So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound -- think of it -- for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?

 

 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.  And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.  But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity."  And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.  But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, "There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day."  The Lord then answered him and said, "Hypocrite!  Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?  So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound -- think of it -- for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?"  And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.

 

- Luke 13:10-17 

 

Yesterday we read that there were present at that season some who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things?  I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.  Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem?  I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."  He also spoke this parable:  "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.  Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none.  Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?'  But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.  And if it bears fruit, well.  But if not, after that you can cut it down.'"

 

 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.  And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.  But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity."  And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.  But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, "There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day."  We recall that at this stage, the scribes and Pharisees had already decided to search for something with which they could accuse Christ (Luke 11:53-54).  Once again, my study Bible explains that according to certain traditions the scribes and Pharisees had built up around the Law, healing was considered work, and therefore wasn't permissible on the Sabbath.  It notes that they believed they served God by zealously keeping these peripheral traditions, but, as we read here, this kind of legalism renders the ruler of the synagogue insensitive to God's mercy.

 

The Lord then answered him and said, "Hypocrite!  Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?  So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound -- think of it -- for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?"  And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.  Jesus emphasizes this woman's eighteen years of suffering by commanding them (and, through the Scriptures, us) to think of it.  According to my study Bible, patristic sources see this command as directing us to a spiritual meaning for these "eighteen years."  The Greek expression is literally translated as "ten and eight years."  Both St. Ambrose and Theophylact see ten as representing the Ten Commandments, and eight as representing grace, for the day of Resurrection is often called the "eighth day."  Therefore, we see in this healing humanity lifted up by faith in Christ, who fulfills both law and grace.

 

What is interesting in today's reading is not simply the fact of Christ's stupendous healing of this woman who has suffered so long, but that we see the people (all the multitude) rejoicing  for all the glorious things that were done by Him.  This is important, because it tells us that the people were not on board with the decision of the scribes and Pharisees to bar healing on the Sabbath.  As far as the people are concerned, they alike suffer with this woman for such hard traditions that seek to regulate when a person can be healed.  It's quite true that exceptions were made for healing animals in danger on the Sabbath (and, after all, we're talking about animals who are doing work as well for human beings), such as the example Jesus points out.  (Lest we find this exceptional, in New York City in the late 19th century, the first case for child abuse was brought under laws for the prevention of cruelty to animals, as there were none for children at that time.  See this article.)   But what we need to see in the people's response to Christ is more than simply a victory for the woman in this case.  While her affliction is serious and her suffering is severe, we need to read this text as one that tells us not simply about affliction, but about oppression.  It says that she had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years.  This is not meant as mere metaphor, although many might suggest we read it that way.  This case is about an affliction caused by the malice of an "unclean spirit," a kind of spiritual entity that is opposed to Christ.  If we read the text this way, we see that her affliction is caused by a malevolent force, one that opposes God (and Christ).  We come to understand the people's rejoicing not simply as one of happiness for the woman's healing, but a multitude cheering because a Liberator has come into their midst, one who may "deliver us from the evil one" (Luke 11:4).  Also in this light we may see the zealous legalism of the scribes and Pharisees, depriving people of healing on a Sabbath, as one in opposition to God, and aligned with spiritual forces not true to the angelic mission of ministry to human beings.  In short, Christ comes as Liberator and Deliverer, the "stronger man" who can bind the strong man who has bound this woman for eighteen years.  Christ's healing of this woman becomes therefore a victory for the people, a question of rejoicing for the victory on their behalf, because the "strong man," Satan,  is defeated by Christ, and this woman is set free from the captor who has kept her bound for all these years.  Note that Christ's adversaries, it says in the text, were put to shame by His words and action.  It is clear that the enemy, the oppressor who has bound this woman and afflicted humanity, is understood as oppressor of all, the enemy of the people of God.  Lest we minimize this message, it's important to note that not every illness or ailment in the Gospels is treated as having been caused directly by demonic activity; it's not meant simply as general metaphor or explanation for all illness.  Regardless of what we may believe, the metaphor explanation is not the viewpoint of the Gospels, and we must pay attention to the details.  This text points to more than a healing, and more than the hypocrisy of the religious rulers.  It teaches us about the "leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy," which, in effect, aids the spiritual opposition to God.  It teaches us about the times when we ourselves may slip into the habit of hypocrisy, and who and what we align with -- and who and what we oppose -- when we do so as well.  For we miss the mission and teaching of Christ if we also do not take His warnings to heart to beware of this kind of leaven in our own midst, or its influence within ourselves.  Let us consider Christ's rule of mercy and grace, and take it in the context of the powerful authority that is conveyed in the details of this story.  For we are offered a choice here regarding which forces we choose to serve and with whom we align.  To beware of hypocrisy as a sort of leaven among ourselves is thus a command for what we understand as spiritual battle in the context of the Church; it is a way of practicing the vigilance Christ commands for His servants (Luke 12:42-48).  Let us take this message to heart and remember Him whom we serve, and the "manner of spirit we are of" (Luke 9:55).  In the viewpoint of the Gospels, we're making a choice for much more than we might think.