Luke 13:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?"

NIV: Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?"

NASB: And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this restraint on the Sabbath day?'

CSB: Satan has bound this woman, a daughter of Abraham, for eighteen years—shouldn’t she be untied from this bondage on the Sabbath day?"

NLT: This dear woman, a daughter of Abraham, has been held in bondage by Satan for eighteen years. Isn’t it right that she be released, even on the Sabbath?'

KJV: And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?

NKJV: 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?”

Jesus is defending His choice to heal a woman on the Sabbath. She had been oppressed for eighteen years by a demon that deformed her back until she couldn't stand up straight. With a comment and a touch, Jesus freed her from her skeletal prison. The ruler of the synagogue was horrified that He would work on the Sabbath (Luke 13:10–14).

The Oral Law that the Pharisees follow states that life-threatening illnesses and injuries can be cared for on the Sabbath—after all, how can someone obey the Law if they're dead? But chronic conditions must wait. And yet, Jesus points out, every person there would lead their ox or donkey to fresh water on the Sabbath, even if it meant walking over half a mile. A donkey can go without water for three days! But to make sure the donkey is well and ready to work, a good farmer would show more compassion (Luke 13:15).

As intelligent and delightful as donkeys are, and as useful as oxen are, in God's eyes they are nothing compared to a woman. Jesus points out that this woman is a daughter of Abraham and one of God's chosen people. Why wouldn't God want to give her comfort on the Sabbath? The Sabbath is the day of rest, and what greater rest could she receive than healing and deliverance? God had told the Israelites, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves. And I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect" (Leviticus 26:13). In the same way, God released this woman from slavery under a demon and allowed her to walk tall with honor.

Jesus gets in a little jab, too. Perhaps because He is the guest of honor, the synagogue leader did not confront Him with the fact He healed on the Sabbath. He confronted the woman and the crowd, saying, "There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day" (Luke 13:14). Jesus points out that the woman didn't do the work. He liberated her. He did the work.

Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath (Luke 6:5) and His arrival is the inauguration of the kingdom of God. He is also the personification of our Sabbath rest (Hebrews 4:1–13). He created the Sabbath for humans (Colossians 1:16; Genesis 2:2–3); He did not create humans for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27). The religious leaders are witnesses to a battle between the Son of God and Satan. The Lord's day of rest is a perfectly appropriate time to witness the power and authority that will ultimately defeat Satan forever. If the leaders disagree, they side with an evil power that wishes people were bound in defeat (Luke 11:46).

Luke 13:10–17 begins the next section (Luke 13:10–35) with a Sabbath miracle. The section continues with teaching about salvation and the kingdom of God—a pattern mirrored in Luke 14:1—15:32. While teaching in the synagogue, Jesus sees and heals a woman oppressed by a crippling demon. The synagogue leader turns on the people seeking healing. Jesus points out that anyone there would help their animal on the Sabbath; why can't He help a daughter of Abraham? The Gospels contain many accounts of Jesus healing on the Sabbath, but this one is unique to Luke.

Luke 9:51—19:27 is sometimes called "Jesus' Travelogue to Jerusalem." The segment describes how Jesus prepared the disciples for their future as He approached His own death and resurrection. Interspersed are a few altercations with religious leaders. There are calls for the crowd to repent of their sins and reconcile with God before it's too late. In Luke 13, two stories in particular reveal Jesus' heart. In one, He heals a long-suffering woman on the Sabbath; healing is a type of rest. In the last, He mourns the fact that, for now, the Jews as a nation will reject their Messiah.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.