City Life Starter

Written by Megan Meier

The Word

10 Now he [Jesus] was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.11 And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” 13 And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God.14 But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? 16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” 17 As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.

-Luke 13:10-17 ESV

Reflection

In verse 11, Luke says the word “behold” in regard to the woman with a disability, in Greek the word “behold” is used as an interjection such as “Look!” or “Right here!” He is telling the reader to really pay attention to something significant. The woman might have suffered advanced ankylosing spondylitis, or very severe arthritis of the spine. The pictures below show fused vertebrae (spinal bones) of the condition, preventing her movement:

The poor woman would have had extreme pain, stiffness, and fusion of her spinal bones resulting in very reduced mobility. She would not be able to do housework or work in general without tortuous pain. She would have had other debilitating conditions too, such as fatigue, GI problems, chest pain, and heart disease. Unlike many others whom Jesus healed (Luke 5:17-20, 18:35-43), she never directly tells Jesus she is hurting and in need of healing, until verse 13, she is completely silent. Maybe after eighteen years, she had lost hope of healing. Maybe she’s been told to suffer in silence. Or maybe she fears the reprimanding of the Pharisees.

Whatever the reason for her silence, she is not unnoticed by Jesus Christ. He calls her forward and she does so, she is willing to make herself and her condition public and vulnerable. After eighteen years of being told to be silent and small, she is now the center of attention. Jesus miraculously heals her, and she is able to stand straight and tall for the first time in eighteen years.

After being silenced for nearly two decades, the first words out of her mouth is glory to God. But the synagogue leader, instead of being amazed by the miracle, is indignant about the “rules” being broken. He and the Pharisees considered healing to be considered as working (Mark 3:1-6, Luke 4:14-6, John 5:1-18). Jesus reprimands him, reminding him and the crowd that even they, the “righteous” Pharisees, give their donkeys and oxen a break on the Sabbath. Back in those days, women were seen as no better than livestock, and people with disabilities were seen as cursed. A woman with a severe physical disability would have had a very low social standing in that culture, but Jesus knows she is a priceless treasure. Jesus refers to the woman as a daughter of Abraham; He lets her know she is seen and she is heard.

Application

No matter what others say or how they treat you, you are seen and you are heard by Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. You are a priceless treasure.

Prayer

Dear Jesus, thank You for seeing and hearing me. Let me see others the way You see them. In Your Name I pray, amen.