“Bent over” (Luke 13:10-17)

Luke 13:10-17

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Christ healing an infirm woman on the Sabbath
James Tissot, 1886-1896

Pastor Tom Johnson, August 25, 2019

Luke the physician is the only Gospel writer who tells this account of Jesus healing the woman bent over. It was his custom to preach at different synagogues on the sabbath. That particular day a woman came across Jesus’ path who had condition that left her bent over. For 18 years this spiritual and physical condition prevented her from standing up straight. It is one of those uniquely human traits—that we bipeds can balance on our two feet, walk, and run for hours on end. Almost all other creatures great and small are permanently bent over to use four legs. The woman is not even looking for healing that day that we know of. It is Jesus who interrupts her coming into worship. Jesus asks her to come toward him. He tells her she has been set free—loosed, lays hands on her, and immediately she stands up straight and praises God. Jesus facilitates her heartfelt worship. She has come to church that day to give thanks for many things. Now her cup overflows with unexpected blessings and thanksgiving.

Sadly, it becomes a turf war with the leader of the synagogue. Jesus the guest preacher has now crossed the line. He has healed on the sabbath day. The leader of the synagogue has the audacity to scold the woman! “Come on Sunday through Friday to be cured, woman but not Saturday!” Jesus calls the leader of the synagogue and those in his corner hypocrites. Because Jesus sees the inconsistency of their faith and practice. He points out the tragic irony of the situation. “Think about the other creatures that are bent over—ox and donkey” Jesus says. “The backs of these beasts of burden are yoked and loaded Sunday through Friday. But on the sabbath, you relieve them—untie them—set them free—loose them—and show compassion by leading them to water.”

That is what Jesus did in healing the woman and freeing her—loosing her from bondage. Her back is no longer yoked and loaded with the heavy burden of what was physically and spiritually afflicting her. Jesus is actually making it possible for her to experience full rest on this holy day. At the same time, Jesus points out the abuse of power among the religious authority. They twist the spirit of the law and the goal of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is intended to be a day of rest, refreshment, and celebration of what it means to be a child of God. Jesus points out the sad ridiculousness of their spiritual oppression. Their narrow interpretation and judgmentalism add additional weight to the back of this poor woman whose burden is already too great to bear.

Luke the physician never gives us the details of who or what this spirit is who was crippling this woman for 18 years. Was it a toxic religious community? Was it an unnamed evil—the powers of darkness? Was it her demons haunting her for past sins? I believe Doctor Luke does not give us his full diagnosis because it could be any or all of those things. He wants us to consider what may be holding us down and preventing us from holding our heads high. What is the heavy burden you and I are carrying this morning? What are the demons oppressing us? How has religion impeded and prevented us from discovering the liberating truth of the Gospel? What shame or guilt keeps us from standing tall in the forgiveness that God so freely gives?

I love how Jesus elevates this woman’s upper body. I love even more how he elevates her dignity and humanity especially when he calls her a “daughter of Abraham.” This title was always used in it’s masculine form: “son” or “sons of Abraham.” It is reserved for those male descendants of Father Abraham by circumcision. Here Jesus gives this woman a new title and points out her true worth as a royal child of God: “daughter of Abraham.” She can now stand tall physically. But she also can stand tall spiritually and socially. This daughter of Abraham is as much the apple of God’s eye as any son of Abraham. Jesus widens the front door of that place of worship to give the leaders a greater vision of God’s redemptive power. It is Jesus’ joy to takes the scorn, the shame, and the stigma of this woman upon himself and to confront the powers of darkness that were poisoning this synagogue and place of worship.

Jesus will be scorned, shamed, and accused of breaking the Law again. He will suffer the abuse of power again. He will take upon himself the heavy beam of the Cross of Calvary. He will journey to his crucifixion bent over. Jesus takes upon himself the heavy load of sin, evil, and even death—not just of this woman but of the whole world. Just as Scripture says, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree.” Jesus will straighten himself out on the Cross and spread wide his welcoming arms. He will hold his head high as he cries out forgiveness toward those who do not know what they are doing and eternal life to those who are condemned. He will be bent over again in the tomb—lifeless. He will appear to be unable to stand up straight. But on the third day, he will get up, stand up tall, head held high, and proclaim our victory. So you and I stand tall—standing on the shoulders of Christ who died and rose for us—knowing our full worth and dignity as daughters and sons of the Most High God. We are now set free to be the people of God.