galilee, and it would have been difficult if not impossible even briefly to visit them all during the few weeks devoted to this missionary itinerary.

Shewing the glad tidings. See on Mark 1:1; Luke 1:19.

The kingdom of God. See on Matt. 3:2; 4:17. During the early part of His Galilean ministry Jesus had proclaimed, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (see Matt. 4:17; Mark 1:15). But between the first and second tours He had formally established His kingdom (see on Matt. 5:1; Mark 3:13). Now He went forth to proclaim the establishment of the kingdom and to demonstrate its benefits for man (see on Luke 7:11).

The twelve. On the First Galilean Tour Jesus probably did not have all the Twelve with Him (see on Mark 1:39); on the third tour He sent them out two by two and went out Himself with other disciples (see on Matt. 9:36).