We continue this issue to the Systematic Study of the New Testament, which includes the study of the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and the book of Acts. The study is based on the Portuguese version of the New Testament that the reader can see from this link: http://www.bibliaonline.com.br/asv/mc/1. 

Relevant answers to questions are at the end of the text below. 

Questions 

1. When Jesus told the parable of the sower, some women who had been healed by him were with him. What are their names, according to the Evangelist Luke?

2. What is the meaning of the parable of the sower, as Jesus himself said?

3. What were the characteristics of possession which led to Jesus healing his expulsion from the land of Gadarenes?

4. When treating the daughter of Jairus, who were believed to be dead, who came with Jesus on the grounds it was in the young?

5. After feeding five thousand men with only five loaves and two fish, how many baskets of bread left over yet? 

Text for reading 

17. Those born of women there is no one greater than John the Baptist - After the resurrection of the widow's son of Nain, Jesus' fame further increased in all Judea and the neighboring lands. John son of Zechariah, who was already incarcerated, calling two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying: "Art thou he that should come, or wait for another?" In response, Jesus told them: "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise and the poor is announced the gospel. And blessed is he who shall not be offended in me." Soon after, by revealing to the crowd who was actually John the Baptist, Jesus added: "And I tell you that among those born of women there is no greater prophet than John the Baptist, but least in the kingdom of God is greater than him. And all the people who heard him, and the publicans, being baptized with the baptism of John, justified God. But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, not having been baptized by him." (Luke 7:17 to 7:30.) 

18. In the house of a Pharisee, a woman anoints Jesus' feet - the Lord said, after a brief reference to the Master's mission of John the Baptist: "To whom then will compare the men of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace, and calling each other and say, 'We played the flute for you, and not dance, we sing unto mourning, and have not wept. Because John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and say, He hath a devil. The Son of man is come eating and drinking, and ye say, Behold a man gluttonous and a wine drinker, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of all her children." That said, asked by a Pharisee named Simon, Jesus came into this house to eat. A woman in the city, regarded as a sinner, knowing that he was at table with Simon, there was taking with an alabaster box of ointment. Posting up behind, she wept and watered her feet with her tears, drying them with the hairs of your head, after which he began to kiss them and anoint them with ointment. The Pharisee saw this scene, spoke quietly to himself, without sending word: "If this had been a prophet, would have known who and what is the woman who touched her, she is a sinner." Reading his thoughts, Jesus said to him: "Simon, I have something to tell you. A certain creditor had two debtors: one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And, not having them to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him more? "Simon thought and replied:" I suppose, to whom he forgave more." Jesus said, "You have judged correctly." And turning to his wife, added: "Seest thou this woman? I entered your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she bathed my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but this woman since I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. Did not anoint my head with oil, but has anointed my feet with ointment. And so I say that her many sins have been forgiven for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, loves little. " Then, addressing himself to the sinner, Jesus told him: "Your sins are forgiven." "Your faith has healed you go in peace." (Luke 7:31 to 7:50.) 

19. No one puts a lamp under a bowl but on a candlestick - Jesus went throughout every city and village to village, preaching and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and the twelve disciples were with him. On one such occasion, he told the parable of the sower and then he himself explained, warning that no one then, lighting a lamp covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a candlestick, everyone to see the light. There is nothing hidden that shall not manifest, nor hidden that shall not know and come to light, the Master explained. "Take heed therefore how ye hear - Jesus asserted -: for every one that hath shall be given him and anyone who has not even what seems to have will be taken away." (Luke 8:1 to 8:18.) 

20. Jesus calms the fury of wind and water - to Jesus were his mother and his brothers, but because of the crowd that surrounded him, they could not approach him. Someone then said, "They're out there your mother and your brothers, who want to see you." Jesus answered and said, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it." After this happened a very interesting fact. They were the Master and his disciples in a boat when a big storm came. The disciples were frightened, because the boat was about to sink and Jesus was sleeping. They then came up to him and awoke him, saying: "Master, Master, we perish." Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and the raging water, and soon became calm. Then addressing the companions asked: "Where is your faith?" And they feared, marveled, saying one to another: Who is this, that even the winds and the water master, and obey him? (Luke 8:19 to 8:25.) 

21. Jesus does not receive the request of former possessed gadarene - After healing of the demoniac, people came to Jesus to see what had happened. So finding the man who had gone bad spirits, dressed and with his mind in order, sat at the feet of Jesus. Those who had seen what happened told them how the man had been saved. The people of the land of Gadarenes prayed, then to Mestre to withdraw from their land because there were all seized with great fear. Jesus went into the boat again. That was when the former demoniac begged him that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to thy house, and how great things God made you. And he was proclaiming throughout the city how great things Jesus had done. (Luke 8:33 to 8:39.) 

Answers to questions 

1. When Jesus told the parable of the sower, some women who had been healed by him were with him. What are their names, according to the Evangelist Luke?  

It was Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, And Joanna the wife of Cusa, procurator of Herod, and Susanna, and many others who served with their goods. (Luke 8:1 to 8:4.)

2. What is the meaning of the parable of the sower, as Jesus himself said?  

As Jesus said the seed is the word of God. Those along the way, these are the ones to hear, then cometh the wicked and strip them of the word heart, so as not to be saved, believe and those who are on the stone, these are the ones who heard the word , receive it with joy, but have no root, just believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away, that fell among thorns are those who hear it and, going forward, are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to perfection and that fell on good soil, these are those who, hearing the word, keep an honest and good heart and bear fruit with perseverance. (Luke 8:10 to 8:15.) 

3. What were the characteristics of possession which led to Jesus healing his expulsion from the land of Gadarenes?  

Quoted in the region as soon as Jesus came down there, went to meet him from the city, a man who long time was possessed of demons. He was clothed not, nor lived in any house, but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him, exclaiming with a loud voice, saying, What have I with thee, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech thee, torment me not. These words were spoken because the Master had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of that man, for he had long been the Plucking and therefore kept him prisoner, with fetters and chains, and breaking the prison, and was driven by the devil to the deserts. Jesus asked him, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him. Note, the description of Luke, that man, due to the possession, lost all command over his actions and had become a plaything of the spirits who tormented him, a characteristic of possession when produced by malevolent spirits. (Luke 8:26 to 8:33.) 

4. When treating the daughter of Jairus, who were believed to be dead, who came with Jesus on the grounds it was in the young?  

They entered the house, along with Jesus, Peter, James and John, and the father and the girl's mother. Everybody was crying and wailing, but he said, Weep not: she is not dead, but sleeping. Hearing this, people laughed at him because they thought she was dead. Putting them all out, and took her by the hand, Jesus told the sick, Get up, girl. And her spirit returned, and she soon got up, and he commanded to give her something to eat. (Luke 8:49 to 8:56.) 

5. After feeding five thousand men with only five loaves and two fish, how many baskets of bread left over yet?  

After everyone ate and drank of it, still remained twelve baskets. (Luke 9:13 to 9:17.)