Luke 13:10-17 (NRSV)
Read Luke 13:10-17 on biblegateway.com
Verse 10Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. Verse 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. Verse 12When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, "Woman, you are set free from your ailment." Verse 13When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. Verse 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." Verse 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? Verse 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?" Verse 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.
Devotion
One of the first verb-pairs students of New Testament Greek learn is loose and bind. This story from Luke demonstrates why. They are words that point to the freedom of the gospel.
Jesus was teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath when he saw this woman, how her condition held her in bondage, how her bent-over position kept her from living freely and fully. Jesus said, "You are set free [loosed]." She stood up straight and began praising God. She was interrupted by an upright indignant person, invoking sabbath law prohibiting work. Jesus responded: "Do you not untie [loose] your ox and lead it to water on the sabbath … ought not this woman be set free [loosed] from this bondage?"
Jesus, with swift ease and startling grace, reveals the heart of Sabbath — the gift of divine justice and life-nourishing freedom for all creation.
Prayer
God of the Sabbath, as you freed your beloved people from slavery, continue your liberating work in us so we may see you more clearly and celebrate your gifts of freedom and abundant life with all our neighbors and all creation. Amen.