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Thursday (06-07-08) Healing of the Woman with the 18-Year Infirmity

I. OBSERVATION

A. Passage Selected: Luke 13:10-17

B. Progression Stated: Logical

C. Presentation Summarized:

1. Context

Another Sabbath miracle.

In the central section of the travelogue, in the center of a giant chiasm are two miracles which frame the very center.-- The doubled over woman and the man with dropsy.

O. Doubled Over

P. International mission and growth

P’ Israel rejection

O’ Dropsy

2. Content

a. Revelation of the miracle 13:10-13

Note the twofold problem and the twofold solution: Physical ailment caused by a demon

b. Response to the miracle 13:14

It is hard to believe the comment of the synagogue officials. Surely no one could be this calloused.

c. Rebuke of the miracle 13:15-17

He rebukes their hypocrisy and of their mixed up value system.

They would release their ox. Jesus released the woman from what bound her (satan). I think Satan was not the only thing that was binding. The religious leaders were too.

II. INTERPRETATION

*Jesus demonstrates the hypocrisy of Israel’s leadership for perverting the Sabbath and having no compassion for people. The Sabbath was made for the benefit of man, not for bondage. The Sabbath was a sign of the mosaic covenant (the law). What God did in the law was make provision for men by sacrificing animals. They had taken the animals and made them more important than humanity. They not only had missed the Sabbath, they had missed the very point of the law.

III. APPLICATIONS

*Humanity is more important than animals. I can’t help but think about our animal rights activists who put the existence of a salamander, a fish or a bird over the welfare of people. And recently we’ve heard several news stories about people keeping pit bulldogs and bobcats in a residential neighborhood and these animals severely injuring people.
*Hypocrisy and lack of compassion is the result of and evidence of an unrighteous religious system.

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