Luke 13:15 - Printer Friendly

What does Luke 13:15 mean?

ESV: 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?

NIV: The Lord answered him, 'You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water?

NASB: But the Lord answered him and said, 'You hypocrites, does each of you on the Sabbath not untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it away to water it?

CSB: But the Lord answered him and said, "Hypocrites! Doesn't each one of you untie his ox or donkey from the feeding trough on the Sabbath and lead it to water?

NLT: But the Lord replied, 'You hypocrites! Each of you works on the Sabbath day! Don’t you untie your ox or your donkey from its stall on the Sabbath and lead it out for water?

KJV: The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?

NKJV: The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?

Verse Commentary:

A woman has been oppressed by a demon which kept her bent over for eighteen years (Luke 13:16). She comes to the synagogue on the Sabbath. Jesus is teaching. But He pauses and calls her forward. He declares her healed and touches her, and immediately her back straightens. The synagogue ruler is indignant. He scolds her as well as others in earshot. He tells them the Sabbath is not the appropriate time to seek healing; it is God's day of rest (Luke 13:10–14).

Jesus has a different point of view, mainly that there are few things more fitting for Sabbath rest than for a Jewish woman—a daughter of Abraham—to find healing and freedom from Satanic forces and physical brokenness (Luke 13:16).

Over the centuries, scribes expounded upon the Mosaic law. They held the people in tight check so they would not anger God and compel Him to send the nation to exile again. In Ezekiel 20:21, God mentions several reasons He sent the southern kingdom of Judah into exile in Babylon, including "they profaned my Sabbaths." To avoid this, the scribes tried to figure out what exactly constituted "work" on the Sabbath. They decided on the idea of tasks needed to build the tabernacle. That could include constructing and finishing, as Jesus did to this woman's spine.

Many Jews follow the Oral Law carefully. In the early time of the Maccabees, a thousand Jews were killed in a battle because they would not fight on the Sabbath. Afterward, the priest Mattathias decided it was okay to defend yourself on the Sabbath. Later scribes developed the pikuach nefesh which affirms that life-saving medical treatment can be given on the Sabbath. That includes everything from giving medicine to trapping dangerous animals. After all, how can someone follow God's law if they're dead?

Jesus doesn't lean on the pikuach nefesh, however, because it doesn't go far enough: it doesn't include relief from chronic diseases or non-life-threatening conditions. Instead, He compares the woman to an ox or donkey. Oxen and donkeys can go without fresh water for a day, but good Jews still lead them to what they need. Why should the thirst of an animal be a greater priority than a suffering woman?

Luke uses "Jesus" when he describes His interaction with the woman (Luke 13:12). Here, he uses "Lord," emphasizing Jesus' authority over the Sabbath and the leaders in the synagogue (Luke 6:1–5). This is another example of the people refusing to correctly interpret the signs (Luke 12:54–56). Jesus is the embodiment of the coming of the kingdom of God, but all the religious leaders see is their own power slipping away.

The religious leaders learn half a lesson here. They learn that Jesus will work on the Sabbath if it means healing someone. So, they set him up, inviting Him to dine at the home of a Pharisee, but also inviting a man with dropsy. But they don't learn the other half of the lesson: Jesus will defend His choice to heal and shame their hard hearts (Luke 14:1–6).

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.

Chapter Summary:

Jesus uses real-world examples to show that tragedy and death can come to anyone, even the righteous. No one should delay in reconciling to God; time is running out. Jesus heals a woman in the synagogue, on the Sabbath, triggering an angry response. Jesus scolds the synagogue leader, then preaches about the inevitable spread of the gospel around the entire world. However, He also notes that most people will reject this message, including the people of Israel.

Chapter Context:

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.

Accessed 5/6/2024 9:49:34 AM