Healing a Daughter of Abraham

In the spirit of International Women's Day, March 8, 2016

Luke 13:10-17 teaches me that Jesus’ ministry restores creation to its divine intent.

Jesus’ actions in this passage are centered on reconciliation, compassion, and shalom.  Through healing the “daughter of Abraham,” (vs. 16) and interpreting Torah for shalom in a debate with the synagogue leader, Jesus restores part of creation to its divine intent.  

The appearance of the crippled woman is depicted as sudden by the exclamation “behold,” suggesting that the woman was socially invisible until Jesus began teaching in the synagogue.  The woman introduced is obviously physically impaired as she is described as “bent over and quite unable to stand up straight” (vs 11).  This impairment could be a representation of her status in society or, as Gench suggests, it could be a real result of her status in society.  If this woman had been a peasant for most of her life or done back-breaking work for many years, a crippled and bent back is likely to be the natural result of that work.  

The woman was also impaired by a “spirit of weakness” (vs 11).  This description has many implications.  It could be a result of her crippled back or vice versa.  It could also be completely unrelated to her crippled back and could depict a mental or emotional weakness in the woman.  Gench outlines several possibilities for the meaning of her “spirit of weakness” such as self-esteem issues, depression, or self-worth depravity.  Jesus interprets one or both of these infirmities as the woman being bound by satan.  The last interesting characterization of the woman is that no male counterpart is mentioned.  This woman could have been a widow, putting her even further on the fringes of society.  

When Jesus notices the woman in the narrative, he calls her over to, presumably, the middle of the synagogue where he is teaching.  This is his first act of compassion and restores the woman from the edges of the worshipping community to the center.  He heals her in two stages: first he declares her free from her ailment, then lays his hands on her.  One interpretation explains that Jesus heals the “spirit of weakness” with his words and secondly heals her crippled back with his hands.  With both of these healings, whether they are separate or simultaneous allow the woman to become a fuller part of society.  She responds to this healing by glorifying God, demonstrating her restoration to divine intent.  There is an inseparability of healing physical infirmities and the liberation of the spirit that is obvious in this passage.  It is only when she was fully healed that she was able to fully worship God.  

In the second part of the passage, Jesus engages in a debate with the synagogue leader.  In doing this, Jesus demonstrates more compassion by interpreting Torah for shalom.  The narrator emphasizes that Jesus’ actions were done on the sabbath in a synagogue.  Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 emphasize that no work is to be done on the sabbath day because God rested on the sabbath and it is the day to commemorate Israel’s freedom from Egypt.  According to Jesus, there is no better day to free this woman from bondage than the day that remembers God’s mercy on Israel.  By twisting the synagogue leader’s use of the Greek word “dei,” Jesus claims that “it is necessary” or God’s divine will to heal the crippled woman.  Jesus also welcomes the woman back into the Jewish community by calling her a “daughter of Abraham” (vs 16).  This demonstrates the restoration of this woman to God’s divine community and the covenant that God has with the people of Israel.   

Jesus’ treatment of Jewish laws during the episode with the crippled woman is an example that should be followed by the church today.  Despite laws prohibiting Jesus from healing on the sabbath, Jesus treated the woman with compassion and interpreted the law for shalom.  Everything that the church does, and all of the rules and boundaries that are set in place, should promote reconciliation, compassion, and shalom.  Oftentimes the church is so focused on tradition and following the status quo that we forget that the church is the continuation and response to Jesus’ earthly ministry and his restoration of creation to its divine intent. 

(Luke thesis from Gospels class, 2015)

References from Frances Taylor Gench's Back to the Well: Jesus' Encounter with Women in the Gospels.