Comments on Luke 13:10-17 Here we have another healing on the Sabbath, but the circumstances are a bit different than that addressed above. Jesus is teaching in a synagogue (v. 10) when he see a woman who has suffered 18 years being stooped over (v. 11). Jesus heals her in front of the whole synagogue by laying on of hands (v. 12- 13). The synagogue official is irritated that Jesus has done this on Sabbath and stands up and tells everyone that healing ought not to be done on Sabbath, indirectly rebuking Jesus (v. 14). Jesus' reply is an accusation of hypocrisy, and he states that the healing of a daughter of Israel is more important than many acts they perform on the Sabbath (v. 15-16). The result is Jesus humiliates him, and the people rejoice over Jesus' works (v. 17). Unlike the Sabbath healing we looked at above, Jesus here actually lays hands on the woman, opening himself up the accusation of working on the Sabbath. Similar to the Sabbath healing above, the person had an affliction that was not life threatening and had been there for a long time. The Pharisee's argument was certainly, "Why didn't you heal her yesterday, or wait until tomorrow?" To which Jesus replies, "Hypocrite! Why didn't you water your animals yesterday, or wait until tomorrow! This woman in more important than your cattle!" v11 The KJV is obscure, the New American Standard (NAS) reads: And behold, there was a woman who for eighteen years had had a sickness caused by a spirit; and she was bent double, and could not straighten up at all. With regard to the spirit, see the v. 16 reference to Satan. v14 We would assume the indignation is at least in part envy over the healing. Here is Jesus who is gaining great notoriety and popularity among the people, largely a result of his healing, and the Pharisees are losing people to him. v15-16 "loose his ox...loosed from this bond", Jesus is rhetorically connecting the two. v16 "a daughter of Abraham", Jesus is hitting the Pharisees hard on this one. He is reminding them of their responsibility to help and care for the women of Israel, which they are not doing. Instead they are harming and neglecting them. Jesus is invoking the subject of Mal. 2:10-3:5 wherein the Lord accuses the priests of abusing the women of Israel and says he will come to purge the sons of Levi. Also compare the comments on Mark 5:21-43 in LDSS Vol. 3, No. 7. Copyright © 2002 by S. Kurt Neumiller . All rights reserved. No part of this text may be reproduced in any form or by any means for commercial gain without the express written consent of the author. Digital or printed copies may be freely made and distributed for personal and public non-commercial use.