St. John’s Lutheran Church, Toluca, IL – 11th Sunday after Pentecost
Isaiah 58:9b-14, Psalm 103:1-8, Hebrews 12:18-29, Luke 13:10-17
Gospel: Luke 13:10-17
10Now [Jesus] was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. 11And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. 12When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.” 13When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. 14But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day.” 15But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? 16And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?” 17When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.
NRSV
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Why Not?
Grace and peace, beloved of God, from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.
I am trying to figure out what is wrong with this dude, the leader of the synagogue Jesus is visiting in our gospel today. I mean, c’mon! The lady has been bent over for 18 years! That would cause myriad internal problems in the body, including pain, difficult breathing, and heart failure. The lady is suffering! What is his problem? Was what Jesus did that outrageous?
The Torah – in the old testament – does not clarify what kind of work is to be prohibited on the Sabbath. That opened it to many interpretations depending on the time and local culture.
In the third century after Christ, the rabbis started to deliberate and write down the result of such discussions. Forty minus one, or thirty-nine, kinds of labor are listed as prohibited on the Sabbath. It includes tasks such as sowing, dying fabric, baking, hunting, writing, building, and leading animals from one’s private domain to another or outside. A general rule would be that any work that would provide for one sustenance was not allowed on the Sabbath. Any task related to such work had to be completed before the Sabbath began, which is the sunset of what is Friday to us. Even food would need to be prepared in advance. During the next 24 hours, one would rest – God not only wanted his people to prosper but also to live long and well – and remember that anything they had was a gift from God.
To save a life was allowed on the Sabbath. However, the rabbis were not on the same page regarding treating conditions that were not immediately life-threatening.
One reason would be the belief that healers and miracle workers were a dime a dozen in the Palestine of Jesus’ time.
Some would have some knowledge of rudimental medicine and actually could treat and heal some ailments. Others would be flat-out fake healers. They would con people into supporting them by claiming divine powers -O, look! He now can see! – I wonder if both the “healer” and the “blind” person would share the benefits. Either legit or fake, perhaps sometimes a combination of both, such practices would be a lifeline to the healer or miracle worker; their source of income, if you will. Therefore, it would be definitely frowned upon on the Sabbath.
So the leader of the synagogue may have been exceedingly cautious. Fine, but again, c’mon, this was likely a small community, and someone suffering from that ailment for almost two decades would be well known. Something amazing happened. The kingdom given by God out of good pleasure manifested right before him. He could not see or believe. Jesus is good news. Jesus came to free God’s people from bondage, economic, physical, and spiritual. Jesus restored her to family, friends, community, and life! She can be productive now! She perhaps can contribute to the life of those around her.
So why not? Why not heal her? What was he afraid of? What are we afraid of? No one would risk losing valuable livestock if they forgot the Sabbath. They would break the commandment in a blink of an eye to give water or feed their animals. See, part of the rationale to rest was to allow those overwhelmed to catch up, keeping the playing field more or less leveled, to avoid masters and slaves, haves and have-nots. Therefore, this behavior would not be excused as “I am just taking care of my property.” On the day that the people should remember the God who freed them from slavery, gave them everything they have, and called them to never leave behind the sick, the poor, and the oppressed, to be a light to the nations, such behavior is self-serving. It might not be frowned upon in some circles, but it is definitely frowned upon by the Christ.
Why would Jesus not do what he is supposed to do? Why wouldn’t we? It is a pleasure for our Father, full of compassion and mercy, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, to give us his kingdom. Don’t be afraid. If we do it, proclaimed the prophet Isaiah (58: 11),
“The Lord will guide [us] continually,
and satisfy [our] needs in parched places,
and make [our] bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.”
Look, another promise was fulfilled! Do this and rejoice. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Bridging Faith 